Ensure students receive a thorough orientation, are properly trained for their positions, and have opportunities for reflection and connections to academic study.
Provide a thorough orientation to the program, including expectations, paperwork issues, professional behavior, and an introduction to working in the community.
Students may require specific skills to be successful in their positions. Clarify with community partner supervisors exactly which skills are desired and who is responsible for providing the training students need.
Service experiences can be challenging, confusing, thought-provoking, and life-changing. To enhance the learning opportunity offered by service experiences, gather students regularly to reflect on their experiences.
Consider making connections between community service work-study and academic study. Develop courses around important training topics, engage work-study students in support of service-learning or action research courses, or encourage service-learning students to extend their service past the course through community service work-study.
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Augsburg College prepares work-study students for their AugsburgReads tutoring experience by collaborating with a major community neighborhood partner that provides tutoring and mentoring for students, most of whom are immigrants from East Africa (Somalia and Ethiopia). Augsburg students receive a site orientation that includes an overview of the community partner’s mission and programs at the community partner’s location. The site orientation includes a tour of the neighborhood to familiarize students with the area and training that includes cultural sensitivity and competencies and tutoring techniques. The training is done by Augsburg service-learning staff, the community partner site supervisor, and a Somali leader. AugsburgReads tutors attend scheduled reflection and ongoing training sessions developed to address issues and needs of the students as they arise.
Tim Dougherty
Center for Service, Work and Learning
Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
The Center for Academic Service Learning and Research at Azusa Pacific University employs community service work-study students as tutors and service learning program coordinators. The Center makes every effort to place students in positions that correlate with their academic field of study, encouraging a holistic approach to work and school. These programs have experienced success due in large part to the quality training, active supervision, and reflection activities provided to student employees. This offers students work experiences that develop skills in leadership and management. There is a deep commitment to balance challenge and support in an effort to create positive learning experiences while pursuing excellence in service to the community.
Kristin Gurrola
Associate Director
Center for Academic Service Learning and Research
California State University, Fresno, Fresno, California
All community service work-study students, regardless of the program they are involved in, are required to complete an orientation and training. The majority are involved in programs where they take part in regular in-service trainings (weekly or monthly) and reflection activities, including journaling, group discussions, and essays. All students are evaluated by their supervisor each semester. Many have an opportunity to provide their own input on the program, which is shared with their site supervisor.
Chris Fiorentino
Director, Students for Community Service
Kirtland Community College, Roscommon, Michigan
Kirtland Community College uses multiple ways to engage work-study students in support of service-learning efforts. Work-study students conduct evaluations of current service-learning practice, measure satisfaction among community partners, and provide support for individual faculty members who integrate service-learning activities in their courses. In addition, work-study students lead student leadership workshops at other community colleges and participate in statewide service-learning student leadership committees. Finally, work-study students at Kirtland are encouraged to create a service project of their own. This project requires the student to obtain funding through grants, recruit volunteers, carry out the service and evaluate the entire project.
Nicholas Holton
Faculty Member/Service Learning Coordinator
