The Reflection Connection

& Twice the Impact:

How Service Changes
Youth and Community

Susan A. Abravanel
March 3, 2010 Webinar

U.S. Presenting Sponsor:

5 Stages of Service / Service-Learning:

I
D/C
Investigation
P
Preparation&
Demonstration/
Planning
Celebration

R A
Reflection Action
K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:
Reflection Standard:
Service-learning incorporates multiple
challenging reflection activities that are
ongoing and that prompt deep thinking
and analysis about oneself and one’s
relationship to society.
K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Indicators:

1. . . . reflection includes a variety of verbal,

written, artistic, and nonverbal activities
to demonstrate understanding and changes
in participants’ knowledge, skills, and/or
attitudes.

© National Youth Leadership Council, 2008

K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Indicators:

2. . . . reflection occurs
before, during, and after the
service experience.

© National Youth Leadership Council, 2008

K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Indicators:

3. . . . reflection prompts participants to think

deeply about complex community
problems and alternative solutions.

© National Youth Leadership Council, 2008

“You grasp the stick, but do you grasp the concept?”
K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Indicators:

4. . . . reflection encourages participants to

examine their preconceptions and
assumptions in order to explore and
understand their roles and
responsibilities as citizens.

© National Youth Leadership Council, 2008

K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Indicators:

5. . . . reflection encourages participants to

examine a variety of social and civic
issues related to their service-learning
experience so that participants understand
connections to public policy and civic life.

© National Youth Leadership Council, 2008

Understanding context . . .

Service Big
Project Issue

Cross-Age Achievement
Tutoring Gap

Meals-On- Hunger in Our

Wheels Town

Adopt-A- Environmental
Stream Policies
Frequency of Reflective Activity:

For every 18
minutes of
learning, it is
crucial to allow for
at least 2 minutes
of down time or
reflection.
Three Levels of Reflection:

1. The Mirror
a clear reflection of the self
Three Levels of Reflection:

2. The Microscope
makes the small
experience large
Three Levels of Reflection:

3. The Binoculars
makes what appears distant, appear closer
“You grasp the stick, but do you grasp the concept?”
Youth Service America goals . . .

Improving communities
by increasing the number and
the diversity of young people,
ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.

Student Achievement

Workforce Readiness

Stronger Communities
Measuring Impact Towards Goals:

Impact
on the
Impact
Community
Diversity on
Youth/
Scale Student
 Measuring Impact Towards Goals:

NUMBERS of youth engaged (scale)

An estimated 15.5 million youth –or 55 percent of
youth ages 12 to 18– participate in volunteer
activities; the teen volunteering rate is nearly
twice the adult volunteering rate of 29 percent.
The typical youth volunteer contributes 29 hours per
year, while adult volunteers typically serve 52 hours per
year.

Youth
contribute
more than
1.3 billion
hours of
community
service each
year.
 Measuring Impact Towards Goals:

DIVERSITY of youth engaged

Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Economic Status
Ability
Circumstances
 Measuring Impact Towards Goals:

Impact on YOUTH
Academic
achievement and
learning
Acquisition of
applied skills
Career-related
learning and
experience
Connection to
community and
sense of value
 Measuring Impact Towards Goals:

Impact on COMMUNITY
Project-specific changes and outcomes
Policy introduction and change
Measurable economic contributions through hours served
and work accomplished
Increased awareness of
issue that youth addressed
Added visibility for
organizations where youth
worked
New, committed civic
participants
Measuring Effective Strategies:

Tracking social issues addressed

Number of media hits
Public officials reached and engaged
K-12 Service-Learning
Standards for Quality Practice:

Progress Monitoring Standard:

Service-learning engages participants in
an ongoing process to assess the quality
of implementation and progress toward
meeting specified
goals, and uses
results for
improvement and
sustainability.
Resources

Download
your copy
now!

http://www.ysa.org/2010-sos-guide
Questions?

sabravanel@ysa.org