PROGRAM AREAS

SERVICE LEARNING – ADVENTURER'S WANTED!

4-H service-learning combines service and learning objectives with the intent that the activity changes both the recipient and the provider of the service. It involves active learning - drawing lessons from the experience of performing service work. There are three basic components to effective service-learning:

1. Set objectives for skills to be learned or issues to consider. Plan the project so that learning takes place at the same time work gets done.
2. Perform the service.
3. Analyse the experience and draw lessons through discussion with others and reflections on the work.

Our goal for service learning is to bring awareness to the need and benefits of service in each and every club, project area, and leadership role.

Individual Service Hour Tracker (coming soon!)

Brick by Brick for Service Learning

Service Learning Vending Machine (coming soon!)

Key Components of 4-H Service Learning

Integrates Learning
Learning is integrated into relevant content (often 4-H project-based). The service informs content and the content informs service.

Meets Genuine Needs
Youth identify and learn about a recognized need in their community.

Promotes Youth Voice and Choice
Youth demonstrate decision making in a safe environment that allows them to make mistakes and still succeed.

Creates Partnerships
Youth participate in the development of community partnerships and share responsibility with community members.

Benefits Everyone
Mutual teaching and learning, and shared responsibility benefit all participants in the service learning experience.

Builds Civic Responsibility
Young people understand they have a role in improving society, and are empowered by their ability to improve the quality of life in the community.

Service Learning Project Sheet

Daily Challenges - Mondays through Fridays
One act per day to show how easy service can be

Service Kickoff Week - Second Week of January 2021

Goosechase App - 20-30 Challenges

Bi-Monthly Service Learning Adventure Challenges - Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec.
Be intentional in looking around for needs in your community using skills learned in your clubs.

Resources (links) for leaders and volunteers

Community Service Learning is a form of experiential learning in which youth apply the subject matter they are learning along with critical thinking skills to address genuine community needs. When youth are involved in selecting and planning such efforts, and have structured time to reflect, talk, and write about the actual service activity they are performing the youth learn more, they become more confident about what they have learned, they improve in problem-solving ability, their leadership and social abilities improve, they take more enjoyment in the overall learning experience, they retain the subject matter longer, and they are more likely to volunteer to serve the community in the future. Community Service Learning can be performed individually, or as a group of varying sizes.

"Community Service Learning strengthens the skills and knowledge 4-H’ers are acquiring by actively combining their learning with service to help meet real community needs. Every 4-H participant is encouraged to take part in community service that fits his/her areas of learning, as an important feature of 4-H youth development."

Service and volunteering provide opportunities for adolescents to contribute to society in meaningful and valued ways. Providing all young people with opportunities to serve enables them to become contributors, problem solvers and partners with adults in improving their community and the larger society. Youth today who are involved in service activities are assuming meaningful roles and responding to real needs of society as well as to their own need to be needed. Young people need work experience, a higher sense of self- confidence, a chance to develop a service ethic, and opportunities to work with different kinds of people in common endeavors.

Our goal in the service learning area of leadership is to bring awareness to the need and benefits of service in each and every club, project area, and leadership role.