What are Service Opportunities?
Service opportunities combine service to the community with participant
learning in a way that improves both the individual participant
and the community. According to the National and Community Service
Trust Act of 1993: (http://www.servicelearning.org/)
Service Opportunities:
- Support learning and development through active participation
in thoughtfully organized service that is conducted in and meets
the needs of communities
- Coordinate activities between an elementary school, secondary
school, institution of higher education, or community service
program and the community at large
- Helps foster civic responsibility
- Integrate into and enhance the academic curriculum of the
students, or the education components of the community service
program in which the participants are enrolled
- Provide structured time for students or participants to reflect
on the service experience
What Do Service Opportunities Look Like?
Examples of service opportunity projects might include:
- preserving native plants
- designing neighborhood playgrounds
- teaching younger children to read
- testing the local water quality
- creating wheelchair ramps
- preparing food for the homeless
- developing urban community gardens
- starting a school or neighborhood recycling programs
A service opportunity begins with an idea for a project that will
serve a need in the community. The project is connected to academic
components such as grades that reflect the work done and the outcome
of the project, reports on the work done, class discussion, and
time for reflection regarding what is being learned such as creating
and writing in a journal. Students may develop and implement a project
as a group, or individually. Outcomes include a service that has
been provided to the community, as well as relevant information
learned and new skills gained.
Why are Service Opportunities Important?
A national study of Learn and Serve America programs suggests that,
for youth participants, effective service opportunity programs improve
academic grades, increase attendance in school, and develop personal
and social responsibility. Whether the goal is academic improvement,
personal development, or both, participants learn critical thinking,
communication, teamwork, civic responsibility, mathematical reasoning,
problem solving, public speaking, vocational skills, computer skills,
scientific method, research skills, and analysis.
Beyond Service Opportunities: Our Vision
Historically, service opportunity has been defined as:
- Providing a chance to serve the community while in high school
or college
- Connecting service activities to academic components, including
opportunities for reflection
- Helping to meet a community need
- Volunteering with no form of monetary compensation
The Minnesota Service Inclusion Project supports this foundation
for service opportunities taking place at an elementary, middle,
high school, or postsecondary level.
We also believe in and support an expanded view and definition
of service opportunities. We know that service to the community
encompasses a broad array of opportunities, takes place in a wide
variety of settings, and is worthwhile and educational at any age.
Involvement in an activity or opportunity that provides a service
to the community also provides a benefit to the individual through
the process of “lifelong learning.
The main ingredients for service opportunities include service
to the community and new skills being
learned by the participant. Service opportunities can take place
through community centers, businesses and employers working with
non-profit organizations, neighborhood coalitions, or through any
group that takes on a project on behalf of the community. Although
these opportunities may not have an academic foundation, as they
would in a high school or college setting where grading and credits
are dependent on completion of the project, participants still have
the opportunity to provide a service, to learn new skills and knowledge,
and to apply this to their lives and/or their work.
AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and Senior Corps all provide a small
amount of monetary incentive or support to participants in their
programs. However, the amount is really modest compared to the length
and depth of service provided. These organizations are redefining
how service opportunities can take place, which now includes some
modest financial support to participants to allow for service to
the community at an in-depth level.
While this is a “new and expanded” definition of the
traditional view of service opportunities, we see a deep connection
to traditional service opportunities and place high value on this
perspective to promote the concept of life long learning for all
citizens.
Including Individuals with Disabilities
It is especially important that any organization, business, or
school be progressive and proactive when it comes to including students
and individuals with disabilities in service opportunities. Just
as any other citizen, individuals with disabilities have dreams,
plans, and goals for the future. They receive the same benefits
from experience in a real life setting through hands-on activities
as individuals without disabilities. They have the same desire to
contribute to their communities and to be involved in making change
happen. The only real difference is that they have a disability.
We can be proactive supporters of this by setting a positive example
for our communities through actively recruiting, promoting, and
including individuals with disabilities in the same service opportunities
as all other citizens. Providing necessary supports and reasonable
accommodations is also necessary to ensure success.
Benefits of Service Inclusion
Through volunteering to serve their communities, individuals with
disabilities experience the same benefits as any other participant.
This includes:
- Increased self-esteem and sense of community belonging and
membership
- Development of skills and relationships that can be useful
in obtaining employment
- Personal growth and satisfaction from pursuing current interests
and developing new interests
Participation may also help to positively reshape societal expectations
about the potential of individuals with disabilities as contributing
citizens within their communities.
Communities and organizations experience:
- Providing an opportunity that benefits all it’s citizens
- Opportunities to model full inclusion practices for all members
of the community
- Opportunities to learn more about disability issues, barriers,
and accommodations
- Enhancement of the community or the organization through the
contributions made by participants with disabilities
Individuals with disabilities have talents, skills, ideas, and
time to contribute to our communities. Let’s ensure that we
make the most of this by including them in all service opportunities!
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