Service Learning

What is Service-Learning?

Service-learning is an approach to teaching and learning in which students use academic and civic knowledge and skills to address genuine community needs.

Picking up trash on a river bank is service. Studying water samples under a microscope is learning. When science students collect and analyze water samples, document their results, and present findings to a local pollution control agency – that is service-learning.

A national study of Learn and Serve America programs suggests that effective service learning programs improve grades, increase attendance in school, and develop students' personal and social responsibility.

A growing body of research recognizes service-learning as an effective strategy to help students by:

  • Promoting learning through active participation in service experiences

  • Providing structured time for students to reflect by thinking, discussing and writing about their service experience

  • Providing an opportunity for students to use skills and knowledge in real-life situations

  • Extending learning beyond the classroom and into the community

  • Fostering a sense of caring for others

Service-Learning also strengthens both education and local communities by:

  • Building effective collaborative partnerships between schools or colleges and other institutions and organizations

  • Engaging parents and other adults in supporting student learning

  • Meeting community needs through the service projects conducted

  • Providing engaging and productive opportunities for young people to work with others in their community

*The above information was provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn & Serve America

Upcoming Service Learning Opportunity!

$500 Stipends Provided!

Looking for ways to build leadership skills and engage in real life experiences with youth in your out-of-school program? Curious about how community service can turn into a youth generated service-learning project?

Service-learning is an approach to teaching and learning in which students engage in community service to address community needs while building their academic and civic knowledge and skills. (Coalition For Service-Learning)

The Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (MAP) is a proud recipient of a Service-Learning grant offered through The National Youth Leadership Council. We are pleased to offer this professional development opportunity designed to prepare participants to implement a high-quality service-learning project.

One to three people from the program will be required to attend:

  • 3 hours of an Intro to Service-Learning Training on March 6, 2025, from 9am to NOON at the Hotel 1620 in Plymouth MA

  • 3 Community of Practice sessions (2 hours each session: One in April, one in May and one in June. Exact dates and times to be determined by group) The last session will be a presentation by the youth of their Service-Learning projects.

15 programs will be selected to participate. Programs that complete all the sessions will receive a $500 stipend for their time and a chance to participate at the National Service-Learning Conference in Missouri March 26 to March 28 for free! The name of one participant will be randomly selected to attend with their registration, flight, and hotel along with a $100 a day food stipend awarded.

Click on the button below to apply!

Applications are due January 31, 2025.

Programs will be informed if they were selected by February 6, 2025.

Project Ideas

Looking for inspiration? Explore an extensive list of service learning project ideas complied by Harkins Consulting, LLC. Browse by issue or content areas, and discover great ideas for all levels K-12.