Finding Opportunities for Service

When I visit my hometown I still see the trees that my class helped to plant along main street. To this day, more than twenty years later, I still point these trees out to my children.  It is a reminder for me of where I come from and how I contributed to that particular community.

Service (whether community service or service learning) is powerful.  All 4-H clubs should participate in giving back to others in some way, as it is good for the community, and more importantly good for the individual 4-H member.  Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with meaningful ways to serve beyond the typical canned food drive.  For ideas for your club, check out:

Georgia 4-H Community Service

Ideas for Community Service Projects

Florida 4-H Month of Service and State Project– April is designated as National 4-H Month of Service, and clubs are encouraged to report their hours of service back to their State 4-H office as a way to calculate just how much good our young people are doing in their communities.  In Florida, we also have a State Project, the focus of which changes on a bi-annual basis.  Clubs which participate in this state project may receive recognition from the State 4-H Program.  For 2018-2019, the Florida 4-H State Project is Project L.I.F.E.  (Living in Florida’s Environment).

Florida 4-H Community Pride–  Florida 4-H annually gives away mini-grants to 4-H clubs who conduct community-based service learning projects.  This year’s deadline is December 14.  Even clubs who do not receive a monetary grant may compete for recognition of their service project.

Community Service vs. Service Learning

If you are involved in 4-H for any length of time chances are  you have heard both the terms “community service” and “service learning”.  What’s the difference?  Is there a difference?  Does it matter?

By definition…

Community Service:  Community service is an act individuals or groups perform to help others.  The primary goal of community service is to help another individual, organization, community, etc.  The benefit is focused on those who receive the service.

Service Learning: Learning + Service + Reflection = Service Learning.  In service learning the service is important, but the learning that takes place amongst those who serve is the primary focus.  In a 4-H service learning project, the youth come up with a plan including needs assessment and learning about a given cause or issue, engage in service, and then purposely reflect on the service to capture what they have learned.

Many community service projects can quickly become service learning projects with some important tweaks.  Let’s look at an example:

4-H Serves Florida has begun as a 4-H relief program to support 4-H programs which have recently been impacted by Hurricane Irma.  Let’s say a 4-H club decides they want to contribute in some way.

Community Service:  A club leader may announce the project at a club meeting.  He or she asks 4-H members to consider asking friends and neighbors to support with monetary donations.  Then the club donates those funds to 4-H Serves Florida project.

Service Learning:  A club leader shares the information about the 4-H Serves Florida project with the club.  The club votes to take part.

Learning:   Some learning takes place on the front end (perhaps a guest speaker to talk
about the program, the needs to be served, disaster preparedness, etc.).  The club
chooses some sort of event or activity or means of raising funds (as determined by the
club members who weigh the pros and cons of different fundraising efforts).

Service:  Club members raise and donate funds.

Reflection:  Club members reflect on their service.  The club leader asks them–WHAT
Happened (How did they feel?) SO WHAT (What did you enjoy?  What was
challenging?  What did you learn?) NOW WHAT (What would you do differently next
time?  What will do you do with what you learn?).

If you are looking for more ideas on community service projects for your 4-H club members, check out:

Georgia 4-H Community Service Ideas

Nebraska 4-H: Ideas for Community Service

And remember you can easily turn any of these activities into Service Learning by adding learning and reflection to the equation.

To read more on 4-H Service Learning, check out:

4-H Service Learning

 

 

“I pledge my hands to larger service…”

…And we’re BACK!

Hurricane Irma sent us into a brief hiatus  but we are slowly getting back in action on the 4-H: Looking FOURward blog!  However, many across our state and beyond are still reeling from the effects of the storm.  It is during times like this, that many of our volunteers, members, and clubs rise to the opportunity to extend our mission of service to those around us.

Service to others is an important component of the 4-H club experience.  Repeated research (Lerner, 2011) demonstrates the importance of youth serving and engaging with their communities, and exercising contribution to others, as a means of positive child and adolescent development.  Put more simply, helping others is good for kids!  You can read more at:  The Positive Development of Youth

Over the next few posts we will examine how to best engage 4-H members in community service and service learning.  For today though- welcome back!  We are glad you are here.