Achievingawin‐winbalancewithcommunityservice‐learning:Arewethereyet?

NancyWaitePharmD(nmwaite@uwaterloo.ca)

KaAeCook,MA(kaAemcook@gmail.com)

April25,2013

Acknowledgements

ProgramIniAaAvesFund(2007)“Pharmacystudentsandcommunityengagement:Integra4ngservicelearninginanewcurriculum”

ThankyoutoLauraGorman,AnitaAbraham,andCherylRosefortheircontribuAontoourCSLdesign,implementaAon,andresearchattheSchoolofPharmacy

WhatisCSL?

Communityservice‐learning(CSL)

“aneduca4onalapproachintegra4ngcommunityservicewithinten4onallearningac4vi4es,workingtogethertowardoutcomesthataremutuallybeneficial”

(CanadianAllianceforCommunityService‐Learning)

OurapproachtoCSL•  “PHarmacyinnovaAonGarden:planAngideas,

growingchange(PHiG)wasintroducedtostudentsintheirfirstyear

•  Teamsof5–6studentscompletecommunity‐idenAfiedcapacitybuildingprojectsin6mos

•  Typesofplacements:–  Notnecessarilypharmacy‐related

–  Eventplanning–  Awareness‐raising–  DevelopingcommunitypresentaAons

–  Fundraising

TheCSLBalance

Students

Community University

Community Organizations

Clients

“If service learning is to meet its goals of improving student learning, preparing students for civic involvement, and addressing community needs, then it is critical for service-learning practitioners and administrators to pay closer attention to the role of community in this endeavor” (Ward & Wolf-Wendell, 2000, p. 2)

TheCSLBalance:EvidenceStudentoutcomes:

•  Increasedculturalcompetence

•  Enhancedunderstandingofcourseconcepts

•  ImprovedcommunicaAonskills

•  Increasedprofessionalism

•  SaAsfacAonwithCSL

CommunityOutcomes:•  Increasedcapacity•  Newideasandfresh

perspecAves•  Advancingthe

organizaAon’smission•  …..?.....

PHiGResearch:UnderstandingtheBalance

•  Studentdata–  ReflecAonpaperswribenatthebeginningandendof

firstyear

–  QualitaAvedata,phenomenologicalanalysis

•  CommunityAgencyInterviews–  30–60minuteinterviewscompletedovera12month

period

–  12organizaAonsinterviewed–  InvolvementwithCSLatvariousAmes,for1–4years–  QuesAonsabouttheworkstudentscompleted,the

interacAonwithagencystaffandclients,thepartnershipwithstudents,perceivedstudentoutcomes

Findings:StudentOutcomes

1.UnderstandingDiversity

2.RecognizingtheStrengthsandNeedsoftheCommunity

3.Professionalism

4.Teamwork(leadership,flexibility,communicaAon,managingdiversityofteammembers)

5.TimeManagement

6.SocialResponsibility7.ProjectManagementSkills

1.UnderstandingDiversity

AverageraAng(scaleof1–5)fromcommunitypartners:3.5“Iwouldsaythatthatisdefinitelyanoutcomeofourprojectexperience,firstandforemostbecausewetalkalotaboutthejourneyforfamiliesandpar4cularlyajourneywithau4sm”(Org.7)

“Workingwiththisprojectmayhavehelpedthemunderstanddiversitybecausethediverseclientsthattheyhavebeenworkingwith”(Org.4)

2.RecognizingStrengthsandNeedsoftheCommunity

AverageraAng(scaleof1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4“Ithinkforquiteafew,theyreallystretchedtheirhorizonsquiteabit.Wehopefullymadethemthinkaboutbeingadonortosomeofthese,youknowwhentheyseeadver4sementsforneedinthecommunity,theywouldbemorepreparedtocontribute”(Org.5)

“Ithinkwithallgroups,duringourreflec4on,heardthingslike‘Ineverknewitwassotough,Idon’tknowhowfamiliesdoit’,right?Becauseintheseforums,wealsohavefamilies”(Org.7)

3.Professionalism

AverageraAng(scaleof1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4“Wecertainlytryandmodelthat,butwealsotrytomakesurethattheyarepreparedasprofessionalsthedayoftheevent,they’rejustnottheretohelpmesetuptables,butthey’repartoftheprofessionalteamfortheday”(Org.7)

“Ithinksomealreadyhadgoodprofessionalskills,followup,thatsortofthing”(Org.2)

4.Teamwork

AverageraAng(1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4.5“Therealbiglearningforthemalso,andIguessformeinonewaytoo,justworkingtogetherasateam,seeingthe4mestostretchthemaliLlebit”(Org.5)

“Ithinktheywerequiteadifferentcrew,liketherewerethreeindividualswho,whenImetthem,theywerevaryingpersonali4es,andobviouslydifferentskillsandtheydidhavetosortofcommunicatewithoneanotherandworktogether”(Org.2)

5.TimeManagement

AverageraAng(1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4“Ithinktheycouldhavemanagedtheir4mealiLlebeLerforatleasttheaccessibilityproject,becauseIhaveafeelingtheyleNitabittothelastminute”(Org.2)

“Dotheyevenneedtocomeheretolearnthat?Idon’tthinkso,butdefinitelyevenoverthefewyearstherewereacouplehereandtherethatstruggledaliLlebitwiththatandjustthroughsiPngdownwiththemmadeabigdifferencejustopeningtheireyestomaybesomeotherwaystogetaroundthis”(Org.1)

6.SocialResponsibility

AverageraAng(1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4“Theyfeltsociallyresponsiblefordoingagoodjobandformakingsurethattheydidn’tlookbadinthecommunity”(Org.6)

“Thesocialresponsibilityisreallyaroundtheinclusionandthedifficulty,youknow,wetalkaboutfamilies,becauseau4smtypicallypresentsinbehaviouralwaysasopposedtotakingachildthathascerebralpalsythathasaphysicalchallenge,thebehaviouralpiecetypicallyexcludeskidsinsomanyways”(Org.7)

7.ProjectManagementSkills

AverageraAng(1–5)fromcommunitypartners:4Theyweres4llwrappingtheirheadsaroundthat,Idon’tthinkthatwastheirforte,theywereprobablymorebookready(Org.6)

“There’snobigmanagementrequired.It’sastraighRorwardthing”(Org.4)

“Iliketoyakaboutprojectmanagement101andwhenyou’replanningabigeventit’sallabouttasksand4me,and4melines,sowegothrough…whatIwouldsaytherudimentarystepsofpuPngabigeventtogether”(Org.7)

Findings:ThePartnershipHowdidcommunityagenciesdescribethepartnership?

“Thisisatwo‐foldthing.ItdoesgreatthingsforourclientsanditdoesgreatthingsforthestudentsIthinkbecausetheygettogooutandtalkandmeetandknowaliLlebitaboutbeingapharmacistinWaterlooRegionandwhatthatlookslike,soitwasano‐brainer”(Org.1)

“Ithinkitis,Ihopethatit’sawinwin,youknow,wegettoengageateam,Ihopeinameaningfulway,andIthinkthat’sawinwin”(Org.7)

“Youwantitmeaningful,butyoualsowantbenefittoo.Soyoudon’twanttomakemoreprojectsjustbecausetheyhavetodoit,butifwecanbothgetsomethingoutofthis,that’sreallygood”(Org.8)

Findings:ThePartnership

Inputs:WhattangiblesdoestheorganizaAonputintoCSLstudentlearning?‐  StaffAme‐  StudentorientaAon‐  Organizingateamofstudents‐  ManagingtheAmeburden/workloadforstudents

‐  ConstrucAngameaningfullearningexperienceforstudents

Findings:ThePartnership“Ijustsupportthem.Some4mestheymightneedsuppliesormaterialsorvariousthings,contac4ngthroughtheotherstafforwhatever,likeIwilltakecareofthat,butit’sjustopenforthem”(Org.1)

“Wellforsure,my4mewiththestudents,orienta4onandtraining,Itrytocometotheschoolsoitmakesiteasierforthestudents,sotheydon’thavetofigureouttransporta4ontogethere”(Org.11)

“Idon’tthinkIreallyhadexpecta4onsotherthantheopportunitytoworkwiththeyoungpeople,andhopingthatIwasabletogivethemsomethingconstruc4veandmeaningfulthattheycouldtakefromthat”(Org.6)

Findings:ThePartnership

Outputs:WhattangiblesdidstudentsprovidetotheorganizaAons?– Newpartnerships– Awareness‐raising– Fundraising– Supportineventplanning– Community/staffeducaAonmaterials– ClienteducaAon

Findings:ThePartnership

“Soitisthatvolunteerforce,whichisverymeaningful,thedayoftheeventinpar4cular,butalsowiththemarke4ngandtheoutreachpiece,soIwouldsaythatthoseareprobablythekeyoutputs,thehardoutputs,thetangibles”(Org.7)

“Thehealthfairisjustsomethingthatwe’vealwayswantedtodoanditmeetscertaincriteriaandstandardsthatisneededfor,we’regoingthroughaccredita4onprocess,it’shelpedoutwiththat,plusit’sjustalotoffun,andit’salotofwork,sothestudentshavebeenhelpful”(Org.12)

DiscussionWasawin‐winachieved?Evidenceforyes:

Evidenceforno:

Movingforwardfromhere

‐curricularreform

‐furtherresearch