"Service Learning"

"An emerging body of research
suggests that service-learning
experiences enhance self-esteem,
a sense of personal competence and
efficacy, engagement with school,
and social responsibility for others."

Source: Five Fundamental Resources for Children and Youth. (1997). Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.

Do:
Organize a park clean-up activity for your youth group. The young children can participate by picking up trash, while kids in middle childhood can help by painting picnic tables and park benches. Teens can do minor repairs to shelter houses and playground equipment and help supervise the younger kids.

Reflect:
At the end of the clean-up day, while the group is enjoying a nice refreshment, begin asking them about their community service experience.

• What did you do?
• How did you feel when you were working? How do you feel now?
• How does it feel to know what you did benefited your community?
• What was the most difficult thing you did today? What was the easiest?
• What was the most enjoyable aspect of the day? Why do you think you liked it the best?
• What did you notice about the way you worked together with other people today?
• What did people you worked with do to help make you successful?
• Did you run into any problems? What were they? How did you handle them?
• How was today’s clean-up activity like activities you’ve done in the past? How was it different?
• What was the most memorable thing that happened today?

Apply:
The final step is to ask the kids questions that help them take what they’ve learned and apply it to other situations.

• What do you gain from helping others? What will you do to help others in the future?
• What did you learn today that can help you in other situations?
• If you were in a situation like this again, what would you do differently?
• How will you use what you learned today in other situations (maybe at home or at school)?

Later: When planning future service activities, help the kids recall what they learned at the park clean-up and ask them how they can use that knowledge to plan the next activity.