Service Learning Project  Volunteer Hours and Reflective Journal RTM 300 Recreation and Community Development

Welcome to the Community Service learning exercise for RTM 300.

If you have any questions please check the assignment information below first, then ask me in class because someone else probably has the same question, and then drop me an email if your question still remains.  (alan.wright@csun.edu)

Community Service Learning Hours:

 The goal:  The student will volunteer 10 community service learning hours in a part of the community.  The goal is to encounter a new or different part of the community.  For many students this may mean venturing out to connect with a classically underserved group like the homeless or the elderly or gang members.  For others the group that is new to you might be the ‘rich and famous’ because you come from a poor or working class neighborhood.  Or maybe the challenging middle-schoolers is the community group of choice.  The point is to take a risk and get out of your comfort zone of past experiences and create greater breadth to your community experiences.

 Pre-approval:  The student will submit to the instructor a description of the community service learning experience that will include the following information:

·         Your name

·         Name of service learning site (organization name and community name – e.g. Salvation Army Service Center in Compton

·         What you will be doing – brief description

·         Who you will be serving – brief description

·         When you expect to be doing this work

·         Why you are choosing this experience for learning (key point)

Submit this information to the instructor in class sometime as outlined in the class schedule along with the Contact Information Form from the CSUN Commnity Service Learning (CSL) center.  You should have a copy of this form with you when at your service site - in case of an emergency both CSUN and your family can be contacted.

There are plenty of examples of what you could do and where you could go.  Ideally it will be working with a recreation agency but the primary goal is familiarization with a segment of the community and the needs and strengths represented in that part of the community.   So an educational or other human service agency can be substituted for a recreation agency.   Be creative in thinking about what would be a good place to go and be bold in terms of contacting someone to offer your service.

The site and type of learning opportunity must be approved in advance by the instructor and can not be related to paid work or activities completed for another class.

Please read the ‘no-brainer’ information on the Guidelines for Student Service Learning from the CSL office.  Represent yourself and the university well.

Report:   A journal (typed) will be submitted after completing your service learning experience.  The journal should include this information.   Begin with a brief description of the pre-approval information:  where, when, who, and why you chose this context.  Then briefly list the time and dates of your experience as well as who in the agency was in charge.  Describe in a paragraph what you did during your ten hours of service.

The main part of the journal should be reflective rather than descriptive.  Answer broad questions like:   What surprises did I discover about working in this context?  In what ways was my experience a confirmation or disconfirmation of what I expected I would experience working here?  What seem to be areas of great need in this part of the community?  What strengths did you notice either in the individuals or the systems that surround them?  In what ways is the recreation profession making a contribution to this part of the community?  In what ways would the recreation profession make additional contributions to the quality of life in this community?

The written report should be from 500-750 words.

 Students will also participate in a verbal reflection of the volunteer experience during the class. 

 Reports are due per the date listed in the class schedule including the Student Attendance Record Form.  Please take the service learning form with you to your service learning context and have the supervisor in charge sign and date the form which you have already completed.  Submit this form along with your journal to the instructor.

 Check back here for one other form you will need to complete related to university risk management policy.

So remember: pre-approval submission to instructor along with university SL contact form (2 copies - 1 to instructor); student attendance form submitted along with your journal.

Key Links

    RTM Course page