1. Service-learning is an educational methodology used in Spain to promote social commitment in students through hands-on community service projects linked to learning. 2. Service-learning is needed in Spain to address issues like school failure, lack of citizenship and social cohesion, and the risk of social fracture. 3. Service-learning is developing across Spain's regions, supported by initiatives that build networks between schools and community organizations to design diverse projects combining learning and service.

1. Service -Learning in Spain The 21st Annual National Service-Learning Conference San José, California, March 24-27, 2010 Roser Batlle

3. 1. What is the Spanish concept of S-L? An educational methodology which promotes social commitment in children and young people linked to gaining knowledge , learning skills, attitudes, and values Learn by doing a service for the community A definition

4. 1. What is the Spanish concept of S-L? 1. Several possibilities : A S-L project can be large or small, long durational or brief. 2. Learning may be related or not to academic content. 3. Allow for imperfection : Basic requirements are not the same as quality criteria. 4. The network between schools and CBO at local level is one of the most important keys to success. Some approaches

5. 2. Why is S-L needed in Spain? School failure Lack of citizenship and values + Risk of social fracture

6. Education for citizenship Contribution to success at school Greater social cohesion + Service-Learning 2. Why is S-L needed in Spain?

7. 3. Which opportunities do we have? 1. There is now greater social sensibility towards educational challenges. 2. There is a new subject in compulsory education called Citizenship, which favors S-L Projects.

8. 3. Which opportunities do we have? 3. We already have a lot of Primary schools and High schools open to the community and developing many social actions. 4. We already have a lot of CBO with educational projects. 5. We already have many City Councils with educational policies addressed towards drop out and social cohesion.

9. 4. Which difficulties do we face? 1. Low experience in networking between schools and CBO. 2. Low experience in projects with strong links between Learning and Service.

10. 4. Which difficulties do we face? 3. Many teachers are fatigued and dispirited because of consecutive educational reforms. 4. Schedules, timetables and rules are still too inflexible in Primary and Secondary schools, and this is often a difficulty for developing S-L projects.

11. 5. How is S-L developing in Spain? The diffusion of Service-Learning in Spain is supporting by Ashoka Innovators for the Public Regions without a S-L initiative Regions with a S-L initiative in process Regions with a S-L initiative: Galicia Asturias Cantabria Extremadura Andalucía Castilla León Castilla La Mancha Madrid Aragón Cataluña Valencia Baleares Murcia Canarias Navarr a País Vasco La Rioja

12. 5. How is S-L developing in Spain? Development Criteria 1. From regional to national level. 2. Several and diverse educational and social agents in every regional initiative. 3. Exchange of resources, and knowledge among different initiatives. 4. Involve public administrations on different levels and areas of responsibility

13. Story Guides Children at Primary or High School, in their Language class, prepare stories to tell to younger children who need to improve listening, reading or speaking skills, or their social and cultural integration. 6. Some Spanish S-L Projects

14. Blood Donation Campaign 6. Some Spanish S-L Projects Children and teenagers contribute actively with a Blood Donation Campaign : After learning in Science or Citizenship class, they spread to the community the need for blood and they organize their own campaign to encourage donors.

15. Teenagers at High School, in their Science or Biology class, adopt a river, pond, channel, or lagoon , which is threatened by destruction or degradation. They do activities including cleaning, conservation, signposting, or spreading the ecological value of the place. Adopting a river 6. Some Spanish S-L Projects

16. In the Citizenship class teenagers investigate the city’s Community-based Organizations responsible for Human Rights. They then apply what they have learnt, through games and stories with children at primary schools in the area. 6. Some Spanish S-L Projects Sharing our Rights

17. Conecta Joven 6. Some Spanish S-L Projects Teenagers are taught to teach adults and elderly people in computer skills , helping them to jump the digital gap. This project is linked to the Technology class, or is an independent initiative of CBO.

18. 7. Our conclusions 1. Service-Learning is not only an educational tool, it is also a way to strengthen the social cohesion in a territory. 2. Service-Learning should be an acknowledgment of existing good practices , and not to be shown as the latest teaching trend. 3. Service-Learning is an opportunity to recover the social sense of the education : it should be useful to improve society and not only individual progress.

19. Perhaps on the annual celebration of Universal Children’s Day, we could remember an unfortunately forgotten principle of the 1923 Declaration of Geneva : 7. Our conclusions The child must be brought up with the consciousness that its talents must be devoted to the service of others

20. Thank you very much! www.zerbikas.es www.aprenentatgeservei.cat www.roserbatlle.wordpress.com

21. Service -Learning in Spain The 21st Annual National Service-Learning Conference San José, California, March 24-27, 2010 Roser Batlle