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Service Learning Program
Outline for Juvenile Justice Committee
September 21, 2012

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Overlook of proposed program:
Mission Statement:
…To instill a sense of civic responsibility by connecting our youth to a meaningful and positive
learning experience by engaging in the wellbeing of their community.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Service Learning Program is
to provide youth in our community an avenue in which they can engage with their peers
as well as positive adults, for the betterment of their community
At the same time by having a central program and dedicated staff we will be able to
coordinate with the many youth serving organizations and agencies to pull resources
and experiences to achieve the meaningful experience youth are looking for.
What is Service learning?
The essence of service learning rest on a philosophy of service and learning that occurs
in experiences, reflection, and civil engagement within a collaborative relationship
involving community partners.
It is also noteworthy that effective service-learning practices are closely aligned with effective
youth development practices. A major report from the National Research Council and Institute
of Medicine (2002) identified eight factors in community programs that facilitate positive youth
development:
Physical and psychological safety;
Appropriate structure;
Supportive relationships;
Opportunities to belong;
Positive social norms;
Support for efficacy and mentoring;
Opportunities for skill building; and
Integration of family, school, and community efforts.

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Key Components of Effective Service-Learning
Academic and social connections
Authentic community needs
Student voice
Reflection
Community partnerships
Positive connections to community and its people
Assessment
Difference between Community Service and Service Learning
Community service example
If students remove trash from a streambed:
o they are providing a service to the community as volunteers
Service-Learning Example
When students remove trash from a streambed,
o Learn about the environmental impact trash has on the environment from a
wildlife biologist.
o Analyze what they found,
o Share the results and offer suggestions for the neighborhood to reduce pollution
o Make a presentation about the project to present to local/ state officials or at an
environmental workshop.
o Then reflect on their experience
o After project is completed offer a canoe trip down the river for the youth to see
the impact they made.
o THAT is service-learning!
Benefits of Service-Learning
• Personal and interpersonal development: tolerance, stereotyping, appreciation of other
cultures, self-knowledge, spiritual growth (need to give back), finding reward in helping others,
personal efficacy, leadership skills, communication skills, feeling connected to the community
(campus and local),and valuing a career in helping others.

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• Understanding and applying knowledge: students report that they learn more and are
motivated to work harder in service-learning classes. They also report having a deeper
understanding of the subject matter and complexity of social issues, and application of subject
matter and experience through reflection is associated with more learning.
• Critical thinking: increases reported in well-integrated service-learning classes; affected
ability to identify social issues and openness to new ideas.
• Perspective transformation: reframing of understanding of social issues and social changes-
new way of seeing the world; moved students to a more systemic view of social problems
(charity to justice).
• Citizenship: all of outcomes identified become means to develop citizenship. Well-integrated
service-learning contributes to attainment of values, knowledge, skills, efficacy and
commitment for citizenship.
Adapted from Eyler J. & Giles, G.E. Jr. (1999). Where’s the learning in service-learning?
Example of how the ideal program might be structured.
I. Program Structure
The Service Learning Program will be operated under the Schoharie County Youth
Bureau as the lead agency.
Partnerships with Juvenile Justice Committee, schools, Sheriff’s Department, Probation,
Social Services, Youth Serving Agencies (non Profit), Office of Children and Family
Service, Department of Justice, Churches.
Program will be open to all youth in the county. But will also serve as a place for youth
that are required to fulfill service hours.
Our goal is to have an integrated program that allows at risk youth to participate side by
side with positive peer role models.
II. Staffing
Program Director:
o This person will oversee the program; work with other agencies and
organizations to promote the program, seek out funding sources, compile data
Program Coordinator:
o A person dedicated to the day to day operation of the program. This will be a
part time position, 20 hrs per week.
o Will be the lead person at all projects.
o Design and implement project.
1. Work with community to find appropriate projects
2. Coordinate staff for project day
3. Develop curriculum for the project

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4. Schedule speakers/ educators for the project
5. Have all necessary equipment for the project
6. Recruit volunteers to assist with varies aspects of the project
7. Recruitment of youth into the program
8. Conduct monthly meetings with Youth in the program (Youth Voice)
9. Coordinate with outside service projects in the county
10. Seek donations for projects
11. Keep track of service hours for all participants. (current project hours and
ongoing service hours)
Program Staff
o Will work the days of the events.
o Could be part time staff that are:
1. hired specifically for the program or,
2. Invested partners in the community that are able to dedicated x amount
of hours a month from their normal work hours. (actual agreement with
agency/ department)
o Will work directly with the youth in the program.
o They will not be leaders, but rather a team member.
o There will be a set of criteria design specifically for this position
Volunteer Educators/ Speakers
o A critical component of the Service Learning Program is incorporating learning
with the service.
o Having volunteer educators and speakers at each event is required.
o They must have a direct connection to the project being done or to the people
that the project is impacting.
o Educators and speakers will be invited to the events and will not be paid for their
time.
Volunteers (Adults)
o Will play a key role in the logistics of the project
1. Support for the behind the scenes of the day of the project.
2. Preparing lunch, setting up, cleaning up
3. May only be affiliated with a particular project
o Will also have a role in working directly with the youth in the project
1. This will be particularly important if they are connected with the benefits
of the project.
2. Youth will have an opportunity to make an important connection with
the project and the people it will have an impact on
3. Should only be volunteers that are connected with the project or
4. Are positive role models for our youth

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III. Program Overview
Program will be offered 3 times a year, fall, spring, and summer.
The number of participants can vary, but a minimum of 12 will be needed to
ensure good group dynamics.
The program will be offered to middle school and high school aged youth.
It will be open to all youth, but will work to have a balance of referrals and youth
deemed to be at risk of becoming a referral.
This will not be a dumping ground for anyone who needs to get their youth they
work with service hours.
Youth will need to fill out an application and be accepted into the program.
o As program develops the youth in the program will play an active role in
this process.
How Program Will Be Structured
I. The Service Learning Program will have 2 components to it.
1. The main focus will be on the 3 programs that are set up and ran by the Youth
Bureau; 1 in the fall, 1 in the spring, and 1 in the summer.
2. Become a central location where other organizations can utilize to promote
their service projects and where we can connect our youth in the program to
additional service opportunities.
I. Fall Program
Will run from September into December
There will be 1 project a month in September, October, and November
 There will be a total of 3 projects
 Projects will be 8 hours in total
 Youth will be able to earn up to 24 hours of service
 This includes the actual work but also time spent with educators or guest
speakers, and also the debriefing of the project at the end.
There will also be one meeting a month, prior to that month’s project.
 Total of 4 meetings
 Meeting will be 2 hours in length.
 Youth will earn service hours for all meetings
 Youth will be able to earn up to 8 hours of service.
 For youth to meet and learn about the project coming up. There may be
a guest speaker/ educator to discuss the project.
 Youth will also discuss future projects, work on leadership skills, and do
some team building activities.

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In December there will be a Program Finale/ Slide Show
 For everyone involved in the project. Youth, family member, staff,
volunteers, educators/speakers, and key members of the community.
 Youth in the program will plan and help set up the event as part of their
service hours.
 Youth will earn 4 hours of service for this event
 Service Hour Awards will be given out.
Service Hours for program
 Meetings: 8
 Projects: 24
 Program Finale: _4_
 Total Max: 36
 Addition Hrs can be accumulated through participating in service projects
that youth attends through the second component of the program.
II. Spring Program
Will run from March to June.
There will be 1 project a month in March, April, May
 There will be a total of 3 projects
 Projects will be 8 hours in total
 Youth will be able to earn up to 24 hours of service
 This includes the actual work but also time spent with educators or guest
speakers, and also the debriefing of the project at the end.
There will also be one meeting a month, prior to that month’s project.
 Total of 4 meetings
 Meeting will be 2 hours in length.
 Youth will earn service hours for all meetings
 Youth will be able to earn up to 8 hours of service.
 For youth to meet and learn about the project coming up. There may be
a guest speaker/ educator to discuss the project.
 Youth will also discuss future projects, work on leadership skills, and do
some team building activities.
In June there will be a Program Finale/ Slide Show
 For everyone involved in the project. Youth, family member, staff,
volunteers, educators/speakers, and key members of the community.
 Youth in the program will plan and help set up the event as part of their
service hours.
 Youth will earn 4 hours of service for this event
 Service Hour Awards will be given out.

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Service Hours for program
 Meetings: 8
 Projects: 24
 Program Finale: _4_
 Total Max: 36
 Addition Hrs can be accumulated through participating in service projects
that youth attends through the second component of the program.
III. Summer Program
The summer program will consist of two 1 week Service Projects.
Youth will sign up for the entire week.
They may work on one project for the entire week or on several smaller ones
throughout the week.
There will be leadership skills as well as team building activities incorporated into
the week.
The program will follow the same requirements as the Fall and Spring programs.
Youth will be able to earn up to 40 hours of service hours for the week.
Group size will be capped at 12 youth.
The week will not be all work; a recreational component will also be
incorporated into the week.
IV. The second component of the program will be a central location where other
organizations can utilize to promote their service projects where we can connect our
youth in the program to additional service opportunities.
The Youth Bureau will act as a place for outside organizations to contact about
service projects they are holding.
We will promote their event and try to match up youth out of our data base
We can create a data base of youth that are interested in Service Learning
Projects.
 Youth fill out a survey form.
 We can then use their information to match them up with projects in
their area or their interest.
 They do not need to participate in one of the Youth Bureau’s 3 Service
Learning Programs listed above to be in the data base.
V. Partners in the Program
All youth serving agencies that either interested in the program or plan to utilize
the program for the youth they serve.
Role of partners
 Get their youth involved in the program
 Be an active participant

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Commit staff to be a program staff member
Be part of the Service Learning Board
Volunteer at day of the project
Financial
o Is there money for preventive services that can be
committed to the program
In Kind Service
o Vehicles
o Equipment
o Give aways
Promote the program and the event.
Partner for grants/ funding opportunities
VI. Budget
Being worked on
VII. Obstacles
Funding
Buy in
Transportation
Commitment by youth
Understanding what the program is and about what Service Learning is
Commitment by partners in the project
VIII. Goals and Objective
Being developed