Benefits of Community-Based Learning and Action
For community partners, the goal of social change is the primary incentive for entering into community-based service-learning collaborations. Specifically, community organizations can:
- Mobilize additional resources to fulfill the organizational mission of the community group;
- Gain access to new resources and improve their ability to better leverage the resources that are already under their control;
- Build capacity by increasing the organization’s ability to operate more effectively;
- Increase effectiveness through an improved ability to collect, analyze, and use data independently;
- Develop greater public awareness and support of their mission; and
- Maximize community empowerment and advocacy efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
By what date does the student have to be finished with his/her 50 hours?
Completion dates are determined by the seminar professor. If you have questions regarding due dates, please consult the seminar class syllabus given to you or call the Associate Director or one of the Assistant Directors at CALL.
What if I want a student to volunteer overtime (in addition to the normal pre-scheduled hours)?
That is fine; however given the change in schedule, you may have to work with the student to help them secure alternate transportation.
Can students volunteer on the weekends?
Yes, in fact some of our students may prefer to or will only be able to volunteer on weekends.
What do we do if we are not happy with our volunteer(s)?
Please call the Director of Partnership Development, immediately, to discuss your options.
Can a student be placed with two different organizations?
Yes, however the student must complete the minimum number of hours required by each organization.
What if we want a volunteer to divide their time between two different locations?
That is allowed; however, there may be transportation challenges associated with doing this. This is something that you would have to work out with your volunteer and the CALL Student Coordinator.
What happens during the midterm/final study periods? Can a student volunteer?
Yes, students are required to volunteer. The work they perform at their placement is a required component of their class.
If we ask a student to volunteer additional hours (in addition to the pre-established number of volunteer hours), are we required to pay them?
No. The students understand that their placement is a “for credit” course-embedded experience.