ED 197 629 TTTLF INSTITUTION PUB DATE NOTE AVAILABLE FROM DOCUMENT RESUME HE 012 789 The Service-Learning Educator: A Guide to Program Management. ACTION, Washington, D.C. National Center for Service - Learning. Dec 79 121p. National Center for Service-Learning/ACTION, Room 1106, 806 Connecticut Ave N.W., Washington, DC 20525 (free). EDRS PRICE MFO2 /PC01 Plus-Postage. DESCRIPTORS Activism: Administrator Responsibility: *College Students: Community Development: *Community Programs: Educational Objectives: Experiential Learning: Higher Education: Needs Assessment: *Program Administration: Program Descriptions: Program Development: Program Evaluation: Program Guides: Program Implementation: Questionna3.res: Records (Fortis) : *School Community Programs: Social Action: Student Evaluation: *Student Participation: Student Placement: Student Projects IDENTIFIERS *Public Service: Service Learning ABSTRACT A guide for college and university educators who manage service -learn ng programs, or programs that support student involvement in the coillmunitv, is presented. A systematic approach to planning and managing service-learning programs is presented, management functions for supporting a service-learning system are identified, and ideas on implementing these support functions are presented. The following functions that are normally the responsibility of service-learning educators are covered: management functions (e.g., planning, organizing, coordinating) ; functions related to developing strong service protects in the community (e.g., assessing community needs, developing projects and placements, monitoring results): functions related to facilitating student learning (e.g., helping students identify learning objectives, prepare service-learning agreements, and assess learning): support functions (e.g., recruiting, orienting, and transporting students): and office-related functions (e.g., budgeting, recordkeeping, and personnel management). Information is general enough to apply to programs of different size, complexity, and persuasion. Kinds of service-learning programs, characteristics of programs associated with academic affairs versus student affairs, and program management activities are briefly considered. A large selection of sample forms to aid in needs assessment, management, and evaluation of service-learning programs 1.3 included. A. list of organizations supporting service-learning and references are also included. (SW) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************
Transcript
ED 197 629
TTTLF
INSTITUTION
PUB DATENOTEAVAILABLE FROM
DOCUMENT RESUME
HE 012 789
The Service-Learning Educator: A Guide to ProgramManagement.ACTION, Washington, D.C. National Center for Service- Learning.Dec 79121p.National Center for Service-Learning/ACTION, Room1106, 806 Connecticut Ave N.W., Washington, DC20525 (free).
Students: Community Development: *Community Programs:Educational Objectives: Experiential Learning: HigherEducation: Needs Assessment: *Program Administration:Program Descriptions: Program Development: ProgramEvaluation: Program Guides: Program Implementation:Questionna3.res: Records (Fortis) : *School CommunityPrograms: Social Action: Student Evaluation: *StudentParticipation: Student Placement: Student Projects
IDENTIFIERS *Public Service: Service Learning
ABSTRACTA guide for college and university educators who
manage service -learn ng programs, or programs that support studentinvolvement in the coillmunitv, is presented. A systematic approach toplanning and managing service-learning programs is presented,management functions for supporting a service-learning system areidentified, and ideas on implementing these support functions arepresented. The following functions that are normally theresponsibility of service-learning educators are covered: managementfunctions (e.g., planning, organizing, coordinating) ; functionsrelated to developing strong service protects in the community (e.g.,assessing community needs, developing projects and placements,monitoring results): functions related to facilitating studentlearning (e.g., helping students identify learning objectives,prepare service-learning agreements, and assess learning): supportfunctions (e.g., recruiting, orienting, and transporting students):and office-related functions (e.g., budgeting, recordkeeping, andpersonnel management). Information is general enough to apply toprograms of different size, complexity, and persuasion. Kinds ofservice-learning programs, characteristics of programs associatedwith academic affairs versus student affairs, and program managementactivities are briefly considered. A large selection of sample formsto aid in needs assessment, management, and evaluation ofservice-learning programs 1.3 included. A. list of organizationssupporting service-learning and references are also included. (SW)
************************************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.***********************************************************************
THESERVICELEAL -.Li ,GEDUCATOR:A GUIDE TO PROGRAMMANAGEMENT
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.EDUCATION I WELFARENATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
EDUCATION
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO.DUCED EXACTLY 45 RECEIVED FROMTHE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN-ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONSSTATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE-SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OrEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY
IAA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER I MANAGITs G A SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM 3
Kinds of Service-Learning Programs
Analyzing Your Program
Service-Learning Programs and Institui onal Structure
Supportive Management
A Management System
Additional Readings
CHAPTER II SERVICE: YI UR PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY 9
Introduction
Involving the Community in Assessing N eeds for Service
Determining Which Needs Will Be Addri ssed
Developing Projects and Placements
Maintaining Communications
Monitoring Project Activities
Ending Projects - and Beginning Again
Additional Readings
CHAPTER III LEARNING: YOUR PROGRAM AND THE STUDENT 31
Introduction
Determining Which Students Your Program Will Serve
Advantages and Disadvantages of SurveyTechniques 13
Agency Evaluation Form 73-74
Approaches to Assessing Student Learning 44
Community Interest Survey 15
Community Need Survey 14
Community Relations Hints 76
End-of-Year Project Summary 28
Evaluating the Program 69
Evaluation of Students 71-72
Form for Monitoring Project Accomplishments 25
Looking at Your Community 12
Needs Analysis Tool 18
Planning Site Visits 26
Project Evaluation 70
Sample Form for Documenting StudentAchievement of Learning Objectives 44
Sample Job Description 21-22
Sample Letter and Questionnaireto Organizations 15
Sample Project Description 20
Sample Site Visit Record 26
Sample Timeline 25
Some Ways of Demonstrating Project Impact 28
Training Interviewers 14
SPECIAL FORMS AND CHARTS
Areas for Evaluation 68
Common Uses of Evaluation 68
Levels of Leadership Development 62
Personal Development Plan 63
Sample Planning Sheet to Meet Reporting Needs 93'
Sample Recordkeeping System 90
Service-Learning Agreement 39-40
Transportation Schedule 57
Introduction
This manual is for college and university educators whomanage service-learning programs. Whether you are juststarting a program, or are a more seasoned manager, itshould be useful to you.Companion materials are also available for facultyinterested in service-learning and for college students.
This manual
Presents a systematic approach to planning andmanaging service-learning programsIdentifies management functions for supporting a'service - learning programProvides ideas on carrying out these supportfunctionsLists additional resources which others have foundhelpful
This is a planning tool, not a workbook. It does not giveone set of procedures to "work through," but offersalternatives which can be adapted to unique situations.The looseleaf arrangement allows you to add informationas well as to reorganize material to suit your needs.Examples of forms appear throughout the text. Blankforms are provided at the end of the manual for your use.
The manual is organized into five chapters representingthe five major functions that are normally theresponsibility of service-learning educators. These are:
Functions related to developing strongservice projects in the community, e.g.,assessing community needs, developingprojects and placements, monitoring results
Functions related to facilitating studentlearning, e.g., helping students identifylearning objectives, prepare service-learningagreements and assess learning
Chapter 4 Support functions, e.g., recruiting, orientingand transporting students
Chapter 5 Office-related functions, e.g., budgeting,recordkeeping and personnel management
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
This manual is not intended in any way to promote a"standard service-learning program model"; in fact, itshould do just the opposite. While some functions maybe inappropriate to your situation, your colleague on aneighboring campus may find those same functionsessential to program success.
Differences among programs throughout the countryhave given service-learning its rich variety and uniqueperspective. This manual provides information generalenough to apply to programs regardless of size,complexity and persuasion. It also includes much of whatservice-learning educators believe is ugPf,A, 5ut has onlybegun to scratch the surface. We hope you will continueto build on the information in thig guide.
It is impossible to acknowledge all the many contributorsto the manual, but the following people deserve specialrecognition. Their willingness to share materials, insightsand experiences has been gratifying, and the excellence oftheir work has made this project a significant learningexperience for those involved.
Staff of the Education and Work Program of theNorthwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland,Oregon, were responsible for the design anddevelopment of the manual.
Special acknowledgment is due the following personswho reviewed the manual in draft form and contributednumerous helpful ideas: Paul Breen, Barbara Hofer, CarolMoore, Judy Sorum, Rich Lingerer and Hal Woods.
A complete listing of institutions contributing informationto the development of the manual is contained in theAcknowledgmenLs at the end of the manual.
One further note: In bibliographies you will seereferences to the National Student Volunteer Program(NSVP)._Tjae_name hasTec-iiitlybeen changed-to theNational Center for Service-Learning (NCSL) MaterialsanaServices lormerly available through NSVP are nowavailable through NCSL:
4), a orsocc tea alt avaitilde September 1, 1979. General su-perrkory &dim; and reference seri.,ices primarily during evening andweek-end haunt. 37.712 hour. 5 dryweek; It112 month appointment. Ac-credited MIS degree. Be nnir.g Salary: 4000-$19.500, usual benefits.[Cloning sir e: July 2, 1979. Equal Op-portunity. Affirmatter Action Em-ployer. Apply to: Director. Assump-tion College Library, Worcester,Massachusetts 0:602.
Library; Geer, Tia State University.Reference: position. General reference arid interpretative osststanee tofavitity, students and staff. RequiresA IA accrislited graduate degree; flu.cid use at Yingitsli; proficiency iaG,r,nan, Prtc..'1 or Spanish languageand bitihograpiw; strnt; an,.1 broadliticrat arts bacitround; ceinpelecm:.is Ose gosernitient :,nitbibiiographic neils arni tecimioneiLI'aeidt.. rank. Salary; minimum. ,apply by jurie
Rol:hon t,nirer.!tybrariao. tIcaprgi.1 State University.
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orne niversity is at: e..qUa pportunity. Affirmative. Action Employer.
filagnelospharic Physicist: Universityof Alaska, Fairbanks, The Geophysi.cat institute and Division of Geucienecs inviter applications for a full-time faculty position at the Assistac:or Associate Probmsor level fromquatified rnagnetospheric physicistsspecialiging in the study of naturallyoccurring waves in the earth's el:ctromagneilc field in the W.F. ELI'and VLF' range. Emphasis should heon the ULF' and of the SpectrlIM.Applicants should haste capabilities inboth the ei taspeCts 0
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Marketing and Management: Positionopen in September, 1279 to fetich un-dvrgrxduatc colirWs ht a small lit.erat tuts college. MBA and conern
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HELP WANTEDUniv. seeks edu-cator w/ proven mgmt. skills todirect serv.-learning prom. Pro-mote accessible, quality deliverysystm. to underserved comm'tyswhile satisfying univ. need forrecognition, student need formeaningful exper., & divr aneeds of faculty. Duties: Programdesign, implementation and eval.Carry out successful comm'tyrelations prgm. Negotiatew/faculty to meet academic re-quirements. Role model for stu-dents. Supervise staff. Qualifica-tions: PhD ED w/MBA or equiv.Demonstrated expertise in de-signing postsecondary experien-tial learning prgms. & comm'tyserv/ voluntary action efforts; ex-cel. oral & written comm. skills;fund-raising exp. Knowledge ofinterdepartmental politics atuniv. level desirable. Salary nego-tiable, but small. Potential for ad-vancement uncertain.
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i) CHAPTERManaging aService-Learning Program
The Concept ofService-LearningThe advertisement on the preceding page is fictional. Theresponsibilities, the mix of skills needed by service-learning educators, and the complexity of the job are notexaggerated, however. The service-learning coordinator isexpected at the least to be a community change agent, aneducator and a manager - simultaneously.
Over the past decade various approaches to dealing withthe diverse requirements of service-learning programdesign and management have evolved. While no oneprogram is exactly like another, structurally orfunctionally, service-learning educators responsible formanaging these programs generally must in varyingdegrees ensure that effective service is delivered to thecommunity, that students are learning from theirexperiences, and that adequate support is provided toenable the service and learning to occur.
Programs that support student involvement in thecommunity may have different names - Service-LearningProgram, Office of Experiential Education, InternshipProgram, Community Involvement, Field ExperienceProgram and Volunteer Bureau are a few of the morecommon ones. In this guide, we use the term service-learning to describe programs that focus on meetinghuman and community needs, while helping students tolearn from their experiences.
In service-learning programs, the "service" is controlled orowned by those who are to be served, while the"learning" is controlled by the learners themselves. Thesetwo fundamental premises mean that service objectivesmust be clearly differentiated from learning objectives.
Community individuals and groups should determinewhat it is that is to be done; similarly it is the studentwho should determine what will be learned. Colleges anduniversities have a unique opportunity to develop andsupport programs that transfer to clients control ofservices that are offered. Such a transfer results in anactive role for the client in the service process. Thus theclient comes to be regarded as an "acquirer" of services,rather than a passive "recipient" of services
The following are some examples of service-learningprojects:
O Students in one Eastern state were instrumental inhaving a small claims court established as a part ofthe state's district court system. Serving as advocatesfor low-income consumers, the students prepared afeasibility study for a small claims court system andsubmitted it to the state legislature which passedlegislation creating the system. The students nextprepared a publication explaining the small claimscourt procedure to low-income consumers. The courttoday services thousands of consumers who do nothave the funds to pay for legal counsel.
Due to the efforts of students at a Southernuniversity, more than 1,000 subsistence farmers inseveral southern states now have local outlets fortheir produce and low-income.city dwellers haveaccess to nutritious bargains. Prior to the student-initiated project, the farmers had no control overtheir markets. By helping farmers to organize weeklyfood fairs, the students enabled new urban-rural linksto develop while bypassing middlemen who in thepast had taken most of the farmers' profits.
Students at a Western college initiated a program toteach independent living skills to retarded adults.The program concept has quickly spread to othercolleges throughout the state where several hundredretarded adults are learning to live on their ownoutside of institutions. The student volunteers offer14 different courses for these people on such issuesas keeping healthy, managing money, assertivenesstraining, physical fitness, cooking, traveling andearning a living.
A distinguishing feature of these projects is Ktat eachwent beyond simply doing something for someone inneed. In each case, individuals or groups in thecommunity gained power and resources that increasedtheir autonomy; they became service acquirers, moreautonomous, better able to advocate for themselves, ingreater control of their own lives.2
8
4 CHAPTER I
Kinds of Service-LearningProgramsAs service-learning projects are developed they usuallyare bound together by some kind of programmaticstructure. The purpose of any service-learning program isto support various kinds of projects. This is important tokeep in mind as you think about your role as a manager.
The management role can be carried out in numerousways, but is always concerned with facilitating andcatalyzing both the student's placement with thecommunity agency and the student's learning. Often themanagement role is split: for example, the service-learningoffice will arrange the placement, while a faculty memberwill guide the student's learning. In some cases theservice-learning office sponsors the placement and thelearning; in other cases a faculty member does both.Occasionally, the student negotiates the placement whilethe service-learning office provides guidance to supportthe student's impact cn a community need.
(STAFF:
Linksstudents,
community;facilitates learning
COMMUNITY:Identifies
service needsand guides/supervises
student efforts
Service-Learning Roles
Analyzing Your ProgramBecause service-learning is so closely tied to the specificconditions of your community and college, there is noone "right" way of designing your program. Elements toanalyze in planning your program include the types ofprojects to be supported by your office; who initiatesprojects; the type of support you will provide to projectsnot initiated by your office; and how you will serve as afocal point for coordination between the schooland community.
The following are some typical structures for service-learning programs:
Student-initiated. This type of service-learning programis characterized by projects that are initiated entirely bystudents. The service-learning office may provide fundingand support to students and, if appropriate, locate facultymembers willing to grant credit and otheracademic support.
Centrally organized on campus. In this structure projectsare organized and initiated by the service-learning office.Coordinators manage individual projects, and the service-learning office recruits and places students. Facultyfrequently use the service-learning office to arrangestudent placemepls. The office may provide workshopson service-learning for students and faculty, may initiateresearch into various issues connected with service-learning, and may be responsible for setting campuspolicies on credit, grading, stipends and criteria foracceptable projects.
Faculty-initiated. Here, projects are initiated entirely byfaculty or academic departments. The service-learningoffice supports these projects by reterring students tofaculty members and by providing general assistance.
Clearinghouse or bureau. Principal activities of the officein such a program are recruiting and placing "walk-in"students, providing assistance to those who want topursue self-directed learning and, in some cases, referringstudents to faculty willing to grant credit.
Coordinated off- campus for several colleges anduniversities. The off-campus service-learning office servesthe needs of several colleges and universities within aspecified geographical area. Such an office typicallyarranges placement opportunities; places students referredby participating colleges and universities; and coordinatesefforts among institutions to set up common practicesregarding academic credit and requirements forparticipating students. Internships for students aretypically arranged by the off-campus office.
Many service-learning offices combine more than one ofthe above elements. For example, it is quite common foran office to support both a volunteer clearinghouse andprojects initiated by students or faculty. The key is torecognize that each campus service-learning office needsto develop its own unique way of supporting students,faculty and the community.
Service-Learning Programs andInstitutional StructureThe institution's approach to service-learning is frequentlymirrored in the placement of the service-learning programin the administrative structure. Consider the following:
In one institution, the service-learning programoccupies an office that is responsible to the VicePresident for Academic Affairs. The cr.fice is headedby an Assistant Dean and is responsible fordeveloping policies regarding credit ca.-id courses. Theprogram promotes the concept of service-learningamong faculty and provides interested faculty withplacements for students and other materials thatfacilitate service - learning.
In another institution, the serice-learning program ispart of the Office of Student Activities. Thisprogram develops service-learning opportunities forstudents and attempts to interest college faculty inservice-learning. It also identifies faculty who believein the value of awarding credit for off-campuslearning experiences.
Both these approaches produce effective service-learningprograms; however, each has distinguishing features:
Service-Learning Program Associated withAcademic Affairs
1. Tends to reflect a high commitment on the part of theinstitution, since "Academic Affairs" is the institution'smission.
2. Tends to result in a centralized, coordinated service-learning program, since institution-wide academicpolicy affects everyone equally.
3. Runs the risk of over-emphasizing learning" andunder-emphasizing "service."
4. Runs the risk of exploiting community agencies andindividuals due to the organizational emphasis onstudent learning.
5. Is usually able to facilitate involvement by manydifferent departments.
Service-Learning Program Associated withStudent Affairs
1. Tends to be more flexible in responding to studentneeds and open to student initiatives.
2. Tends to be responsive to community needs andcommitted to solving community problems.
3. Runs the risk of over-emphasizing "service" and under-emphasizing "learning."
4. Runs the risk of being a lower priority within theuniversity's mission, and hence, may be less stable.
5. Usually linked with only one academic department if
credit is offered.
Managing a Service-Learning Program 5
In addition to these approaches, other variations deservemention:
One institution has established a service-learningprogram as a separate academic office offering creditfor service-learning courses. This program hires itsown faculty, who arrange placements for studentsand conduct weekly or biweekly seminarsfor students.
Another institution has a separately endowedservice-learning program. Several projects aremanaged on an ongoing basis and projectcoordinators conduct seminars with students thatpromote learning. The stability of this program isensured by its endowment.
Whatever the institution's approach, there are numerousways a college or university can benefit from supportinga service-learning program:
It increases the number of learning opportunities theinstitution can offer students and may consequentlyattract more students to the institution.It provides a way 'or the institution to play a vitalrole in community affairs, thus increasing publicsupport.It offers the institution a way to prepare studentsmore effectively for the world of work.It gives the institution an opportunity to participatein building a better, more humane community, thuscreating a more healthy environment for theinstitution itself.It offers numerous opportunities for research andscholarship related to the nature of learning and tothe relationship between the learning institution andsociety, consequently enhancing the intellectual life
of the institution.P.- enhances liberal education by providing a testingground for classroom concepts, expanding thestudent's sense of cultural awareness and encouragingthe value of lifelong service to one's community.
Supportive ManagementIn order to make human service delivery program.; work,the management of those programs must see its roleprimarily as giving support. In any human serviceprogram, the service that is delivered depends on anability to respond to actual needs. SerVice-learning doesnot work well when individuals outside the communitycome barging in telling people what their needs are andwhat must be done to solve their problems. It does workwell when individuals take the time to understandcommunity persons' perceptions of their needs and helpthem work toward solutions that will alleviate thoseneeds.
10
6 CHAPTER I
Supportive management does not mean you should bethe pawn of any community organization needing help;rather, having chosen to work on a community problem,your obligation is to help people solve problems. Yourprogram will also work best if you see your function asproviding support to students and faculty who desire toget involved in solving community problems.
A Management SystemAnalysts of contemporary problems in administeringservice-learning programs point out that poor organizationoften underlies nearly every problem. indeed, if you askprogram managers to describe the greatest day-to-dayproblems they face, you'll probably hear nothing new.Instead, you'll hear things like:
Our program lacks direction.There's no follow.through with students.Agency people are reluctant to accept students.Faculty think students can use community membersas subjects for experiments.
This pattern of complaints suggests there may be anunderlying cause. Marlene Wilson, for example, believesprogram administrators need "to develop the expertise tobe good managers (her emphasis)."3 In an age of shrinkingresources, increasing service needs and an ever-presentcall for accountability, many experts feel thedevelopment of sound managerial skills is the best hopefor the effective and efficient delivery of needed services.
In their influential book Principles of Management,Koontz and 0'Donne114 describe five kinds ofmanagerial functions:
Planning Planning functions help you determineWHAT is going to be done in anorganizational effort.
Organizing - Organizing fur.ctions elaborate HOWyou are going to carry out plans.
Staffing - Staffing functions help you select WHOwill carry out the effort.
Directing - Directing functions help you coordinateongoing activity.
Controlling Controlling functions assist you indetermining how successful your effortwas.
Because coordinating a service-learning program differsconsiderably from managing a profit-making business,three of these functions are better described by adifferent choice of words. For example, while the term"staffing" may accurately describe the way you locatepersonn^1 for your office, you probably spend most ofyour time ic.iAving people: students, faculty, communityrepresentatives and so on.
A service-learning coordinator's job is less concerned with"directing" subordinates and more concerned with
coordinating, supporting and assisting. For this reason wecall the fourth kind of function coordinating.
The term "controlling" connotes to some an authoritarianmanagerial style. Based on our observatiL ns of service-learning programs, we call the final type of functionassessing: helping persons see the consequences oftheir actions.
These five management activities planning, organizing,involving, coordinating, assessing - can be applied tomost of the tasks you undertake. They form a systematicmanagement process. This process can be applied to eachfunctional area and supporting task that your officeca -rigs out. For example, let us look at recruitment asa function.
You begin by planning your recruiting effort: What doyou hope to accomplish through recruiting? Do you planto recruit 400 students? Or 19 students? After you havemade your decision, you need to organize to get yourrecruiting done. What specific steps will you follow?Who will do each step? When will each be done? Wherewill your recruiting effort take place? Having answeredthese questions, you need to turn to obtainingcommitments from those you hope will carry out theeffort: you need to involve people in the task. As yourrecruitment effort progresses you must coordinate ongoingactivities. Perhaps something is not going according toexpectations - you will need to modify your plans.Maybe a conflict arises - you will have to mediate theconflict. Finally, after the recruitment effort is finished,you need to examine or assess how well you did. Did yourecruit the number of students you planned to recruit?What worked well? What needed improvement? Howwould you do things differently next time?
Though it sounds somewhat time-consuming, a processsuch as this one can help you think through each activityyour office provides, and can point out elements youmay have overlooked. The process may be used tomanage program activities that cover an entire schoolyear, as well as the activities of various projectssupported by your program.
Try to keep the process of planning, organizing,involving, coordinating and assessing in mind as youconsider each' of the major functional areas described inthe rest of this manual.
Learning: A Faculty View," in Warren Bryan Martin, ed.,Redefining Service, Research and Teaching (San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1977), p. 67.
2 Robert Greenleaf, "The Servant as Leader"(Cambridge: Center for Applied Studs, 1970).
Marlene Wilson, The Effective Management of VolunteerPrograms (Boulder: Volunteer Management Associates,1976), p. 16.
4 Harold Koontz and Cyril °Donnell, Principles ofManagement (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1955. 1968), pp.48-50. Cited by Wilson, ibid., pp. 25-40.
Additional ReadingsTwo annotated bibliographies are available in the field ofexperiential education:
Stutz, Jane Porter and Knapp, Joan, eds. ExperientialLearning: An Annotated Literature Guide. Columbia,MD: Council for the Advancement of ExperientialLearning (CAEL), 1977.
Brewer, Carolyn G. and Hagerty, Donald J. "FieldExperience Learning and Higher Education." Davis,CA: Work-Learn and Career Development Center,University of California at Davis, 1976. (Thispublication is to be revised and updated on ayearly basis.)
The National Society for Internships r,nd ExperientialEducation publishes a resource list that includesorganizations, institutions, periodicals, how-to materials,individuals and published articles all dealing withexperiential education. (A listing of key agencies is foundin 'the Appendix.)
The National Center for Service-Learning (formerly theNational student Volunteer Program), a part of ACTION,publishes Synergist, the leading journal in the field ofservice-learning. The Fall 1978 issue of Synergist containsan index of major articles appearing in the journal since1971. Voluntary Action leadership, published quarterly bythe National Center for Voluntary Action, is also animportant journal.
The National Center for Service-Learning (NCSL)publishes several technical assistance materials, availableat no cost, including the following items:
It's Your Move. t976. 51 pp. A basic guide written.toassist community groups and agencies workingwith student volunteer programs.
12
Managing a Service-Learning Program 7
Planning by Objectives. 1974. 70 pp. A planning manualdesigned to help people who work with studentvolunteers learn a system for effectively planningand implementing service-learning programs.
Training Student Volunteers. 1973. 103 pp. A trainingmanual developed to help student volunteer
' coordinators and others plan and conduct training.activities for students involved in communityservice programs.
Evaluating Service-Learning Programs. 1978. 65 pp. A guidefor program coordinators to use in designing andimplementing evaluations that will provideinformation on program activities andeffectiveness.
High School Student Volunteers. 1972. 60 pp. A basicmanual written to help secondary school officialsconceive and implement service-learning programs.
High School Courses with Volunteer Components. 1974. 167pp. TWelve case studies prepared to help highschool faculty design courses in which communityservice activities complement classroom work.
The following selected materials expand upon conceptsbrought up in this chapter. Although this list is notdesigned to be an annotated bibliography, we haveincluded brief descriptions of artides whose titles are notself-explana tory.
Du ley, John, ed. Implementing Field Experience Education.San. Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1974. Thiscollection of essays explores the implementation offield experience education in various settings.
Duley, John and Gordon, Sheila. College-SponsoredExperiential Learning: A CAEL Handbook. Columbia,MD: Council for the Advancement of ExperientialLearning, 1977.
Greenleaf, Robert. 'The Servant as Leader."Cambridge: Center for Applied Studies, 1970. Thisessay examines the idea that the best leaders arethose who serve in such a way that those servedgrow healthier, wiser and more autonomous.
Keeton, Morris and Associates. Experiential Learning:Ratioaale, Characteristics and Assessment. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1976. This volume has beenextremely influential and contains perhaps thebroadest view of experiential learning to have yetbeen offered.
Martin, Warren Bryan, ed. Redefining Service, Research andTeaching. New Directions for Higher Education#18. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1977. This isa collection of important essays relating to allaspects of service-learning.
Peterson, Virgil. "Volunteering and Student ValueDevelopment: Is There a Correlation?" Synergisf 3,3 (Winter 1975).
Sexton, Robert F., ed. "Dimensions of ExperientialEducation." Washington, DC: National Center forPublic Service Internship Programs, 1976.
Ser ton, Robert and Ungerer, Richard A. "Rationalesfor Experiential Education." ERIC/Higher EducationReport #3. Washington, DC: AmericanAssociation for Higher Education, 1975.
Sigmon, Robert. "Service-Learning: Three Principles."Synergist 8, 1 (Spring 1979).
Wilson, Marlene. The Effective Management of VolunteerProgre:::::-.. Boulder: Volunteer ManagementAssoCiates, 1976. This book contains acomprehensive discussion of how to managevolunteer programs effectively.
13
1
:tii....
9
CHAPTER IISERVICE:Your Program and the Community
OverviewThis chapter describes the major functions your service-learning office can undertake to provide effective serviceto the community. The following functions are discussed:
1. Involving the community in assessing needsfor service
2. Determining which needs will be addressed3. Developing projects and placements4. M.-,:ntaining communications5. Monitoring project activities6. Ending projects...and beginning again
IntroductionExperience has shown that students are able to providebetter service and !earn more when they understand theneed they are addressing and how their work fits into anoverall plan.
Usually the best way to identify existing needs is to getout into the community and ask people. In some cases,reliable and up-to-date needs assessments may alreadyhave been carried out by a Voluntary Action Center orsimilar agency. Try to determine from existing data thoseneeds which are most appropriate for your program tomeet, needs that existing programs are not currently-7.eating, and needs for which your college or universitycan provide unique resources.
Having selected which community needs your programwill address, plan and develop projects with the fullparticipation of individuals in the community mostaffected, and with your students and faculty. Writedescriptions of the positions available for students. Asprojects are implemented, you will want to maintaincommunications with persons involved in the project,provide guidance and support and monitor ongoingactivities. Finally, there will come a time when projectsare over - either the school year ends, the need has beenmet, or the project is assumed by another communitygroup. When this occurs; you should bring closureto projects.
Many service-learning programs begin by developingone-to-one direct service projects in conjunction with
established community agencies. As programs becomemore attuned to community problems, they oftenuncover areas of need that no existing community agencyis meeting. Such needs may include serving as advocatesfor individuals who may not be able to speak out forthemselves, e.g., retarded adults; or creating communityfacilities to serve a neglected segment of the population,e.g., a home for run-aways. Often projects are a mixtureof all three elements of direct service, advocacy andcommunity development.
In one community, students who were providing one-to-one services in an institution for retarded adultsuncovered major abuses against the residents. Thestudents brought the abuses to public attention, whichresulted in authorities closing the institution andestablishing a community-based halfway house.
Examples of di-act one-to-one service projects are:
- serving as big brothers/big sisters
- providing companionship to older persons
- tutoring
- providing recreation for the handicapped
Examples of projects which leave the community with atangible product include:
- creating a halfway house for de-institutionalizedretarded adults
- establishing a home for run-aways
- developing nature trails for the blind
- setting up community recycling centers
Examples of advocacy/orgar 'zing projects include:
- helping a community group oppose plans to build afreeway through the neighborhood
- exposing malpractice in a home for the aged
- helping low-income people organize a coalitionopposing utility rate increases
- enabling low-income renters to develop a tenants'rights organization
.15
10 CHAPTER II
While advocacy and organizing projects are generallymore complex than direct one-b-one service projects,they often are more stimulating educational experiencesfor students. M the same time, they can leave low-income people stronger and more able to advocate fortheir own rights and needs, and less dependent on theservices of others.
Finally, if several colleges and universities are located inthe same community or city, it is important for them tocoordinate their service-learning activities. Occasionally,well-known community organizations are overwhelmedwith volunteers, while equally needy, but less visiblegroups are left begging. Some cities maintain a centralplacement office which serves as a resource te allinstitutions. Institutions should strive to maximize theuniqueness of the services they provide. There are alwaysneeds that are not being met, and each institution hasunique resources to contribute.
A
O FUNCTION #1: Involving theCommunity in AssessingNeeds for Service
110
Description and RationaleAssessing community needs is where servicelearningishould begin. Many programs flounder because they failto find out what the service needs truly are. Suchprograms often assume that certain needs exist, but tkeymay be overlooking more real, less obvious needs.Periodic assessment of community needs will keep y6uaware of changes that may be occurring, and lead yo% toa need that no one else is serving. By meeting such aneed, your program will gain in identity and purpose. Bykeeping track of changing needs, you will be able to
Iwiden the repertoire of opportunities and provide serviceexperiences on target for students, as well as providingstudents who are on target for the community.
Your principal question in assessing community need;6 is,
"If students were available to help solve problems, whatkinds of tasks would they be doing?"
I
You can train student interviewers to approachcommunity people directly, or you can concentrate ourefforts on checking with major community serviceagencies and advocacy groups. It is crucial to follow' upyour survey by informing respondents of the result! andhow you plan to address the needs identified. If yoi aregoing to concentrate on only one need, it is import t toexplain why you made that decision. .
How To Do ItThe tasks associated with conducting a needs survey aresimilar whether you are surveying members of a fiinglegroup or an entire community. A community surrey canbe a valuable student or class project. Education,sociology, psychology and math departments are Ifull ofpotential helpers. Here are some steps to conside'f inplanning a survey:
1. Decide what kind(s) of information you want' Sometypical alternatives are:
What are the most pressing problems inour community?How could you use students in this organization?How could you utilize students in new ways inyour organization?
2. Determine who has the information you need. Beginby listing the information and the persons who aremost likely to have it.
3. Determine whom you are going to survey. (See Toolsand Techniques #1.) This can be done in conjunction
17
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 11
with selecting a desired survey method, since sometechniques allow you to reach more people in lesstime, while others allow you to get better information,but require more survey time.
The key to effective surveys is choosing arepresentative sample. Usually you won't be able toquestion everyone in the community, so you need tomake sure your sample is representative of the entirecommunity population. When you survey an agencyor community organization, sampling won't benecessary because your population is usually smallenoiigh to survey in its entirety. But if you want tosurvey a neighborhood to determine the kinds of helpstudents might provide, you will have to study varioustypes of sampling procedures. (See Tool #2.)
4. Select a time to conduct the survey.5. Decide who will conduct the survey and provide
appropriate training. (See Tool #4.)6. Prepare materials. (See Tools #3, #4 and #5.)7. Conduct survey.8. Anaiyze results.9. Publish and distribute the results.
12 CHAPTER II
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. Lcioking At Your Community'
The list below may be used to help you start looking for areas of community need.
You can learn about needs in each of these areas by sending students into the community to document whatthey see; what they learn from newspapers, from radio and television news reports on the community, and fromtalking with representatives of grassroots groups, neighborhood and block groups, United Way agencies,Voluntary Action Centers (VACs), and other organizations that serve the community.
1. Recreation. Are recreation needs of community members being met? Are there playgrounds? Recreationalopportunities for older persons? For handicapped persons?
2. Culture. Could life in the community be enriched by providing opportunities for cultural expression?
3. Education. Are the schools in the community doing an adequate job? Are they safe? Is vandalism aproblem? Are needs of learners of all ages being met? How about learners with special needs? Wouldconsumer or legal education projects improve conditions in the community?
4. Economy. Are people who own land or buildings and operate businesses in the community making an effortto improve the community as a place to live? Is there a credit union? Do banks serve low-income neighborhoods?
5. Local Government. Do community residents have access to local governmental units? Is local governmentresponsive to community needs? Do local politicians adequately represent the community?
6. Welfare. Are welfare recipients being discriminated against or taken advantage of by government, businessor industry? Are persons ignorant of welfare benefits or denied welfare benefits?
7. Religion. Since the 60s, many religious organizations have retained an activist stance on the side of the poor.Are there areas in which these groups need assistance?
8. Health. Are physical and mental health needs of the community being adequately met? Are poorcommunity residents being discriminated against in matters of health care?
9. Public Safety. Are prisoners receiving adequate services? Probationers and parolees? Are neighborhoods welllighted at night? Are neighborhoods kept clean? Is there a small claims court? Have residents organized tocombat crime? Is the judicial system responsive?
10. Mass Communication. Is there a need for better communication within particular neighborhoods or amongforeign languagespeaking residents?
11. Planning and Ecology. Do city planners neglect poor neighborhoods? Are there facilities for recyclingpaper, plastic, glass and metals? Does adequate research exist concerning pollution levels in the conirmi!Lity?Or safety of buildings?
18
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 13
Tool #2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Survey Techniques
Kind of Survey
Telephone Survey
Mail-Out Questionnaire
Personal Interviews
Visits to Large Group Meetings
Community Meetings
Advantage
You get direct responses toquestions.
Good way to get through to busyagency people.
You get desired informationimmediately.
You can survey great numbers ofpeople this way.
Data can be made easy totabulate.
Takes little of your time toconduct.
A good way to survey agencieswith established offices.
Yields the most accurateinformation.
Gives you opportunity toestablish good relations withcommunity members.
You can conduct an on-the-spotsurvey of a large number ofpeople.
You have an opportunity toanswer questions.
Not 'time consuming.
Can be used withinneighborhoods.
Can reach large numbers ofpeople quickly with an on-the-spot survey.
Disadvantage
You lose advantage of face-to-face contact with respondent.
Time consuming.
Not everyone has aphone - especially in certain low-income communities.
Requires skill to record responsesaccurately.
Response' rates are almost alwayslow; data you receive mayrepresent feelings only of a smallgroup.
Tends to be perceived asimpersonal.
Different people may interpretquestions differently; it may bedifficult to interpret responses.
Can be costly.
The most time-consumingmethod of surveying.
Requires skill to recordresponses accurately.
Other business of the largegroup may be distracting; youmay be distracting to the group.
You may not be able to clarifyissues for all participants.
Large group may omit importantsegments of the population.
The following questionnaire was used in a rural area suffering from generations of poverty. It was written in alanguage understood by community residents and generated much useful information for college students whoconducted the survey in an effort to improve their rural development program.
COMMUNITY NEED SURVEY
1. What is your occupation? If retired or disabled,what was your occupation?
2. How many are there in your family?
3. How long have you lived here?
4. What kind of things in your communityneed changing?
5. What would you say is the community'sbiggest problem?
6. What kind of shape are the roads in around here?
7. What is there to do for fun for grown-ups andchildren here in the community?
8. Do the politicians try to help your neighborhood?In what way?
9. Who should collect garbage, for all the people in thecounty?
10. What do you think of the schools?
11. Do you belong to an organization or group (PTA,church group, etc)?
12. Do you belong to a church and do youattend regularly?
13. What can be done to develop more jobs for thepeople here?
14. Why do you live here?
15. Do you think enough is being done forpoor people?
16. What do you think of the conditions of houses inyour neighborhood?
17. What do you think of medical services inyour county?
18. How good is the Sheriff's Department?
19. What is the most important thing needed here inthe community?
Tool #4. Training Interviewers
If your needs assessment will be conducted by interviewers, it may be helpful to offer them training ininterviewing skills. Training should give them practice in
Putting the respondent at easeExplaining the purpose of the surveyExplaining how the information will be usedR&ording answers in the respondent's own wordsMinimizing the influence or bias created by the interviewer
The easiest way to develop these skills is to have interviewers pair off and role-play the interview. Have theinterviewee give feedback to the interviewer, then reverse roles and repeat the process.
20
S
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 15
Tool #5. Sample Letter and Questionnaire to Organizations
A letter can be used to determine a community organization's interest in involving students as service-learners.
Dear
For many years, students in Sun College have been providing needed services to our community. Examples ofsuch services are:
An art major has created an after school program for disadvantaged elementary school youth des.gned tohelp them see the art that is all around us not only in museums.Teams of students, with training from IRS and the State Department of Taxation, assist low-incometaxpayers to file their annual tax returns.Counseling and psychology students operate a 24-hour "Rap line" that offers crisis intervention services.
Under Sun College's Service-Learning Program, students not only provide needed services to the community,but also consciously explore the learning that results from providing service. Many of our students earn creditfor the learning that results from their work in the community.
We are hoping to involve large numbers of our students in Service-Learning Program, and so we areasking you, along with various other individuals and community organizations, to help us by letting us knowwhether you could benefit from student volunteer assistance. If so, please let us know what your priority needsare, and whether you would like to arrange a meeting to discuss further how our Service-Learning Programcould assist you.
Please complete the enclosed form and return it to us as soon as you can. If you have any questions, wewould be happy to have you call us at 123-4567. Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Reed Wright, DirectorSun College Service-Learning ProgramRiverton, Arizona
COMMUNITY INTEREST SURVEY
1. Check the appropriate box:
I doI do not
see a need for student volunteers to help in our community.
2. If you think the community would benefit from having student volunteers, what are the three areas inwhich students could be of most help:
1)
2)
3)
3. I would like to explore the possibility of using student volunteers:
Please call me at between the hours ofI'll call you.
Date Signed
Organization
21
- -
FUNCTION #2: DeterminingWhich Needs Will BeAddressed
Description and RationaleA survey will usually uncover more needs than you caneffectively meet. Once your program develops a goodreputation, community organizations may besiege youwith requests for volunteer assistance. These requests canbe used to involve greater numbers of students; however,a good service-learning experience rarely comes fromsimply sending bodies in response to the request: "Weneed five students." You need to specify what needs youmill meet - and what needs you will not presently dealwith. Miich can be gained by focusing your program'sefforts in specific areas.
You might try to find needs that no other communityorganization is meeting. Doing so gives your program aclear focus, lessens the chances you will be perceived ascompeting with other agencies, and provides excellentopportunities for making a real difference inthe community.
How To Do It1. Construct an instrument to set priorities among needs.
(See Tool #I on following page.)2. Analyze the information you gather with your
instrument, and determine which needs you will meet.3. This analysis becomes the basis for organizing projects
and for recruiting students.
.
23
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 17
Wif:*` "
.fr
4 4
18 CHAPTER II
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. A Needs Analysis Tool
This tool can be used to choose among or prioritize several needs. The first step is to determine the criteria youwill use to select needs you will address. List these vertically. List needs horizontally. For each criterion developa ranking scale (for example 1-5) making sure that the scales are consistent. Needs with the greatest combinedscores are candidates for high priority attention. .
1. No other agency ismeeting need(1 many agencies;5 no agencies)
5 2 4-
2. Our office doesn'thave to acquire newresources (1 manynew resources;5 no newresources)
5 1
3. There is highpotential benefit tocommunity (Inobenefit; 5highbenefit)
5 3 4-
TOTAL 1 3 20 9
24
FUNCTION #3: DevelopingProjects and Placements
Description and RationaleAfter assessing community needs and prioritizing thoseyou will meet, begin to plan the projects your programwill undertake by developing clear project purposestatements, long-term and short-term objectives, and tasks.
How To Do ItSetting Purposes
A good statement of purpose tells in general terms whomyou serve and what you do for them. A purposestatement provides a boundary that allows you todetermine if a suggested activity falls within the purpose.Purpose statements usually tell why you are doing whatyou are doing; they do not have a time limit.
Sample statement of purpose: The Spring College Home RepairProject provides materials and training to enable low-income familiesin the metropolitan area to become skilled in home maintenance.
If your project has been in exictence for some time,obtain its purpose statement to determine whether itsatisfies the criteria stated above and if it accuratelydescribes the purpose of your project. If you need a newpurpose statement, use a form like the following tobuild one:
The purpose of nAA.5 kArrhOOd jaryour flojert
is to itibteaut +he hi 4COe (twogeneral nature of fluke
dal' is 'tug likeehiodis
for faieltbaatOOCI C.1121- ItiS4.4440SType of fclient
because (optional) Art AO votrontant
pitiawo 0U4.. iwti-
CL &MU&
.34raid. vn. owo tuightsyLoods,
Setting Long- and Short-Term Objectives
Long- and short-term objectives grow directly out of thepurpose statement.
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 19
Both long- and short-term objectives satisfy four criteria.They must be
Feasible there must be a reasonable expectation theycan be accomplished.
Dated - a specified end date indicates when they willbe achieved.
Measurable - you need to be able to tell whetheryou've hit the target.
Indicative of an acceptable level of achievement they tellyou how much must be achieved for the effort to beconsidered successful.
Sample long-term objective: By the end of the school year, sixapartments in an uninhabited building will be ready for occupancyas a result of our neighborhood rehabilitation project.
Short-term objectives refer to those activities you mustcarry out within the time frame established by the long-term objectives.
Sample short-term objectives: The following might be short-term objectives related to one long-term objective:
STO #1 - By the middle of September, 30 studentswill have been recruited.
STO #2 By the middle of October, each studentvolunteer will have completed a certifiedtraining program in housing rehabilitation.
STO #3 By the end of January, two (of six)apartments will have been made availablefor occupancy.
Written plans become an important reference to keepprojects on course and running smoothly. Dates andstatements of expected results will help you determinewhether projects have succeeded.
After planning is completed, you can use your projectplans to build project and job descriptions and service.learning agreements.
25
20 CHAPTER II
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. Sample Project Description
The project description should give students ar: idea of the purpose of the project, the type of service it providesand the learning opportunities it offers.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Apatutment Rehab/order %jetProject/Agency mime
710 SW. Second I Tunn Ztets 234-5678Address Phone
a rector 2:53-Outme 5;rtith1,
Service- Itzatimg 333Z.Mime of contact person Phone
R a l 4 t 1 i 1 i latifn of- contiemnod build inisType of service the agency/project provides
Awytenoss of needs 1 loco- maim. ectizens i lahouseinghewLearning opportunities for students
iiturolee, people m plartni4v, fo meet -their needs.1buitkin4 codes. ,
26
S
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 21
Tool #2. Sample Job DescriptionThis job description should contain specific information about a position within a given community organizationor service project. It should contain enough information to help the student decide whether or not to volunteerfor it,
Provided by agency (describe): OriMitatiO'h lv pfivect Doldg ; tuctas
-lv meet, oocas ; Csitsorvitu)
Not providedContinual
27
22 CHAPTER II
Side two
Transportation
Provided by agency (describe):
Not provided
Reimbursed
Not reimbursed
Special Conditions (describe):
Interested students should contact:
X_ Project Coordinator
Service-Learning Office
Agency Volunteer Supervisor
Diaine Gin lothName
233-3332Phone
Name Phan:
Name Phone
28
FUNCTION #4: MaintainingCommunications
Description and RationaleCommunications, as used in this section, refers nct tocommunity relations (covered in Chapter 4), but rather toyour availability (and the availability of projectcoordinators) to answer questions about projects from thecommunity, from students and from faculty and staff.
How To Do ItThe following suggestions can help you and your projectcoordinators establish and maintain clear communicationwith the people you are working with. You might wantto copy this list or build your own and share it withthe project coordinators on your staff.
1. Be available! Make sure that your staff, students andcommunity organization staffs know how to get intouch with you. Post and keep office hours. Letpeople know your phone numbers. Students shouldknow how to reach you at home.
2. Find a central location. Community organizations oftenmake office space available to project coordinators. Inother cases, project coordinators will have space at theservice-learning office. Make sure you have a mailbox.
3. Establish good relations with the communityorganization staff who will supervise the studentvolunteers. When you are working with informalcommunity groups, arrange for one individual tocommunicate with you on matters relating tostudent volunteers.
4. Help students reali7r that service is owned by thecommunity, and that while initiative is a good thing,people will become alienated if students start trying toreorganize projects without consulting theappropriate people.
5. Ask questions. Don't pretend to know all the answers.When difficult problems come up, don't hesitate towork with others to find solutions.
6. When a college or university faculty member refersstudents to the service-learning office, seek out thefaculty member to learn more about the student'sneeds, and the faculty member's expectations.
7. Let students know you're there to help them.Encourage questions and steer them to resources.
SER'
24 CHAPTER II
-
*z!"""..M."-'.
7.g,47.At,
Att.
%1.-t,
..71..4..1,,A
-
FUNCTION #5: MonitorinProject Activities
Description and RationaleThe purpose of monitoring project activities is to assurethat they are meeting the needs identified. Monitoringinvolves checking regularly the ittainment of short-termobjectives and making any necessary adjustments. Be alertto unanticipated negative results, so that you cancounteract them. When a project is adequately monitored,its impact on the community is easily measured as part offinal evaluation activities. Normally, the projectcoordinator is responsible for project monitoring.
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 25
How To Do It1. Using short-term objectives, develop a timeline for
your project. (See Tool #1.)2. As each objective is attained, use a simple form to
record its attainment; if modifications have been made,use the same form to record these. (See Tool #2.)
3. Keep in touch on a regular basis with students onprojects and with the community people involved inthe protect. Site visits are good mechanisms forkeeping in touch. (See Tool #3.)
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. Sample Timeline
Construct a timeline to monitor accomplishment of short-term objectives. Sequentially number each event andwrite the number at the point along the timeline when the event will be completed.
APARTMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT
1/2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Sept Oct
Short-Term Objectives:
1. Begin project2. Update project description3. Recruit and select at least 30 students4. Orient students
Nov Dec
5. Complete training of students6. Complete scheduling arrangements7. Conduct midterm assessment of student progress8. Conduct end-of-term assessment of progress, revise
objectives for second term
Tool #2. Form for Monitoring Project AccomplishmentsProjects can be monitored using a simple form to indicate achievement of short-term objectives. File thesetogether in a project folder.
MONITORING PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Name of Project /20/Kre 11.:f Uou ProjectSTO #1 Plierview Convrnuftivt about complak-s_
Site visits can serve several useful purposes. Theycan provide direct information about what astudent is accomplishing on a placement. They canbe a useful community relations device to letothers see the benefits of service-learningfirsthand, as well as a technique for orienting newstudent volunteers.
The following steps can assure a productivesite visit:
1. Define your purpose for making a site visit(e.g., to gather information aboutstudent accomplishments).
2. Contact the student's supervisor to arrange aconvenient time for a site visit. If you need tomeet with the student or supervisor, arrangefor specific times for these meetings. Explainthe purposes of your visit and allow plenty oftime between the initial contact and theproposed visit. It's best to pay a site visit afterthe student has had ample time to becomeaccustomed to the placement.
3. Prepare a list of things to look for or questionsto ask during the site visit, such as:
For SupervisorIs the student meeting the objectives ofhis/her service-learning agreement? Shouldthe agreement be modified?Has the student made anynotable contributions?What problems have been encountered?What steps are you taking to solvethese problems?Would you like outside assistance?
For StudentWhat objectives of your service-learningagreement have you met thus far?Should the agreement be modified?How have your learning activities helpedYou carry out your tasks?What objectives do you intend toconcentrate on over the next two weeks?The next month?What difficulties have you encountered?Which of these difficulties werenot anticipated?
Tool #4. Site Visit RecordsWhen you return to the office after the site visit, prepare a record of the visit and file it for future reference.
SAMPLE SITE VISIT RECORD
Rex atkis Tn.conit Tax ice 74DiectNanggidebes, N e of OgenC/PrO I
Dale of site visit . _birpose of site visit
eceplUrn oj- ft.KIS Chrdribld lir IS.Comments: iatic is extrosnal arthAtsicatee ow.* hs gosriz, on the ntx
Assiegten profra.. fie has Assisted a dawn low income Ftople
Iv -Wee advarttasje of the earned income credit which he believes
will help them si3ni fret:witty. fie is obviously developingdoper settsi-li;ltj fv flit low income commu,nitu, Pora, hassperifiiiaty. asked. nie -to refer Farr) "h) +he corri:riutnit new Adfive, corn/mi./fee on Econcrnk Dt>410prnent cts rokapriman Odes
skfor visor re,popt, *fat hs is ca, hswol. works4-, reewnAie.
I) eonstru.c,r24.4 ciriticistm aer4t octitCrrati ACCAM-ca.e, an 1114
WINO laAireall3
FUNCTION #6: EndingProjects . . . and BeginningAgain
Description and RationaleMost colleges and universities operate on a nine-monthschedule so students are often not available during thesummer to work on projects. Consequently, work onprojects usually terminates before finals week.
Activities should be organized so that this does not comeas a shock to the community. It should be clearlyunderstood at the outset when a project will terminate. Ifthe project is long-term, steps should be taken to allow itto continue over the summer with or without studenthelp. If it is not possible to continue without students,activities should be brought to a point where they can"rest" until stddents are again available.
In addition to bringing closure to projects for thesummer, there will also be cases in which projects arecompleted and completion may take place at any time,not only at the end of a school year. One of the biggestpitfalls of volunteer projects is failing to end them at theright time. Sometimes the same organization requests thesame number of students year in and year out to do thesame tasks. When this happens, it can be as much adetriment to the community as to the students involved.
You can avoid the "tired project syndrome" by attendingearly to two important matters: first, define projects
SERVICE: Your Program and the Lommunity zi
clearly, so that you and community people will knowwhen they have been completed. Resist the urge torespond to requests that fail to define clearly whatstudents will be doing. Second, build into each project,especially if it is long-term, steps that lead to takeover ofthe projeCt by community people as soon as possible.After all, projects exist to serve the community, and themost effective service is provided when people areempowered. The old proverb has lost none of its truth:"If you catch a fish for someone, he will have dinner; ifyou teach him to fish, he will never go hungry."
How To Do It1. Review long-term objectives for each project, and
determine whether each was met. Gatherdocumentation of.demonstrated impact on thecommunity. (See Tools #I and #2.)
2. Analyze the situation and prepare recommendationsfor future action.
3. Share your findings with the community people aridstudents who have been involved so that there ismutual understanding and agreement.
4. Let those involved in the project know, either byletter or telephone, of your appreciation for theirefforts and your plans,for future activities.
M1
28 CHAPTER II
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. End-of-Year Project Summary
Use this form to record project accomplishments and evidence for those accomplishments. Along with theproject summary, you may also want to keep records of all students who worked on the project and what eachJf them learned.
Tool #2. Some Ways of Demonstrating Project Impact
1. Photographs (especially before-and-after pictures)2. Newspaper reports3. Products of student efforts, such as research studies, that have been usecl to effect community change4. Outcomes of hearings, court cases, deliberations of local governmental units in favor of citizens5. Existence of new agencies ar;c1services with records of community members served6. Statistics of record: health, crime, employment7. New policies that come into being as a result of project efforts8. Before and after surveys
34
EndnotesAdapted from Eva Schindler-Rainman and Ronald
Lippitt, The Volunteer Community (Fairfax, VA: NTLLearning Resources Corporation, 1975), pp. 99-100.
Additional Readings
Planning by Objectives, NCSL (no date), is an extremelyhelpful guide to setting purposes and objectives forservice-learning programs. NCSL's Evaluation Manualcontains a helpful discussion of sampling techniques.
The following articles from Synergist contain furtherinformation on assessing needs:
Hofer, Barbara and Shelton, C. Kathryn. "RegionalResource Catalogue Tells Where to Serve andLearn." Synergist 4, 2 (Fall 1975).
Ramsay, William R. "Managing Agency Relationships."Synergist 4, 3 (Winter 1976).
Scheier, Ivan H. "Need Cverlap Analysis: A Techniquefor Job Development." Synergist 3, 3 (Winter 1975).
Wemette, Timothy. "What to Look for in a VolunteerExperience." Synergist 5, 3 (Winter 1977).
Zahler, Nancy B. "Valuing: A Process for HelpingInexperienced Volunteers Find Placements."Synergist 6, 2 (Fall 1977).
Another good source is:
Scheier, Ivan. People Approach: Nine New Strategies forCitizen Involvement. Boulder: National InformationCenter on Volunteerism (NICOV), 1977.
Good discussions of issues surrounding advocacy arecontained in:
Alinsky, Saul. Reveille for Radicals. Chicago: Universityof Chicago Press, 1946.
---. Rules for Radicals. New York: RandomHouse, 1971.
Du ley, John, ed. Implementing Field Experience Education.New Directions for Higher Education #6. SanFrancisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1974.
Eberly, Donald. "Service Experience ana EducationalGrowth." Educational Record 49 (Spring 1968):197-205.
Flanagan, Joan. The Grass-Roots Fund Raising Book.Chicago: Swallow Press, 1977.
Good lad, Sinclair. Education and Social Action. New York:Barnes & Noble, 1975.
SERVICE: Your Program and the Community 29
3
Greenleaf, Robert K. Servant Leadership. New York:Pau list Press, 1977.
Kahn, Sy. How People Get Power: Organizing OppressedCommunities for Action. New York: McGraw-Hill,Inc., 1970.
Martin, Warren Bryan, ed. Redefining Service, Research andTeaching. New Directions for Higher Education#18. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1977.
Nisbet, Robert. Twilight of Authority. New York: OxfordUniversity Press, 1975.
"NSVP Forum: Advocacy." Synergist 7, 1 (Spring 1978).The same issue contains descriptions of advocacyprojects underway at several institutions.
Sexton, Robert F., ed. "Dimensions of ExperientialEducation." Washington, D.C.: National Center forPublic Service Internship Programs, 1976.
Sexton, Robert F. and Ungerer, Richard A. "Rationalesfor Experiential Education." ERIC/Higher EducationResearch Report #3. Washington, DC: AmericanAssociation for Higher Education, 1975.
Schindler-Rainman, Eva and Lippitt, Ronald. TheVolunteer Community. Fairfax, VA: NTL LearningResources Corporation, 1975.
Smith, Debra, et al. "Make It Happen: A Guide forDeveloping School Volunteer Programs." Newton,MA: The KORDA Project, 1976.
"Work and Service Experience for Youth."Washington, D.C.: National ManpowerInstitute, 1978.
5
LEARNING: YOUR PROGRAMAND THE STUDENT
3 6
LEARNING:Your Program and the Student
CHAPTER III
OverviewThis chapter discusses the functions your office canassume to stimulate student learning from the serviceexperience. The following functions are discussed:
1. Determining which students your program will serve2. Establishing a climate for service-learning3. Preparing students for learning (learning objectives,
4. Supervisink learning5. Helping students assess service-learning
IntroductionAs service-learning becomes more popular, one oftenfinds numerous academic departments within a singleuniversity encouraging their students to become involvedin service-learning, with each department handling itsplacements and requirements in different ways. If thedepartments are all working with different parts of thecommunity, there are likely to be few problems. Ifdifferent departments are all contacting the samecommunity organization at the same time, however, theresources of the organization are likely tobe overburdened.Your office can offer substantial support to professorswho want their students to experience service-learning aspart of course requirements. Some faculty will want toretain complete control over the students they place. Insuch situations you may want to avoid operating projectsin areas that are already being covered. In cases wherecoordination is desired, your office can save both thecommunity and faculty time and effort byeliminating duplication.
While the college or university may offer no formalcredit for experiential learning activities, the student, onthe other hand, may well have experiential goals he orshe wishes to pursue. Your program can help the self-directed learner to identify and define these goals,develop projects that will help meet learning goals, andassist with assessment.
3 7
32 CHAPTER III
How experiential and service-learning activities contributeto student learning is currently a subject of intensivediscussion. What seems to be emerging as a consensus(see the work of Bruner, Eberly, Graham, Hofer, Perryand Sanford in the "Additional Readings" at the end ofthis chapter) is that learning takes place throughexperiences that challenge the student to make thetransition from one developmental stage to the nexthigher one. Richard Grahams has argued that service-learning experiences have potential for encouraging thegrowth of students along the stages of moraldevelopment identified by Harvard psychologistLawrence Kohlberg. William G. Perry, Jr.2 has publisheddata supporting his contention that during the collegeyears, students grow (unless something happens tosidetrack the growth) from a "dualistic" stance withrespect to the surrounding world, through a "relativistic"stance,' to a "committed" stance, in which the student isable to take on personal values and goals whilerecognizing the fundamentally ambiguous nature ofthe world.
Graham's argument suggests that:
The student's present stage of development must beaccurately evaluated.An accurate evaluation must be made of thepotential growth which a service experience may beexpected to induce.Students must be matched with an experience that issufficiently demanding in order to enable them tomove one step higher on the developmental scale.
Unfortunately, existing measurement and matchingdevices are not precise enough to enable us to makeaccurate judgments either about students or aboutexperiences. Thus Graham suggests that for the timebeing we should adopt the following rule of thumb: "Agood experience is one that involves a manageableconfrontation with novel responsibility."3 Hopefully, thetools and techniques found in this section will serve toguide you in helping students to learn from theirconfrontations with novel responsibility.
In examining the role which your office can play infacilitating learning, you may wish to begin by reviewingyour existing projects and determining the kind ofstudent who would make the best contribution to theproject. Upper- or lower-division students? Students in aparticular major7 At the same time you may want toassess how many faculty and which departments offeroff-campus learning activities for students.
Careful preparation for involvement in the communitywill enable students to provide better services to thecommunity, thus enhancing The probability of ameaningful learning experience. A thorough orientation, awell-considered service-learning agreement, the cleardefinition of how the project relates to the classroom, andperiodic monitoring and evaluation of student progressare all ways of enhancing the learning potential forthe student.
1:-'-"'"
38
a
Villowedirse.
1,
'ef
FUNCTION #1: DeterminingWhich Students Your ProgramWill Serve
Description and RationaleWill your program involve studef 's enrolled in yourinstitution, or will it serve students "Tom otherinstitutions as well? Will you involi e part-time orfull-time students, or both?
Are projects open to students regardless of year andacademic standing, or are they restricted (forexample to juniors and seniors with a 3.0 gradepoint average)?
Are there academic or experiential requirements thata student must meet before being accepted for aservice-learning placement?
By identifying the student population your program willinvolve, you have taken the first step toward specifyingsome of the characteristics you feel will contribute tosuccessful service-learning experiences.
How To Do ItThe following are sample statements defining the studentpopulation to be served.
I. Excerpt from River College Service-Learning Plan.Target Population: Students of all ages, backgroundsand ambitions and from every discipline are potentialvolunteers. Major sources of students are first- andsecond-year men and women yet to be admitted tospecific colleges and departments, and third- andfourth-year students in the helping professions (socialwork, education, psychology) and the health fields.
The service-learning program maintains ties withacademic programs requiring or offering volunteerexperiences as part of their credit, with academicadvisors and with all departments. Relationships alsoexist between the service-learning program and studentgroups and organizations on campus (residence halls,service groups, fraternal organizations, etc.).
2. Excerpt from Inter University Service-LearningOffice Program Plan. Intern Qualifications: Studentsshould be enrolled full time during the fall or springsemester or should provide proof of their intention toenroll as full-time students during the followingsemester. They should be either junior, senior orgraduate students in a college or university. Studentswho have completed their sophomore year and willenroll as juniors in the fall and graduates of juniorcolleges who intend to continue their education in afour-year school are also eligible to participate in the
LEARNING: Your Program and the Student 33
program. Graduating seniors who do not intend tobegin permanent employment until the fall arealso eligible.
Participation in the program is open to all students .
who meet the above requirements. There are nominimum qualifications regarding grade point average,completion of prerequisite courses or enrollment inspecific academic courses, except in those cases wherea sponsoring organization has made aparticular request.
In addition to developing a "qualifications statement" likeone of those above, you can survey existing practices.Use the following list to think about whom to survey:
Student governmentStudent organizationsFaculty membersDepartment headsRandom sample of facultyAdministratorsCampus ministryPublic interest research groups
The following are typical questions (reword to fityour audience):
Attitudes:What is your opinion of service - learning?What do you think is the prevailing opinion ofservice - learning, on campus?
Practices:What are your or your department's practicesregarding field placements?What are your policies?How many credits do you offer for field placements?How do you evaluate learning in a service mode?
Goals for the future:What would you like to see happen with service-learning on campus?What are the biggest problems to be overcome?What kinds of assistance would be valuable to you?
The results of such a survey can be used to put individualfaculty and staff who have been working independentlyin touch with one another; to raise the awareness ofpersons on campus of the extent to which service-learningis being practiced; to justify consolidation and/orstandardization of practices; and finally to give youroffice a clear picture of the type of support it would bemost helpful to provide.
3;
FUNCTION #2: Establishing aClimate for Service-Learning
Description and RationaleOn nearly every college and university campus there arefaculty, staff and students who are committed to the ideasthat (a) the institution has a social obligation to thecommunity of which it is a part and (b) that experienceoff campus is a valuable learning approach.
By putting person.: involved with service:learning intouch with one another, you can help eliminate potentialconfusion. By sharing resources, a campus-wide climatefor supporting service-learning can be established,resulting in increased effectiveness. Developing campus-wide support also can lead to increased resources forservice-learning such as:
SpaceA budgetUniversity insurance policiesUniversity vehiclesInexpensive supplies and equipment throughcentralized purchasingTelephones
How To Do ItIf it were possible to give you a list of steps to take inbuilding a supportive climate, we would do so.Unfortunately, all we can provide are some ideas thathave worked for others. You will have ro put them towork for yourself as you develop your own strategy. Thesuggestions below are appropriate for programs strugglingto get started, as well as for established programs hyingto broaden their support.1. Get to know people. The first step i5 to become
acquainted with those people on your campus who areinvolved in service-learning, volunteering andexperiential learning. Set up appointments during theiroffice hours; find out what they are doing and keepyour ears open for ways you might help. Don'tattempt yet to get them to commit themselves toworking with you, but try to note their response: Dothey seem interested? Not at all interested? Make anote of the people you visit and jot down a fewwords describing how you think they reacted to yourideas. Maintain contact with them by including themon your mailing list.
2. Select persons you would like to support yourprogram. Consider the individuals with whom youhave spoken and identify those who expressed interestas well as those who seemed to be on the fence - thatis, persons whom you think you could persuade tosupport your program. For the time being, don't try toconvince those who actively express skepticism. Work
10
LEARNING: Your Program and the Student 35
with those people with whom there is' a reasonablechance for success by offering them your services. Asthey find that your services are helpful, they will bewilling to offer support for your program, and wordof the successes will reach the skeptics.
3. Decide what kind of support you would like fromeach person. For example, if you have spoken withthe head of the institution's curriculum committee, youmay want support in the form of a committee policystatement allowing each department to develop acourse specifically aimed at service-learning. In oneinstitution, the course number "517" is a service-learning course designation in all departments ofthe university.
You may want other kinds of support. You may wishcertain officials to issue statements encouragingstudents and faculty to participate; you may wantothers to assist you in obtaining university resourcessuch as office space, equipment and supplies. Anotherkind of support would involve the help of institutionstaff in conducting workshops for other staff andfaculty. Perhaps you would like help in establishing auniversity-wide advisory committee to set policy forservice-learning. Whatever your goals, be able to spellout as specifically as possible the type of supportyou need.
4. Make contacts to enlist support.State clearly what you would like to see happen inyour program.Ask for the person's help in making it happen, bothby asking for the person's ideas and suggestions, 1.14:1
by offering your own suggestions for how theperson might help.Bring any data you can to support your position.Data that are frequently useful include statistics onthe present accomplishments of your program andprojections about what will happen if you get thehelp you are asking for. Written statements ofsupport from other institution staff are sometimeshelpful. Encourage the person you are talking withto contact the other person directly.Establish a date for the commitment you want. Askif there is any way you can help the person dowhat you are asking. Then suggest that you willsend a memorandum summarizing your agreement.
5. Don't be surprised if you see things moving veryslowly. 13e available to answer questions; keep peopleyou have spoken with up to date on the activities ofyour program; and when someone don'provideassistance, be sure to acknowledge it quickly. Peoplelike to know that their efforts are appreciated.
36 CHAPTER
,
FUNCTION #3: PreparingStudents for Learning
Description and RationaleA service project in the community is a rich learningresource, and there are several steps your office can taketo ensure that learning is maximized.
Helping the student to think about learning objectives, tonegotiate a service-learning agreement, and to explore theproject's relationships to classroom theory are all waysthat you can facilitate student learning.
Learning ObjectivesFor many students, learning through service is a chance tolearn about themselves and their own learning styles. Forothers, the learning involves refinements of conceptualknowledge. Still other students gain exposure to newvalues and new ways of thinking about social problemsand citizenship responsibilities - ideas which are seldomtreated in the standard curriculum.
You can help students become oriented to the learningpossibilities of their service projects by asking them tothink about their own learning objectives.
Learning objectives are brief statements that define theresults expected of a student in a specified period of timeand can be considered similar to prr;ect objectivesdiscussed in Chapter 2. Some persons define learningobjectives very strictly -
Objectives state exactly what is to be accomplished.They include a schedule for accomplishment within adefinite period of time.They define results to be accomplished, not activitiesleading to the results.They state the expected results in measurable terms.They are realistic, yet challenging.
Some practitioners are less strict in their definition oflearning objectives, while others insist that learning isessentially serendipitous and cannot be predicted.
A quick test of a learning objective is whether it contains:
An Action Verb +A Measurement+
A Result+Time
For example:
I will identify at least eight existing city resourcesto use 7n measuring/surveying by May 31.
The student who wrote this learning objective left openthe methods to be used to accomplish it (the student
LEARNING: Your Program and the Student 37
might locate the resources through a textbook, mightlocate them through interviewing professional surveyers,etc.). Only the result was specified.
Much has been written about learning objectives. Oneuseful introduction is Robert Mager's Preparing InstructionalObjectives (Fearon Press, 1962). The list below can be usedto help students think about what they might wantto learn.
Areas for Potential LearningThe eight categories listed below describe broad areasyou might consider as a first step in developing specificlearning objectives. Study these categories and see if oneor two seem to be more important to you than theothers. Then focus on the categories you have identifiedas most important by listing specific learning objectives ineach one.*
1. Service/Advocacy - Understanding the context ofpoverty, learning how to empower community peopleto take control of decisions affecting their lives,understanding the role of social programs and agenciesin the lives of the poor.
2. Specific Job Competencies - Particular skills youwould like to learn such as counseling, advocating,community organizing, interviewing,building, accounting.
3. Career Exploration - Understanding the work ofprofessionals in a career area and gaining awareness ofpossible job opportunities.
4. Learning About Work - Understanding laws relatedto employment, learning about hiring and personnelpolicies and how they affect people, learning how todeal with unfair hiring practices.
5. Interpersonal Skills - Learning how to communicateeffectively with others; learning how to listen, to readrum-verbal signs, to speak in a manner that elicits
positive reactions.6. Learning from the Environment - Understanding the
unique history and character of an area or aneighborhood, understanding the natural ecology of aregion, becoming aware of dangers to local or regionalecological balance and how to combat the dangers.
7. Taking Responsibility - Learning how to organize andmanage one's own time, learning how to contract withoneself and with others, defining one's accountability,understanding one's limits.
8. Research Skills - Locating information and resourcepersons, distinguishing fact from propaganda,organizing facts persuasively and using knowledge as ameans to action.
42A
38 CHAPTER III
Service-Learning AgreementsBecause of service-learning's nontraditional educationalapproach, service-learning educators have worked hard todesign appropriate methods of specifying and monitoringwhat is to be learned. In the typical classroom course, theprofessor usually sets the learning objectives for allstudents. Because the service-learning experience isunique for each student, a way must be found to helpstudents plan and monitor their own service and learningobjectives. The prevalent practice is to design a service-learning agreement in which the student specifies what heor she hopes to accomplish, the activities to be carriedout, and how the accomplishments will be demonstrated.These three components - hoped-for accomplishments,activities, demonstration - are applied both to the servicethe student will give and to the learning the studentwants to gain. Agreements are set down in writing, andin most cases signed by those involved in the student'sservice-learning plans: the student, the supervisor, theproject coordinator and the faculty member from whomcredit is being sought.
How to Use Service-LearningAgreements1. Develop a standard form for recording service-learning
agreements. A sample service-learning agreement isfound on page 39 which you can change to fit yourneeds. For example, if the service project the studentis working on is not with an established communityorganization, the section requiring a signature from accrrrnunity organization supervisor will beinappropriate. If the student is pursuing self-directedlearning objectives and not expecting credit, thesection requiring faculty sign-off will be inappropriate.
2. You will need to develop standards for acceptableservice-learning agreements. For example, wh,".-indsof evidence will you accept to demonstrate thatlearning has been achieved? You may also want tothink about the level of specificity at which you wantstudents to write both service and learning objectives.
3. You will also want to consider:a) When does the student file a service-learning
agreement? While many programs require theagreement prior to beginning a project, some find ithelpful to ask students to wait until they have beenwith a project for two or three weeks, so they havea more realistic perspective from which to fashiontheir service and learning plans.
b) Who should receive copies of the service-learningagreement?
c) What provisions should exist for modifying theagreement, if necessary?
_____Okbarlttib Bieffietut -fa Ittit 144,13General Purpose of Project
Comrrtehnica:fierns eboniiinaierfob Title
Jasefik BeauSupervisor
Beginning date I /12 Hrs./Week 15
Comments:
Telephone
Completion date , 3 12
Service ObjectivesPlease describe t-selow (a) the service objective you intend to pursue in this project (e.g., "Assist communityresidents to convince landlords to upgrade rental units."), (b) the methods you will use to achieve your objectives
(e.g., "Research tenants' legal rights, available means of redress. "), and (c) the evidence you will present to show
you have achieved your objectives (e.g., "Documented improvements in residences OR brief case histories
showing efforts that were made and the results."). .1" Will =It native Arnanicarns Iv becomeawaee or lands -that tyro ittftacti *heirs bey frecall , bt eon otudirl reSearri, 4t-
ititurviews producing a aeries of newsletter articles ibr the nal*it.imarican Comma" The trll'aeS will docament the historiea/ ocaLtrenoas lead-
tnl-fo the loss of lamas, the loortions bowndakies of treaty - oraoted /omits it
corrorrr actions of native Americans in reeeining -Mar lands.
Learning PlanPlease describe beloWyour learning objectives for this project (e.g., "Understand the rights of tenants and
available means of redress."), the methods you will use to achieve your learning objectives (e.g., "Research in
libraries, interview lawyers, talk with community people and agency staff who have had success in the area."),
and the evidence you will use to show you have achieved your objectives (e.g., "List, of books read, records of
interviews; as a final project, a paper summarizing project efforts, results and future recommendations. ").
I. To tun4erstoind the initymertior needs .1 awareness level Of -Phis commumitus
native Americans, .Ltrterview asn4 describe my findteils
in newsletter artcles.
z. To wraaarcstams1 the h4Isforieax athd social condi-Pians which led lb the
nective Americans' loss of 4fieir riohw -ft,t1 treo:b.i lands S will reseaezh
histrlatl records ir exister,i literalwr e. my research findings will
be prepared for the, newsletter"- as 4 .Suir/t parer with a bibliography.Continued
44
40 CHAPTER III
Side two
StudentAs a student committed to a service-learning component in my education, I agree to devote 15 hours perweek for the time period from 1/2. to 3 (20 in the fulfillment of the service objectives describedabove to meet academic requirements of this service-learning experience.
Niral WhC4PWifrr Date
Student Supervisor in Community OrganizationAs supervisor to m. WilikfWNE, I hereby agree to guide Ms/her work done under my direction (asoutlined above), and to submit a final evaluation of the student's work.
°still\ ewe-- 9/20Name
Project CoordinatorI agree to monitor the progress of to assist the supervisor in any capacity pertaining to thestudent, (OPTIONAL): and to certify the student for credits upon completion of requirementsspecified in the student's learning plan.
Name Date
FacultyI have examined Mary WhillePthar 's learning plan (described above) and find it satisfactory. Upon myevaluation of /;-iv... f Ill ' 4 ..... and other classroom requirements
(evidence student will submit to demonstrate achievement of objectives)
(if any), I will award __1_. credits for the class 36c 2.14: MO noire Alnerkirl apt-mace
Wain Thtmas. Nesor alsoName Da
45
FUNCTION #4:Supervising Learning
Description and RationalePeriodic monitoring of students' progress toward theirlearning objectives is one way to assist the learningprocess. Students working on projects in the communitywill usually be full of impressions, problems they areencountering, and ideas they want to share. One of thechief needs of service-learners is understanding how togeneralize from experience. Our colleges and universitiesdo very well at teaching students to generalize from thekinds of facts found'in books and lectures, but studentsare given little opportunity to extrapolate generalizationsfrom their own experiences.
By working along with students on their projects, youcan help them sharpen their learning objectives or inmany cases, modify them. You can help them gaininsights by being a sympathetic, but probing listener. Youcan help them learn to generalize by raising questionsthat might not have occurred to them and by exploringwith them how their generalizations apply in other areas.
How To Do ItOne way to track student learning is to have regularmeetings with students while they are working on theirprojects. These meetings can either be in your office oryou can visit them in the field. Make sure the purpose ofthe meeting is dear. Seminars are also a usefulmechanism, especially when students will be working far
from campus.Another way to accomplish this is periodically to review
student's journal. The journal is frequently used bystudent- to trace their progress on a day-to-day basis.Students should keep in mind that journals are notmerely records of personal and intimate reactir;ns to whathas gone on during a day. Nor are journals a mere log ofevents. Instead, a journal is a means of systematicallyreflecting on experiences and of relating thoseexperiences to one's own development. While the journalis Jystematic, it is also open ard flexible to allow studentsto proceed at their own pace.
LEARNING: Your Program
- 4 6
7
rt
42 CHAF
A
'
's
FUNCTION ' HelpingStudents Assess Service-Learning
Description and RationaleYou and the student should:
Assess the achievement of individual service andlearning objectives.Examine the experience in relation to the student'spersonal and career development.Explore future steps that the student can take tobuild upon the service - learning experiencejust completed.Generate information that can help your office do abetter job.
How To Do It1. With the student's help, choose one or more methods
by which the student's learning will be demonstrated.2. Arrange the necessary meetings and schedules that
will allow the student to demonstrate the learning.3. Assess the extent to which the demonstration
represents mastery of that which was to be learned.4. Document the student's accomplishments.
Assessing Learning'1. Demonstration of skill.
Example: Student demonstrates tutoring skill in a realsituation. Faculty member or supervisorobserves and certifies competence inskill area.
2. journal, essay or report describing knowledge,understanding or insight gained by student.Example: Student uses 'locally available resources (e.g.,
old newspapers, city records, interviewswith long-time residents) to write a reportabout the decline of a neighborhood.
3. Assessment using same means that would be used in aclassroom course.Example: Student who has worked on a project
involving victims of child abuse is given atest in deviant psychopathology.
4. Certification of student accomplishments by theservice-learning supervisor.Example: The student's supervisor in a community
organization agrees to review the student'slearning objectives, and at the end of thestudent's involvement with the project,describes the student's progress towardeach objective.
LEARNING: Your Program and the Student 43
5. Observation of a student in a simulation.Example: Student demonstrates skill in manning a
crisis hot-line by responding to asimulated call.
6. Assessment of a product the student prepares inconjunction with, but not as a part of, aservice project.Example: Student submits a research paper describing
the history of the Chicano struggle for civilrights while working as a communityorganizer in a Chicano community.
7. Interview.Example: Faculty member interviews student, who
describes what has been learned.
Relating Learning to the ClassroomIf faculty are not working directly wall students, theproject coordinator can still help students explore theirexperience in relation to classroom theory. Reading listsfor various projects can be compiled and shared withstudents. Perhaps professors on campus and experts in thecommunity can be persuaded to present talks to studentsworking on a particular project. You can also involveexperienced volunteers in helping students who are newto service - Teaming to focus on their learning needs.
48
44 CHAPTER HI
Tools and TechniquesTool #1. Approaches to Assessing Student Learning
One of the most useful approaches to assessment has been developed by the Council for the Advancement ofExperiential Learning (CAEL).6 The steps listed below have been adapted from CAEL's approach.1. Document the student's participation in a service-learning project.2. Identify the learning acquired through the service experience.3. Relate this learning to the longer-term educational objectives of the student.4. Measure 'the extent and character of the learning acquired.5. Evaluate whether the learning meets an acceptable standard and determine its credit equivalence.
Tool #2. Sample Form for Documenting Student Achievement ofLearning Objectives
This form can be used with the end-of-year project summary explained at the end of Chapter 2. Together thetwo forms should give you a handy means of documenting both service to the community and the learningexperienced by students.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OBJECTIVESDale Rau Ptairenovo for Special C.itildrvn
Student's Name Project
Summary of Learning Objectives (Take these from the Service-Learning Agreement)
Exam* X W114 *VA itbuct The needs of PIANO capped children aMd use
that knaviedge to construct pID3J equipment for Them.
Evidence of AchievementErample: Daily journal analyzire problems omit pro tress on ithe proect;
assign and development of -three pieces of pley5tvand eictipmentfor handieafped youngsters.
Comments Dave's journal received an A' from the sponsorinj faculty member asan exceptional analysis of the problems of troodying plug wand equip-ment for handicapped children. Dave redesigned three" pieces equirment *9-made suggestions ihr f e rnods'ficaiion of °triers.
Did the student receive credit? $_pecial Education 305: 5 creditsYes (If yes, list course title and number of credits.)
No
Endnotes1 Richard A. Graham, "Voluntary Action and
Experiential Education," Journal of Voluntary Action Research
2 (October 1973): 186-194.
2 William G. Perry, Jr., Forms of Intellectual and Ethicol
Development in the College Years (New York: Holt, Rinehartand Winston, Inc., 1970).
3 Richard Graham, "Youth and Experiential Learning,"in Youth: The 74th Annual Yearbook of the National Society for
the Study of Education (Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 1975), p. 183.
4 Adapted from John Du ley and Sheila Gordon, edi.,College-Sponsored Experiential Learning: A CAEL Handbook(Columbia, MD: Council for the Advancement ofExperiential Learning, 1977), pp. 18-19.
5 Based on Forrest, Knapp and Pendergrass, "Tools andMethods in Evaluation," in Morris Keeton, ed., Experiential
Learning: Rationale, Characteristics and Assessment (SanFrancisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1976), pp. 169-170.
6 Urban G. Whitaker, "Assessors and TheirQualifications," in Morris Keeton, ed., Experiential Learning:Rationale, Characteristics and Assessment (San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass, Inc., 1976), pp. 194-198.
Additional ReadingsAngus, Edward L. "Helping Students to Define Their
Learning Goals. "' Synergist 5, 2 (Fall 1976).
Argyris, Chris and Schon, Donald. Theory in Practice:
Increasing Professional Effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1974.
Berte, Neal. Individualizing Education Through Contract
Learning. University, AL: University of AlabamaPress, 1975.
Bruner, Jerome S. Toward a Theory of Instruction.Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 1966.
Cauley, John H., Jr. "Job Descriptions: MatchingVolunteer Skills with Agency Needs." Synergist 2, 3
(Winter 1974).
Chickering, Arthur W. Experience and Learning: AnIntroduction to Experiential Learning. Change MagazinePress, 1977.
College-Sponsored Experiential Learning: A CAEL Student Guide.
Columbia, MD: Council for the Advancement ofExperiential Learning (CAEL), 1977.
"Color Coded Cards Match Agencies and Volunteers."Synergist 3, 2 (Fall 1974).
LEARNING: Your Program and the Student 45
Conrad, Dan and Hedin, Diane. "How to Learn fromNonclassroom Experiences." Synergist 4, 3(Winter 1976).
Cross, K. Patricia. Accent on Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass, Inc., 1976.
Du ley, John and Gordon, Sheila. College-SponsoredExperiential Learning: A CAEL Handbook. CAEL, 1977.
Eberly, Donald J. "Service Experience and EducationalGrowth." Educational Record 49 (Spring 1968):197-205.
Erikson, Erik. Childhood and Society. New York: W.W.Norton and Co., 1964.
Frankl, Victor. The Will to Meaning. New York:Plume, 1969.
Gish, Glen. "The Learning Cycle." Synergist 8, 1(Spring 1979).
Gould, Roger. Transformations. New York: Simon andSchuster, 1978.
Goulet, Dennis. "An Ethical Model for the Study ofValues," Harvard Educational Review 41, 2 (May1971): 205-227.
Graham, Richard A. "Voluntary Action and ExperientialEducation." Journal of Voluntary Action Research 2(October 1973): 186-193.
---. "Youth and Experiential Learning." In Youth: the74th Annual Yearbook of the National Society for the Study
of Education. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 1975.
Lofer, Barbara. "Service-Learning and the Liberal Arts:Designing an Interdisciplinary Program." Synergist 6, 2
(Fall 1977).
Hoffman, Richard L. "Encouraging Faculty to Invest Timein Service-Learning." Synergist 5, 1 (Spring 1976).
Jung, C.G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious.
"NSVP Forum: Academic Credit for Volunteers." Synergist1, 1 (Spring 1972).
Newmann, Fred. Education for Citizen Action. Berkeley:McCutchan Publishing Corp., 1975.
---. "Civic Competence and Community Service: ANew Curriculum." Synergist 5, 3 (Winter 1977).
Olson, David R. and Bruner, Jerome S. "Learningthrough Experience and Learning through Media." InMedia and Symhc's: The Forms of Expression,Commu,:frta-ion, and Education, edited by David R.Olson. 73rd Yearbook of the National Society forthe Study of Education, pp. 125450. Chicago:University of Chicago Press, 1974.
O'Neill, Nena and O'Neill, George. Shifting Gears. NewYork: Avon, 1975.
Perry, Jr., William G. Forms of Intellectual and EthicalDevelopment in the College Years. New York: Holt,Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1970.
Peterson, Virgil. "Measuring the Impact on theVolunteer." Synergist 8, 1 (1978).
Sanford, Nevitt. Where Colleges Fail: A Study of the Student asa Person. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1968.
---. The American College: A Psychological and SocialInterpretation of Higher Learning. New York: John Wileyand Sons, Inc., 1962.
Sarason, Seymour. Work, Aging, rind Social Change. NewYork: The Free Press, 1977.
Sheehy, Gail. Passages. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976.
Sigmon, Robert. "Service-Learning: Three Principles."Synergist 8, 1 (Spring 1979).
Stephenson, John B. and Sexton, Robert F. "ExperientialEducation and the Revitalization of the Liberal Arts."In The Philosophy of the Curriculum: The Need for GeneralEducation, edited by Hook, et al. Buffalo: PrometheusBooks, 1979.
Teaching and Assessing Interpersonal Competence: A CAELHandbook. CAEL, 1976.
Valliant, George E. Adaptation to Life. New York: Little,Brown and Co., 1977.
"What Is a Service-Learning Agreement?" Synergist 4, 2(Fall 1975).
White, Robert W. Lives in Progress. Hinsdale, IL: DrydenPress, 1952.
---. The Enterprise of Living. New York: Holt, Rinehartand Winston, 1972.
Williams, Rick and Oliver, Susan. "The Student's Guideto Volunteering." Newton, MA: The KORDAProject. 1977.
Witkin, H.A., Moore, C.A., et al. Field Dependent and FieldIndependent Cognitive Styles and Their EducationalImplications. Princeton: Educational TestingService, 1975.
47
CHAPTER IVSupport Functions
OverviewIn Chapter 1 a number of functions were identified whichcan support the service and learning objectives of yourprogram. These functions are detailed in this chapter:
1. Recruiting students2. Screening and placing students3. Orienting students4. Providing training (students/community organization/
staff/faculty)5. Providing transportation6. Providing insurance for students7. Developing student leadership8. Motivating and rewarding students9. Evaluating your accomplishments
10. Maintaining community relations11. Creating a service-learning advisory committee
IntroductionThe growth of service-learning programs has benefitedcommunities; however it has also caused some problems,chiefly due to lack of coordination. For example, onmany campuses, two, three or even more offices mayactively be engaged in recruiting students for projects inone community organization. On top of this, severalacademic departments may also be placing students incommunity agencies and organizations. The situation canrapidly become quite confusing: the same communityorganization may be receiving inquiries from severalplaces on campus none of which has any idea what theothers are doing. Students who work in projects in thesame part of town might benefit tremendously by sharingtransportation, but when the projects operateindependently of one another, such sharing is difficult toachieve. Furthermore, similar projects operating withdifferent, often conflicting, policies can be confusing tothe student and to the community and can !?.ad to falseexpectations and unsatisfactory experiences.
Your office may well be able to improve theeffectiveness of services to the community by being acampus-wide resource helping project leaders carry outthe details of project operation. In order for any project
to be successful, students must be recruited, screened andplaced in the project. The students selected need to beoriented and trained to carry out their responsibilities inthe project; they need to be motivated, rewarded,counseled and encouraged to develop qualities ofleadership; and in some cases, transportation andinsurance need to be arranged.
Further, there are often many persons on campus,especially faculty, who would increase their participationin service-learning if they had more information about it,and if they knew they could get support from an officelike yours.
Community organizations could provide betterenvironments for service-learning if they understoodbetter students' needs and expectations.
In addition to serving as a resource to faculty, studentsand community organizations, your office might be evenmore responsive if it had the guidance and support of anadvisory committee composed of representatives ofgroups with a stake in service-learning. Such a groupwould regularly develop policies which your office wouldput into practice.
Everything described above exemplifies the kinds ofsupport your offic m provide for service-learning.While the obvious ,...neficiaries of these support functionswill be the community, students and faculty, you may besurprised to find that the support these groups offer you,in turn, will multiply.
This chapter will suggest some ways in which you canprovide these kinds of support functions. We suggest thatfor each support function you plan to provide, youdevelop specific steps for providing ,it. Often you willneed to elicit the help of others in the institution (thesection in Chapter 3, "Establishing a Climate for Service-Learning," may give you some ideas). But the main pointis that your office can be of enormous assistance to theinstitution, to students and to the community bybecoming a resource anyone can use to establish andsmoothly carry out a service-learning project.
53
FUNCTION #1: RecruitingStudents
Description and RationaleThe kinds of projects your office supports gives you adue about where and how to begin recruiting. Look atproject objectives and ask yourself where you are mostlikely to find students who can help achieve them.
Service-learning offices use a variety of ways to recruitstudents. A few of the most common are:
Project representatives and community organizationstaff gather in a central campus location to visit withstudents and explain projects. This can be carried onin conjunction with class registration activities.Placement notebooks listing project placements arerevised periodically and placed in locations wherestudents congregate.Activities jointly sponsored with campusorganizations, such as fraternities and sororities, thecampus ministry, student coalitions for effectingchange and student government are anotherapproach to recruitment.Visits to classrooms for the purpose of explainingexisting projects to students and inviting theirparticipation can be used to recruit students withspecial skills.Advertisements in the campus newspaper andcampus radio/TV can be effective.Personal letters to faculty inviting them torecommend students for existing opportunities havebeen used with success on some campuses.
This list is only a starter. You can develop y ..fr ownhighly imaginative list in a half-hour brainstorming sessionwith your staff and students.
How To Do ItOnce you have identified the types of students you wishto attract, you can organize your recruiting efforts toappeal to them.
You can recruit selectively, locating students to dospecific jobs, or generally, locating larger numbers ofindividuals to do a variety of jobs. You will need todecide which kind of recruitment effort you willundertake and select appropriate methods.
1. Set recruitment goals. Do you want to:Attract students of all types?Attract students with specific background:"Attract students for specific projectsor placements?Attract students with specific resources (car,knowledge, availability, skills, etc.)?
Support Functions 49
2. Choose appropriate mt hods to meet each goal, e.g.,classroom presentations.
3. Determine the timing of your recruitment effort. Oneway to do this is to list all events that must take placeif a specific method of recruitment is to beimplemented; put them in chronological order, andarrange them on a timeline. Determine who will beresponsible for each event on your timeline, and makesure everyone involved understands and accepts theresponsibilities.
After conducting your recruitment effort, decide whetheryou have achieved your goals. Determine what went wellin your effort and what did not. Then note what changesyou would recommend for next year.
55
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FUNCTION #2: Screeningand Placing Students
Description and RationaleIf your recruitment effort has been successful, you nowhave the number of students you need for your program.The task is to pair students and projects in such a waythat community needs and students' skills and abilities areadequately matched. When more students are interestedin the project than a project can accommodate, you willneed to screen out those who may be less able to do thejob. Sometimes a community organization will want todo the screening. Because many community organizationsdon't have the resources to do careful screening, youneed to have specific knowledge of their needs so thatyou can do a good job of screening for them..
After screekting has been done, the next step isdeveloping a process for placing selected studentsin projects.
How To Do ItScreening. Normally, screening for a particular project isaccomplished through personal interviews with studentswho have indicated an interest in a project and who seemto have the background needed for the project. So thefirst screening step is to assemble the names of interestedstudents and review their abilities. Suggest alternatives tothose you have temporarily screened out.
Interview each student on your list. As you plan yourinterviews, it may be helpful to keep the following inmind:
1. Decide what you want to find out in your interviewand write down a series of questions that you thinkwill elicit the desired information. In a screeninginterview, the focus is typically on the individual,his/her motivations and the specific skills the studentcan bring to the project. Some commonly askedquestions are:a. What appealed to you about this placement?b. What are your feelings about the poverty problems
that this project focuses on?c. What do you think you can contribute to this
project? What do you think you can leant?The specific questions you ask will be determined bythe type of project for which you are interviewingstudents. Open-ended questions will provide a chancefor the student L.) open up and be him- or herself (theexamples above are all open-ended). Closed questions(e.g., "Have you ever worked with NativeAmericans?") tend to elicit specific responses: "yes" or"no" and "true" or "false." The risk with closedquestions is that respondents will not be encouraged to
Support Functions 51
reveal what they are really thinking, while open-endedquestions may elicit responses that stray from theissue. Usually a balance of the two types of questionsworks well.
2. Practice your interview questions with a colleague tosee if the questions you have designed produce thetype of information you need.
3. Ask students to comment on how they felt about theinterview, and use this feedback to improve yourquestions and technique.
4. Decide how you will record the results of yourinterviews. For some types of interviews it is necessaryto take copious notes, but for screening interviewsyou may simply want to develop a form like the onebelow which can be used to compare ratings of allthose being interviewed. List vertically the criteriaaccording to which you wish to rank students, andhorizontally write in the names of those beinginterviewed. After the interview, rate from low tohigh the extent to which the student interviewedsatisfied, each criterion. The results will usually giveyou a basis for selection. Try to find someone to helpyou with your interviews. The reason is that a secondopinion greatly increases the probability that yourjudgments will be accurate.
Names John Mary Sally
SampleCriteria:
Enthusiasm High Medium High
Experience inpovertycommunity
Low High Low
RelevantSkills High High Unknown
57
52 CHAPTER IV'
Placing. When you have selected students for projects, ifyou haven't already involved other personnel on theproject (for example, in interviewing the student), thetime to do so is now. If a project coordinator has beeninvolved in screening students, he or she can introducethe student to community organization staff and assist inconfirming final arrangements for a placement to begin. Ifthe project is being run by your office and not by aformal community organization, you or the projectcoordinator can make final arrangements with thestudent.
Final arrangements usually need to be made for:
Dates p!acement is to begin and endExact times student is expected to workArrangements for orientation to the project (seeFunction #3)Where and to whom the student is to reportfor work
In placing students, the community organization orproject representative needs to be made aware of whohas been selected to work on the project.
T.
58
FUNCTION #3:Orienting Students
Description and RationaleStudents, especially those who haven't participated inservice-learning before, can benefit from a thoroughintroduction to service-learning and to the project withwhich they will be associated. Much troublesome trialand error can be avoided if the student has anopportunity to look around, ask questions and becomefamiliar with the surroundings in which the project is tobe carried out.
How To Do ItNormally, orientation of students new to a project is theresponsibility of the project coordinator or the studentvolunteer's supervisor in the community organization. :fthe project has an assigned coordinator, the coordi::aiorand the supervisor might undertake the orientationtogether. If the project is run by your office instead ofthrough a community organization, the projectcoordinator is the logical person to carry out theorientation. Students who have previous service-learningexperience can also be sources of help in theorientation process.
Orientation should begin on Lhe first day of a student'splacement. Depending on the student's responsibilities, itmay last for several days, or for only part of a day. Wellestablished programs often develop orientation notebookswhich are given to students. If a student is expected toman a crisis hot-line, several days of orientation andspecialized training will be needed. If, on the other hand,
Support Functions 53
a student is working on a research project gatheringinformation to support legislation, the student may needless orientation and training. The amount of orientationneeded is something that is learned by experience. Askother students who have been in olved in the project fortheir opinions about how much and what kind oforientation was helpful to them.
Orientation for the student should detail:
What their responsibilities areTo whom they reportWhom to notify if there are any problemsWho their staff and volunteer co-workers areThe goals of the-project they are working on andhow their participation contributes to that goalWhere they will be working. If they are working inan office, they should be given a space (no matterhow modest) that Is their own. If space must beshared, agreements about sharing need tobe clarified.Students should have an opportunity to view otherscarrying out the tasks of the project.And finally, students should be made to feel wanted,welcome and valued.
Orientation is likely to be most meaningful to studentswhen it is carried out in thr. environment in which theproject operates. Finally, it usually works well if, duringthe first few weeks of a placement, a student is assignedto a "buddy" who can answer questions on the spot andprovide immediate feedback.
59
4.
60
FUNCTION #4:Providing Training
Description and RationaleTraining is a large subject. In this brief description, wecan only suggest alternatives if you are consideringadding a training component to your service-learningoffice. The National Center for Service-Learning hasdeveloped several training curricula which may help you,should you decide to undertake a comprehensivetraining function.
How To Do ItThe main considerations in developing a training capacityare as follows:
Audience. An ideal training session would includestudents in projects, members of community organizationswith whom students work, faculty involved in thestudent's service-learning plan and staff of your service-learning office. Because it is impossible to get all thesepeople together at one time, think about possiblegroupings or clusters such as:
Students- students on the same project- students on different projects- students from other campuses who are also
involved in service-learningService-learning office staff
- project coordinators- other staff
Faculty- faculty working with students who are involved in
service-learningfaculty who would like to know how they can getinvolved in service-learning
CoMent. The content of training will vary depending onwhom it is designed for. Content should be built aroundthe skills, knowledge and attitudes that are most neededto fulfill that individual's role. Common sense tells us thatfaculty members need different training from students -and often different trainers, too - since they playdifferent roles. Faculty members themselves usually makethe best trainers of other faculty. If you are offering atraining workshop to be put on by members of youroffice, assess the needs of the individuals who willreceive training to learn what skills, knowledge andattitudes they need to develop. If you are consideringtending students to a training workshop sponsDred by
61
Support Functions 55
someone else, find out as much about the workshop aspossible so that you can make a judgment about theextent to which it is likely to meet their needs.
Methodology. In effective training sessions, there is agood match between the methodology and the content oftraining. Certain methods are often more likely to lead tolearning than others. In designing training, remember pmof the basic tenets of service-learning is that people learnbest through doing. Your training designs should becongruent with and incorporate the concepts ofexperiential learning.
Some training methodologies are:
Skill building: simulations, structured activities, role-playing, games and other techniques that help thetrainee practice something he or she would like todo better.Problem-solving: brainstorming, planning techniques,techniques for building group col- esion andenhancing group development, an i other ways ofremoving barriers to effective performance.
Information-sharing: lectures, media presentations,field trips.
Most training sessions utilize all of these methodologies atone time or another. Methods should be chosen whichare most appropriate to helping the trainee learn thecontent. If the student needs to learn how to interview,he or she should be given skill-building practice ininterviewing; if the student needs background aboutwhich city agencies serve low-income residents,information-sharing techniques should probably be used.If students and their supervisors working on the sameproject need to learn to work effectively together, thetraining design should incorporate problem-solving.
Sources of Training. Depending on the training needsidentified, there are a number of sources you mightconsider using. Community experts in health, housing,consumer law, etc., can be rich resources for training. So,too, are faculty members. Faculty can be involved in twoways: as excellent conteni sources, or it from departmentsof psychology and education, as designers and facilitaiorsof adult education activities.
Workshops offered in the college or university's Divisionof Continuing Education may be pertinent to the needs ofstudents cr community organization representatives.
Students who have formerly been associated with projectsmay be willing to hold a workshop to share their ownexperiences and offer guidance.
FUNCTION #5:Providing Transportation
Description and RationaleGetting students to and from placement sites on a timelyand reliable basis can be a thorny problem for service-learning programs. Even if many service-learning projectson your campui are handled by separate departments,you can provide a great service to the community byarranging dependable transportation forstudent volunteers.
How To Do ItListed below are some options you might consider as youplan ways to provide transportation. Following theseoptions is a description of a system you can use to carryout the option(s) you choose.
1. On some campuses it may be possible to engage theservices of work-study students as drivers. They arelikely to be quite dependable.
2. Some community organizations may be able toreimburse students for travel costs using publictransportation. You might investigate this withcommunity organization staff.
3. It may be possible to lease vehicles through thecollege or university. The Business Office can usuallyhelp you explore options for leasing cars or vans. Inorder to assure the availability of leased vehicles at the
Support Functions 57
times you need them, you may need to specify in thelease agreement that the vehicles are for the exclusiveuse of the service-learning program.
4. In smaller communities, it may be possible to arrangea bike co-op, where students have access to centrallylocated bikes.
5. Another option is to enlist students with cars tovolunteer to drive other students to their placements.If your budget allows, you may be able to reimbursethem for the mileage.
6. Some programs negotiate agreements with the localbus companies for free bus passes forstudent volunteers.
The chart below illustrates one way to maintaintransportation records. List from top to bottom thetransportation needs of individual students or groups andthe time. Across the top, list the days of the week. Sucha chart can function as a weekly planner. Fill in thespaces with the time students must leave, the destinationand the means of transportation, as in the sample below.
TRANSPORTATION: January 7-13
S M T W Th F S
PLAYGROUNDREPAIRPROJECT
TEENAGEALCOHOLISMCENTER
AM
11:00AmityPlayground
Privatecar
11:15AlcoholismCenter -12th & Vine
Private car
11:00AmityPlayground
Privatecar
11:00AmityPlayground
Privatecar
11:00AmityPlayground
Privatecar
11:00AmityPlayground
Privatecar
>
PM
PRISONPROJECT
7:00StatePrison -
Statevehicle
62
58 CHAPTER IV
FUNCTION #6: ProvidingInsurance for Students
Description and RationaleIf students are working on projects where they have agreat deal of responsibility, you may wish to explore thebenefits of insurance coverage.
Three areas of insurance coverage are:
Accident insurance, which covers the student forinjury, dismemberment or death resulting from anaccident that occurs during the performance of dutiesassociated with a service-learning project.
Personal liability, which provides protection fromliability claims arising from the student's service-learning duties. Although laws and precedents vary,a student can generally be held liable when his orher negligence has made it possible for an injuryto occur.
Automobile liability, which covers property damageor personal injury resulting from a student'soperation of a motor vehicle as part of a service-learning project.
One very simple arrangement is to work only withagencies which will provide insurance. This may soundappealing, but some organizations that can offer uniqueopportunities for students may not be able to afford toprovide insurance.
Options for Providing InsuranceIn general, advice concerning insurance should be soughtfrom a competent attorney; consult the legal staff of yourcollege or university.
The student's personal insurance may includecomprehensive accident coverage that provides benefitswhen the student sustains injury. The personal insurancepolicy may also include coverage for personal liability.The student's own automobile insurance may includeliability, but often is limited to the operation of a vehiclefor personal use.
A community organization or agency may provideinsurance for the student volunteer. Such policies arenormally quite expensive, however, and may be beyondthe means of many grass roots groups.
Automobile coverage that may be provided by an agencyis normally limited to cases in which the student isdriving an agency-owned vehicle. Students placed ingovernment agencies may be eligible for Workmen'sCompensation.School insurance plans may cover accident as well aspersonal and automobile liability coverage. Your school's
64
Support Functions 59
legal staff can advise you about the availability of suchinsurance and the limits of coverage.
Special insurance plans for volunteers have also beendesigned by certain companies. You may want toschedule a meeting with an insurance agent to find outwhat is available in your area. Some states have enacted acomprehensive, state-supported insurance plan which willcover your students if they are working closely with alarge, centralized volunteer bureau.
If you have a well-established, well-supported service-learning program, it may be desirable for you to considerincorporation. Incorporation allows your program the rightto purchase coverage for students working on service-learning projects. The advantage is that only thecorporation may be held liable for actions undertaken bypersons acting in its behalf students may not be heldpersonally liable. Competent legal advice should besought if you are considering incorporation.
FUNCTION #7: DevelopingStudent Leadership
Description and RationaleA careful plan for developing student leadership canrepay enormous dividends by providing a significantincrease in the person-power available to manage theprogram. It can also provide new and importantdimensions of learning for the student.
Conceived at the broadest level, building studentleadership is a process that stretches across the entire fouror five years the student spends in college. It implies acontinuing, growing relationship between the student andthe service-learning program, beginning perhaps with apart-time volunteer placement; followed by a year-long,intensive service-learning experience; and cui,minating inan opportunity to supervise, orient and train othervolunteers, coordinate projects or develop new projects.
Student turnover is often a major problem for service-learning programs. Graduation can affect your program asseriously as it affects the football team. If you candevelop a smoothly functioning process for passing theskills of one generation of students to another, theproblem will be considerably lessened.
How To Do ItThe chart on page 62 describes five levels of increasingresponsibilities that students may assume.
66
Support Functions 61
62 CHAPTER IV
LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
REPRESENTATIVELEVELS PROJECT
Level I: Supervised tutoringBeginning Research on well-defined
topic
CHARACTERISTICSOF TASKS
TYPICALLEARNING
Work generally undersupervision with well-defined tasks
Limited opportunity forexercising judgment
Meeting schedules andcommitments
Recognition of importance ofservice
Understanding of needs inthe community
Level II: InterviewingIntermediate Documenting case histories
Using a skill such asbookkeeping for acommunity organization
Less direct supervisionSome opportunity for
independent judgment
Application of knowledge toa situation
Confidence in own skillsIncreasing ability to define
problems and locateresources to solve them
Understanding situationsfrom the point of view ofcommunity residents
Level III: CounselingExperienced Organizing
Ability to make independentjudgments
Some supervisoryresponsibilities
Problem-solving skillsImportance of initiativeLearning how to help people
help themselvesRole of leadershipInterpersonal and analytic
skills
Level IV: Developing projects basedProject on community needsCoordinator
Developing andadministering service-learning program
High degree of leadershipand management ability
Ability to supervise othermanagers (projectcoordinators)
Ability to engage in mutualgoal-setting with directorsof community organizations,institutional staff
Confidence in functioningautonomously
Ability to inspire value ofservice in others
67
Support Functions 63
Personal Development PlanYou r .ty find a plan helpful in working with students on fulfilling their development goals. The following formmay be used with individual students to help them think ahead. By articulating their goals and by thinking howthey might best pursue those goals, students can apply their service-learning experiences to their life and careerplans.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
To the Student:
Discuss this plan with your service-learning project coordinator, your supervisor and the manager of yourschool's service-learning program. M the end of the period of time you describe below, check your progress:Did you accomplish what you wanted to accomplish? Were your goals too high? Not high enough? What stepsshould you take next?
Charles WohtName of Sintlenl
Flood antraPresent Project
1. Describe the career you wish to pursue:
A rchdect
2. Next, list the skills and knowledge you would like to develop to prepare you for the career you would liketo have: itt rnerkill with people and helping them .tv
probtems I- develop actin plans -to resolve those problems.Ktuotedge o, f wags -to fi/namce arid refear prz?jects.
3. Now, considering the opportunities that are afforded by the project you are working on, describe what youcan do to acquire or develop the skills you listed above: participfte in rneednes with
4. And finally, summarize your plan by filling in the blanks below:
My plan for SPr;11.9 /ErinPeriod time
meet with neistzberhoorl ervu.ps aaid help Wien" pan eeternerojency wig?" -fwvis
is to
in order to gain the skills of
resolve prcsbtmsand design builal4s -7110 rreet people's needs if-so that I will be able to plan
have ars anderstamefir9 of fthanci. al help avail lo.ble -pr emergencies.
s, !'.4 I 1 and
FUNCTION #8: Motivatingand Rewarding Students
Description and Rationale'It is important to recognize that motivation should not betaken for granted. From the beginning of your contactswith students, you need to demonstrate your belief thatwhat they are doing is important.
One of the dassic theorists in the area of motivation is
Abraham Maslow2, whose "Hierarchy of Needs" isshown below. Maslow suggests that all people have fivebasic levels of need, and that as needs at one level aresatisfied, those at the next higher level act as motivators.When a need that is lower on the hierarchy suddenly isunmet, we return to trying to meet that need and higherones become unimportant. If I suddenly find myselfhungry and without food while meeting my ESTEEMneeds, for example, the theory predicts that I will forgetabout esteem until I satisfy my hungEr needs.
Maslow's hierarchy may help explain why certainstudents volunteer, while others don't. Clearly one will
not engage in service-learning to meet one's need foresteem while not having enough to eat. l a studentparticipates in service-learning to meet self-actualizationneeds and is treated by community organization staff asworthless, the student is not likely to stick with theprogram for long.
Self-Actualization -
The ne-i ofa person to do
what he or she is fitted forEsteem: The need to be
recognized as a person of valueSocial: The need for closenessto others, the need to be liked
Safety: The need to be safe from harmPhysiological Needs: Basic physical needs
Mosier."' Hierarchy of Needs
69
Support Functions 65
Another influential theori of motivation has beendeveloped by Frederick Herzberg3. According toHerzberg's theory, there are two sets of factors whichinfluence how people feel abo u: their wc:k: hygienefactors and motivation factors. iiygiene factors aredistinguished by the fact that even if they are present,they do not, in themselves, tend to bring aboutsatisfaction with a job or task. But if one or more isabsent, the absence brings about dissatisfaction. Herzberglists the following as hygiene factors:4
Clear organizational policies and administrationHelpful supervisionGood working conditionsPositive interpersonal relationsSufficient moneySufficient statusA feeling of security
Motivation factors, the things that do tend to bring aboutsatisfaction, are:
A sense of achievementRecognition for accomplishmtniChallenging workResponsibilityGrowth and development
How To Do ItFor each of Herzberg's hygiene and motivation factors,we have listed some alternatives that you and communityorganizations can use to help maintain student motivationat a high level. You may wish to reproduce this list andshare it with community organization staff.
Hygiene Factors
Organizational Policies and Administration- Write down policies for projects and distribute
them to students.- Ask for suggestions for improvement.- Honor your policies - don't say one thing and do
another.
Supervision- Explain and darify supervisory responsibilities with
students.- Be able to answer questions and take positions on
issues.- Don't be afraid to admit any errors you make -
and don't blame others for errors they make.- Know how to supervise differently with different
people.
66 CHAPTER IV
Working Conditions- See that students and staff have the equipment
they need to do their work (within limits ofbudget and equipment availability).
- Encourage suggestions for ways to fill gaps.- Allow individuals to develop their own "space."
Interpersonal Relations- Show respect for students as persons; take an
interest in them, in their problems and in theiraccomplishments.
- Include students; seek their opinion on issues thataffect them, provide them with information onmatters of concern to them.
- Be genuine with students; encourage them to begenuine in their dealings with the community.
Money- Service opportunities through work-study program)
or with stipends are often appropriate forindividuals of limited means. You should clarifyexpectations about when and how much studentswill be paid.
Status- You can enhance the status of the student
volunteer by promoting the status of the service-learning program itself. The program should besomething persons are proud to be associated with.
- Letters of appreciation may be provided forstudents.
Security- Issues of security can surface around the question
of academic credit related to a service-learningexperience. You need to give students sufficientinformation to enable them to make decisionsabout whether or not they can use a specificplacement for a specific academic purpose.
Motivation Factors
Achievement- Project tasks should give students a feeling of
achievement and accomplishment. You canpromote this by working with staff of communityorganizations to develop imaginative placementand by working with students to find out whatthey would like to achieve.
Recognition- Appropriate recognition differs for different
students. Some students appreciate certificates orletters; others scorn these as hollow. Personalthanks should be extended to students by thecommunity organizations where they served.
- In situations where students earn credits,appropriate recognition may come in the form of agood grade.
- Where possible, involve administrative staff of theinstitution in showing appreciation for studentefforts. A personal expression of thanks is mostdesirable, but a letter from, for example, theuniversity president may also be appreciated.Writing a letter of reference for a student'splacement portfolio is another way of recognizingthe student's service.
Challenging Work- Most people are motivated by work that
challenges them; but what is challenging to oneperson may be uninteresting to another. Instead oftrying to "sell" a placement to a student, find outwhat kind of activity is challenging to the student.
Responsibility- Appropriate levels of responsibility differ from
student to student, yet we all need to feel thatsome part of our work is "ours." As you interviewstudents, try to get a sense of their maturity andability to assume responsible positions.
Growth and Development- Challenging work almost always leads to growth
and development. Help students see how they aregrowing. It may not always be obvious to them.
O
FUNCTION #9: EvaluatingYour AccompliAments
Description and RationaleEvaluation is the process of determining the extent towhich long-term objectives were actually achieved.Evaluation data can help you document success andidentify future planning needs. Without dearly definedobjectives, evaluation of project or program achievementsis almost impossible to undertake.
An example might illustrate the difference planningmakes in the evaluation process. In one project severalstudents were engaged by a state Public Interest ResearchGroup (PIRG) to gather information to be used inopposing a planned utility rate increase. Prio:. tobeginning the project, plans were made that focused onthe scheduled date of the Public Utility Commissioner'shearing.The goal of the project was to gather information thatwould persuade the Commissioner to deny the utility'srequested rate increase. Groups of students eachdeveloped information goals: one group looked at impacton low-income families; another investigated the utility'sdaim that it needed the extra money to attractstockeAders; a third group looked for information aboutcompArable rates in similar communities.
Results of each group's work were assembled in a reportthat was presented at the public hearing. Because the goalwas dear, them was no difficulty in determining whetheror not it had been met; dearly the desired informationwas gathered. Moreover, because each group of studentshad a dear assignment, it was easy to thevarious phases of the project. The impact of the projectcould easily be measured by the response of the PublicUtility Commissioner. A potential secondary impact, theincreased aLility of the low-income community toorganize its own self-interest, might also be present;howev, would be less easy to measure.
Subse. :t events illustrate what happens when planningdoes not orect_cle evaluation. Unfortunately, theCommissioner decided that the utility's rate increase wasjustifiable. The research group again enlisted the aid ofstudents to assist in framing an appeal of the decision. Butthis time, the group simply set about its work with noattention to planning.
Several meetings were held at which alternative strategieswere hotly debated. and a number of students becamedisillusioned at the lack of progress. Finally, lawyersworking for the PIRG determined that the best approachwould be an appeal to the State Supreme Court, andstudents helped with some of the research, although mostof their efforts involved photocopying documents and
71
Support Functions 67
running errands. At the end of the year, the project wasimpossible to evaluate, since no one had formulatedobjectives and the role of the students was neverclarified.
How To Do ItFor each possible area of evaluation (program, project,student achievement and community organization) somesample techniques are provided in the following pages.(Further information may be found in Evaluating Service-Learning Programs: A Guide for Program Coordinators, availablefrom NCSL).
The chart on page 68 lists typical evaluation activities ofservice-learning programs. By each item listed, we haveincluded the probable focus of the evaluation as well aslikely sources of information.
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AREAS FOR EVALUATION
1. Evaluating your servicelearning programLook for:
Increased support andassistance for students
Review the support functions and determinewhich have improved. Decide which aretargets for next year.
2. Evaluating service-learning projectsLook for:
Changes in the community
Review project long- and short-termobjectives. Identify which have been met andmake recommendations for future work.
3. Evaluating student achievementsLook for:
[What the student has accomplished;evidence of learning
Review student's service-learning agreementsand products of student's efforts.
4. Evaluating community organizationsLook for:
Evidence that the organizationhas been utilizing students
effectively and productively
Determine the kinds of support theorganization has offered students and whetherthe support has been adequate.
COMMON USES OF EVALUATIONWhat and how you evaluate depends in large measure on how you plan to use the results of your evaluationand with whom you will share them. Some common uses of evaluation follow:
Purpose of Evaluation Audience
1. To improve services to the Service-learningcommunity program staff
2. To justify continuation ofservice-learning program
3. To improve office supportfor projects
4. To gain support from thecommunity
University/collegeadministrators
Service-learningprogram staff
Communityresidents
Typical Kinds of Evidence
Documentation of changes brought about by projects;suggestions from community persons about neededchanges, improvements, new services; evaluation ofstudents by community organizations
Documentation of impact of projects in community; costsof providing services; evidence of interest from faculty;students' evidence of learning
Student assessments of service-learning program staff;additional resources/support necessary
Documentation of impact of projects in the community;evidence that community support will :esult inbetter services
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Support Functions 69
Tools and TechniquesTool #I. Program Evaluation
Use a form like the one below to summarize the success of your prugrAni.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
A. What objectives have you
RecruitmentScreening and placingOrientationTrainingTransportationInsuring students
B For each objective you listed, what was your actual ad-gevement?
EVALUATING THE PROGRAM
set for carrying out support functions in thc5r.. areas?
Developing leadershipMotivating and rewardingEvaluatingCommunity relationsOther
C. What recommendations would you make for future objectives?
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Some individuals find it helpful to estimate the value of services rendered by student volunteers. The followingsimple formulas will help you do this.s
Number of hours studentsworked on Jervice-learningprojects
Program costs
Program costs
X $2.95 (or current minimumwage)
Number of students onprojects
Hours worked
-$ Value of student efforts forthe community
Contribution per student
Hourly cost of services
Don't forget to include any tangible benefits to the community, such as fund-raising activities undertaken on behalf
of nonprofit organizatiom.
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70 CHAPTER IV
Tool #2. Project EvaluationThe questionnaire below may be completed by coordinators to assess the effectiveness of their projects. There aremore questions in this example than would usually be asked; however, we hope that tilt_ variety of questions willstimulate your thinking about the most appropriate ones for your situation.
PROJECT EVALUATION
1 What is the purpose of your project?
2. List the objectives you set for your project at thebeginning of the year. To what extent were theyachieved and what changes would you now make?
3. What has been the effect of your project cnthe community?
4. Is someone else in the community doing the samething? Should someone else be doing it instead (i.e.,the community itself)?
5. What possible effects might the project be havingthat are not being considered?
6. What community needs have come to yourattention through your work in your project?(Mention needs even if they don't relate directly toyour project.)
7. How much contact does each volunteer have withthe community (community advisors, families,children, elders)?
8. Who have been your community resource people?
9. Did you find them accessible and helpful? Whatrole did they play? What role would you like themto play?
10. What feedback have you received fromthe community?
11. How many volunteers were in your project? Howmany people were served?
12. What was expected from your volunteers in termsof time commitment? Meetings? Responsibilities?
13. Do you feel you provided your volunteers enoughorientation/training to do a good job?
14. What suggestions can you make for next year'sorientation/training?
15. What forms of support were given to thevolunteers after the training session? Do you feelthe support was sufficient?
16. In what ways did you keep in touch withyour volunteers?
17. Were the volunteers supportive of oneanother? How?
18. As a coordinator, what was the most difficult todeal with:a. Volunteer enthusiasmb. Working with coordinator (if applicable)c. Relations with program officed. Finding community supporte. Academic linkagesf. Other
a
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Support Functions 71
Tool #3. Evaluation of StudentsStudents should be evaluated based on their achievement of the objectives delineates in their service-learningagreements. In addition, it can be useful feedback for the student to have his or her supervisor complete a form like
the one below. It is always a good idea to make sure that community people understand at the beginning of a placement
that you're going to ask them to evaluate students at the conclusion of the placement.
Side one
EVALUATION OF STUDENT
Please rate on each :Jf the characteristicsStudent's Name
listed by checking the appropriate box. In the section for comments, list any strengths or weaknesses of the
student that you feel are important.
Characteristics Excellent Good Average Bellow Average N/A: Can't Rate Comments
1) Desire andwillingness totake on newassignments
2) Poteatial forfurtherdevelopment
3) Concern forneeds ofcommunity
4) Willingness towork through anassignment tocompletion
5) Ability tocommunicatewith communityresidents
6) Imaginativenessand resourceful-ness
7) Cooperation -Willingness toget along withothers
8) Overallevaluation ofperformance
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72 CHAPTER IV
Side two
Did the student meet
Other comments:
exceed
I have seen this evaluation and agree with it.
fall below (check on appropriate line) your expectations?
Signed (Project Coordinator)
Date
Signed (Student)
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Support Functions 73
Tool #4. Agency EvaluationStudents who are working in community organizations can complete a form like the one below to assess thesupport the agency is giving students.
Side one
AGENCY EVALUATION FORM
Please place a check in the space that best describes your opinions and feelings.
Please answer all the questions as honestly as you possibly can. Your responses will be used to decide which
organizations we will work with in the future, as well as to rate each one where volunteers are currently placed
Copies of the results of this survey will be placed on file in the service-learning office for your inspection.
Was training provided by the organization?
A lot None at all
If training was provided, did you find it:
Too complex to Too simple to beunderstand worth much
Too long Too brief
Effective _ Ineffective
Sufficient Insufficientpreparation for work preparation
in the agency
If training was provided, who conducted it?
If no training was provided, would you like to see atraining program initiated?
Yes__ No
How did the organization's staff react to you as avolunteer?
Warm Cold
Open Aloof
Treated as member Treated as an
of the teAn outsider to group
Were you given assistance by staff when confrontedwith a problem?
A lot of assistance No assistance
Eagerly given Reluctantly given
Was this assistance:
Very helpful Not helpful
Clear Confusing
What resources were available to you? (Check as manyas available.)
_ Films and presentations_ Supervisor meetings_ Staff meetings_ Case presentations
Special lectures
Don't knowOther (please specify)
If these resources were available, did you:
Use most of them Use none at all
Why.
How much supervision did you receive?
Too much Too little
Were the hours you were expected to work:
Convenient Inconvenient
Too many Too few
Is the physical setting of the organization:
Conducive to Inhibiting tovolunteer work volunteer work
Near your home Far from your home
Well kept Not kept up
Cheerful Depressing
Confirmed
74 CHAPTER IV
Side Iwo
Has your project coordinator been:
Helpful Not helpful
On the whole, the clients with whom you have beenworking:
Always available Never available Appreciate Do not appreciatefor questions for questions your help your help
Informative on Not informative on Look forward Avoid seeing youresources available resources available to seeing you
Considerate Inconsiderate Are warm ___ - Are coldReliable Unreliable Have made
ProgressHave made noprogress
Do you have any suggestions for improving the serviceopportunities at the organization where you worked? Ifso, please explain:
Any additional comments?
FUNCTION #10: MaintainingCommunity Relations
Description and RationaleA careful plan for sharing information can have severalbenefits beyond the obvious ones of gaining communitysupport for your program and opening up newopportunities for students. Through sharing information,yall can eliminate misunderstandings or misperceptionsabout the nature of your program; you can help breakdown any artificial walls between the college oruniversity and the community; and you can build theidentity of your program by showing how it is meetingreal needs of low-income people.
How To Do It1. Decide what audiences you want to reach. Some
possibilities are:
University alumniCommunity organization staffCitizensCommunity service clubsUniversity Board of TrusteesLocal government officialsCommunity civic leadersState legislatorsStudentsCollege administrators and staffFaculty
2. Decide what information is appropriate for theaudience you wish to reach. Some suggestions are:
Facts, figures and tangible evidence of yourprogram's accomplishmentsDescriptions of your program's activitiesTestimonials from studentsTestimonials from community groups who havebenefited from services provided by students
3. Select an appropriate channel for communicatinginformation to each desired audience. Some ideasmight be:
Visits to agencies, clubs, meetingsTV, radio spotsNewslettersBrochuresNews releasesReceptions or open housesCommunity bulletin board notices, articles incommunity newslettersSlide-tape presentations
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76 CHAPTER IV
Tools and TechniquesHere are a few hints others have found useful intheir community relations efforts.
1. News releases can be used to get mediacoverage for special events such as a communityorganization assuming responsibility for a projectinitiated by students. Some guidelines for newsreleases are:
Develop a mailing list of newspapers,newsletters and radio and television stationsin your area. Pay special attention to localcommunity papers and to newsletters thatserve segments of the community you wishto reach. Your campus public relationsoffice may be able to help you compileyour list.Contact reporters working for eachpublication to determine the exactrequirements for the news release.When you write your news release, keep itsimple. Short paragraphs, short sentences,short words. The first paragraph shouldsuccinctly tell who, what, when, where,why and how.Submit the news release as early aspossible - three to five days before theevent it describes.Follow up with a telephone call toeducation reporters or assignment editors ifyou are encouraging reporters to attend anevent for their own story material.
2. Public service announcements for radio and TVmay be appropriate for your purposes.
Call or visit the station's public servicedirector and ask for guidelines on the formatfor public service announornents (PSAs)preferred by the station. Each station has itsown procedures and guidelines.Determine what programs acceptinformation, any deadlines and the name of.the person to whom announcements shouldbe sent.You might also consider:
- Loa: TV and radio talk shows- Viewer feedback shows
3. Audiovisual presentations can be useful indeveloping and maintaining public interest andsupport for your program. Some suggestions:
Focus as narrowly as you can on theobjective for your presentation by askingyourself, "I do I want the audience todo or think aster seeing the presentation?"
Develop a theme - are you going to do ap:esentation on your e; lire program? Oneproject? Will it be from the point of view ofstudents? The community?Next, select a medium. Your basic choicesare a slide show, which is the leastexpensive to produce; a slide-tapepresentation transferred to film, which issomewhat more expensive and moredifficult to produce; videotape, whichrequires special facilities and can get quiteexpensive; or finally, film, which is the mosttechnically complex and expensive mediumto use.College and university campuses often haveextensive audiovisual facilities which canhelp you develop a polished pro4,: di dcomparatively low cost. Frequently, studentscan bring imagination and technical skill tothe development of an audiovisualpresentation.
4. A regular newsletter published by your programcan help keep audiences informed about whatyou are doing.
8 0
111 FUNCTION #11: Creating aService-Learning AdvisoryCommittee
Description and RationaleWorking with a service-learning advisory board can beone of the most effective ways of gaining broad supportfor a service-learning program. Depending on the strengthan4 representation of the board, it can offer theadvantag7-, of:
Community and university advocacy for theprogramWide consensus on program policyQuick and efficient communications links with thecommunityResources of board members
The ideal service-learning advisory board would consistof influential representatives of the university andcommunity dedicated to solving community problems,and to the concepts of service-learning involvement forstudents.
If it is your goal to create an advisory board, be preparedfor some hard work, but also be aware that the payoffsmay handsome.
An advisory board often performs functions such as the
following:
Drings ilcw ideas to your programSuggests new projek.::Suggests areas where research is neededActs on behalf of the community to point outexisting needsAdvises faculty groups on matters of academicaccreditation, curriculum design and facultyinvolvementHelps determine policy on emerging issuesinvolves the community more widely in the service-
learning programServes as an advocate for the program within thecommunity and college or university
How To Do It1. Have two or three people from the community and
the university work with you in planning for anadvisory group. With this "planning task force,"identify what groups ought to be represented on apolicy or advisory board.
2. Generate the names of at least one representative ofeach group.
3. Contact each person suggested. Introduce yourself andyour program and explain who suggested theindividual's name.
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Support Functions 77
4. Explain that you are exploring the possibility ofcreating an advisory board and are looking forsuggestions about what groups and individuals should
participate.5. Determine with your planning task force:
a. How many members should be on the boardb. Which groups should be representedc. How many representatives each group should haved. Who should be asked to servee. How long iliey will be askedjo servef. What their expected tasks will be (The first task
will be to establish a purpose and a set ofprocedures.)
g. A target date for the first meeting6. Call or visit the persons selected. Explain carefully
what you are asking them to do, why and what kindof a commitment you are asking for. Follow up with aletter and get their commitment in writing, if possible.
7. Convene the first meeting and assist the group toselect a chairperson or convener. Once a chairpersonor convener is selected, yo,1- role in the advisorygroup changes. You now become an administrator ofthe policy set forth by the board. While you will beworking closely with the board, particularly thechairperson, you must be alert to the fact that manypolicy decisions which formerly may have been yoursare row the board's.
78 CHAPTER IV
Endnotes1 Material for this function was strongly influenced by
Marlene Wilson, The Effective Management of VolunteerPrograms (Boulder: Vokinteer Management Associates, 1976),Chapter III, "Motivation - The Whys of Behavior."
2 Cited by Wilson, ibid., p. 43.
3 See Frederick Herzberg, "One More Time: How DoYou Motivate Employees?" Harvard Business Review(January-February 1968): 53-62.
4 See Herzberg, ibid., and Wilson, op. cit., p. 44.
5 Helen Drotning-Miller and Mary M. Hill,"Documenting Program Costs and Achievements,"Synergist 4, 3 (Winter 1976).
Additional ReadingsBelow are some suggestions for further informationwithin each functional area covered in this chapter.
1. Recruiting Students
"The Art of Recruiting." , iynergist 3, 1 (Spring 1974).
Haines, Mike. Volunteers: How to Find Them, How toKeep Them. Vancouver, B.C.: Voluntary ActionResources Centre, /77.
"NSVP Forum: A Look at Minority Involvement inStudent Volunteer Programs." Synergist 3, 1(Spring 1974).
"Recruiting." Quick Reference Sheet #2. Boulder,CO: National Information Center onVolunteerism (NICOV) (no date).
2. Screening and Placing Students
Cauley, John H., 'Jr. "Job Descriptions: MatchingVolunteer Skills with Agency Needs." Synergist 2,3 (Winter 1974).
"Training Tips: Assessing Motives for Helping."Synergist 3, 1 (Spring 1974).
"Training Volunteer Leaders: A Handbook to TrainVolunteers and Other Leaders of ProgramGroups." Research and Development Division,National Council of YMCAs, 1974.
5. Providing Transportation
"Choosing and Maintaining a Commuting Bicycle."Synergist 3, 3 (Winter 1975).
Sorum, Judy. "The Transportation Game." Synergist1, 2 (Fall 1972).
"A Volunteer's Transportation Alternative: TheBicycle." Synergist 3, 3 (Winter 1975).
6. Providing Insurance for Students
The series 'The Legal Angle" in Synergist containsmuch helpful inform-ion about insurance.
Williams, Rick. "A Primer on Insurance forVolunteers." Newton, MA: The KORDAProject. 1977.
7. Developing Student Leadership
Bolles, Richard. What Color Is Your Parachute? Rev. ed.Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 1977.
Tannenbaum, Robert and Schmidt, Warren H. "Howto Choose a Leadership Pattern." Harvard BusinessReview (May-June 1973).
8. Motivating and Rewarding Students
Herzberg, Frederick. "One More Time: How Do YouMotivate Employees?" Harvard Business Review(January-February 1968).
9. EvaluationEvaluating Service-Learning Programs: A Guide for Program
Coordinators. Washington, D.C.: NSVP (no date).
Reigel, Bobette. "Basic Feedback System: A Self-Assessment Process for Volunteer Programs."Boulder, CO: NICOV, 1977.
Tobias, Laurie L. and Van Til, Jon. "Evaluation in theVoluntary Sector: Problems, Prospects, andEmerging Roles." Presented at the Conferenceon Roles of Colleges and Universities inVolunteerism, Blacksburg, VA, April 25-29,1977. Reproduced in Conference Proceedings.
10. Maintaining Public Relations
Drake, Steven L. "PR Techniques for StudentVolunteer Programs." Synergist 3, 2 (Fall 1974).
"The Medium for Your Message." Synergist 7, 2(Fall 1978).
Musgrove, Philip. "11 Steps for Planning andEvaluating Your Public Relations Campaign "Association Management 28, 5 (1976): 50-54.
"Press Release Guidelines." National InformationCenter on Volunteerism. Boulder, CO: NICOV(no date).
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CHAPTER VOrganizing Your Offie
OverviewThe material in this chapter suggests some simple ways tocarry out office procedures that you may find necessaryfor a smoothly running program. The following functionsare described:
Sometimes you may get frrstrated because of theattention to detail that goon office management requires.One way to get past this frustration is to think of officemanagement as providing a kind of delayed gratification.Keeping good records may not pay off for you until theend of the school year when you can use your n'cords tojustify an increase in your program budget.
The test of good office procedures is whether they result,in the long run, in better service to thP community andthe student.
10 FUNCTION #1: Fund-Raising
Description and RationaleHistorically, many institutionalized social services beganas volunteer programs, including police, social workersand fire fighters. Some long-established services survive asextremely high-status volunteer programs. Examples arethe volunteer fire departments of many of our smallercommunities and the Red Cross.
In service-learning programs, the following sequence ofevents is typical:
One or more students discover a community need.They develop service-learning plan to meet theneed and spend a semester or perhaps a full yeartrying to meet the need.They find that many more volunteers are needed.They spend the next year coordinating efforts andrecruiting and placing students who can help meetthe need.As the project grows, so does the need for funds topay for transportation, supplies and materials,training, etc.
Organizing Your Office 83
How To Do ItThis discussion will focus on grassroots fund-raisingactivities designed to support specific service-learningprojects.1 Fund-raising that is targeted on foundations andphilanthropic organizations may also be attempted,especially to provide program -level support, but youshould be aware that such activities are time-consumingand complicated. If you contemplate seeking funds froma grant-giving agency (including state and federal sources),you should seek assistance from your institution's officeof grants management.
Grassroots fund-raising is usually aimed at supporting asingle project although it can be used to obtain moneyfor your program, too.
Many projects report success by scheduling fund-raiserson an annual basis so that persons associated with theproject become skilled at fund-raising, and fund-raisingevents become a regular part of college or communitylife. It is also good practice to target your efforts on aspecific need, such as raising money to lease a car inorder to serve 200 low-income elderly.
It may be helpful to distinguish among three sizes offund-raising activity. Small events can be used when youdon't need to raise a lot of money, say $50-$150;medium-sized events can be used to raise several hundreddollars; and large events may be necessary to raise $1000or more.
Be sure you develop a system to keep complete recordsof all activities associated with fund-raising, includingyour expenses in carrying out fund-raising events. Ifsomeone donates an item, provide a receipt describingthe item and its value. Keep a copy for your records. Theperson donating the item may be able to daim thedonation for tax purposes. Similarly,. keep completerecords for cash donations you receive. As much aspossible, try to get people to donate the services youneed to make your fund-raising effort a success.
Try these ideas for small events. They are easyto organize:
Book or plant sale. College students often havebooks to donate.Community get-together. Serve coffee to acommunity group, explain your project and ask forcontributions.Movies are popular as fund-raisers among collegestudents.Potluck suppers.Raffles.Events associated with holidays, such as a Halloweencostume party or a haunted house.
84 CHAFFER V
Moving up one step on the scale, if you have a littlemore time and money to put into organizing your event,here are some suggestions for medium-sized events:
Auctions. Ask students and community people todonate items. A variation is the Dutch auctionwhere, in conjunction with a dinner or meeting, eachguest brings an item to be auctioned.Bazaars or neighborhood fairs. You can either selldonated items or you can agree to take a percentageof proceeds from sellers in return for providing spaceand publicity.Dances or concerts. Feature local musicians or top-name entertainers.Arrange with a local theater group to donateproceeds from a performance.
Some ideas for large-scale events are:
Marathons. Students walk, ride, swim, etc., and yourproject collects pledges for each mile or lap.Luncheons or dinners featuring a celebrity speaker.
Here are five tips to help you plan for an event:
Target your activity on a specific need that reflectsimpact on the community (e.g., "lease a car to serveneeds of 200 more low-income elderly").Choose a time for your event. Eliminate poor times,such as four-day holiday weekends.Decide if you want to associate your fund-raiser withany other prescheduled project activities.Plan your fund-raising event by noting target datesfor acquiring space, securing entertainment and/ordonations, printing and selling tickets (if appropriate),setting up facilities and follow-up. Donated servicesand materials should be acknowledged by a letter ofthanks, as should contributions.
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FUNCTION #2: Budget, 'FiscalManagement and Accounting
Description and RationaleThe financial side of service-learning is much like theprogramming side: budgeting is a description (in cashterms) of how you plan to reach a goal; fiscalmanagement procedures are used to implement yourplan; and accounting lets you know how well you did.The functions of planning, implementation and evaluationapply to finances just as they apply to otherproject activities.
BudgetingSince budgeting is the most difficult part of dealing withfinances, we will allocate most of the space in this sectionto it.
Good budgeting results from early planning. It is best foryour budget planning to coincide with the university orcollege budget calendar, especially if the institution isproviding salaried support of any kind. This generallymeans that during any given fiscal year, you will bebudgeting for the next year.
Typical budget categories are:
1. Personal Salaries and Benefits. This category includessalary and benefits for all personnel working in yourprogram, both full- and parttime.
2. Transportation. This category covers all travel forwhich the program pays. It may include travel toconferences, workshops and/or special events. It mayalso cover the transportation of student volunteers(you'll need an estimate of the amount of travel eachproject will require). Some programs, those in largecities with good public transportation, do not pay anytransportation costs as a matter of policy.
3. Consultant Expenses. Sometimes a program will be ina position to hire a consultant for a special purposesuch as staff development.
4. Program Expenses. These expenses are for variousactivities or materials (excluding office supplies) theprogram plans to use during the year. Some typicalprogram expenses are:.a. Printing - you may plan to print brochures,
newsletters or other materials in q rantity at yourinstitution's printing office or by aprofessional printer.
b. Photocopying - this category would be used foritems duplicated by machine, such as positiondescriptions.
c. Forms - you may need to pay the costs ofcomposing forms if you have this work doneoutside your office.
Organizing Your Office 85
d. Posters - you will probably have to make specialpurchases of poster board if you plan to useposters.
e. Insurance - costs of insurance should be includede.
f. i.iiscellaneous - these expenses include petty cashfor your office and unanticipated costs.
5. Administrative Expenses.a. Rent - pays for your office space.b. Telephone - if you plan many long-distance calls,
the approximate amount (figure $3-$5 per call)should be budgeted here.
c. Utilities - electricity, heat.d. Maintenance.e. Postage - estimate the number of letters and
packages you plan to mail, and multiply byexisting postal rates.
f. Office Supplies - your institution probably has aformula to help you compute the proper amountfor office supplies based on the number ofemployees in your office.
6. Office Equipment. In many cases, the expenses ofoffice equipment can be borne by the institution. Ifyours is a new or expanding program, however, youwill need to itemize the equipment you plan to use.Include:
DesksChairsTypewritersFile cabinets
BookcasesBulletin boardsWastebaskets
Every coordinator we talked to stressed the importance ofcareful, accurate budgeting. The only way to maximizethe chances for getting the amount you want is to justifyit in a convincing way.
In some cases you will be asked to submit "incremental"budgets: for example, budgets set at levels of $5,000,$10,000 and $15,000 are increments of $5,000. Toaccomplish this you need to be clear about the prioritiesof your program. Even though it may be painful tosubmit a budget at a figure so low it seems to cut theheart out of your program, you need to be prepared tosay what objectives the program can meet, and whatmust be abandoned.
Zero-based budgeting is also widely required thesedays - chances are that you already use zerobasecibudgeting. The term simply means building each newbudget from scratch, justifying each separate expense.
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86 CHAPTER V
Fiscal Management and AccountingIn almost all cases, fiscal procedures used by the collegeor university will be used to manage funds, especiallydis'oursements such as payroll checks and the like. Theinstitvizion will. also provide auditing and accountingservices. You may, however, need to develop processesfor approvirg expenditures for supplies, approvingreimbursement for mileage, and documenting long-distance calk. Remember, too, that providing assistance inestablishing office procedures can be a valuableexperience for business and accounting students, so don'thesitate to ask for their help.
o
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FUNCTION #3: ManagingEquipment, Space, Supplies
Description and RationaleThe fad that you are based at a college or universityenables you to benefit from the favorable pricingarrangements institutions normally have with suppliers.Office space, typewriters, equipment, supplies andtelephones can all be obtained from the institution atrates substantially lower than if you attempted toestablish an office off campus. You will need to developa management system to assure that your supplies willlast for the entire year (or budget period) and in order toaccount for their allocation.
How To Do It1. Determine who needs various types of supplies and
Photocopier Coordinator, secretary(must be logged)
Telephone Anyone may make local calls; long-distance calls must be written on log.
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Organizing Your Office 87
FUNCTION #4:Recordkeeping
Description and RationaleThe purposes of recordkeeping are to enable you toprovide better service and to help you document thesuccesses of your program. The type of records you kee"depends on the nature of your program - whether it islarge or small, the types of support your office provides,and to whom your program is accountable.
How To Do ItFirst, make sure that your recordkeepinz systems complywith your institutior's policies on privacy and freedom ofinformation. Within those bounds, you may find it usefulto keep three kinds of records. First, records relating tocommunity organizations, agencies and projects enableyou to respond quickly to inquiries about them. You maywant to keep a historical file of all projects that studentshave worked on, as well as a separate file of currentprojects. The current projects file should contain completeinformation about project needs for the present year andabovt the students currently involved. The work plan,including long- and short-term objectives, may also beincluded here. Files may be organized alphabetically infolders. With each folder you may find it helpful toinclude pertinent academic information: courses related tothe pr which faculty have granted credit,bookl.: .n give students needed backgroundinformai., ad knowledgeable persons who can provide
1
Organizing Your Office 89
i= -
resources to students. You might also wish to includestudent evaluations of projects within project files.
The second kind of record relates to information aboutstudents. You may want to keep records of each studentwho inquires about a placement. A 4 x6 card shouldallow you to accomplish this. An alphabetized series offolders can help you keep records on students who areactively involved in projects. Such folders wouldnormally contain the student's serviceleaming agreementand evaluations of the student's work.The third kind of record pertains to the organization ofyour service-learning program. If you conduct acommunity survey to determine your projects for anupcoming year, it may be filed here. If, on the otherhand, each project conducts its own survey, the resultsmay be stored in the project file. Records of expendituressuch as telephone, copying, materials and other budgetitems may be maintained in this file.Following is a sample recordkeeping system that youmay use to help you maintain these three kinds ofrecords. Several kinds of information may be quickly andeasily obtained from such a system. For example, you canpublish updated project descriptions in notebooks thatstudents can use for help in locating projects. You canalso tally information about how many hours studentsspend on projects to help you build a case for the impactof service-learning.
c ,
92
4y1S
h5 cy,
r40:41ccfrill
90 CHAPTER V
SAMPLE RECORDKEEPING SYSTEM
f III. Office Files \,A. Office staff position descriptionsB. BudgetC. Records of meetings, etc.D. Reports
IL Student File
A. Mary Green1. Service-learning agreement2. Evaluations (record of hours worked, type of
work, accomplishments)
I. Project Files
A. Rape Relief Hotline1. Project description
a. Contact person,- address, phoneb. Description of servicec. Project needs for present year
2. List of students working on project3. Reading its4. Testimonials, accomplishments (newspaper
clippings, photos, etc.)5. Goals, objectives and plan for year's work6. Project evaluation7. Reading lists, interested professors, other
academic assistance, resourcesB. Big Brother/Big Sister ProjectC. Mass Transit ProjectD. Ideas for New Projects
93
FUNCTION #5: PersonnelManagement
Description and RationaleThis function relates to creating the organizationalstructure of your program, staffing, and maintaining goodrelations with your staff.1. Establishing positions. Based on the projects your
office plans to support and on the kinds of supportyou plan to offer, duster supporting activities in sucha way th .t activities which belong together are doneby the sat. te person.
Next, assign the approximate amount of time youthink each activity will consume (e.g., full-time, 10percent, 20 percent).
Then add your approximations for each cluster oftasks. This gives you an estimate of your staffingrequirements. You will probably have to revise andadjust based on your budget.
2. Defining relationships among positions. Develop anorganizational chart. These are usually fairly simpleaffairs for service-learning programs. What anorganizational chart depicts is the relationships amongprogram staff. For example:
AssistantCoordinztor
ProgramCoordinator
L
ProjectCoordinator
ProgramSecretary
Pro ectCoordinator
ProjectCoordinator
Solid lines indicate lines of authority; dotted linesindicate.supPort. In each example above, the as'istantcoordinator reports to the program coordinator, butalso directly supports the project coordinators.
3. Establishing qualifications. Qualifications forpositions -are the skills that are necessary for carryingout the responsibilities of the position. For eachposition list the activities or responsibilities you expect,and then try to specify the backgrounds that would bemost helpful in carrying them out. It might be helpfulif you consider qualifications in terms of:
Attitudes (example: values working as part of ateam)
(See the sample job description below for one way tolist qualifications.)
4. Creating position descriptions. Position descriptionscome in many shapes and forms. In general theyshould be designed to attract the type of person youwould like to have for the position. They should givea description of the type of work expected usuallyexpressed as the specific activities of the position.
SAMPLE JOB DESCRIPTIONPROJECT[' COORDINATOR
Job Title: Mental Health Project Coordinator (half-time position 20 hrs/wk)
Description: The Mental Health Project Coordinatorplans and coordinates service-learningactivities with community mental healthagencies. This person is responsible forplacing students in various agencies and formaintaining liaison between the Service-Learning Program and the agency.
Duties: Assesses mental health needs
Plans recruitment activities with otherprogram staff
Arranges placements for students
Piovides support to students
Qualifications: Familiarity with concepts of service-learningFamiliarity with me,tai health agenciesGood organizatids abilityGood interpersonal skills
Position qualifies for work-study
September 1984-June 1985
Apply in person to:Wilmette RiversCampus ServiceLearning Program109 Hood Hall
Office is open 8:30-5:30 daily
Salary:
Term:
How toApply:
94
92 CHAPTER V
Performance StandardsIt is important to develop a written set of performancestandards for staff members so they know what isexpected of them.
In order to develop performance standards, consider thefollowing:
1. Schedule a meeting with each staff person and reviewtasks.
2. Discuss with the staff member the standards you bothexpect for each Standards, in order to be useful,should not be vague (e.g., "a good job") but shouldspecify a measurable level of performance (e.g.,"interview 30 students").
Some standards are exceedingly difficult or impossibleto quantify (e.g., "put students at ease in interviewsituations"). These should be expressed as specifically aspossible (e.g., "use skills of active listening ininterviews").
It is important to let staff members influence thesetting of standards.
3. Develop a form such as the following to specifyperformance standards:
1. Conduct seminarfor students inservicelearningprojects.
2. Work withcommunity andstudents to developnew projects.
.3. Handle publicity 3. Five newfor Service- communityLearning Fair. organizations will
participate; fair willbe well attended bystudents.
PerformanceStandards
1. Students enrolledwill reportsatisfaction with theseminar on seminarevaluation.
2. Two new projectswill be developed.
4. Modify performance standards as the duties of the jobchange.
Delegating ResponsibilitiesAs your office goes about its day-to-day business, youwill find many unexpected tasks that need to be done.You can avoid a trap that many managers fall into bylearning to delegate responsibilities, rather thanattempting to do everything yourself. Unexpected tasksmay turn out to be opportunities for your staff todevelop new skills and expand their abilities.
95
The simplest way to handle assignment and delegation ofresponsibilities is through regularly scheduled staffmeetings (for example, at the beginning of a week) wheretasks for the week are listed. Individual staff memberscan volunteer to undertake tasks. Usually persons willtake on tasks that are related to other tasks they havebeen doing, but sometimes pressing concerns will notallow this. In such a case, try to learn who is interested inassuming'a new responsibility. It is likely that you as amanager will have more work than you can effectivelydo. Analyze your responsibilities to see if you can findinteresting ones that could be carried out by someone onyour staff. Everyone benefits if you can do this. You gaintime and your staff gains valuable experience.
Reporting SystemsReporting systems enable you to get the information youneed to make decisions and to inform others about thestatus of your program.
Begin by listing the kinds or. reports you need to make,who will receive them and when they are due. Thendetermine the kinds of information you need, and finally,decide the sources of the information. Summarize as onthe form on the next page and negotiate agreements witheach of your sources.
5
r
"i
Organizing Your Office 93
SAMPLE PLANNING SHEETTO MEET REPORTING NEEDS
Kind of Report Intended for
1. Annual Report of CommunityProgram Impact Organization
Staff and Dean
2. Project Evaluations ProjectCoordinators
3. Student Evaluations StudentsFacultyDean
When
End of year
Type of Information Needed
Impact on communityHours students workedNumber of studentsExamples of learning
End of year ImpactSuggestions for
improvementEmerging needs
End of each Accomplishmentsterm Type of learning
Evidence of learning
source
ProjectCoordinator
Projectevaluations
Student- records
StudentsCommunity
OrganizationStaff
CommunityOrgaaization
StudentsProject
Coordinators
Endnotes1 These fund-raising activities have been adapted from
"iiii;zing Money and Morale," Synergist 7, 1 (Spring 1978):29-32. The article, hi turn, has been adapted from JoanFianagan, The Gr455 Roots Fundraising Book (Chicago:Swallow Press, 1977).
Additional ReadingsDrotning-Miller, Helen and Hill, Mary M. "Documentin?
Program Costs and Achievements." Synergist 4, 3(Winker 1976).
Greene, William C. and Vecchi, John J. "Accounting forStudent Volunteer Groups." Synergist 2, 3(Winter 1974).
Miller, Thomas and Orser, G.R. You Don't Know What YouGot Until You Lose It: Ari Introduction to Accounting,Budgeting, and Tax Planning for Small, Nonprofit, andCommunity Groups. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: TheSupport Center/The Community ManagementCenter, 1976.
The organizations listed below have materials or resourcesthat are potentially of use to persons managing service-learning programs. Inclusion of these organizations in noway implies that NCSL/ACTION endorses their materialsor favors them over other available materials.
1. ACTION/National Center for Service-Learning,formerly National Student Volunteer Program (NSVP)806 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20525(Toll-free) 1-800.424-8580, branch 88 or 89The National Center for Service-Learning supportsservice-learning through training and technicalassistance and through the publication of materialsdesigned to help practitioners implement service-learning. NCSL publishes Synergist, a journal appearingthree times ,a year and containing up-to-dateinformation on service-learning. All NCSL materialsand services are available free of charge.
2. Council for the Advancement of ExperientialLearning (CAEL)American City BuildingSuite 403Columbia, MD 21044(301) 997-3535CAEL is an organization devoted to advancing thecause of experiential education in colleges anduniversities. CAEL offers a number of services tocolleges and universities which join ti it organization;a number of publications are also available.
3. Association for Experiential Education (AEE)Box 4625Denver, CO 80204(303) 837.8633AEE is an international network of diverse individuals,schools and other education organizations which sharea common interest in and commitment to experience-based teaching and learning. AEE publishes the Journalof Experiential Education and a newsletter, Voyageur, andsponsors a major conference each year.
4. National Information Center on Volunteerism(NICOV)P.O. Box 4179Boulder, CO 80306(303) 447-0492NICOV offers training workshops and an extensivecollection of materials, many of which are unavailableelsewhere, to member individuals and organizations.
5. National Center for Voluntary Action (NCVA)1214 16th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20036(202) 467-5560NCVA supports volunteer efforts of various kindsboth in and out of colleges and universities, principallythrough materials it has developed, NCVA publishesVoluntary Action Leadership, a journal devoted to up-to-date developments in the voluntary sector.
6. National Society for Internships andExperiential Education1735 Eye Street, N.W.Suite 601Washington, D.C. 20006(202) 331-1516
.
This organization exists to support field experienceeducation of various kinds, including the public serviceinternship model. A newsletter, Experiential Education, ispublished bimonthly..
98
97
Acknowledgments
The National Center for Service-Learning would like toextend its thanks for the hospitality, cooperation andwillingness to share ideas and materials shown by faculty,staff and students at the following institutions which werevisited during the data-gathering phase of the productionof this manual.
ALCOR, Inc., Hazard, KentuckyAlice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, KentuckyBerea College, Berea, KentuckyBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis University, Waltham, MassachusettsCoker College, Hartsville, South CarolinaDavidson College, Davidson, North CarolinaFurman University, Greenville, South CarolinaHarvard UniversityInstitute for Responsive Education, Boston, MassachusettsMacalester College, St. Paul, MinnesotaMassachusetts Internship OfficeMetropolitan State College, Denver, ColoradoMichigan State UniversityNational Information Center on Volunteerism,
Boulder, ColoradoReed College, Portland, OregonSan Francisco State UniversitySouth Carolina Internship ProgramUnion College, Barbourville, KentuckyUniversity of California at BerkeleyUniversity of California at Los AngelesUniversity of ColoradoUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of OregonUniversity of South CarolinaUniversity of VermontWestern Interstate Commission on Higher Education
(WICHE), Boulder, Colorado
Appreciation and thanks are also extended to the service-learning educators in the following institutions who sentmaterials and resources:
Ambassador Outreach (California)Birmingham-Southern CollegeBroome County Social Services (New York)California Polytechnic UniversityChabot CollegeChapman CollegeChico Housing Improvement Program (California)Coker CollegeCollege of the Holy CrossCollege of William and MaryCuyahoga Community CollegeDavidson CollegeDean Junior CollegeEl Camino CollegeGeorge Washington UniversityHerbert Lehman College of the City University of
New YorkHigh line Community CollegeHofstra UniversityHood River Valley High School (Oregon)Kansas State UniversityKean College of New JerseyKent State UniversityKORDA Project, Newton, MassachusettsLake Tahoe Community CollegeMichigan State UniversityMount Mercy CollegeNasson CollegeNational Technical Institute for the DeafNorth Central CollegeNorthern Virginia Community CollegeOhio State UniversityOrange Coast CollegeQueen's University (Kingston, Canada)Resource Development Internship Program
(Bloomington, Indiana)Shippensburg State CollegeState of Georgia Governor's OfficeSusquehanna UniversityTexas A&M UniversityTriton Community College
99
98 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
University of California (Berkeley)University of ConnecticutUniversity of ColoradoUniversity of DaytonUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of LouisvilleUniversity of M5ssouriUniversity of South DakotaUniversity of VermontUniversity of WisconsinUrbana CollegeVoluntary Action Center of Hammond (Indiana)Volunteer Services Division of the California
Hospital AssociationUtah Technical CollegeWestern Michigan UniversityYakima Valley Community College
And finally, thanks to the following agencies and collegesfor generously supplying photographs:
ALCOR, Inc.; Hazard, KentuckyAlice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, KentuckyCommunity Involvement Program, University of
California at BerkeleyLoaves and Fishes, Portland, OregonNeighborhood History Project, Portland, OregonNeighborhood House, Inc., Portland, OregonNeighborhoods West/Northwest, Portland, OregonPortland Community CollegePortland Fire BureauPortland Parks and RecreationStudents for Appalachia, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
Survey:of community interest, 15of community needs, 11-12, 14of existing practices, 33methods, 13
T
Timeline:sample, 25
Training:for students, 55
Transportation:budgeting, 85for students, 57
V
/oluntary action center, 9
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1979 0-902-319
REPRODUCIBLEFORMS
1nom
COMMUNITY INTEREST SURVEY
1. Check the appropriate box:
O I doO I do not
see a need for student volunteers to help in our community.
2. If you think the community would benefit from having student volunteers, what are the three areas in
which students could be of most help:
1)
2)
3)
3. I would like to explore the possibility of using student volunteers:
Please call me at between the hours of
O I'll call you.
ade Sigurd
(7rplikalion
1O4
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
ProjecirAsency name
Address Phone
of coral pei3im Phone
Type of service the agertcyrproreci provides
Leant* opporinnilirs for sindenis
JOB DESCRIPTION
Name of agency
Address
Sidi one
Phone
Name of supervisorPlume
Job Description:Title
Qualifications:
1.
2.
3.
Coursework required:
1.
2.
Responsibilities:
1.
2.
Schedule
Hours.
bays.
Starting date-
aiding date.
Training
Provided by agency (describe).
Not provided
106
Continued
Side he
Transportation
Provided by agency (describe):
Not provided
Reimbursed
Not reimbursed
Special Conditions (describe)
Interested students should contact:
Project Coordinator
Service-Learning Office
Agency Volunteer Supervisor
Name Phone
Mine Phone
Name Phone
1 0 7
S
MONITORING PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Name of Project
Short-Term Objective #1
STO #2
STO #3
STO #4
STO #5
STO #6
STO #7
STO #8
Er idence
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
' Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
108
Dale
Modi I ications
Dale
Modi I ications
Dale
Modifications
Dale
odif ications
Dale
Modifications
Dale
Modifications
Dale
.1v/odificahons
Dale
Modifications
Name of skideng
Date of site visit
Comments:
SAMPLE SITE VISIT RECORD
Name of agentyprojea
mirpost of site visit
1 09
END-OF-YEAR PROJECT SUMMARY
Name of project
Project purpose
kons.tenn objective Evidence of accomplishment (impact on community)
Long-tenn objective Evidence of accomplishment (impact on community)
Recommendations for future efforts:
S
11O
SERVICE-LEARNING AGREEMENT
Project Information
Side one
Student's NameTelephone
Student's Address
Project/Community Organization Telephone
Project Address
General Purpose of Project
Job Title
Supervisor Telephone
Beginning date Hri./Week Completion date
Comments.
Service ObjectivesPlease describe below (a) the service objective you intend to pursue in this project (e.g., "Assist communityresidents to convince landlords to upgrade rental units."), (b) the methods you will use to achieve your objectives(e.g., "Research tenants' legal rights, available means of redress."), and (c) the evidence you will present to showyou have achieved your objectives (e.g., "Documented improvements in residences OR brief case histories
showing efforts that were made and the results.").
Learning PlanPlease describe below your learning objectives for this project (e.g., "Understand the rights of tenants andavailable means of redress:), the methods you will use to achieve your learning objectives (e.g., "Research inlibraries, interview lawyers, talk with community people and agency staff who have had success in the area. "),and the evidence you will use to show you have achieved your objectives (e.g., "List of books read, records ofinterviews; as a final project, a paper summarizing project efforts, results and future recommendations.").
111Continued
Side two
StudentAs a student committed to a service - teaming component in my education, I agree to devote hours perweek for the time period from to in the fulfillment of the service objectives describedabove to meet academic requirements of this service-learning experience.
Name Date
Student Supervisor in Community OrganizationAs supervisor to , I hereby agree to guide his/her work done under my direction (asoutlined above), and to submit a final evaluation of the student's work.
Name Dale
Project CoordinatorI agree to monitor the progress of , to assist the supervisor in any capacity pertaining to thestudent, (OPTIONAL): and to certify the student for credits upon completion of requirementsspecified in the student's learning plan.
Name Date
Facultyi have examined 's learning plan (described above) and find it satisfactory. Upon myevaluation of and other classroom requirements
(evidence student will submit to demonstrate achievement of objectives)
(if any), I will award credits for the class
Name Date
112
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Student's Name Project
Summary of Learning Objectives (Take these from the ServiceLearning Agreement)
Example:
Evidence of AchievementExample:
Comments
Did the student receive credit?Yes (If yes, fist course title and number ofcredits.)
No
113
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
To the Student:Discuss this plan with your serviceleaming project coordinator, your supervisor and the manager of yourschool's servicelearning program. At the end of the period of time you describe below, check your progress:Did you accomplish what you wanted to accomplish? Were your goals too high? Not high enough? What stepsshould you take next?
Name of Shand
Present Protect
1. Describe the career you wish to pursue:
2. Next, list the skills and knowledge you would like to develop to prepare you for the career you would liketo have:
3. Now, considering the opportunities that are afforded by the project you are working on, describe what youcan do to acquire or develop the skills you listed above:
4. And finally, summarize your plan by filling in the blanks below:
My plan for is toPeriod of time
in order to gain the skills of
so that I will be able to
114
EVALUATING THE PROGRAM
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
A. What objectives have you set for carrying
Recruitment'Screening and placingOrientationTrainingTransportationInsuring students
B. For each objective you listed, what was yo
out support functions in these areas?
Developing leadershipMotivating and rewardingEvaluatingCommunity relationsOther
ur actual achievement?
C. What recommendations would you make for future objectives?
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Some individuals find it helpful to estimate the value of services rendered by student volunteers. The followingsimple formulas will help you do this.
Number of hours students X$2.95 (or current minimum
'worked on service-learning wage)projects
Program costs Number of students onprojects
Program costs Hours worked
$Valueof student effoiS for
the community
Contribution per student
= Hourly cost of servicesDon't forget to include any tangible benefits to the community, such as fund-raising activities undertaken on behalfof nonprofit organizations.
115
PROJECT EVALUATION
1. What is the purpose of your project?
Side one
2. List the objectives you set for your project at the beginning of the year. To what extent were they achievedand what changes would you now make?
3. What has been the effect of your project on the community?
4. Is someone else in the community doing the same thing? Should someone else be doing it instead (i.e., thecommunity itself)?
5. What possible effects might the project be having that are not being considered?
6, What community needs have come to your attention through your work in your project? (Mention needseven if they don't relate directly to your project.)
7. How much contact does each volunteer have with the community (community advisors, families, children,elders)?
8. Who have been your community resource people?
9. Did you find them accessible and helpful? What role did they play? What role would you like them to play?
onrinmed
116
Side two
10. What feedback have you received from the community?
11. How many volunteers were in your project? How many people were served?
12. What was expected from your volunteers in terms of time commitment? Meetings? Responsibilities?
13. Do you feel you provided your volunteers enough orientation/training to do a good job?
14. What suggestions can you make for next year's orientation/training?
15. What forms of support were given to the volunteers after the training session? you feel the support wassufficient?
16. In what ways did you keep in touch with your volunteers?
17. Were the volunteers supportive of one another? Howl
18. As a coordinator, what was the most difficult to deal with:a. Volunteer enthusiasmb. Working with coordinator (if applicable)c. Relations with program officed. Finding community supporte. Academic linkagesf. Other
Side one
EVALUATION OF STUDENT
Please rate on etch of the characteristicsShideni's Name
listed by checking the appropriate box. In the section for comments, list any strengths or weaknesses of thestudent that you feel are important.
Characteristics Excellent Good Average Below Average N/A: Can't Rate Comments
1) Desire andwillingness totake on newassignments
2) Potential forfurtherdevelopment
3) Concern forneeds ofcommunity
4) Willingness towork through anassignment tocompletion
5) Ability tocommunicatewith communityresidents
6) Imaginativenessand resourceful-ness
7) Cooperation -Willingness toget along withothers
8) Overallevaluation ofperformance
Side two
Did the student meet
Other comments:
exceed
I have seen this evaluation and agree with it.
fall below (check on appropriate line) your expectations?
Signed (Project Coordinator)
Date
Signed (Student)
119
Side one
AGENCY EVALUATION rORM
Please place a check in the space that best describes your opinions and feelings.
Please answer all the questions as honestly as you possibly can. Your responses will be used to decide whichorganizations we will work with in the future, as well as to rate each one where volunteers are currently placed.Copies of the results of this survey will be placed on file in the servicelearning office for your inspection.
Was training provided by the organization?
A lot None a; all
If training was provided, did you find
Too complex to Too simple to beunderstand worth much
. Too long Too brief
Effective Ineffective
Sufficient Insufficientpreparation for work preparation
in the agency
if training was provided, who conducted it?
If no training was provided, would you like to see atraining program initiated?
What resources were available to you? (Check as manyas available.)
Films and presentationsSupervisor meetingsStaff meetings
_ Case presentations_ Special lectures
_ Don't know_ Other (please specify)
If these resources were available, did you:
Use most of them Use none at all
How much supervision did you receive?
How did the organization'svolunteer?
Warm
Open
Treated as memberof the team
Were you given assistancewith a problem?
A lot of assistance
Eagerly given
Was this assistance:
Very helpful
Clear
Yes No_ Too much Too little
Were the hours you were expected to work:
Convenient Inconvenient
Too many Too few
Is the physical setting of the organization:
Conducive to Inhibiting tovolunteer work volunteer work
Near your home Far from your home
Well kept Not kept up
Cheerful Depressing
_staff read to you as a
Cold
Aloof
Treated as anoutsider to group
by staff when confronted
Nciassistance
Reluctantly given
Not helpful
Confusing
1.20
Confnued
Side two
Has your project coordinator been: On the whole, the clients with whom you have beenworking:
Helpful Not helpful
Always available Never availablefov Iuestions for questions
Informative on Not informative onresources available resources available
Considerate Inconsiderate
Reliable Unreliable
Do you have any suggestions for improving the serviceopportunities at the organization where you Worked? Ifso, please explain:
My additional comments?
* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1980 - -J302-513
