The Impact of Service-Learning on Transitions to Adulthood · in service-learning, as well as with young adults who had previous service-learning experience. Service-Learning In our

4 growing to greatness 2006

In Growing to Greatness 2005,National Youth Leadership Council President and CEO JamesKielsmeier framed youths’ transi-tions to adulthood as a time of“engaged citizenship and activelearning” — if researchers take theuntraditional approach of trackingyouth contributions to their com-munities rather than the morestandard deficit measurements(Kielsmeier 2005).This year’s G2Gresearch, funded by State FarmCompanies Foundation and con-ducted by Harris Interactive, buildsa foundation for that premise,exploring the ways in which service-learning involvement affects youths’development of attributes associ-ated with adulthood.

Young people today experience a different transitional landscapethan the generations before them.They have an increased length oftransition to adulthood, as well as greater mobility, freedom, and diversity of potential paths(Schulenberg, Sameroff, andCicchetti 2004; Shanahan 2000).Recent data indicate that the transi-tion between youth and adulthood

is becoming increasingly difficult tonavigate (Smith 2004, Settersten2004, Osgood and Eccles 2005).

Now, more than ever, attentionneeds to be paid to cultivating constructive contexts to help youngpeople experience successful transitions to adult responsibilities.Fulgini and Hardway (2004) citethree developmental outcomes thatare particularly significant in thesuccessful transition to adulthood:(1) completion of high school andpostsecondary education, (2) devel-opment of skills and abilities thatare employable, and (3) develop-ment of physical and mental health.Scholars have theorized that themultiple contexts in which an individual resides are determinantsof an individual’s developmentalcourse (Bronfenbrenner 1993).

In other words, if youths are pro-vided with well-developed contexts,settings in which their unique skillsare needed and valued, they mayexperience those things that willmake their transition successful.The context should be enhanced to allow for increased self-esteem,greater social support, educational

Suzanne Martin, Ph.D.

Harris Interactive

Marybeth Neal, Ph.D.

NYLC

James C. Kielsmeier, Ph.D.

NYLC

Alison Crossley

NYLC

The Impact of Service-Learning

on Transitions to Adulthood

Now, more than ever,

attention needs to

be paid to

cultivating constructive

contexts to help

young people

experience successful

transitions to adult

responsibilities…

Service-learning

is an avenue to build

such contexts.

Available from the NYLC Resource Center at www.nylc.org.Excerpted from “Growing to Greatness 2006.” Copyright © 2006 National Youth Leadership Council. All Rights Reserved.

aspirations, employable skills, experi-ence with a wide variety of ways ofliving, and increased well-being.Service-learning is an avenue to build such contexts. As Kielsmeierwrites, “Emerging approaches thatauthentically engage young peopleas contributing citizens to communi-ties — especially when linked withwell-designed learning and youthdevelopment content — are a credi-ble structural response to issues ofadolescent dissonance and commu-nity decline” (Kielsmeier 2005).

Other research on service-learningalso affirms that service-learningengages youths academically and civically, and encourages positivecharacter development (Billig 2005).Academically, service-learning students exhibit higher GPAs andenhanced writing and critical-thinking skills (Astin, Vogelgesang,Ikeda, and Yee 2000). The Minneapolis-based Search Institute has recordedmultiple benefits of service-learning,including a reduction in the achieve-ment gap between students of highand low socioeconomic status (Scalesand Roehlkepartain 2005). In addi-tion, youth participation in prosocialendeavors is correlated to decreasedparticipation in risky behavior andincreased education levels (Ecclesand Barber 1999).

OverviewService-learning has been provenbeneficial for the youths and commu-nities who participate. However, thereis still a need for additional data

about the relationship between service-learning and youth-adult transitions.

To examine the hypothesis thatservice-learning offers the potentialto ease the transition to adulthood,as well as to explore other aspects of the transition to adulthood, theNational Youth Leadership Councilcommissioned Harris Interactive toconduct a two-part research projecton how young people are makingthe transition from youth to adult-hood, and how service-learningimpacts this transition. The projectincluded a nationally representativesurvey of 3,123 U.S. residents ages18-28. The survey included youngadults with a range of experienceproviding direct or indirect service:those with service-learning experi-ence (Service-Learning), those withservice experience that does notqualify as service-learning (ServiceOnly), and those with no serviceexperience at all (No Service). To explore the service-learning experience more deeply, focusgroups were conducted with highschool students currently involved in service-learning, as well as withyoung adults who had previous service-learning experience.

Service-LearningIn our survey, service-learning wasdefined as those service experiencesthat required reflection on the service experience. Service-learningcould be part of a class or schoolexperience, or it could happen

outside of school. Participants classi-fied as Service Only participants didsome sort of service but lacked thereflection component. Participantsclassified as No Service did not takepart in any form of service. Overall,the survey revealed that 28 percentof young adults in the United Stateshave had a service-learning experi-ence before the age of 18. Teens and young adults describe service-learning as mutually beneficial toboth the community they were help-ing and themselves. For example, in the focus groups conducted forthis project young people described service-learning as:

“Learning more about yourself andthe environment around you.”

“Learning about the issues in yourcommunity and how you can solvethem.”

“Being aware of other people, theenvironment in your community,and how you can get involved.”

“Chance to learn something new,meet new people, and interact withthe community.”

5growing to greatness 2006

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Where Do We Find Service-Learning?

SchoolsFor young adults who participatedin service-learning in school, theschool itself plays a role in serviceparticipation. Students attendingprivate or parochial schools seem to have the greatest access to service opportunities, with Service-Learning and Service Only parti-cipation each reported at 45 per-cent, and No Service reported atonly 10 percent. Public school students have higher access toService Only participation (57 percent); however, they alsoreported higher levels of No Serviceparticipation (17 percent). Home-schooled youths have the least

access with more than one in five(21 percent) reporting No Serviceparticipation but matching publicschool youths at Service Only participation (57 percent). Home-schooled youths have the leastopportunity for service-learning,which was reported in one in five(20 percent) youths.

Student coursework and involve-ment in other activities are alsorelated to service participation.Students who enrolled in honorscourses are more likely to take part in Service Only (58 percent),followed by Service-Learning (33 percent) and No Service (10 percent). Non-honors studentsare much less likely to do service at all with No Service almost threetimes as high as the honors studentsrate (27 percent) and lower Service-Learning participation (22 percent);however, they report just slightlylower Service Only participation(52 percent).

Like their honors student coun-terparts, special education studentsare more likely to take part inService Only (58 percent) but areless likely to do Service-Learning(26 percent) or No Service (17 per-cent). The students who are not inspecial education are also mostlikely to take part in Service Only(56 percent), followed by Service-Learning (29 percent) and NoService (15 percent). Those youths

reporting being very/extremelyinvolved in other school activitieswere more likely to report doingservice; conversely those notinvolved at all were less likely toreport service, as shown in Figure 1.

Eighty-five percent of Service-Learning students participate aspart of a class. Service-learning ismost often found in social studies(26 percent), art/music/theater(21 percent), and science (19 per-cent). Service Only participation isless likely to be associated with aclass (67 percent). If service is asso-ciated with a class, it is most oftenassociated with art/music/theater(18 percent), social studies (13 per-cent) or vocational (10 percent)courses.

Community-Based OrganizationsA little over one in four youths (26 percent) took part in Service-Learning in a school. The number

The Impact of Service-Learning on Transitions to Adulthood continued...

Figure 1

% Took Part in Service

Very/Extremely Not At AllInvolved in Involved in Activities Activities

Club or organization 97 60

Student government 96 79

Team sports 93 78

Academically,

service-learning

students exhibit

higher GPAs and

enhanced writing and

critical-thinking skills.

Figure 1. Students who are very involved in activities aresignificantly more likely to participate in service thanstudents who are not involved.

of youths taking part in service-learning in a community-basedorganization is about half that (12 percent). Youths were abouttwice as likely to take part in service-learning for an organization if theylived in the city (41 percent) or sub-urbs (38 percent) compared to theirrural counterparts (20 percent).Youths taking part in service-learningwithin a community-based organiza-tion report having higher numbersof adults they could go to if they were in trouble or needed help (7.2adults) compared to youths who participated in service-learningwithin a school (5.8 adults). It alsoseems as if youths participating inservice-learning in community organizations were held to higherstandards by the adult leaders; 73 percent report that adult leaders

in organizations set high expecta-tions compared to 69 percent ofschool-based service-learning participants. Those participating inservice-learning in an organizationwere also more likely to design orplan their service project (57 percentvs. 51 percent). Youths participatingin service-learning in communityorganizations also seem to beallowed to customize their experi-ence a little more.

Why Service?A school requirement plays a majorrole in whether or not a youth willhave a service experience. Accordingto our survey respondents, half ofschools have no requirement forservice. Among youths who partici-pated in service projects before age 18, 42 percent (59 percent ofService-Learning and 34 percent ofService Only) said that they were ful-filling a requirement. Interestingly,the top two motivators for serviceamong Service-Learning youths areto fulfill a requirement (59 percent)and to help other people (57 percent), while the two major motivators for Service Only partici-pants are to help other people (52 percent) and to “feel good aboutmyself” (43 percent) (see Figure 2).

Most focus group participantsnoted that they were not initiallyenthusiastic with the idea of service-learning. They thought it was“uncool.” Some faced a dilemmabetween giving their time to service-learning and getting paid for a job.

“I was very selfish when I found out Ihad to do service. I thought ‘I don’thave time for this.’ I dance and I’vegot schoolwork. When I first did it,on my way home I was like, okay itwasn’t what I really thought. It actu-ally changed me. I don’t know if itwas that first time, but it definitelychanged me. What was that feeling?It’s not about me... it’s about otherpeople. How can I help?”

“Initially I just went in for the credit;that is what pulled me into the pro-gram. But then when we startedworking with the kids, it’s the feelingyou get helping somebody.”

As these quotes illustrate, once theyouths began participating in service-learning and felt the impact ofhelping others, their attitudeschanged. Many described the feelingas “addictive” and that they hadbecome “passionate” about their programs.


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“It’s not

about me...

it’s about

other people.

How can I help?”


Service Experience Service-Learning participantsrecalled their project experience ata much higher rate than theirService Only peers. On average,Service Only peers did not remem-ber specifics about participation 20percent of the time, compared to 5percent of students who partici-pated in service-learning. One ofthe most striking differencesbetween past participants ofService-Learning and Service Onlyparticipants is their assessment ofthe importance of the project forthe group it served; 90 percent ofpast participants in service-learningbelieved their work was importantto the group they served, while only65 percent of the Service Only par-ticipants expressed this (see Figure3). The experiences of a Service-Learning participant appear muchricher than the Service Only experi-ence. When 14 characteristics ofservice-learning are examined, onaverage, service-learning programscontained 5.5 characteristics com-pared to 2.3 in programs withservice only.

Students involved in service-learning regularly participated intheir service for longer periodsthan their Service Only peers (39percent versus 30 percent for atleast three months of involvementwith a focus on providing directservices). A majority of service-


Figure 2Why Did You Participate in Service Projects Before You Were 18 Years Old?

Base: Did Service n=2,697

6%

5%

12%

8%

12%

12%

19%

32%

25%

22%

35%

43%

52%

34%

3%

3%

16%

18%

18%

22%

25%

31%

33%

34%

43%

52%

57%

59%

Other

None/Nothing/Don’t know

I was inspired by someone I admire

I wanted to learn about apossible career

To help get a job/It would lookgood on a resume

To learn a skill

It was an expression of my faith

My friends were involved in these activities

To help get into college

I wanted to do something about an issue that mattered

I wanted to do my part as acommunity member

It made me feel good about myself

I wanted to help other people

To fulfill a requirement for a class,school or program

Service Only (n=1,806)

Service-Learning (n=891)

Figure 2. Although a service requirement is a major impetus for young people to engage in service projects, they reporta broad range of reasons for participation.

learning projects revolve arounddirect services (72 percent) such as:

Education 18%Entertainment 10%Health care 10%Helping the environment 9%Food 7%Shelter 6%Elder care 4%

A small portion (8 percent) of service-learning projects involvedindirect services such as fundraising(5 percent). Direct service activitieswere more prevalent in Service-Learning than in Service Only, asshown in Figure 4.

When evaluating their service experience, about seven in 10 (69 percent) Service-Learningalumni graded their experience atthe A or B level, while only about five


Figure 4

% Direct Service Participation

Service-Learning Service OnlyParticipants Participants

School activity,class requirement 97 74

Religious youth organization 64 50

Another type of youth organization 54 42

Another organization 50 39

Not part of an organization or class 42 37

Figure 3Presence of Characteristics of Service as Part of School:Service-Learning vs. Service Only

Base: Did service in school

43%

43%

52%

60%

65%

66%

68%

71%

71%

76%

79%

82%

90%

10%

22%

22%

25%

21%

37%

41%

45%

28%

45%

50%

56%

65%

0%

100%

I did research, read articles orbooks to prepare for the project

I met adults I would go to if Iwere in trouble or needed help

I helped design or planthe service project

I analyzed or evaluatedwhether the project was

a success

I received a grade for theproject or it was related

to my class grade

I used and developedproblem-solving skills

The teachers or adult leadersset high expectations

I met people from differenteconomic racial or culturalbackgrounds from my own

I had in-class discussionsabout the project

I chose or helped to choose thetype of project I worked on

I learned a lot

I worked directly with thepeople in the community

The project was importantfor the group it served

I was required to write about orreflect on my service experience

for the class or group



Figure 3. Service-Learning students are significantly more likely than Service Only students to believe that their projectsare important to the people they serve.

Figure 4. Service-Learning participants are significantlymore likely than Service Only participants to do direct service.


in 10 (51 percent) Service Onlygraded their service experience atthat level.

Service-Learning Experience: Just the Beginning of Being MoreActive in the Community

Relationships with AdultsMost respondents, both current students and alumni, felt that they were not taken seriously asteenagers. They had the impressionthat adults did not give themenough credit or understood whatthey were truly capable of. They felt their experiences in service-learning improved theirrelationships with adults.

“When I first started doing this Isaw a lot of ageism. Adults werelike, ‘Oh, we will help you out,’ or

‘Do you need anything?’ After awhile the adults that you work withhave a newfound respect for youbecause they don’t really expectyou to be able to do some of thethings you do. I feel like my rela-tionship with adults hasstrengthened.”

Some noted that adults are“afraid” of teenagers and stereotypethem as troublemakers. While theylamented this, they understood thatperhaps this was because theseadults had not had any positiveexperiences with working withteenagers.

“Adults in their middle age are veryimpressed when teenagers take ini-tiative to do things because a lot oftimes they don’t see it in theirworld. What they see are teenagersgetting in trouble.”

More important, young peoplefelt that through their service-learning, they are better able tounderstand where adults are com-ing from. They believe theirexperiences had matured them andprovided them with some insightinto adults’ points of view. In severalcases this was a result of workingwith children. Here, participantshad to take the role as the adult.Their experiences affected theirrelationships with adults, includingtheir parents and teachers.

“Working with the kids helped meto see how adults were looking at

us. That helped me to maturemore, and I am able to connectwith adults more now. I was able tosee they have to deal with a lot ofimmature people, and I see howthey can put a stereotype on teens.”

As such, respondents felt thatservice-learning had given them thetools to better deal with situationswhere there might be a potentialconflict with an adult. From theirexperiences working and beingaround adults, they perceived thatthey were more apt to think aboutwhat action to take, as opposed toacting first. In fact, one studentreported that he felt as though anadult was taking advantage of hisservice-learning group. He creditedhis experience with enabling him toconfront the issue maturely whereaspreviously he may have been tooafraid or intimidated.

“I think service-learning is defi-nitely a problem-solving tool thatreally teaches you how to approacha problem differently or in waysyou wouldn’t think of. So when youdo come into contact with thesetypes of situations you can chooseto walk away or solve it differentlythan the first thing that comes to you.”

Respondents also found thatadults involved in service-learningwere “enthusiastic” and “appreciated”what they were doing. The youthsfelt supported by these adults and


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looked up to them as role models.

“[An adult I worked with] is so proudof everyone involved, and she makesyou want to make a difference andhelp people because she is so giving.She is a really cool person.”

“I look up to some of the people whoI have worked with over the years. Myyouth director is great. He and hiswife are really special, and they moti-vate you. They become your biggestsupporters. You just make these con-nections with people through thedifferent activities that you do thathelp your support system.”

Role ModelsAlmost all (97 percent) Service-Learning youths had an importantpositive role model in their life growing up; this varies dramaticallyfrom youths with No Service involve-ment (78 percent), but less so fromthose involved in Service Only (93 percent). Being involved in anyservice activity also increased thepool of adults the youths could go to if they were in trouble or neededhelp from an average of four adultsfor No Service, to six adults for thoseparticipating in service. Students who participated in service-learningreported a higher number of morepositive role models, and this wasparticularly true for educator rolemodels (see Figure 5). Quality ofeducation was also rated more highly,perhaps in part due to the number of adults available to youths if theyneeded help (quality of education was reported as excellent by those


Figure 5Who Is the Adult You Could Go to if You Were in Trouble or Needed Help?

Base: Have at least 1 person to go to for help

1%

5%

3%

3%

4%

6%

5%

14%

14%

50%

90%

1%

5%

4%

3%

5%

7%

6%

16%

17%

55%

90%

1%

4%

5%

5%

7%

8%

11%

19%

22%

61%

89%

Celebrity

Friends

Someone else

Family friends

Religious leader

Friend’s parents

Adult in youth organization

Neighbor

Adult in communityservice organization

Educator

Family



No Service (n=365)

Figure 5. Students who participated in service-learning report having more positive adult role models in their lives thanother students do.


with 7.1 adult role models; verygood/good, 5.7 adults; fair/poor, 4 adults).

Youths who did not take part inservice had fewer adults available tohelp: 72 percent who performedsome service had three or moreadults available, while only 42 per-cent of those who did not performservice had such support.

What Makes You an Adult?As previous literature suggests(Arnett 2001), this survey foundthat being an adult has more to dowith subjective markers of maturityrather than external markers, likeage, committed lifelong relation-ships, or children of one’s own (see Figure 6).

Responsibility, independence,and maturity are considered mark-ers of adulthood. Past Service-Learning participants rated adultcharacteristics such as being a rolemodel and being a productivemember in society higher thantheir Service Only peers. Studentswho participated in service-learningwere more likely to somewhatagree/strongly agree that they areadults (Service-Learning alumni, 86 percent; Service Only, 82 percent; No Service, 76 percent).Past service-learning participantsalso were more likely to perceivethat others think of them as adults(Service-Learning, 83 percent;


Figure 6What Do You Think it Means to Be an Adult?

16%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

4%

3%

2%

9%

4%

22%

53%

12%

1%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

4%

5%

4%

9%

5%

26%

63%

10%

1%

1%

2%

2%

3%

3%

5%

6%

6%

7%

7%

21%

63%

None/Nothing/Don’t know/No answer

Always learning/gainingfrom experience

Ability to control personal life

Taking care of others

Helping others

Respectful

Being aware of consequencesof one’s actions

Growing older

Being able to make decisions

Productive member in society

Maturity

Being a role model

Independence

Responsibility

No Service (n=426)



Base: All Respondents

Figure 6. Respondents overwhelmingly indicate that they consider the markers of adulthood to be internalcharacteristics rather than external factors.

Service Only, 78 percent; No Service,67 percent).

When asked to provide an age atwhich different life transition pointsoccur, young people who had partici-pated in some service felt that at age21 a person should be considered anadult. This differed a bit for thosewho had not done any service; theythought most people should be considered adults at age 22.

Most youths in both groupsplanned to marry at age 26.Interestingly, 13 percent of the No Service people did not plan onmarrying compared to 9 percent oftheir peers who were engaged insome kind of service. The averageage for having a child was 27 yearsfor No Service participants and 28 years for service participants.Twenty percent of the No Servicegroup reported not planning to have a child compared to 13 percentof their service peers. Almost one infour (23 percent) of those who didnot take part in any service have achild, whereas about one in six (17 percent) youths with serviceexperience have a child. While weunderstand that marriage and children are traditionally used asindicators of the transition to adult-hood, we also recognize that thereare multiple types of relationshipsand family structures that may not be accounted for in this research.

Service participants plan on completing their highest level ofeducation by age 27 and their No

Service counterparts plan to finish byabout age 25. Four percent of serviceparticipants said they did not plan onhaving a full-time job compared to12 percent of their No Service peers.

Service and Transition to AdulthoodMaking the transition to adulthood isa very complex time, and expecta-tions for the acquisition of new skillsand roles are high. The very charac-teristics reported as making serviceexperiences positive are those thatprovide youths with tools for thistransition. As shown in Figure 7,


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Making the transition

to adulthood

is a very complex time,

and expectations

for the acquisition

of new skills and roles

are high.

The very characteristics

reported as

making service

experiences positive

are those

that provide youths

with tools

for this transition.


three of four Service-Learning par-ticipants reported as their topexperience making a difference intheir community, thereby makingtheir community and their role inthe future of their communitystronger. Additionally, it helpedthem become lifelong learners.They acquired strong role modelsand deeper relationships withadults. They even became aware ofskills they did not realize they hadbefore engaging in service.

Life Arenas Touched by Service-Learning

LeadershipThe focus group participants foundthemselves in leadership rolesthrough their service-learning programs. These included leading agroup of their peers in a particularactivity and mentoring youngeryouths. The service-learning partici-pants valued these leadership rolesand felt as though they had helpedthem to mature and see the impor-tance in being responsible andleading by example.

“Before I was in Fresh Force I didn’t know how to deal with kidsreally. The more I was used tothem I can see that kids are notthat hard to deal with as long asyou have patience. It showed methat there is a leader in me, that Ican be a role model for someone.The more they watch me, the more


Figure 7Why Were These Service Experiences Good/Very Good/Excellent?

Base: Service in school was good/very good/excellent

5%

8%

3%

2%

2%

15%

13%

20%

20%

42%

29%

64%

3%

7%

1%

1%

1%

20%

23%

31%

36%

51%

51%

75%

None/Nothing/Don’t know/No answer

Something else

Like helping others

It was fun/enjoyed it

Feel good/satisfied

Because of the effortsof an adult leader

It made me realize what Iwanted to do with my life

I realized that I havespecial talents

I developed betterrelationships with adults

I met people whose liveswere very different from

my own life

It helped meenjoy learning

I made a differencein my community



Figure 7. Young people who report their service experiences as being positive describe the many factors that made theexperiences good for them.

I try to do the right thing. That iswhat I learned, to watch what I do.”

This increased leadership roleseems to continue beyond the service-learning experience itself. In the 12 months prior to our surveyalmost one in six (17 percent) pastService-Learning participants reportplaying a leadership role in improv-ing their community, a level muchhigher than for Service Only (8 percent) and No Service (2 percent),as shown in Figure 8. A majority (70 percent) of previous Service-Learning participants report thatservice-learning positively affectedtheir leadership ability; which isalmost 20 percent higher than theirService Only peers (see Figure 9).

Network/Sense of CommunityFocus group participants were verydedicated and connected to theirservice-learning programs and thosethey served with, developing strongfriendships, even familial bonds. Oneyouth noted that he was able to go tohis peers in Fresh Force, a youth-runorganization, if he had any type ofproblem or needed help. It wasapparent that this relationship wasextremely important to him.

“Before I started with Fresh Force, Ididn’t know a lot of people in school.When I am at school, and I see peo-ple I know from that program I feellike I can ask them for help. If I havea homework problem, or a problemwith my family, I can go to them andask them that question. I don’t haveto be afraid to say something tothem. Especially the leaders in Fresh


Figure 8During the Past 12 Months, Have You Done the Following Often/Very Often?

3%

4%

6%

2%

8%

5%

10%

19%

32%

21%

46%

7%

11%

10%

8%

13%

17%

28%

34%

43%

42%

64%

11%

15%

17%

17%

22%

27%

33%

41%

47%

48%

67%

Expressed my opinion on a communtiy orpolitical issue by contacting a newspaper,

magazine, or a radio or television talk show

Participated in a hobby group or book club

Taken a class to learn a new skill ornew information

Played a leadership role in improvingmy community

Expressed my opinion on a community orpolitical issue online by posting on

a blog or other website

Performed volunteer work or service

Attended a religious service

Voted in a local, state or national election

Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do

Discussed politics or community issues

Socialized with someone of another racial or ethnic group



No Service (n=426)


Figure 8. Young people who participate in service are more likely than their peers who don’t to be engaged in theircommunities in a variety of ways.


Force have helped me with my family. When you talk to someonethat is your age that you look up to,it helps you more than when youhave someone older than you, andthey give you answers that you don’twant to hear. But when you talk to ateenager who understands you, hegives you things that you do want tohear, but also things that peopleshould know. I asked one of theleaders how to start a savingsaccount, and he told me how hisMom told him what to do and now I actually have my own savingsaccount. Not just in the program but outside of the program I candepend on him in some sort of way.”

Confidence Service-learning helped to buildconfidence in respondents.Through taking on tasks andresponsibilities they were able to see themselves grow and notedtheir own achievements. This wasapparent to them in how they dealtwith other people, particularlyadults. Many noted that they usedto be shy, but felt that they hadlearned how to speak to adults andnot be so afraid to do so.

“Last week I went to an interviewand I was so afraid and nervous,and the experience I had with service-learning gave me more confidence to talk to the person.When he asked me questions I wasn’t afraid to answer anything. I had more confidence.”


Figure 9What Positive Effects Has Your Service Experience Had on Your Life Today?

Base: Did Service

25%

29%

32%

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51%

53%

58%

63%

63%

64%

68%

36%

39%

47%

60%

70%

70%

71%

75%

78%

79%

82%

83%

Being responsible financially

Ability to avoid difficulty with the law

Career development or advancement

Friendships and family life

Self-confidence

Leadership ability

Ability to accomplish goals

Ability to see the world fromsomeone else’s perspective

Being a good citizen

Respecting others

Ability to work well with other people

Ability to help others



Figure 9. Service-Learning participants report more positive effects of their service experience than do Service Only participants.

Communication Through working with all differenttypes of people, respondents felt thatthey had learned to communicatebetter. This included the ability toboth speak as well as to listen. In fact,many noted that they had becomemore “patient” and this contributedlargely to their ability to better communicate with others.

They understood that some individuals may not be as open oraccepting of differences. Rather thanstart a conflict, they would try to usetheir communication skills in orderto make their point and hopefullyenlighten those individuals.

“There is something you can learnwith just listening to people. I like towork with inner-city children, andthey need someone to talk to. Don’tcome into the situation with pre-conceived notions, and don’tunderestimate them… if you juststop talking and listen you can learn a lot.”

Patience and SensitivityPrior to participating in service-learning programs that exposedthem to individuals different fromthemselves, some respondents notedthat they had not been sensitive todifferences such as in age, race, andeconomic status. Now, they often tryto educate their friends and family.

“For me it is learning not to be so self-centered. When my family came hereas immigrants, we received a lot ofhelp from the community. So now tobe able to give the same thing back, itteaches me to be appreciative of peo-

ple and their willingness to help. Tosee that there are a lot of peoplestruggling and feel very fortunate.”

During the past 12 months, previous service-learning participantswere more likely to have socializedwith someone of another racial or ethnic group (see Figure 8).Students who took part in service-learning report more positive effectsfrom their experience on their abilityto help others, work well with otherpeople, respect others, and see theworld from another’s perspective,when compared to their Service Only counterparts (see Figure 9).

AcademicsService-learning taught the focusgroup participants the value of educa-tion — that it is not just about sittingin a classroom and getting a particu-lar grade, but rather that theinformation can be applied to some-thing meaningful and larger. Manyfelt that they had a greater under-standing of how education couldhelp them in the future than they did prior to participating in service-learning. For example, they were ableto make the connection between theimportance of developing writingand presentation skills. One studentnoted that she was able to applysomething from her math course tobuilding houses in Nicaragua. Theselessons were enlightening and gavethem a sense of the bigger pictureoutside of school.

“Before I was doing volunteering,my grades weren’t so important to

me. After I started [service-learning]all my teachers saw a difference inme, the way I talk, the way I act.When I was in class and we had projects, I usually worked with myfriends because I thought theywould let me get away with things. I found out that it is better when youare doing something important inschool to work with others that youdon’t know because you are moreserious and you worry more aboutyourself than them.”

“I am understanding why school isimportant because when I am work-ing on service-learning projects I see


When my family came

here as immigrants,

we received a lot of help

from the community.

So now to be able

to give the

same thing back,

it teaches me to be

appreciative of people

and their willingness

to help.


where it is applied, like writing apaper or giving a presentation. I am more inspired to continuedoing school work because I seewhere it is coming in handy, that ithas a point.”

“I became much more interested inthe history of developing countries.In order to help other countries weneed to understand that.”

Some alumni of service-learningprograms did feel as though theirexperiences helped them to iden-tify how they “learned best.” Theyunderstood that they may notalways absorb information simply by memorization or reading andtaking notes. Rather, they need tobe more hands-on, have visual aids,or work in groups to fully grasp andretain the information at hand.

Interestingly, some respondentsreported that they became soengrossed in their service-learningthat they began to fall behind inschool and their grades slipped. But they were able to recognize this,and it helped them to establish abalance between their schoolworkand extracurricular activities.

“For me it was different, my gradesstarted to do down because I wasmissing a lot of school due to allthe service-learning. [I] earnedthat you have to make that balance in your own life. Yes this is my passion, but education is one of my top priorities.”


Figure 10Are You Very/Extremely Satisfied With Your...?


21%

31% 31%

34%

40%

27%

38%

44%

48%

51%

35%

47%

55%54%

57%

Work life School life Life overall Friendships Family life

No Service (n=426)Service Only (n=1,806)Service-Learning (n=891)

Figure 10. Service-Learning youths report being more satisfied with important aspects of their lives than their ServiceOnly and No Service counterparts.

Those who took part in servicereported higher high school grades.Mostly As were reported by 72 per-cent of the past Service-Learningparticipants, 68 percent of theService Only participants, and 45percent of No Service participants.Grade reporting is positively corre-lated with the perceived quality ofhigh school education. Alumni ofservice-learning were more likely torate the quality of their educationhigher; 66 percent gave their schoolsA’s and B’s compared to non-service-learning participants, who reported58 percent A’s and B’s. Youths whoreported being very/extremely satis-fied with life rated education qualityan A or B (67 percent) versus thosesomewhat/not at all satisfied with life (44 percent). Young people whoparticipated in service were signifi-cantly more likely to report beingvery or extremely satisfied with notonly their school life, but alsoexpressed the same sentiments aboutother important aspects of their lives— family, friendships, work, and lifeoverall (see Figure 10).

Service-Learning alumni are moreeducated than Service Only and NoService youths. Sixty-three percent ofpast participants of service-learninghave completed some college com-pared to 52 percent of Service Onlyparticipants and 48 percent of NoService. Not only are Service-Learning alumni more educated andmore likely to have educationalgoals, those goals are higher thantheir Service Only and No Service


Figure 11What Is the Highest Level of Education You Plan on Achieving?

10%

39%

24%

20%

7%

4%

18%

26%

30%

22%

2%

11%

28%

36%

22%

None of these Less than college Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctorate

No Service (n=426)Service Only (n=1,806)Service Learning (n=891)


Figure 11. Service participants report higher educational degree aspirations than their peers who do not participate in service.


counterparts. As shown in Figure11, almost three in five past Service-Learning participants hope toachieve a master’s or doctoratedegree.

The educational goals that pastservice participants aspire to arereal. Service-Learning (64 percent)and Service Only alumni (63 per-cent) are most likely to be enrolledin some educational system; theirNo Service peers (47 percent) havefar lower enrollment. Thirty-fivepercent of Service-Learning partici-pants are currently enrolled in afour-year college, compared with 20percent of their No Service counter-

parts. Interestingly, if service was arequirement, youths were morelikely to be currently enrolled in aneducational setting (68 percent ver-sus 55 percent). Those not enrolledin some education system were notonly less educated but just over half(52 percent) were not at all/some-what satisfied with their life.

In the past 12 months, previousService-Learning participants weremore likely to show signs of lifelonglearning than their No Servicepeers by being more likely to often/very often take a class to learn a newskill or information (17 percent versus 6 percent) and participate in a hobby group or book club (15 percent versus 4 percent).

CareerService-learning opened partici-pants up to consider various careeroptions for themselves. Thisincluded specific careers (e.g., doctor, teacher, etc.) or, in somecases, just a general desire to pursue a profession in which theywould help others and make a difference (e.g., Peace Corps, etc.).

“I started thinking of what I wouldwant to do as a job when you haveless time to volunteer, when youhave to work, what you would wantto be doing? For me, I think Iwould want to be a doctor and gointo medicine. You will have towork really hard in school to getthere, but how many lives will you

affect if you work hard to getthere? I started thinking that Ishould get the most out of schoolso that I can use it to help otherpeople, too.”

“I want to do humanitarian work. I want to teach. I understand howimportant education is, and I wantto make sure people understandour history and others’ history.People who haven’t done service-learning don’t really know that.”

“This has made me want to helpother people as a career. I’vedecided that I would like to be adance teacher and inspire them toexpress themselves and then helpother people through whateverthey have learned from me.”

“I initially thought, ‘Let’s get this15 hours done and over with.’ Now,working with other people, I wasthinking I may want to continuethis even after I go to college.Maybe have a career in medicine.”

Service-Learning alumni (10 percent), especially those who haveparticipated in service-learningwithin an organization (14 percent)rather than a school (9 percent),are more likely to do community or national service or to volunteeras a full-time activity for an averageof 7.1 months. Service-Learningalumni are most likely to reportthat they plan to continue suchinvolvement within the next fiveyears (39 percent somewhat/verylikely) followed by Service Only (25


I started thinking

that I should get

the most out

of school so that

I can use it

to help

other people, too.

percent somewhat/very likely) andNo Service (19 percent somewhat/very likely).

Past Service-Learning participantsreport that their experience positively affected their career development or advancement (47 percent) compared to theirService Only peers (32 percent).

Risk-TakingThe survey showed slight differencesin risky behaviors. No Service youthswere more likely to use drugs and bearrested, but less likely to receive aspeeding ticket (see Figure 12).

Civic InvolvementSome respondents had participatedin service-learning activities whichincluded addressing the government.They attended meetings at the statecapitol and spoke with senatorsabout issues such as under-fundingin the school system. They feltempowered by these experiencesand understood that they did, in fact,have a voice. They learned that ifthey had an issue they believed wasimportant, there was something theycould do about it.

“I think when adults see you in service-learning projects and caringabout the community they reallynotice that. I didn’t think if we calledup senators they would want to hearabout our opinions. But they were allreally interested and excited and gotus all these boardrooms to come to.And it was like, ‘Whoa, they reallycare.’ I think that was cool to see.”


Figure 12Have You Ever Done Any of the Following?


4%

12%

8%

11%

43%

38%

2%

8%

6%

10%

36%

40%

3%

7% 7%

10%

36%

45%

Been arrestedfor vandalismor shoplifting

Been arrested forsomething else

Been convictedof a crime

Taken drugs likeheroin or cocaine

Smokedmarijuana

Received aspeeding ticket

No Service (n=426)Service Only (n=1,806)Service-Learning (n=891)

Figure 12. Youths who did not participate in service were slightly more likely than others to engage in risky behaviors.


As shown in Figures 8 and 9, one of the overarching messagesreceived by about four in fiveService-Learning participants (78percent) was to be a good citizen.Increased civic involvement is apparent in the actions of previousService-Learning participants in thepast 12 months compared to theirNo Service counterparts. Theyreported discussing politics or community issues (48 percent versus21 percent), voting (41 percent versus 19 percent), expressing political issues online (22 percentversus 8 percent), and expressingpolitical issues by contacting a news-paper, magazine, or radio or TV talkshow (11 percent versus 3 percent).

Service involvement also has long-term effects on civic engagement.For example, past service-learningparticipants report that they valuevoting and being a communityleader more highly that ServiceOnly or No Service students (see Figure 13).

Service-Learning, Communication,and Ethnic DiversityFocus-group comments suggest that service-learning gives studentsa context to navigate societal andadult expectations, including negative expectations related to ethnicity or age.

“It’s so hard to do something rightwhen you are constantly portrayed

Figure 13How Extremely/Very Important Are the Following to You Personally?


16%

16%

21%

27%

27%

33%

35%

39%

42%

44%

47%

51%

57%

66%

73%

20%

20%

28%

28%

31%

39%

41%

43%

43%

48%

50%

57%

61%

65%

70%

14%

9%

7%

9%

12%

26%

26%

35%

42%

34%

34%

32%

40%

50%

58%

Being willing to fight for my country

Being a community leader

Participating in service activitiesor volunteer work

Giving financial support toa charitable organization

Attending church or religiousservices regularly

Working on or socializing with peoplefrom different backgrounds from my own

Becoming an authority in my field

Keeping physically fit

Being very well-off financially

Keeping informed on current events

Developing a meaningful philosophy of life

Voting in elections

Regularly learning and studying newthings, even after I finish school

Being ethical and honorable in all that I do

Treating others with respect

No Service (n=426)


Service Only (1,806)

Figure 13. Those who have participated in service report higher levels of civic engagement, being more likely than theirNo Service counterparts to value voting, keep informed on current events, participate in service in the future, and be acommunity leader.


as bad. You hardly ever see promo-tion when minorities do somethinggood. With our group we are reallydiverse, when we go out people areso surprised because they are notused to see minorities doing well oreven having the ambition to dosomething on an upper scale.”

“When I go to a board meeting, andthere is not one other person wholooks like me, I try to act more civi-lized, or proper. I know that if theysee a little thing that is wrong withme or if I dress up all ghetto…theywill say, ‘Forget about him.’”

“For me, with different people I willtalk in a different way or say things ina different way, but you can still por-tray yourself because yourself is youropinions. But how I portray them isdifferent depending on who myaudience is. I try to talk to the peoplewho I am trying to influence.”

Focus group participants with various backgrounds reported thatthey changed their dress and behav-ior during their service placements. This code-switching is an opportunityto learn or practice intentionalstrategies to promote communica-tion and connection. As a responseto the unfortunate reality of racismand ageism, service-learning providesa context to practice strategies forbridging differences and makingconnections.

Service/Donating BehaviorPast service-learning participants aremore apt to continue volunteeringand donating. Service-learningalumni are about six times more

likely to have performed volunteerwork in the past 12 months thantheir peers who did not do any service. When examining donatingbehaviors in response to twotragedies, Hurricane Katrina and theAsian Tsunami, we found significantdifferences among the Service-Learning, Service Only, and NoService groups. For HurricaneKatrina, 61 percent of Service-Learning, 51 percent of Service Only, and 35 percent of No Serviceprovided aid. Overall, all groupswere more likely to help forHurricane Katrina than the AsianTsunami. For both tragedies, mostassistance came in the form of dona-tions and collections. Direct servicewas most often provided by the past Service-Learning participants (8 percent) compared to ServiceOnly (4 percent), and No Serviceparticipants (3 percent).

ConclusionThe benefits of service-learning toyouths and communities are many.Service-learning youths are morepolitically and socially connected totheir communities, both as leadersand as role models for young adults.They understand the importance oflifelong learning and, as a whole, are more educated and have higheraspirations than their peers who didnot take part in service. Not only arethey more active members of society,they are more satisfied with their current status in life. Many of theimportant skills learned by service-


As a response

to the unfortunate

reality of racism

and ageism, service-

learning provides a

context to practice

strategies for

bridging differences

and making

connections.


learning participants are those thatease the transition into adulthood.By providing youths with the service-learning option, communities arenot the only ones to benefit: service-learning assists in the building ofhappier, more satisfied adults. G2G

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Documents

The Impact of Service-Learning on Transitions to Adulthood · in service-learning, as well as with young adults who had previous service-learning experience. Service-Learning In our