Social ChangeCommunity Service

Benefits of Service Learning• Develops research and critical thinking skills.• Provides understanding of how to access the

larger community as a resource for skill-building and learning.

• Helps students identify multiple stakeholders and their interests and to see multiple viewpoints.

• Provides career experience.• Engages students in community problem solving

at local, national, and international levels.

Benefits of Service Learning• Students engaged in service-learning report stronger faculty-

student relationships than do students not involved in service-learning (Eyler et al.)

• Service-learning enhances student personal development such as sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development (Astin et al., Eyler et al., Eyler and Giles)

• Service-learning increases interpersonal development, the ability to work well with others, and leadership and communication skills (Astin et al., Eyler et al.)

• Service-learning can reduce stereotypes and facilitates cultural and racial understanding (Astin et al., Eyler et al., Eyler and Giles)

• Service-learning increases commitment to service (Astin et al., Eyler et al.)

Requirements

• At least 2 hours• Fill out the community service sheet for this class

(signature of your “boss”, you answer some questions)

• In your final presentation, include: - a brief description of your service - an entertaining or interesting story from your

service - 3 pictures of you at work (exclude the other

people if this place has regulations)

Social ChangeDefinition – new societal behaviors with important, long-term implications

If you are looking for an “easy option”• Participate in beach clean up

- inquire at the Maritime Museum, next Saturday

• Contact Goodwill or St. Vinny’s

• Contact any nursing home• Consider options at our

school (helping out students with disabilities, helping out with sports events, helping out with entertainment events)

Medium commitment options• Contact the Mariner’s Trail

people and help clean up • Contact Big Brothers, Big

Sisters (usually they are looking for a longer than 5 hr. commitment, but they do have special events)

• Contact Holiday House (teaching work-skills to people with disabilities)

Challenging, but the most interesting options

• Participate in a contest • Organize an event or help with organizing one• Find out what you have to do to be able to volunteer at

the hospital and to work with children who have cancer

• Raise money for an international organization (against human trafficking or child labor or to help a local organization such as RAYS)

• Consider government involvement (league of conservation voters)

• Consider helping out a local organization (Wild Ones)