Kids these days have a bad rap. Adults who don’t regularly interact with high school students may only see the negative side of the adolescents in their community. In fact, “sixty-one percent of American adults are convinced that today’s youth face a crisis in their values and morals, look at teenagers with misgiving and view them as undisciplined, disrespectful, and unfriendly” (Latham, 2003). One way to help change the attitudes of adults and also encourage youth personal development is service learning programs in local communities.
By participating in service learning programs, students learn how to navigate group dynamics, diversify their peer group to include adults and people from different backgrounds and begin to feel a sense of responsibility for their community. (Community Service & Learning | 4-H Youth Development", n.d.). There is currently a call to action within our nation to fill the gap between where education ends and being a productive member of society begins. “Our U.S. society is based on the idea that we are all responsible for the well- being of our community, country, and world” ("Community Service & Learning | 4-H Youth Development", n.d.).
How do we keep up with global education standards, bring prepared adults into the workforce and raise a generation that understands the social implications of their actions? Community service initiatives are one program uniquely placed to fill that gap and encourage adolescents to take a more altruistic look at their world.
In order to gain the most benefits, it’s important for educators to use current research as a tool to build effective service learning opportunities.
Literature Review
Community service involvement is generally seen as having a positive im...
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Reinders, H., & Youniss, J. (2006). School-based required community service and civic development in adolescents. Applied Developmental Science, 10(1), 2-12. Retrieved from ebscohost.com.library.unl.edu
Schondel, C. K., & Boehm, K. E. (2000). Motivational needs of adolescent volunteers. Adolescence, 35(138), 335. 10p.. Retrieved from ebscohost.com.library.unl.edu
Tugend, A. (2010, July 30). The Benefits of Volunteerism, if the Service Is Real. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/your-money/31shortcuts.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
Willson, A. E., Allen, J. W., Strahan, E. J., & Ethier, N. (2008). Getting involved: Testing the effectiveness of a volunteering intervention on young adolescents' future intentions. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 18(6), 630-637. Retrieved from ebscohost.com.library.unl.edu
The effect community service has on both the school and the student are, in most cases, negative, strictly because of the ‘forced’ aspect of it. Students should not have to feel enslaved when trying to pass high school, especially since many other school districts do not have a
important issues, gain new perspectives and provides learning experiences for volunteers as well as individuals from underserved groups. Because of the numerous benefits, college students should enroll in the Service Learning courses or service learning based programs. These programs allows students to move away from the dualism versus unity point of view and focus on reciprocity and provides the skills necessary to approach future service experiences with a service learning perspective.
What connections do you make between your service-learning experiences and some of the themes addressed in class (justice, love, rights, responsibility, relationships, etc.)?
Growing up, my parents and other influential figures around me modelled the importance of community service through their continual volunteer work and dedication to improving the world around them. Whether it be participation in a well-attended project or persistent contribution to a helpful organization, those aforementioned individuals were formative in guiding me towards a path filled with opportunities for having an impact on my community.
In order to be successful in school, there should be a minimum requirement for high school students to do four hours of community service a week. Community service not only benefits students when looking for scholarships, but also helps apply what they learn in school to the real world. Volunteering helps students expand and practice on skills they have learned in school such as leadership and teamwork. Students who do community service learn to develop leadership skills as well as teamwork skills and this allows them to succeed not only in school, but also in careers and more community involvements. Participating in community service also helps students learn how to solve problems on their own because it is a real life experience. Volunteering helps students be successful in school because it builds a sense of responsibility, confidence, and helps students with scholarships to succeed for their future. I myself, for example, am a high school student who has done volunteer work at the public library.
A service learning experience is designed to enhance a student 's growth in personal and social development and to obtain an understanding of community involvement. For my service learning experience, I volunteered at Change Point Center. In this reflection paper, I will discuss in depth information about the services that Change Point provides, my goals while I was there,and what I ultimately learned from this experience.
Furco (2013) states that “service-learning draws from a number of well-developed theoretical frameworks of learning and development (e.g., experiential learning, situated cognition, youth development, constructivism, etc.), yet many studies are atheoretical” (p. 18), or the lacking of theory used. I examined the use of two theories to determine which one is more beneficial to the development of a service-learning program and will yield the greatest positive impact on student academic achievement and civic engagement.
Community service is something that I have always engaged. In college, I worked with chemically dependent children as both a caretaker and a mentor. After I graduated, I taught at-risk children in a community youth outreach program. To remain involved and aware of the focus of my studies during my first year of law school, I volunteered at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center teaching youth their basic legal rights. Essentially, we strove to empower kids by providing practical information about the legal system and to help them develop more favora...
Kim, in the United States, grades are not the only factor in evaluating school applicants and job candidates. From Rhodes Scholar selections to college applications, excellence in other areas such as leadership, volunteer activities, sports and arts is equally important (p82-90). In American schools, students are encouraged to do volunteer work. So much so that many schools have guidelines for how much time students are expected to spend serving in the community. Children learn the value of giving from an early age. Volunteer activities is one way Americans feel a part of things and share the goal of serving and contributing to build their communities. From neighborhood watch programs to environmental issues, Americans do not wait for the government to initiate action: they take action to bring about the changes they desire. Therefore, Americans view volunteer work as a way to teach children and young adults values such as cooperation and teamwork, dedication and work ethics, equality and social justice, leadership, generosity and compassion for
Taking time to volunteer at the many nonprofit organizations, homeless shelters, advocacy centers, philanthropic fundraisers, local schools and child care facilities in the inner city is not always at the forefront of young people’s minds while navigating through their college experiences. But, with a little push from student organizations, local nonprofits and passionate individuals, volunteerism and community change can start to take a front seat and become not just an opportunity, but also a priority in the lives of young people.
On my last hour of service learning, it hit me in complete realization that this experience has truly given me a deeper insight of what I want to do for a career down the road. Service learning should be a focused requirement for college students to help gain experience of how their related field really works. After completing my service learning hours, I had a much better vision of how teaching works and what I should expect throughout the day working in education with
The recent decline in young people’s participation in political and civic activities has resulted in a revival within the field of civic education. Formal education institutions are not the only ones concerned about youth engagement, however. A number of community agencies and nonprofits are active at the local level throughout the country. They are working to engage young people through a variety of methods, few of which have been researched to determine their effectiveness. One such community e...
Community involvement provides an opportunity to let our youth experience social environments, while also feeling safe in those social environments (Richardson, 2014). Working together and staying strong as a community will maintain the message that is targeted towards our youth (Greenwood, 2005). It is a beneficial and valuable opportunity to work as a team and learn from one another, and this opportunity is what our communities need (2016). Being able to bring community-based services to a family helps parents to be able to address the appropriate discipline for the behavior problems that they are encountering, as well as resolving any arguments or problems (2001). Being able to be a part of a community and working together works for families; it is a great approach that can build the support that is needed, as well as the strength necessary to keep our youth in our communities and out of prisons (Timberlake,
As seniors in high school many kids have not had the satisfaction of participating in many schools and community-related activities, but those who have realized that it’s a very rewarding experience and wish they would have participated sooner.
Volunteering benefits a person by building connections with peers, improving family life, expanding career skills, overcoming self doubt, having lasting life impressions, and creating new opportunities. Just a small act can make a huge difference in someone’s life. The future is dependent on the individual person and the people they surround themselves with. Just a few hours will change both the volunteer’s life and the one that is in need.