Community Partners

On-Boarding

ASPASPiiRERE

AgendaAgendaASPiRE’s objectives and unique experience

Success for our Community Partners

Engaging the studentsNext Steps

ASPiRE ObjectivesASPiRE ObjectivesWhen completing the ASPiRE experience,

VCU students will be able to…Define and explain “service learning,” citing actual experiences and examples

Identify and apply theories of citizenship, social movements, civic leadership, and social justice

Apply academic theories to address local community issues

What Makes ASPiRE What Makes ASPiRE UniqueUniqueStudents learn together and live together

Life-learning through community partner experiences

Coursework that parallels real-time service learning experiences

Service learning that aligns with students’ chosen college paths and majors

Creating the ExperienceCreating the ExperienceASPiRE is a unique learning experience within the students’ VCU college careerSophomores apply to be accepted into ASPiRE

Includes a specific four-semester curriculum

Students also pursue the coursework associated with their selected college major

Community Partners – Community Partners – Success!Success!Group Discussion:As a group, let’s brainstorm two ideas:What will a successful experience look like for you and the students working within your organization?

Describe what an unsuccessful experience would look like.

Community Partners – Community Partners – SuccessSuccessHow to ensure a successful engagement:Planned course of action

Having a plan to engage students so that they will be part of the solution

Constant communication Between faculty, community partners, and

studentsPeriodic “check-ins”

Faculty and community partners have monthly check-ins to discuss progress and observations

Community Partners – Community Partners – SuccessSuccessHow to ensure a successful engagement:Faculty preparedness:

Provide community partners with a clear idea of the learning expectationsWhat should the students take away from this

experience?Each faculty member will find out what support

their community partner will need in order to accomplish the goals

Agree upon the best ways to communicateFrequency; preferred communication paths

Community Partners – Community Partners – Success!Success!Group Discussion:What else can the faculty do to help you prepare you for working with the students?

Community Partners – Community Partners – SuccessSuccessHow to ensure a successful engagement:Community partners preparedness:

Work with the faculty member to verify what the students should take away from the experience

Ask what the support the faculty member will need in order to accomplish the goals

Agree upon the best ways to communicateFrequency; preferred communication

paths

Community Partners – Community Partners – Success!Success!Group Discussion:What other ideas do you have that community partners might do to prepare for the students working in your organizations?

Engaging the StudentsEngaging the StudentsStudent involvement:

Faculty provides students with an overview of the learning objectives and expectationsExplain to students what they should take

away from this experienceClearly define performance expectations as part of the syllabusParticipation, attendance, effort,

professionalism, behaviors, applied learning

Community Partners – Community Partners – Success!Success!Group Discussion:Let’s brainstorm two lists:

List what you can do to engage students

List what might be done that could cause a disconnect with students

Community Partners – Community Partners – Success!Success!Group Discussion:How do you plan on engaging the students in your organization’s mission and work?

How should we utilize students for learning, and not just as an extra “pair-of-hands?”

Share examples of things that the students might work on in your organization

Engaging the StudentsEngaging the StudentsList of what to provide students:Welcome and introductions

Organization chart and contact infoAn overview of what the service does for the community Procedures, processes, policies

Calendar of events and deliverablesWork assignments and schedule

Job descriptions

Next StepsNext StepsDates when students will begin working with community partners

List of students assigned to each community partner

Community partner’s schedule of work assignments, expected deliverables, and project due dates

Communication agreement between faculty and community partners

Next StepsNext StepsWhat other action items or deliverables do we need to add to our preparation list?Action Item

or DeliverableWho is

Responsible?

Due Date

ConclusionConclusionLet’s agree to…Constantly communicate information, changes, observations, and ideas

Be totally prepared for a successful launch and program experience

Foster a collaborative relationshipFollow up on our commitments to each other