Service-Learning Australia

Community organizations and agencies recognise the value of attracting young volunteers, and students gain many benefits from their service activities, however in volunteering programs, learning is not intentional, reflection is incidental and student direction is minimal.

In service-learning, both the school and the community organization need to see the partnership as a better way to achieve their individual goals: improving both the quality of education and the quality of community life.  Therefore, each partner must understand and respect the other.  Mark Batenburg (1995) points out that “the two partners exist in radically different worlds,” and suggests the importance of understanding the distinctions between them.  The following identifies seven points of difference.

Focus:
Community Organisation: Focus is on the end product – e.g. number of trees planted, people fed, dollars collected.
School:                                  Focus is on the process and the knowledge gained by students.

Why engage?:
Community Organisation: Engages because there is a need in the community.
School:                                  Engages because this is a strategy to educate students.

Project Planning:                    
Community Organisation: Project planning utilizes proven processes and templates.
School:                                  Project planning is, as much as possible, directed by students. 

Scheduling:
Community Organisation: Scheduling revolves around the needs of the clients.
School:                                  Scheduling revolves around school timetabling.

Site Access:                          
Community Organisation: Site access for workers is not the responsibility of the community organization.
School:                                  Site access for students is the responsibility of the school (cost, scheduling, liability etc.)

Measure Success:
Community Organisation: Success is measured by the service that has been provided (trees planted, people fed, money raised etc.)
School:                                  Success is measured by the curriculum outcomes that have been met.

Assessment:
Community Organisation: Assesses the program by asking: How well did we achieve our objectives?
School:                                 Assesses and evaluates the program by asking: What will we do differently next time?