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Service Learning Program

Outline for Juvenile Justice Committee

September 21, 2012

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Overlook of proposed program:

Mission Statement:

…To instill a sense of civic responsibility by connecting our youth to a meaningful and positive

learning experience by engaging in the wellbeing of their community.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Service Learning Program is

to provide youth in our community an avenue in which they can engage with their peers

as well as positive adults, for the betterment of their community

At the same time by having a central program and dedicated staff we will be able to

coordinate with the many youth serving organizations and agencies to pull resources

and experiences to achieve the meaningful experience youth are looking for.

What is Service learning?

The essence of service learning rest on a philosophy of service and learning that occurs

in experiences, reflection, and civil engagement within a collaborative relationship

involving community partners.

It is also noteworthy that effective service-learning practices are closely aligned with effective

youth development practices. A major report from the National Research Council and Institute

of Medicine (2002) identified eight factors in community programs that facilitate positive youth

development:

Physical and psychological safety;

Appropriate structure;

Supportive relationships;

Opportunities to belong;

Positive social norms;

Support for efficacy and mentoring;

Opportunities for skill building; and

Integration of family, school, and community efforts.

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Key Components of Effective Service-Learning

Academic and social connections

Authentic community needs

Student voice

Reflection

Community partnerships

Positive connections to community and its people

Assessment

Difference between Community Service and Service Learning

Community service example

If students remove trash from a streambed:

o they are providing a service to the community as volunteers

Service-Learning Example

When students remove trash from a streambed,

o Learn about the environmental impact trash has on the environment from a

wildlife biologist.

o Analyze what they found,

o Share the results and offer suggestions for the neighborhood to reduce pollution

o Make a presentation about the project to present to local/ state officials or at an

environmental workshop.

o Then reflect on their experience

o After project is completed offer a canoe trip down the river for the youth to see

the impact they made.

o THAT is service-learning!

Benefits of Service-Learning

• Personal and interpersonal development: tolerance, stereotyping, appreciation of other cultures, self-knowledge, spiritual growth (need to give back), finding reward in helping others, personal efficacy, leadership skills, communication skills, feeling connected to the community (campus and local),and valuing a career in helping others.

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• Understanding and applying knowledge: students report that they learn more and are motivated to work harder in service-learning classes. They also report having a deeper understanding of the subject matter and complexity of social issues, and application of subject matter and experience through reflection is associated with more learning.

• Critical thinking: increases reported in well-integrated service-learning classes; affected ability to identify social issues and openness to new ideas. • Perspective transformation: reframing of understanding of social issues and social changes-new way of seeing the world; moved students to a more systemic view of social problems (charity to justice).

• Citizenship: all of outcomes identified become means to develop citizenship. Well-integrated service-learning contributes to attainment of values, knowledge, skills, efficacy and commitment for citizenship.

Adapted from Eyler J. & Giles, G.E. Jr. (1999). Where’s the learning in service-learning?

Example of how the ideal program might be structured.

I. Program Structure

The Service Learning Program will be operated under the Schoharie County Youth Bureau as the lead agency.

Partnerships with Juvenile Justice Committee, schools, Sheriff’s Department, Probation, Social Services, Youth Serving Agencies (non Profit), Office of Children and Family Service, Department of Justice, Churches.

Program will be open to all youth in the county. But will also serve as a place for youth that are required to fulfill service hours.

Our goal is to have an integrated program that allows at risk youth to participate side by side with positive peer role models.

II. Staffing

Program Director: o This person will oversee the program; work with other agencies and

organizations to promote the program, seek out funding sources, compile data

Program Coordinator: o A person dedicated to the day to day operation of the program. This will be a

part time position, 20 hrs per week. o Will be the lead person at all projects. o Design and implement project.

1. Work with community to find appropriate projects 2. Coordinate staff for project day 3. Develop curriculum for the project

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4. Schedule speakers/ educators for the project 5. Have all necessary equipment for the project 6. Recruit volunteers to assist with varies aspects of the project 7. Recruitment of youth into the program 8. Conduct monthly meetings with Youth in the program (Youth Voice) 9. Coordinate with outside service projects in the county 10. Seek donations for projects 11. Keep track of service hours for all participants. (current project hours and

ongoing service hours)

Program Staff o Will work the days of the events. o Could be part time staff that are:

1. hired specifically for the program or, 2. Invested partners in the community that are able to dedicated x amount

of hours a month from their normal work hours. (actual agreement with agency/ department)

o Will work directly with the youth in the program. o They will not be leaders, but rather a team member. o There will be a set of criteria design specifically for this position

Volunteer Educators/ Speakers o A critical component of the Service Learning Program is incorporating learning

with the service. o Having volunteer educators and speakers at each event is required. o They must have a direct connection to the project being done or to the people

that the project is impacting. o Educators and speakers will be invited to the events and will not be paid for their

time.

Volunteers (Adults) o Will play a key role in the logistics of the project

1. Support for the behind the scenes of the day of the project. 2. Preparing lunch, setting up, cleaning up 3. May only be affiliated with a particular project

o Will also have a role in working directly with the youth in the project 1. This will be particularly important if they are connected with the benefits

of the project. 2. Youth will have an opportunity to make an important connection with

the project and the people it will have an impact on 3. Should only be volunteers that are connected with the project or 4. Are positive role models for our youth

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III. Program Overview

Program will be offered 3 times a year, fall, spring, and summer.

The number of participants can vary, but a minimum of 12 will be needed to

ensure good group dynamics.

The program will be offered to middle school and high school aged youth.

It will be open to all youth, but will work to have a balance of referrals and youth

deemed to be at risk of becoming a referral.

This will not be a dumping ground for anyone who needs to get their youth they

work with service hours.

Youth will need to fill out an application and be accepted into the program.

o As program develops the youth in the program will play an active role in

this process.

How Program Will Be Structured I. The Service Learning Program will have 2 components to it.

1. The main focus will be on the 3 programs that are set up and ran by the Youth

Bureau; 1 in the fall, 1 in the spring, and 1 in the summer.

2. Become a central location where other organizations can utilize to promote

their service projects and where we can connect our youth in the program to

additional service opportunities.

I. Fall Program

Will run from September into December

There will be 1 project a month in September, October, and November

There will be a total of 3 projects

Projects will be 8 hours in total

Youth will be able to earn up to 24 hours of service

This includes the actual work but also time spent with educators or guest

speakers, and also the debriefing of the project at the end.

There will also be one meeting a month, prior to that month’s project.

Total of 4 meetings

Meeting will be 2 hours in length.

Youth will earn service hours for all meetings

Youth will be able to earn up to 8 hours of service.

For youth to meet and learn about the project coming up. There may be

a guest speaker/ educator to discuss the project.

Youth will also discuss future projects, work on leadership skills, and do

some team building activities.

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In December there will be a Program Finale/ Slide Show

For everyone involved in the project. Youth, family member, staff,

volunteers, educators/speakers, and key members of the community.

Youth in the program will plan and help set up the event as part of their

service hours.

Youth will earn 4 hours of service for this event

Service Hour Awards will be given out.

Service Hours for program

Meetings: 8

Projects: 24

Program Finale: _4_

Total Max: 36

Addition Hrs can be accumulated through participating in service projects

that youth attends through the second component of the program.

II. Spring Program

Will run from March to June.

There will be 1 project a month in March, April, May

There will be a total of 3 projects

Projects will be 8 hours in total

Youth will be able to earn up to 24 hours of service

This includes the actual work but also time spent with educators or guest

speakers, and also the debriefing of the project at the end.

There will also be one meeting a month, prior to that month’s project.

Total of 4 meetings

Meeting will be 2 hours in length.

Youth will earn service hours for all meetings

Youth will be able to earn up to 8 hours of service.

For youth to meet and learn about the project coming up. There may be

a guest speaker/ educator to discuss the project.

Youth will also discuss future projects, work on leadership skills, and do

some team building activities.

In June there will be a Program Finale/ Slide Show

For everyone involved in the project. Youth, family member, staff,

volunteers, educators/speakers, and key members of the community.

Youth in the program will plan and help set up the event as part of their

service hours.

Youth will earn 4 hours of service for this event

Service Hour Awards will be given out.

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Service Hours for program

Meetings: 8

Projects: 24

Program Finale: _4_

Total Max: 36

Addition Hrs can be accumulated through participating in service projects

that youth attends through the second component of the program.

III. Summer Program

The summer program will consist of two 1 week Service Projects.

Youth will sign up for the entire week.

They may work on one project for the entire week or on several smaller ones

throughout the week.

There will be leadership skills as well as team building activities incorporated into

the week.

The program will follow the same requirements as the Fall and Spring programs.

Youth will be able to earn up to 40 hours of service hours for the week.

Group size will be capped at 12 youth.

The week will not be all work; a recreational component will also be

incorporated into the week.

IV. The second component of the program will be a central location where other

organizations can utilize to promote their service projects where we can connect our

youth in the program to additional service opportunities.

The Youth Bureau will act as a place for outside organizations to contact about

service projects they are holding.

We will promote their event and try to match up youth out of our data base

We can create a data base of youth that are interested in Service Learning

Projects.

Youth fill out a survey form.

We can then use their information to match them up with projects in

their area or their interest.

They do not need to participate in one of the Youth Bureau’s 3 Service

Learning Programs listed above to be in the data base.

V. Partners in the Program

All youth serving agencies that either interested in the program or plan to utilize

the program for the youth they serve.

Role of partners

Get their youth involved in the program

Be an active participant

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Commit staff to be a program staff member

Be part of the Service Learning Board

Volunteer at day of the project

Financial

o Is there money for preventive services that can be

committed to the program

In Kind Service

o Vehicles

o Equipment

o Give aways

Promote the program and the event.

Partner for grants/ funding opportunities

VI. Budget

Being worked on

VII. Obstacles

Funding

Buy in

Transportation

Commitment by youth

Understanding what the program is and about what Service Learning is

Commitment by partners in the project

VIII. Goals and Objective

Being developed