Get Started!

1.  Choosing a service learning community partner:  each of you needs to decide as soon as possible which local service learning community partner you want to do service learning with this semester (your partner is not another student but the organization).  You will choose that community partner based on your own academic and personal interests. I have provided a couple lists of some local communities that you can contact.  Before you contact them, go to their website and gather as much information as you can as to what their goals are, what their needs are and what they are doing already.  Note things that would be appropriate for you to get involved with.  Most of the sites listed already have service for you to do.  Don't be too surprised if some of them have too many volunteers for they are on a first come first serve basis.   If there is a community not listed that you want to work with, the organization needs to meet the following criteria:  1) be a legally recognized non-profit organization 2) provide meaningful experiences for you that connect with course content 3) be approved by your instructor.  If the organization you want to work with is not on either list I gave you, have that community partner contact me as soon as possible for approval.    

       2.  Contacting your service learning community partner:  during the first week of the semester, you need to contact this community through a phone call or email and make an appointment (usually with the volunteer coordinator).  When you talk or meet with them, it is very important that you tell them where you are from (student at MCTC; name your instructor and the course) explain that you would like to do (with their approval) service learning with their community for the semester.  If they do not know what service learning is, give them a brief overview from what you have read in the "what is service learning" page. Tell them on average how much time you can commit (minimum of 30 hours for the semester) and how flexible you are with your schedule.  Ask the community representative what you as an individual can do in light of your service-learning goals.  Have some ideas in mind and don't be afraid to bring up creative and innovative ideas to meet their goals, but ultimately you need to be flexible around their ideas, on-going schedule and clients.  Most of you will be involved in some structured service that the community is already doing.  If for some reason you cannot work with that partner, you need to contact another partner asap.

       3.  Create a workable schedule for yourself as soon as possible:  after you have chosen your community partner and they have approved of your work, create a workable schedule for the semester based on your own work schedule, class schedule and their schedule.  Many community partners require some orientation training (you may include that in your 30 hours) early on, and I imagine that most of you will work with this community an average of 2-4 hours a week.  Depending on the type of service, you may end up serving more hours some weeks and less on others.  Ultimately, you need a minimum of 30 hours.  Once you start working at that community site, you cannot change sites or quit even if things are tough and not what you expected.  You are committed for the entire semester. If you fail to fulfill your commitments with the community, you will fail this course.  Contact the community partner again with your tentative schedule and be sure that they approve.  Be flexible. 

       4.  Inform Instructor and Small Group:  Once you have chosen a community partner and they have approved your work with them, contact your instructor immediately with that information.  At that point, your instructor will put you in a small group of students in the class who are working in similar communities around similar ethical principles.  The instructor will inform your group of your unique reading requirements from the Applied Ethics textbook.  All students will read the Classical Ethics textbook.

       5.  Get Started as soon as possible:  You may begin work with your community partner as soon as you have informed your instructor of your community and your work.  Do not put this off.  Start as soon as possible. Keep track of your hours if the organization does not.

Student Responsibilities:

• Attend agency orientation, all scheduled meetings and all service times.  Always be ON TIME!
• Track hours using hour log sheet and have that signed by your community leader at end of semester
• Maintain regular communication with community partner regarding service hours and activities.
• Follow all rules, regulations, and confidentiality standards of community
• Participate in reflection activities and assignments for the course
• Follow all rules as outlined in the MCTC Student Handbook