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What is Service Learning?
Service Learning is more than just volunteering; it combines SERVICE with LEARNING in intentional ways.
If young people collect trash from a local river, they are providing a service to the community as volunteers. If young people collect trash from a local river, then analyze what they found so they can share the results with residents of the community along with suggestions for reducing pollution, they are engaging in Service Learning.
Through Service Learning youth are providing an important service to the community AND, learning about water quality and laboratory analysis, developing an understanding of pollution issues, learning to interpret science issues, and practicing communication skills by presenting their results to the community. Students may also reflect on their personal and career interests in science, the environment, public policy or other related areas.
Who can participate in Service Learning?
Anyone, of any age, can take part in Service Learning. Successful programs have been run in classrooms with students as young as 5 years old or even with adults who have are already entered the professional world and are working for companies looking to help their employees learn new skills. Service Learning works especially well for age groups anywhere between 7th grade and college graduates.
What can Service Learning do for my students?
A growing body of research recognizes Service Learning as an effective strategy to:
- Improve Academic Achievement - When explicitly tied to academic standards and learning objectives, Service Learning positively impacts student outcomes on measures of academic achievement, including standardized test scores.
- Increase Student Engagement in School – Service Learning engages youth by helping them make critical connections between classroom lessons and real-world applications.
- Improve Social Behavior – Service Learning participants are less likely to engage in risky behavior, and more likely to build social skills like communication, teamwork, and problem solving.
- Build Civic Skills - By giving youth the responsibility to identify and meet pressing needs, Service Learning builds civic skills and commitment that can last a lifetime.
- Strengthen Community Partnerships – Service Learning brings youth into the community, and the community into the lives of youth. In this way, youth develop a sense of belonging and responsibility, and communities view youth as valuable assets.
I want to start a Service Learning project! What support/information is available? The Volunteer Center, Youth Program Manager, can:
- Help you build curriculum to meet your student’s needs.
- Help you make a connection to a need within your community.
- Provide you with resource material.
- (If needed) Provide you with potential funding opportunities to help get your project started.
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| 1717 Paramount Drive • Waukesha, WI • 53187-1041 • 262-547-8459 |
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