2Sep
The Role of Students in Service Learning Projects
Posted by HandsOn Network | Category: Volunteerism | No Comments
There is virtually no limit to the kinds of things students can do in your organization. You just need to choose the option that is most appropriate for your nonprofit and the students that you’ll be working with.
Program Leadership
Involving students in the leadership of their service learning projects is essential. When students feel ownership over thier projects, their performance shines and their is no limit to what they can do.
- Student leadership encourages fresh ideas for the program
- It ensures that the project reflects the interests of the students
- It increases students’ involvement and commitment
Research and Planning
In addition to overall leadership in the program, students can contribute significantly by researching issues and planning projects. Students can bring skills, energy, creativity and enthusiasm to the planning stages of their projects.
Address Existing Service Needs
Some nonprofits find that the most valuable contribution students can make is to fill needs in existing programs. Instead of students planning a service project from scratch, they can partner with an agency that is already filling a need that they are concerned about and want to address.
Developing New Initiatives
Through their research or brainstorming, students may develop a service idea that is wonderfully creative and interesting and mission-related, but doesn’t fit with existing programs. The result can be a new youth-led initiative in the agency that meets needs that were previously neglected or inadequately addressed.
Program Evaluation
Students can be effective evaluators of their own service projects. Students can conduct interviews, make recommendations for program improvements, and write reports on what they’ve learned.
Training and Supervision
Students can be effective trainers of peers and adults. responsible, trained older students can be excellent supervisors and role models for younger students.
How have students that you’ve worked with taken on leadership roles in their own service-learning projects? Let us know in the comments!
