There are essential components for all service learning projects. Listed are seven best practices in order of importance for quality service learning.
These guidelines, activities and questions provide an example used in a year 9 class of planning and preparation prior to and during service learning activities.
Establishing partnerships
A partnership can be simple or complex. This document outlines a commonly accepted basic framework for understanding a continuum of relationships.
Local possibilities
It is essential for any local service learning project that school staff researches their local community and serve the community in a planned and strategic way. For local initiatives, you need to know your local community. This document provides a starting point with suggested local service learning possibilities.
National possibilities
National service learning projects or activities typically revolve around Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, newly settled refugee communities or church or community groups in other areas of the country. This document provides a starting point with suggested national service learning possibilities.
Hope Vale provides a unique service and cultural learning destination for Lutheran school groups because of its connection with the Lutheran church, the range of community organisations where student groups could be involved and the many cultural experiences students could participate in.
Understanding development
Sustainable development is a process that empowers people in poor communities to ultimately help themselves. This document provides detailed definitions of sustainable development and provides examples.
International learning and service trips
It is important that the purpose and focus of the trip is clear. Provided are questions to consider, benefits to service learning experiences, preparation and planning processes and information regarding training sessions.
Having an international focus as part of your service learning program may involve a partnership with an overseas group. This may or may not involve sending students and/or teacher overseas as part of the program. Provided are questions that need to be asked as an international project is considered. Also refered to in the article Hands-on help can be harmful provided at the end of the document.
ALWS have been running student Christian learning and service tours for Lutheran schools since 2004. This document outlines the 2014 tour details, benefits, guidelines and answers the question: where to now?
Travel Safety Policy
Contact Australian Lutheran World Service for the most up to date information regarding the travel safety policy.