Involving youth in community-based service-learning
Abstract
ImPACT, a service-learning program at the Learning Web in Ithaca, New York, engaged youth in service-learning by giving them "voice and choice," which made service-learning relevant to their experiences. ImPACT ran as an extracurricular after-school program, which met twice a week for three hours over a five-month period. In the New Designs for Youth Development article Making an ImPACT: The Power of Community-Based Service Learning, program coordinator Curtis Ogden discusses how he gave youth voice in each stage of the service-learning project: recruitment, group building, community research, selection and implementation of project, and evaluation and celebration.Issue
How to involve youth in meaningful community service.Action
According to Curtis Ogden in "Making an ImPACT: The Power of Community Based Service Learning," effective practices to giving youth a voice in service-learning are described here.
ImPACT ran as an extracurricular after-school program, which met twice a week for three hours over a five-month period. Students participated in the program as volunteers and, though they did not get course credit for their involvement, many used the experience to complete assignments for their classes or get extra credit. Each group numbered was comprised of 10 to 12 students.
The program included the following five stages:
1. Recruitment and introduction to service
This component usually entailed classroom presentations followed by an informational meeting for interested students. During the meeting a video was shown that was produced by, for, and with teens, accompanied by a discussion that often led to comparisons between the communities and issues portrayed in the video and those of the viewers. This process helped students to identify issues and began to make the program relevant to their lives.
2. Group building
Once a small group was formed, students were involved in group-building exercises, including activities focusing on personal interests and skills. These discussions were open-ended, and expanded the realm of possibilities for action. Additionally, a project was organized to give everyone "a taste of service" in the area of housing renovations.
3. Conducting community research
Community investigation allowed participants to develop a meaningful context for their work and appreciation of the issues at play in their community. Participants also became familiar with "asset mapping" -- that is, identifying resources in the community such as social service agencies.
4. Selection and implementation of project(s)
After two or three weeks of research, the group decided which project(s) it wished to pursue. The process of selection and implementation of projects also included ongoing reflection on the part of both students and staff. The fact that ImPACT functioned in a group setting generated many informal and spontaneous opportunities for reflection.
5. Evaluation and celebration
An evaluative process was used not only to rate and review accomplishments, but also to make recommendations for future work and projects in the community. Written and verbal evaluations also focused on ways in which the overall program could be improved. Some participants actually helped plan and give presentations for recruitment at other schools. Each group planned its own celebration, relating in some way to service.
Context
The Learning Web was founded in 1972 as a project of the Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy (CRESP) at Cornell University. Now independent, its mission is to provide young people, who may be disengaged from school and society, with experiential learning opportunities. The Learning Web apprenticeship program (ImPACT) was designed to connect young people with adult mentors in the community for the purpose of learning about and interacting with their surroundings. Through a guided process of exploration, young people not only learn work skills, but also are empowered to be more self-directed and confident in their learning and lives.Citation
Ogden,Curtis."Making an ImPACT: The Power of Community-Based Service Learning."New Designs for Youth Developmemt." vol.15-4, Fall 1999.Outcome
A youth-centered and holistic approach to service-learning is effective in achieving profound individual and social transformation.
Many adults were impressed by the accomplishments of the group and their desire to take action. City and town officials began to call on group members to offer their insights on community issues, a process that created new roles and confidence for many of the youth. Perhaps more than anything else, however, ImPACT left participants with a sense of new possibilities. Community service was no longer drudgery or duty, but a very personal and meaningful undertaking.
Posted On
May 16, 2001For More Information