Service-Learning Australia

America’s National Commission on service-learning, summarises what service-learning is and what it is not.

Service-learning:

• links to academic content and standards
• involves young people in helping to determine and meet real, defined community needs
• includes on-going, meaningful reflection and analysis
• is reciprocal in nature, benefiting both the community and the service providers by combining a service experience with a learning experience
• can be used in any subject area so long as it is appropriate to learning goals
• works at all ages, even among young children

Service-learning is not:

• an episodic volunteer program
• an add-on to an existing school or tertiary curriculum
• the accumulation of a set number of community service hours in order to graduate.