Реферат: Community Service Trust Act Essay Research Paper
HOW TO START A SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM
In the most successful service learning programs, colleges and universities work together in a partnership with community-based organizations and civic leaders in identifying needs, planning and establishing the service projects. Community awareness is essential to the success of any service learning program. For years, colleges and universities have sought creative methods of providing on-the-job training to augment classroom learning. The value of such a goal is demonstrated by student participation in extracurricular and student life activities, where self esteem is strengthened and the roles of commitment and responsibility are reinforced through employment. Potential employers have always valued on-the-job experience, often more so than academic credentials. Employers are placing a high value on community service experience as well. An increasing number of corporations are establishing corporate foundations and community giving programs. Many encourage employee volunteerism through matching programs, match employee monetary gifts, and lend their executives to assist non-profit organizations.
It is always desirable for students to become more focused as they explore career choices. Student employment provides non-threatening opportunities to experience job options without a full-time commitment. Working for the common good, however, adds a sense of urgency as the needs for increased levels of civic responsibility become more and more critical. Since 1954 there has been a 15 percent increase in the number of college graduates entering the field of social work. We may soon be able to witness a marked increase as more college students have a chance to learn through service to others.
. In addition to the value of the experience itself, most of the student participants at Broward Community College receive service scholarships to reduce their need to borrow to pay for college. Although many of the participants reluctantly admit they signed up initially for the money, they stayed involved even when the scholarships were exhausted. Wen asked, they said they feel they got more out of the experience than the recipient of their services.
The following steps will enable administrators to create a successful service learning program: Begin with a small core of interested faculty, preferably individuals who are activists themselves and already participate in community service endeavors. Form an advisory committee with membership including representatives from faculty, staff, students, corporations, and local community agencies. This committee can provide useful feedback, encourage faculty to buy into service learning for their classes, and win needed support from students and the community. Include students and faculty in the planning. Students must be involved in every aspect of developing the service learning program, from planning through implementation, though the institution should serve as administrative support to coordinate the program. Establish an office to provide service support and coordinate the program with faculty, develop agency contacts, place students, monitor service hours, and maintain co-curricular transcript data. Find a lightning rod with clout and provide incentives to reward faculty involvement. Elizabeth Ann Gilver, director of
the Haverford College, Pennsylvania, Career and Community Service Program, recommends reassuring teachers that their students’ course work will not suffer and using concessions to defuse opposition from the faculty
ANOTHER TRANSCRIPT?
In an effort to document the community involvement of students, student development transcripts are becoming popular as addenda to academic transcripts. They provide students with a documented record of their out-of-classroom experiences. These records of co-curricular activities can be presented to potential employers to indicate additional job skills acquired while performing community work. As public service gains popularity and jobs become more scarce, volunteering for community service will be viewed as yet another way for job applicants to enhance their resumes.
Maintaining records of service also provide an excellent method to recognize student involvement. Several institutions use graduation and other ceremonies to present awards or plaques to students based on number of hours of service performed. A brightly colored cord or tassel on students’ mortarboards can also be used to honor service achievements.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
At some institutions, a single instructor or group of faculty members have developed ways to creatively integrate service experiences into specific courses with no institutional support. Many four-year institutions have programs that are initiated and run by students, either through student clubs and organizations or by individual students. However, because of the abbreviated programs and short tenure of typical community college students, community colleges wishing to sustain a viable service learning program must make the commitment of a full-time faculty or staff member to coordinate their program.
There are numerous departments that can assume overall responsibility for a service learning program–Student affairs, academic affairs, cooperative education, student employment, financial aid, student activities, student life, placement, or career services offices can all play a role. There is no one answer that will satisfy the individual needs of all institutions, each with very different organizational structures. The common denominator in successful service learning programs is enthusiastic program personnel coupled with a strong institutional commitment, as long term sustain ability is largely dependent on a commitment from top administration.
WHAT ABOUT FUNDING?
When searching for funding, don’t leave any stone unturned. Grants are available to cover startup costs from such sources as the Corporation on National and Community Service, the U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), state agencies, etc. Some institutions have earmarked student activity fees to cover program operating costs. Others have successfully negotiated institutional budgetary support. Work closely with your counterparts in resource development, financial aid, and grants, to seek out operating funds. If your institution provides staff and program development support or mini-grants to pilot new programs, apply for start-up funds. Appeal to local private and public foundations, corporations and individual donors. Seek out program funds or scholarships for the students. Donors are often more willing to provide tuition assistance for students who also give something back to their community.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AS A WAY OF LIFE
By focusing on the needs of others, students gain a sense of compassion and social awareness that develops when people help each other. A national survey conducted by Allan Luks revealed that people who do regular volunteer work report that good feelings keep them generally healthier and happier In his book, The Healing Power of Doing Good, he suggests that working through an organization makes volunteers more likely to continue regular volunteer activities. By providing college students with an organized means to experience service learning, colleges can foster a lifelong commitment to altruism.
There are those who see the world’s ills as insurmountable and make no effort to address them. There are others who believe that each of us can make a difference through individual acts of civic responsibility. Toward that end, every community college in the nation should provide its students with a variety of volunteer, community service, public service and service learning experiences to prepare them for a role of active citizenship and participation in improving the quality of life in their communities. Think what a legacy we could leave our children and their children if we could imbue each of the nearly 9 million students that annually pass through our doors each year with such a notion. The ripple effect would certainly go a long way toward making our world a better place.
WHERE TO FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Campus Compact: The Project for Public and Community Service, Brown University, 25 George Street Providence, RI, 02912;Tel: 401-863-1119. A coalition of college and university presidents. Member services: technical assistance, internships, awards,resource materials, and legislative advocacy
Campus Compact Center for Community Colleges (CCCCC), Mesa Community College, 1833 West Southern Avenue, Mesa,AZ 85202; Tel: 602-461-7392. Provides information and technical assistance regarding the development of public service and service learning initiatives at community colleges throughout the nation.
COOL: Campus Outreach Opportunity League, 386 McNeal Hall, St. Paul, MN, 55108-1011; Tel: 612- 624-3018. A student organization to support and promote student involvement in community service. Member services: site visits, training workshops,conferences and resource materials.
Corporation for National and Community Service, 1100 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 8100, Washington, DC 20525; Tel:202-606-5108. Supports innovative service programs in higher education, Serve America, the Civilian Community Corps and programs previously funded by ACTION, including VISTA and the National Senior Volunteer Corps by providing help for volunteer activities and community projects through grants and technical assistance.
. National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE), 3509 Haworth Drive, Suite 207, Raleigh, NC 27609- 7229; Tel:919-787-3263. An association of individuals, institutions and organizations that promote the effective use of experience as an integral part of education. Member services: newsletters, publications, conferences, information clearinghouse.
Partnership for Service Learning, 815 Second Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10017-4594; Tel: 212- 986-0989. A consortium of colleges, universities, service agencies, religious organizations committed to developing service learning in American higher education. Member services: technical assistance, international conference, international programs.