Civic Engagement at Civic Engagement at Mary Baldwin CollegeMary Baldwin College

Tips for Having a Successful Tips for Having a Successful

Service-Learning or Service-Learning or

Community Service Community Service ExperienceExperience

Workshop AgendaWorkshop Agenda

1. What is Civic Engagement?1. What is Civic Engagement?2. Reasons to Participate2. Reasons to Participate3. Selecting the “Right” 3. Selecting the “Right”

Community Partner for Community Partner for YouYou

4. Approaching Community 4. Approaching Community PartnersPartners

5. Tips for Success5. Tips for Success6. Ethics and Responsibilities6. Ethics and Responsibilities7. Remember to Say 7. Remember to Say

“THANKS”“THANKS”8. Contact Information8. Contact Information

“ “Never doubt that a small group Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” --the only thing that ever has.” --Margaret MeadMargaret Mead

What is Civic What is Civic Engagement?Engagement?

““Civic engagement means Civic engagement means working to working to make a difference in the civic life make a difference in the civic life of our communities of our communities and developing and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political both political and non-political processes.”processes.”[1][1]

[1][1] Thomas Ehrlich, Ed. Thomas Ehrlich, Ed. Civic Responsibility and Higher Education,Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000, vi.Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000, vi.

Service Learning vs. Service Learning vs. Community ServiceCommunity Service

From From Learning Through Serving: A Student Guidebook to Service-Learning Through Serving: A Student Guidebook to Service-Learning Across the DisciplinesLearning Across the Disciplines

Service-Learning: Students engage in Service-Learning: Students engage in community service activities with community service activities with intentional academic and learning goals intentional academic and learning goals and opportunities for reflection that and opportunities for reflection that connect to their academic disciplines.connect to their academic disciplines.

Community Service: Students Engage in Community Service: Students Engage in activities to meet actual community activities to meet actual community needs as an integrated aspect of the needs as an integrated aspect of the curriculumcurriculum

Service-LearningService-Learning

Connect course content with Connect course content with actual experienceactual experience

The point is for you to grow your The point is for you to grow your skills and knowledge because you skills and knowledge because you are bringing your capabilities to are bringing your capabilities to REAL WORLD problems, and REAL WORLD problems, and benefit the community in the benefit the community in the meantime. meantime.

Service-LearningService-Learning

Students engage in community Students engage in community service activities with service activities with intentionalintentional academic and learning goals and academic and learning goals and opportunities for reflection that opportunities for reflection that connect to their academic connect to their academic disciplines.disciplines.

Service-Learning = Community-Service-Learning = Community-Based Learning ExperienceBased Learning Experience

Reasons to Participate Reasons to Participate in Community Service/ in Community Service/

Service- LearningService- Learning Make a difference in your Make a difference in your

community and in the lives of community and in the lives of other people. other people.

Cultivate new skills.Cultivate new skills. Gain practical experience in a Gain practical experience in a

potential career field.potential career field. Learn about the working of non-Learn about the working of non-

profit organizations.profit organizations.

Selecting the “Right” Selecting the “Right” Community Partner for Community Partner for

YouYou

– What are your interests?What are your interests?– What are your skills?What are your skills?– What do you care about?What do you care about?

What are your What are your interests?interests?

Identify your Identify your INTERESTSINTERESTS - the things - the things that you enjoy doing, discussing or that you enjoy doing, discussing or daydreaming about often.daydreaming about often.– HobbiesHobbies– SportsSports– Academic subjectsAcademic subjects– Work activitiesWork activities– IssuesIssues(these will make sure you are satisfied with (these will make sure you are satisfied with

your choice, and motivated to achieve your choice, and motivated to achieve your/your community’s goals)your/your community’s goals)

What are your skills?What are your skills?

Identify your Identify your SKILLSSKILLS – LearnedLearned - tangible things - tangible things

we’ve learned to do we’ve learned to do (computer skills)(computer skills)

– InnateInnate - aptitudes/talents - aptitudes/talents (artistic abilities)(artistic abilities)

– PersonalityPersonality – character – character traits such as: traits such as: hardworking, motivated, hardworking, motivated, creative, detail-oriented, creative, detail-oriented, etc.etc.

What do you care What do you care about?about?

Identify your Identify your VALUESVALUES– FamilyFamily– Social JusticeSocial Justice– FreedomFreedom– EthicsEthics– Fun/leisureFun/leisure– Job securityJob security– Religion/SpiritualReligion/Spiritual

Before Calling Before Calling Potential Agencies…Potential Agencies… Don’t procrastinate…it may take a couple of Don’t procrastinate…it may take a couple of

WEEKS to get this project completely set up!WEEKS to get this project completely set up! Consider what you/your group would like to Consider what you/your group would like to

learn/gain from your service-learning experience learn/gain from your service-learning experience and how this ties in with the course and how this ties in with the course goals/objectives.goals/objectives.

Consider what population you/your group would Consider what population you/your group would like to work with during your project (i.e., young like to work with during your project (i.e., young children, teens, elderly people, people with children, teens, elderly people, people with mental/physical disabilities, people who are low mental/physical disabilities, people who are low income, etc.) income, etc.)

By doing something that you find By doing something that you find interesting, everyone involved will benefit. interesting, everyone involved will benefit. Don’t just do a project to get it done and out Don’t just do a project to get it done and out of the way. This will reflect in your work and of the way. This will reflect in your work and ultimately on MBC students as a whole.ultimately on MBC students as a whole.

Come to the Spencer Come to the Spencer Center!Center!

Come into the Spencer Center and meet Come into the Spencer Center and meet with the director of civic engagement to with the director of civic engagement to research some potential non-profit agencies research some potential non-profit agencies and/or projects. If working in a large group, and/or projects. If working in a large group, send one or two representatives to do some send one or two representatives to do some research, rather than going as an entire research, rather than going as an entire group.group.

You can also research agencies online by You can also research agencies online by visiting visiting www.mbc.edu/spencercenter/communityservice.aspwww.mbc.edu/spencercenter/communityservice.asp

During Your Initial During Your Initial Call…Call… Ask to speak with the Volunteer Coordinator Ask to speak with the Volunteer Coordinator

for the agency and tell them the name of for the agency and tell them the name of your professor/course.your professor/course.

Clearly explain the entire scope of your Clearly explain the entire scope of your project and your learning objectives project and your learning objectives (have something prepared if it makes you (have something prepared if it makes you nervous).nervous).

Don’t be alarmed or disgruntled if they are Don’t be alarmed or disgruntled if they are not able to utilize your services at this time.. not able to utilize your services at this time..

Find out if there is any necessary training Find out if there is any necessary training involved and let them know about YOUR involved and let them know about YOUR skills/experience.skills/experience.

Note:Note:

**Do not be alarmed if the person on **Do not be alarmed if the person on your list is not there. There tends to your list is not there. There tends to be a higher turn over rate in non-be a higher turn over rate in non-profit organizations. If the listed profit organizations. If the listed contact person is not there, just ask contact person is not there, just ask for the Volunteer Coordinator. for the Volunteer Coordinator.

During Your Community During Your Community Service…Service…

Be A Good VolunteerBe A Good Volunteer Be flexibleBe flexible Show up!Show up! Arrive to work on timeArrive to work on time Call if you are going Call if you are going

to be absent or late to be absent or late (these agencies are (these agencies are counting on you)counting on you)

Carry out work Carry out work assignments in a assignments in a conscientious mannerconscientious manner

Be aware of Be aware of expectations & office expectations & office cultureculture

Meet deadlinesMeet deadlines Be professionalBe professional

(Maintain confidentiality & (Maintain confidentiality & code of ethics)code of ethics)

Adhere to the policies Adhere to the policies and procedures of the and procedures of the organizationorganization

Dress appropriatelyDress appropriately Show initiative and Show initiative and

interest in your workinterest in your work

Ask Questions, Clarify, Ask Questions, Clarify, and Learn . . .and Learn . . .

Treat your volunteer/community Treat your volunteer/community service as an opportunity to learnservice as an opportunity to learn

Think critically and ask questions Think critically and ask questions Clarify work assignments to know Clarify work assignments to know

what is expected.what is expected. Pursue opportunities to learn more Pursue opportunities to learn more

(special projects/events, (special projects/events, committees, etc.).committees, etc.).

Tips On Keeping A Tips On Keeping A JournalJournal

Don’t procrastinate!Don’t procrastinate!– Reflect on your experiences daily.Reflect on your experiences daily.

Document observations & Document observations & experiences.experiences.– Formulate questions.Formulate questions.

Record reactions.Record reactions.– What are you learning?What are you learning?– What skills have you used and/or acquired?What skills have you used and/or acquired?– How does it inform what you are learning in How does it inform what you are learning in

class?class?

Ethics and Ethics and Responsibilities in Responsibilities in Service-LearningService-Learning You are representing Mary You are representing Mary

Baldwin College! Baldwin College! Be drug and alcohol free during Be drug and alcohol free during

your service–learning projectyour service–learning project Conduct yourself with integrity Conduct yourself with integrity

(be honest, show respect for (be honest, show respect for individuals and property)individuals and property)

Ethics and Ethics and Responsibilities cont…Responsibilities cont… Be on time! Be on time! Carry out all assigned tasks, Carry out all assigned tasks,

follow throughfollow through (Don’t over commit or make (Don’t over commit or make

promises you can’t keep)promises you can’t keep) Carefully plan your time, agencies Carefully plan your time, agencies

will work with you around your will work with you around your class scheduleclass schedule

Ethics and Ethics and Responsibilities cont…Responsibilities cont… Dress and Act appropriatelyDress and Act appropriately Be flexible!Be flexible! Keep confidentiality about clientsKeep confidentiality about clients In the event of problems, call me!In the event of problems, call me! Suspected child abuse must be Suspected child abuse must be

reported to the Department of reported to the Department of Social ServicesSocial Services

After Your Service-After Your Service-Learning Experience…Learning Experience…Remember to Say Remember to Say “THANKS”“THANKS”

THANK the people with whom THANK the people with whom you have worked…they will you have worked…they will have helped you with YOUR have helped you with YOUR project!project!

More OpportunitiesMore Opportunities

civicengagement@mbc.educivicengagement@mbc.edu

540-887-7111540-887-7111

The Spencer Center in Wenger HallThe Spencer Center in Wenger Hall