Toolkit
We hope you will find our resources page helpful. We have organized resources into three categories:
| For students » | For faculty members » | For community partners » |
You may find helpful resources in any part of this page — so please do not limit your reading to a single category. If you are looking for a particular resource and don’t find it here, feel free to contact the service-learning program director, Lynn Pelco, at lepelco@vcu.edu or (804) 827-8215.
Resources especially for students
Readings
- Cress, C.M. (2005). What is service-learning? In Learning Through Serving: A Student Guidebook for Service-Learning Across the Disciplines, Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing
![[PDF]](http://www.servicelearning.vcu.edu/files/2012/02/pdficon_small.gif)
. - Ten Principles of Good Practice in Community Service-Learning .
Forms
Websites
- VCU’s Caring to Act Calendar - VCU sponsors an online calendar of volunteer opportunities for VCU students, faculty and staff. Check out what’s happening this semester, and sign up online to participate.
- HandsOn Greater Richmond - This website provides an online space for assisting people who want to volunteer in and around Richmond.
- ConnectVA – This website provides resources and access to nonprofits, civic leaders, volunteers and others interested in improving Metro Richmond.
- VCU Volunteer Opportunities - Learn more about the student clubs at VCU that focus on volunteer service to the community.
- Learn and Serve America - This national website focuses on service-learning opportunities for students around the country.
- Volunteering in America - This website provides a wealth of information about volunteering trends, statistics, tools, resources and information for the nation to see how states and cities rank on different factors related to volunteering.
- Do Something - This website is dedicated to linking youth to important causes through volunteer work around the nation.
- National Service-Learning Clearing House - This national website provides a wide variety of resources to help students, instructors and community members learn more about service-learning.
Resources especially for faculty members
Readings
- Hara, B. (2010). Service-learning (for students). Chronicle of Higher Education .
- Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice (2008) .
- Rubin (2001). A smart start to service-learning. New Directions for Higher Education, 114, 15-26 .
- Ash and Clayton (2009). Generating, deepening and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning, Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1, 25-48 .
- Ten Principles of Good Practice in Community Service-Learning .
Forms
- VCU service-learning course designation form
![[Word Document]](http://www.servicelearning.vcu.edu/files/2012/02/word_icon.png)
- This form must be completed and submitted to the Service-Learning Program Office (along with an updated course syllabus) to have a course considered for designation as a VCU-recognized service-learning course. - Sample student service hour log - Service hour logs are not required in service-learning classes at VCU; however, some service-learning instructors do have students complete them. Here is an example of a service hour log that students might be required to complete in a service-learning class.
- Sample student service contract - Service contracts are not required in service-learning classes at VCU; however, some service-learning instructors ask students to complete them. Here is an example of a service contract that students might be required to complete in a service-learning class.
- Sample of memorandums of understanding - Memorandums of understanding (MOU) between the instructor/university and community partner service site are not required in service-learning classes at VCU; however, some service-learning instructors do use them. Here is an example of an MOU that a service-learning instructor and community partner service site might collaborate to adapt for their service-learning partnership.
Websites
- National Service-Learning Clearinghouse - This national website provides a wide variety of resources to help students, instructors and community members learn more about service-learning.
- Learn and Serve America - Learn and Serve America is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service Community and provides support to schools, higher education institutions and community-based organizations that engage students, their teachers and others in service-learning.
- Campus Compact - Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents, representing some 6 million students, dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement and service-learning in higher education.
- Service-learning research- This site is operated by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse and provides resources, highlights known and emerging community-engaged scholars, builds capacity to conduct and publish service-learning research, and disseminates service-learning research information.
- VCU’s Caring to Act Calendar - VCU sponsors an online calendar of volunteer opportunities for VCU students, faculty and staff. Check out what’s happening this semester and consider incorporating these VCU-sponsored service projects into your service-learning classes.
- HandsOn Greater Richmond - This website provides an online space for assisting people who want to volunteer in and around Richmond. HandsOn is a wonderful local resource for identifying service-projects for service-learning classes.
- ConnectVA – This website provides resources and access to nonprofits, civic leaders, volunteers and others interested in improving Metro Richmond. The site lists more than 2,000 local nonprofits and is a great resource for identifying local community partners for your service-learning course.
Resources especially for community partners
Readings
- Frequently asked questions about service-learning - This link takes you to a page on the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse website which answers frequently asked questions about service-learning.
- Benefits of service-learning - This link takes you to a handout produced by the Learn and Serve Clearinghouse, which outlines the benefits of community-based service-learning.
- Developing partnerships for service-learning This link takes you to a handout produced by the Learn and Serve Clearinghouse, which describes strategies for developing reciprocal service-learning partnerships.
- Service-learning in community-based organizations toolkit (2010) This 61-page guidebook was produced by the Learn and Serve Clearinghouse in 2009 and provides you and your organization with the tips, tools and techniques you need to start making a positive difference in many people’s lives by providing high-quality opportunities for youth to serve and learn.
Forms
- VCU service-learning community partner application form - Use this application to apply to become a VCU service-learning community partner. Email the completed application to Lynn Pelco, Service-Learning Office Director, lepelco@vcu.edu. Once your application form is received, VCU Service-Learning Program Office staff will search for service-learning courses and instructors that match your organization’s mission and needs. The process of planning a new service-learning partnership typically takes between three and six months.
Websites
- VCU student clubs and organizations - Some community organizations may be better served by partnering with a student club rather than a service-learning class. Follow this link to learn more about student clubs and organizations at VCU.
