Establishing campus connections for engaging college students as volunteer leaders
Abstract
National service programs seek to expand their efforts by leveraging additional volunteers within the communities they serve. Increase capacity by recruiting college students as volunteer leaders, who can plan meaningful service projects that engage their fellow students. This effective practice was developed and tested by Hands On Network’s Citizen Action AmeriCorps members in Seattle, Boston, and Atlanta. Lori Jean Mantooth of the Hands On Network shared this effective practice in August 2007.Issue
Identifying best practices for establishing relationships with local colleges or universities is essential when seeking to engage college students as volunteer leaders.Action
The initial point of contact — indeed, the entire process of establishing a relationship with a college or university — will vary from school to school. You may talk first with a student who expresses an interest in having the initiative at his/her college. Or you may speak with a professor who thinks it's a great idea but recognizes the bureaucracy involved in beginning an official connection between your program and the school. Your conversations may end with a service fraternity that wants to spearhead the movement, or you may end up working with a dean's office or the service-learning department. The important thing is to persevere until you speak with a person, group, or department with whom you can build a strong partnership.
As part of the Hands On Campus Initiative, Citizen Action AmeriCorps members in Atlanta, Seattle, and Boston established a list of questions that you should ask a potential college or university partner. These questions include:
Questions for Prospective Campuses
- Campus Contacts
- What departments on your campus would you suggest contacting about this initiative (e.g., student activities, residence life, sociology/education/ psychology departments, other)?
- What is the name and contact information of someone in that department?
- Do you have a volunteer/service-learning office or department? If so, who is a contact person there?
- Student Contacts
- What individuals or groups on campus should I contact about this initiative (e.g., student body/government president, community service groups, honor/academic groups, fraternities, sororities, sports teams, clubs, leadership groups, others)?
- What is their contact information?
- Marketing
- Whom should I contact about marketing the student volunteer leadership (SVL) program on campus?
- What is his/her contact information?
- Can I post fliers on campus? If so, where?
- Where can I table on campus?
- Are there any upcoming events where I could market the program?
- Senior Week Event
- What is your campus schedule for senior week commencement activities?
- Would your campus be willing to collaborate with our program to plan a service event during the senior week activities?
- Would your students be willing to participate in a volunteer event in conjunction with more typical senior week activities?
- Summer Continuance
- What is the student presence on campus during the summer?
- Fall Day of Service
- Would your campus be interested in participating in a larger, multi-campus event in the fall?
- Who might be available during the summer to collaborate in the planning of this event?
Context
A 2006 report by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that 3.3 million college students volunteered in 2005. The Corporation is working with other federal agencies, colleges and universities, higher education and student associations, and nonprofit organizations to increase the number of college students volunteering each year to 5 million by 2010.Outcome
Programs that follow these steps should be able to:- Identify campus contacts
- Determine potential marketing opportunities on campus
- Discuss future service activities
Evidence
Using this list of questions, Citizen Action AmeriCorps members established working relationships with eight campuses in Boston and five in Seattle.Posted On
September 13, 2007For More Information