Youth and Communities Helping Each Other: Community-Based Organizations Using Service-Learning as a Strategy During Out-of-School Time

Sandra Naughton's National Service Fellowship project focused on examining community-based organizations using service-learning as a strategy to engage youth, ages 5 to 18, during non-school hours. Naughton surveyed a diverse pool of community-based programs across the nation that use service-learning. Nine programs ranked highly for their use of quality practices - from both service-learning and out-of-school time research. Program staff, youth and volunteers were interviewed, program documents were reviewed, and site visits were conducted when possible to create nine profiles. Each program profile highlighted one of the nine practices identified for successful community-based service-learning during out-of-school time. Nine practices were found to be successful in most of the programs profiled. Each practice is discussed in a literature review of service-learning and research on quality out-of-school time programs. Nine in-depth program profiles demonstrate how community-based organizations implement each practice, and each profile highlights one practice in particular. The successful practices include: serving a community need; identifying and fostering intentional learning objectives; creating structured opportunities for reflection; including youth voice and leadership; fostering civic responsibility; evaluating the program and activities; building partnerships between youth, parents, schools, and community, as appropriate; fostering positive human relationships; and providing accessible times and places for activities. Eight additional community-based organizations are briefly profiled to illustrate the diversity of organizations successfully using service-learning during non-school hours. In addition to these concrete examples, recommended resources for implementing successful practices are included.