This new research explores the longer-term impact of International Service Learning Programs (where employees of corporations travel internationally to use their business skills in service of third-party organizations addressing social issues and learn as an outcome). This research provides fascinating insights into the power of these experiences on participants’ leadership capabilities, the impact on career mobility and the effect on employee engagement.

1. Matthew Farmer
Managing Director, Emerging World
The Long-term Impact of International Service Learning
Programs on Leadership Skills, Career Mobility & Employee
Engagement

2. Impact Assessment Research
65 responses
8 programmes
6 organisations
Assessing the long-term impact of assignments that took place between 2006 and 2013

3. Types of Program
Individual Programs ≥4 Weeks
E.g. Welsh Government International
Learning Opportunity
 Individuals apply to the program and are
matched to a range of assignments with
Emerging World partner organisations.
 Assignment duration is 8 – 12 weeks.
 Projects often include identification &
implementation of solutions to partners
challenges.
E.g. Credit Suisse Global Citizens Program
Education Initiative
 Individuals apply to undertake a range
of assignments with Credit Suisse global
partners in education.
 Assignment duration is 1-2 weeks.
 Each assignment consists of a project
that addresses specific needs identified
by the partner organisations.
Individual Programs <4 WeeksShort Group Based Programs
E.g. Microsoft Front Lines
 Targeted executive development program.
 Groups of leaders work with partner
representatives to address a challenge using
Action Learning.
 Assignment duration is 4-6 days in country.
 Virtual work complements the in-country
experience.

4. Study Objectives
It’s 10 years since Emerging World was incorporated
The world has changed a lot and more companies have embraced these kinds of program BUT HR/L&D
have yet to fully embrace the potential of these kinds of program
At the beginning of the year we published a paper entitled ISL programs – The Development Assignments
of 21st Century to make the case for HR/L&D to more fully embrace this approach
Wanted data to back up the study but data on the longer-term impact of these kinds of program is limited
This study has enabled us to bridge that gap and provide concrete data that will:
Help our clients demonstrate the impact of their programmes to stakeholders
Make the case to other companies for the value of establishing these programs
Build our own understanding of the impact of these programs, which will help us to advise clients and participants
better in the future

5. What the Study Measured
Level 1 Reaction
Participants reaction to
the experience
Level 2 Learning
Improvements in knowledge,
skills & abilities
Level 3 Behaviours
Application new knowledge,
skills & abilities
Level 4 Results
Impact of the experience on
business success
Kirkpatrick’sFourLevelsofLearningImpact
The study consisted of a questionnaire that explored three areas of
impact:
1. Leadership Development
2. Career Mobility
3. Employee Engagement
The questions and retrospective nature of the study enabled
assessment up of learning measurement up to level 3 on Kirkpatrick's
scale (most studies only go to level 2 and level 4 is almost impossible
to measure as variables are very hard to isolate)
The questionnaire included closed questions, to obtain comparable
data, and open questions to explore this data further.

6. Leadership Development

7. Participants that have recommended
an International Service Learning
experience to at least one colleague
Participants that reported positive
developments in leadership skills and
competencies
Participants that made positive changes
to the way they work
Participants whose positive changes
were observed by others
Level 1 Reaction
Participants level of
satisfaction
Level 2 Learning
The skills that were developed
or improved
Level 3 Behaviour
Changes in behaviour reported
by participants
Changes in behaviour verified
by others
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
62%
79%
92%
98%
Participants’ Levels of Learning
“My experience taught me to listen more. It taught me the importance of understanding cultural differences - I still apply this today whether it
is a different team, different organisation or a different country - I never fear taking on a new challenge.”

8. Participants that have recommended an
International Service Learning experience
to at least one colleague
Participants that reported positive
developments in leadership skills and
competencies
Participants that made positive changes
to the way they work
Participants whose positive changes
were observed by others
Levels of Learning Explored
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Open Enrolment
Targeted Enrolment
Short group based
programs
Individual programs
≥4 weeks
Individual programs
<4 weeks
Individual programs
≥4 weeks

9. Global Leadership Competencies & Behaviours
We identified twelve global leadership competencies to measure based upon:
The latest models
of global leadership
The competencies
companies say their
leaders need as
detailed in our white
paper
Our 10 years of experience

10. Measuring Global Leadership
We asked all participants whether
their experience positively impacted
12 global leadership
skills & behaviours
Self Awareness
Self Confidence
See things from different perspectives
Assimilate intuition and fact into
decision making
Deal with ambiguity
Deal with complexity
Problem solving
Act with integrity and make
values based decisions
Initiate new ways of doing things
Work collaboratively
Work with culturally diverse
groups or teams
Achieve tasks through
other people

11. 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Self awareness
Self confidence
See things from different
perspectives
Assimulate intuition and fact
into decision making
Deal with abiguity
Deal with complexity
Problem solving
Act with integrity and make
values based decisions
Initiate new ways of doing
things
Work collaboratively
Work with cuturally diverse
groups or teams
Achieve tasks through other
people
Individual programs
<4 weeks
Individual programs
≥4 weeks
Short group based
programs
Impact of Program Type on Global Leadership Development
Positive response
Act with integrity and make
values based decisions

12. 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Self awareness
Self confidence
See things from different
perspectives
Assimulate intuition and fact
into decision making
Deal with abiguity
Deal with complexity
Problem solving
Act with integrity and make
vaules based decisions
Initiate new ways of doing
things
Work collaboratively
Work with cuturally diverse
groups or teams
Achieve tasks through other
people
Individual programs
<4 weeks
Individual programs
≥4 weeks
Short group based
programs
Impact of Program Type on Global Leadership Development
Strongly agree only
Act with integrity and make
values based decisions

13. Getting Outside your Comfort Zone
Open Enrolment
Targeted Enrolment
6.26
8.05
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0
Female
Male
7.1
6.6
7 out of 10 on average how far participants
felt out of their comfort-zones during their experience.
“Stepping out of my comfort zone and exposing me to a different reality, one where my day to day problems and challenges seemed
trivial gave me a very healthy and thought provoking new perspective. This has better equipped me to face into the challenges and
stresses in my own workplace.”
Individual programs >4 weeks
Short group based programs
Individual programs <4 weeks
7.79
7.6
5.2
Individual programs ≥4 weeks

14. Positive Correlation between Comfort Zone and Skills Development
Self confidence
Self awareness
Dealing with
complexity
Seeing things
from different
perspectives
Ability to work with
culturally diverse
groups
ComfortZone
Strength of competency development
There is a statistically significant positive
correlation between participants who felt
strongly that they had developed their
overall leadership skills and the degree
to which they felt outside of their
comfort zone
Furthermore, participants further
outside of their comfort zones reported
the strongest level of impact across a
number of specific leadership
competencies

15. Career Mobility

16. Impact on Career Mobility
83%
of respondents have moved
roles either increasing scope,
responsibility, seniority or
moving to a different area of
business
65%
of respondents who have
moved roles identified their
experience as a contributing
factor in moving roles
25%
of respondents who have
moved roles strongly agree
that their experience was
contributing factor in moving
roles

17. Factor in Changing Roles
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Indvidual programs <1 month
Short group based programs
Indvidual programs >1 month
50%
67%
72%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Open Enrolment
Targeted Enrolment
59%
74%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Female
Male
58%
73%
“The experience gave me a huge confidence boost that I could deal
with the unknown, that I could add value even without my normal
UK technical skill-set and organisation’s brand behind me. This is a
subtle, but hugely important attribute for progression, when one
steps into more senior roles and has to deal with increasing levels
of ambiguity where there is no one right answer. “
Individual programs ≥4 weeks
Individual programs <4 weeks

18. Employee Engagement & Retention

19. Impact on Retention
48% of those with the same organisation
identified that their experience had contributed to
their decision to remain with their organisation
>2 years the period of time participants
remained with their organisations following their
experience (on average)
31% of participants that are no longer working for
the same organisation identified that their experience
contributed to their decision to remain with their
organisation for a period of time after their experience
79% of participants continue
to work for the organisation who
supported their ISL experience
21% of participants are no
longer working for the organisation
who supported their ISL experience
“I have undoubtedly felt a sense of gratitude towards the organisation for its investment in me and for providing me with
such a powerful and personally impacting opportunity.”

20. Retention Examined
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Female
Male
38%
55%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Indvidual programs <1 month
Short group based programs
Indvidual programs >1 month
48%
60%
43%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Open Enrolment
Targeted Enrolment
38%
75%
Participants that reported their ISL
experience had contributed to their decision
to continue to work for their organisation.
Individual programs <4 weeks
Individual programs ≥4 weeks

21. Impact on Employee Engagement
65%
Felt increased loyal to their
organisation following their
experience
51%
Felt increased alignment
with their organisation’s
values following their
experience
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
77%
68%
86%
71%
52%
33%
60%
48%
75%
55% Targeted Enrolment
Open Enrolment
Indvidual programs
>4 weeks
Short group based
programs
Indvidual programs
<4 weeks
More alignment
with the
organisations
values
More loyal to the
organisation
Individual programs
≥4 weeks

22. Questions
&
Discussion

23. Additional Resources