Linking Service and Civics through Service-Learning

Posted by on July 23, 2004

The CalServe Initiative is pleased to announce the release of the long awaited, “Linking Service and Civics through Service-Learning: The Report from the Civic Responsibility Work Group.” Below is a link to this report that provides guidance to California Department of Education, CalServe grantees on what constitutes high-quality civic responsibility expectations for students engaged in service-learning activities.

The document focuses attention on the important knowledge, skills, and ethics of civic responsibility that are needed to fully prepare youths as active participants in our ?democratic? society. The report explores the linkages between service-learning and civic education that engage students as active, responsible citizens. It is intended to reflect current thinking and to make such recommendations as may move communities and schools to adopt practices that promote active and responsible youth engagement in civic life.

There is a large degree of ambiguity among the service, volunteerism, and educational communities regarding the definition of civic responsibility/engagement. Some people contend that all service is civics, advocating that any service to the community has an impact on our civil society. Others, while supporting service and volunteerism, choose to more narrowly define civic responsibility/engagement as taking responsibility for our civil system and actively participating in the design, implementation, and accountability for public policy. Those who differentiate between the two point out that in order to prepare the next generation of participants in our democratic society, service-learning activities must go beyond service to individuals or participation in organized community service. Members of the work group emphasized that there must be a deliberate educational intent to develop youths who will actively participate in the kinds of service that seeks to develop or improve our current civil system? not all service is civic service

The document is also on line http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/sl/districttools.asp through the CalServe home page.