Dynamic Partnerships in Service-Learning

A Breakfast and Workshop with Service-Learning Faculty, Community Partners, and Students

May 4, 2007

Small Group Summaries

Service Learning Course Activities

Student leaders/group projects

Create own projects/teach new activity

Work with smaller group of agencies

Provide extra credit for additional hours

Cont. service learning in another course (longer commitment)

Tutoring

All aspects of art: creative, administration, programming, development of fundraising; workshops with artists (contact artists and organize activities); site visits+field trips; exhibition and performance (curating)

“PROJECT” development
Meetings with community agencies and professors to identify agency needs and potential professor/course contributions PRIOR to the teaching of the courses

Tutoring

• Math

• Reading

Improv

Counseling

Group reading

Plays and performance

Art Project

Build go-carts

Interviews, story-telling, computer tutoring, reading (literacy tutoring), violence counseling & health, incl. HIV/AIDS – mentoring, hotline

Small group – Bilingual conversation, violence, senior safety, & project-based – art, video, poetry writing

Events: one time vol – fundraising, senior olympics

Project: arrange speaker series
Community building events

Photo journal

Speaker- person who has benefited from Cal State LA student volunteer

• present the human element

Showcase Day ( i.e. Sat. morning) – posters and sharing of experience

Community Partners Service Opportunities

Workshops:  Topics: nutrition, health ed., senior safety, bilingual projects, culture

Projects: Radio Show, Senior Olympics, fund raising, community fairs

Student/Faculty Projects related to problems of urban society, remedies, prevention for women, peer, seniors, children

Using course list: community partners designate which courses relate to their work

Tutoring

Recreation

Reading/literacy

Mentoring for at-risk youth/foster children

Senior services

Culinary arts/ESL

Develop computerized database to match service agency to student

• interests
• hours of availability
• transportation
• geographic location

Homework assistance after-school

Tutor in classroom

Speakers

Adult ESL programs

Work with kids and meet their individual needs

Collaborating with volunteer and ensuring a valuable learning experience

Helping with arts workshops

ESL, dance, computer classes

Community building days

Updating materials

Student Reflections

Find out goals for SL project

Reflection activities about SL projects

Presentations

More direction from agencies as to what to do or about services available

One-on-one tutoring

As a SW major it helped me identify

• the needs of children
• programs for children
• human behavior SW
• SW 355 Fam Violence course that might benefit from SL

Apply theory to real life (practice)

Improves student’s self concept- confidence

Provides new insight about a theme

Makes student more well-rounded and competitive for scholarships and grad

school and jobs

Breaks down barriers (esp. those posed by technology)

Develops communication and interpersonal skills

Takes too long for placement

Specific help not always placed

Matching the course requirements to the agency capability

Service enhanced the classroom/learning experience

Best part of class

Got a job as a result of volunteering

Felt like I was able to actually help someone and make a difference

Make sure work connects with class

“Ricky’ (example of a special volunteer)

Volunteer not fully committed to students

*Connecting personal and class interest with work at organization

*Connect with community

learning needs of community

*Personal gain

New Joint Partnerships

Work with Soc., Eng., Psych., Ethnic, CHDV, & Kin courses

Community Engagement Fairs (CSULA) inc. all community partners

Emeritii Faculty @ role models in volunteering

Intergenerational projects

Seniors-SL vols- school children

Library

Art Centers

Collaborative research – community partners+faculty+students

Project specific, incl. health ed., about baby boomers, need for services for specific groups

Service learning sites collaborate to host joint events (quarterly, monthly)

Joint projects between “theme” courses for “repeat” volunteers

Combine classes/ topics (i.e. nutrition and aging; poverty and nutrition)

Combine students from different courses to work on joint projects

Greater agency collaborations with each other

Lyrics from songs – connecting them to students’ lives

Finding literature which engages students rather than just assigning literature to Student

Project Greenhouse ( students work on joint project with agency partners to grow plants and then plant them in neighborhoods)

Partnerships with

                             Social Justice

                            /      |       \

                           /   University   \

                          /              \   \

                 Urban Planning  --------  Arts/Design

                                    +

                            Social Activism

Also: idea of students from different departments working for same organization at same time to foster cross disciplinary thought and projects           

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