Civic Engagement - Service-Learning Project

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Identify and reflect upon current and changing attitudes about persons with mental illness and the Mental Health System.
  • Apply knowledge of mental health practice and theory in an analysis of experiences in a mental health care or mental health advocacy setting.
  • Identify ways in which civic action in inherent in the role of a Mental Health Worker.
  • Describe instances in which they have adapted or modified communication practices within the mental health experiential.

Steps in the Process

Through the class schedule you are going to engage in a number of graded and ungraded activities that will lead you through the process of developing a quality service-learning project. These steps are outlined in the Course Navigator. Descriptions of each step are also included as links in this section of the course.

The steps in the Service-Learning process are:

  1. Locate an organization, event, or a self-designed public education program at which you can volunteer.
  2. Complete the SL Proposal Quiz
  3. Complete your Hours (in here you will find a link to the Time Log and Supervisor Evaluation forms you need to complete to document your service.)
  4. Complete your SL Reflection Paper (Civic Engagement)
  5. Complete the following SL related forms and documentation (links and instructions are located below)
    • Experience Summary Survey
    • SL Time Log
    • SL Supervisor Evaluation

Scroll down to see specific information related to each of these steps

Step 1: Locate an organization, event, or a self-designed public education program at which you can volunteer.

You need to document 10 hours of service in the community during the semester in which you are taking this course. The easiest way to do this is to locate an organization that already uses volunteers.

Nearly everything you can think of is probably good:

  • Mental Health Agency
  • Advocacy Services
  • Supported Employment Agencies
  • Social Clubs
  • Providing Public Education and/or Presentations
  • Awareness Events (Fund Raisers)
  • Participation in the KVCC Mental Health Club
  • Self-designed Project

It is easier to talk about what you can't do:

  • You cannot do one-on-one personal care
  • You cannot do work for a family member
  • You cannot do work that would otherwise go to a paid employee

The KVCC Center for Civic Engagement maintains a website where opportunities are advertised. Check the graphic to visit the website!


Step 2: Complete the SL Proposal Quiz

Locate the "SL Proposal Quiz" in your course.

Answer the following questions about your proposed SL project. This quiz will remain open indefinitely so you can update it as changes happen. Each time I grade it I will leave comments. You must score a 100 on this quiz in order to have an "approved" SL project. You can take it as many times as you like.

  • The name of the service you are going to be engaged in
  • Contact information for that person or organization (the person who will be "supervising" you)
  • A detailed description of what your duties/activities are going to be
  • A detailed description of how you plan on completing the required hour

Step 3: Complete your Hours and Documentation

Volunteer at the site for the number of hours required by your instructor. Keep a journal of your observations and experiences as this will be useful as you complete the two written papers for this project.

Step 4: Complete your SL Reflection Storehouse Presentation

Storehouse is an Apple iPad specific application that allows you to create a digital document made up of text, images, photos, movies, and audio.

Storehouse software allows you to express things literally with media you collect directly from your service experience. You still need to write about your service project, but you can add media to support your message.

NOTE #1:

You will still need to submit your project to the same drop box in Blackboard for credit. However, rather than upload a document you will simply paste the link directly to your Storehouse story in the text box provided. The same rubric that is in the WRITTEN PAPER exceptions will be used to evaluate your Storehouse story.

NOTE #2:

If you include images of other people who are not students or staff/faculty at KVCC you will need to secure permission to use their image in your presentation. To do so the iPad includes software for you to collect signature on a release. You can also obtain written paper releases.

Click here to download the release form

NOTE #3:

iPads, and one-on-one training on how to use them to create your Storehouse story, are available in the KVCC Learning Commons. You are also free to use your own iPad device.

SL Reflection Storehouse Rubric

Title
 The top of your document should includes your name, course name, semester, date, professor's name, the name of your project.
0
Introduction
 Introduce your service-learning experience in a 1-paragraph summary or you can video yourself explaining your project...You can also intersperse your description with images.
10
Diversity of Communities and Cultures
 Reflect upon your own attitudes and beliefs both before and after this experience. Reflect on ways these attitudes and beliefs have changed as a result of working in this diverse situation and on how you feel this change contributes to your ability to promote civic engagement to others. (video, text and images, etc.)
10
Analysis of Knowledge

Mental Health Topic Application #1:

  • Topic name is in bold typeface as a title to this section
  • Define the topic from a reliable source (textbook, website, journal article) and cite your source (in-text citation here and in your References section later)
  • Tell a 1-paragraph story that shows how your SL experience relates to the topic. Your story must use the topic terms and definition and must clearly demonstrate your understanding of the topic

Each of these topics should be supported with video, images, photos, etc.
15
Analysis of Knowledge

Mental Health Topic Application #2:

  • Topic name is in bold typeface as a title to this section
  • Define the topic from a reliable source (textbook, website, journal article) and cite your source (in-text citation here and in your References section later)
  • Tell a 1-paragraph story that shows how your SL experience relates to the topic. Your story must use the topic terms and definition and must clearly demonstrate your understanding of the topic

Each of these topics should be supported with video, images, photos, etc.
15
Analysis of Knowledge

Mental Health Topic Application #3:

  • Topic name is in bold typeface as a title to this section
  • Define the topic from a reliable source (textbook, website, journal article) and cite your source (in-text citation here and in your References section later)
  • Tell a 1-paragraph story that shows how your SL experience relates to the topic. Your story must use the topic terms and definition and must clearly demonstrate your understanding of the topic

Each of these topics should be supported with video, images, photos, etc.
15
Civic Role of the Mental Health Worker

Provide some examples of specific things you did, engaged in, or experienced that may have reinforced or clarified your personal sense of civic duty and commitment to public action.

Reflect upon your own role in your service and any leadership actions you might have engaged in (decision making, idea generation, contributions to discussions, etc.). What do you think you accomplished?

(video, text and images, etc.)
10
Civic Communication

Reflect upon how you have worked with others in and around your service experience. Describe ways in which you have applied your own communication skills and/or modified your communication in order to build relationships with those individuals.

(video, text and images, etc.)
10
References
 Cite all your sources in APA format. This should be the last section of your story. It should have a heading titled "References".
5
Mechanics
 Artistic appeal, spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc.
10


Step 6: Complete your SL Paperwork and Survey

Have your site supervisor complete the Supervisor Assessment Form

Complete your Service-Learning Time Log throughout your service experience in order to document your hours and maintain a Journal about your experiences that you can use when you write your paper

This time log must be completed and signed by your site supervisor and submitted to Mark Kavanaugh (or whoever your instructor tells you to submit it to) in paper form...not electronically, at the end of the project.

Please forward your Time Log and Supervisor Evaluation to your Instructor.

When you are completely done your project, please complete the ONLINE SL Experience Summary Survey

SL Summary Survey

The SL Summary Survey link above is actually a link to an external survey managed at KVCC. You need to complete this survey to finalize the required paperwork for the SL Project.