What is Service-Learning?

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. It combines service objectives with learning objectives with the intent that the activity change both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content. (from www.servicelearning.org)

Service-Learning integrates classroom instruction with community service activities. The service must:

• Be organized in relation to an academic course or curriculum
• Have clearly stated learning objectives
• Address real community needs in a sustained manner over a period of time
• Assist students in drawing lessons from the service through regularly scheduled, organized reflection or critical analysis activities, such as classroom discussions, presentations, or directed writing

How the Program Works

U-Links provides guidance and facilitation for Service-Learning projects involving University and College students in Haliburton County. Two types of service-Learning placements are available:

Community Development (Project-Based)

This form of service-learning is project-based, having students work somewhat independently, with modest agency supervision, resulting in tangible "products" and reports. This option emphasizes community development and program or service implementation activities, and as such, finds students more deeply integrated within organizations than with Community Service placements. Open to students in 2nd year and above, they will commit to 50-150 hours of service.

Community Service (Task-Based)

For service opportunities that do not suit a project-based approach, these task-based service learning placements emphasize exposure to the work of local agencies, assisting with the provision of programs and services, and/or ongoing community action. Essays and assignments based on reflection form the basis for academic credit. Orientation, training, and supervision will depend on the nature of the service involved, but generally host organizations are expected to provide more regular direction and monitoring than with Community Development placements. These service learning placements will involve between 20 and 50 hours of service and are open to students and courses at all levels.