Below you will find more about the unique service-learning experience for community organizations. Visit our Become a Partner page for more information and resources to become involved in service learning with UConn.
Community & Organization Benefits
- Motivated learners engaged in significant community work
- Students provide valuable services that meets community needs
- Schools/universities serve as a resource for community
Role of a Community Partner
The community partnership is a key piece of service learning. Community partners identity the need and serve as the key contact for faculty and students. For students, the community partner often helps them that the students learn about themselves and the local neighborhood. The community partner has the unique role of helping create a real world experience for students. Thus, we ask that the community partner provide important guidance and opportunities to maximize the experience for the students as well as the community partner.
Role of a Student
The students also have a role to fulfill and are responsible for performing to expectations. The student should be held accountable for being professional. The faculty member will prepare them with some general guidelines about working with community partners, but they also anticipate the community partner to provide students with your expectations to ensure a quality experience for both student and community partner.
Sustainability
Sustainability is the goal of service learning projects and activities. Creating projects along with faculty and students that can be long lasting is key to maintaining innovative projects and creating ongoing mutual benefit to the community and the university.
Additional Resources
Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2002). Campus–community partnerships: The terms of engagement. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 503-516.
Traditional vs. critical service-learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate two models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 14(2), 50-65.
