Community Service

This course is designed for students who are interested in learning more about different aspects of Community Service. One major focus of the course is to examine how community empowerment brings about organizational changes. Students will learn about the resources available to people for revitalizing their communities. Special emphasis will be given to the understanding of values of diversity and ethics in community services.

A major focus of the course is to examine how nonprofit human service organizations develop the processes and structures of community planning and utilize volunteers. Students will have the opportunity to examine projects in community service as case studies. Finally, students will have the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills in community service strategies, tactics, and techniques, including the art of volunteerism.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Following the completion of this course, students will have knowledge of:

1. The history and philosophy of community service.
2. The nature and magnitude of community problems, such as unemployment, housing, substance abuse etc., in the Greater Cleveland area.
3. Processes, structures and collaboration in community service. 
4. Basic strategies and tactics utilized by groups and/or organizations to maintain or improve the quality of life in their communities.
5. Selective communities across the country have used public and private resources for community services.
6. The socially defined consequences and expectations of sex, race, ethnicity, age, gender preference, religion, and social class in community service.
7. Different ways to conduct the outcome evaluations of community service activities.
8. Critical and analytic thinking and written expression. 
9. Library skills and the Internet in the identification of community resources.

Following the completion of this course, students will have skills in:

1. The process of information and referral systems in the human service agencies.
2. Mobilizing human and other community resources to encourage empowerment and self-sufficiency among low-income individuals. 
3. The use of a variety of community service strategies for neighborhood revitalization.
4. The art of volunteering in a nonprofit organization.

EXPECTATIONS AND STUDENT EVALUATIONS

Students are expected to be actively engaged in the learning process, in class and in community based non profit social service agencies. Class participation is essential. Students will be evaluated on their ability to relate course readings to class discussions and in their volunteer work. Class discussions and written materials should demonstrate analytic thinking and use of university and community resources.

Grades will be based on the following:

• Weekly reflection log 20%
• Major Paper 20% Class participation 10%
• Class presentation 20%
• Attendance 10%
• Volunteer work -100 hours 20%

A minimum one hundred hours of community service (volunteer work) in a nonprofit organization is expected during the quarter. After the first two weeks, class meets only once a week. (Two days of class time and other needed times must be utilized for comm service activities and to meet with the instructor for individual supervision).

REQUIRED TEXT

• Brody, R. and Nair, M. (1997) Community Service: The Art of Volunteering and Service-Learning. Wheaton, Illinois: Gregory Publishers.

COURSE OUTLINE: 

1. INTRODUCTION Volunteering: A Quest for the Human Spirit Discussion of a case scenario
2. KNOW YOUR ORGANIZATION history, governance, structure and processes, funding, personal practices, organizational culture, missions, goals and objectives, community relationships Discussion of a case scenario
3. PROPER VOLUNTEER BEHAVIOR dress code, gifts and gratuities, attendance/tardiness, being highly personal with clients, dating clients or co-workers, confidentiality, misconduct, qualities students bring to the assignment, handling hostility. Discussion of a case scenario
4. ORIENTATION AND TRAINING what you can expect, the orientation process, matching the volunteer to the job, identifying an appropriate volunteer placement, preparing for the first interview, making a good first impression
5. TRAINING what to expect, dealing with negative experiences, being sensitive to people different from yourself PROPER AGENCY PRACTICES attitude of investing in volunteers safety, precautions proper procedures, sexual harassment, nondiscriminatory practices, how agencies approach community service
6. RESPONSIVE TO SUPERVISION types of supervision, being a productive subordinate, dealing with ethical dilemmas, being evaluated by the supervisor
7. DEVELOPING A LEARNING CONTRACT community service learning contract, establishing learning objectives, assessing the agency and the supervisor, student evaluation of voluntary placement, evaluation of your supervisor  
8. JOURNAL AND INTERVIEWING using a journal to explore ideas, examining critical elements, community service journal, What is an interview? understanding yourself and your feelings, understanding the behavior of the person you are interviewing, conducting an interview, techniques to help you in interviewing, guiding an interview through questions, helping clients to help themselves, how to deal with the client who doesn't want to talk, confidentiality, importance of listening,
9. MANAGING TIME AND STRESS juggling several roles simultaneously, setting priorities, additional steps to use time productively, dealing with stress, community service time sheet
10. FOSTERING A TEAM SPIRIT asking questions to facilitate discussions, running effective meetings, avoiding excessive conformity, participating in team activities, generating creative ideas

Community Service Weekly Log Expectation: The log should represent your summary of your service activity. It should contain "fact" and your own review and critique of your performance. Be sure to maintain confidentiality: disguise names; what is most pertinent are the facts of the situation in which you are expected to be helpful: what you thought, did and evaluated.

COMMUNITY SERVICE WEEKLY JOURNAL Due every Monday Name Date Agency Period covering Address Hours this period Telephone Cumulative Hours Plans for the week: Special positive experiences: Special negative experiences: Most significant accomplishments: Questions and answers: Special insights.... a. Yourself: b. Clients: c. Agency: d. Community:

Major Paper outline

This paper is due one week prior to the end of the quarter. Type double spaced with a cover .You need to incorporate the required readings and your community service experiences in this paper.

• SECTION 1. COMMUNITY PROBLEM UNDER OBSERVATION a. Describe the nature of the problem/issues under your observation b. What has already been done about this issue in the community? c. What are the diversity issues involved? d. What are the ethical issues involved?
• SECTION 2. ORGANIZATIONAL BASE a. Description of your agency - client profile, organizational chart, program activities b. Mission, goal statements of this agency c. Background history d. Environmental factors influencing this agency e. The organization's culture f. Fiscal management g. Agency morale
• SECTION 3. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES/INVOLVEMENT a. Describe different types of activities you were involved at the agency b. Explain the impact your involvement had on the clients and staff at this agency
• SECTION 4. REFLECTIONS a. Discuss the rationale for selecting this agency/clients for your practice b. Your perceptions at the beginning of this experience c. Your perceptions at the end of this experience d. What are the ways you could mobilize community support to deal with this issue? e. If you are planning this type of another experience, what else would you do differently?

READING LIST

• Hall, Peter Dobin: Inventing the Nonprofit Sector and Other Essays on Philanthropy. Voluntarism, and Nonprofit Organizations, American Journal of Sociology, March 1993.
• Swidler, Ann, Inequality and American Culture: the Persistence of Voluntarism, The American Behavioral Scientist, March/June 1992.
• Wildavsky, Ben, Mandatory Voluntarism: Is There Harm in Having to Do Good? -The American Enterprise., September/October 1992.
• Harcum, E. Rae: (Eugene Rae), The Relative Utility of Complementary Disparate Views on Voluntarism and Determinism, The Journal of Psychology, March 1991.
• Voluntarism, Planning, and the State: The American Planning Experience, The Journal of Economic History. December 1989.
• Voluntarism and Social Work Practice: A Growing Collaboration, Social Work, July/August 1986.
• Van Til, Jon, Voluntarism and Social Policy, Social Policy, Spring 1985.
• Peyrot, Mark, Coerced Voluntarism: The Micropolitics of Drug Treatment, Urban Life, January 19 8 5. Voluntarism and Social Work Practice: A Growing Collaboration, Social Casework, February 1985.
• The Many (Unexpected) Advantages of Volunteering, The New Social Worker, Spring 1994.
• Volunteerism by Elders: Past Trends and Future Prospects., The Gerontologist,, April 1993.
• From Voluntarism To Paid Work, Journal of Women and Social Work, Spring 1993.
• Reflections from the Field, the Role of the Nonprofit Sector: How Can Social Welfare Experiences Be Developed in East and West Europe? Social Development Issues, 1992.
• Lammers, J. C. Attitudes, Motives, and Demographic Predictors of Volunteer Commitment and Service Duration, Journal of Social Service Research, 1991.
• The Impact of Race on Volunteer Helping Relationships Among the Elderly, Social Work, September 1990.
• Bergel, V. R. The Many (unexpected) Advantages of Volunteering, The New Social Worker, Spring 1994.
• Chambre, S.M. Volunteerism by Elders: Past Trends and Future Prospects, The Gerontologist April 1993.
• From Voluntarism to Paid Work. AFFILIA Journal of Women and Social Work, Spring 1993.
• Ventura, F. Reflections from the Field. The Role of the Nonprofit Sector: How Can Social Welfare Experiences Be Developed in East and West Europe?
• Lammers, J.C., Attitudes, Motives, and Demographic Predictors of Volunteer Commitment and Service Duration. Journal of Social Service Research, 1991.
• Morrow-Howell, N., Mui-A. Elderly Volunteers: Reasons for Initiating and Terminating Service. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 1989.
• Morrow-Howell, N., Lott, L, Ozawa, M. The Impact of Race on Volunteer Helping Relationships Among the Elderly. Social Work, September, 1990.
• Alinsky, S., (197 1). Rules for Radicals. New York: Random House.
• Applebome, Peter, (1995). The New Volunteers -- A Special Report: Program with 60s Spirit Butts Against 95s. The New York Times, Wednesday February 08, 1995.
• Bobo, K., (199 1). Organizing for Social Change: A Manual for Activists in the 1990's. MD: Seven Locks Press.
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• Drake, Robert E., (1994). Introduction to "Consumers as Service Providers: The Promise and Challenge. Journal of Community Mental Health, 30(6):613-625.
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• Figueira- McDonough, Josefina, (1995). Community Organization and the Underclass: Exploring New Practice Directions. Journal of Social Service Review
• Fitzpatrick, Jackie, (1995). The View From Fairfield: Off Campus, College Students Find A World Of Service For Neighbors. The New York Times, Sunday, May 28, 1995.
• Freedman, Marc. (1993). The Kindness of Strangers: Adult Mentors, Urban Youth, and the New Volunteerism. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.
• Freire, P., (1968). Pedagogy for the Oppressed. New York: Herder and Herder Publishers.
• Freire, Paulo, (1994). Pedagogy of Hope. Reliving Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company.
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• Keenan, E., & Pinkerton, J. (199 1). Some aspects of empowerment: A case study of work with disadvantaged youth. Social Work with Groups, 14(2), 109-124.
• Kieffer, C. H. (1984). Citizen empowerment: A developmental perspective. Prevention in Human Services, 2(2-3), 9-36.
• Massey, Douglas S., (1994). America's Apartheid and the Urban Underclass. Journal of social Service Review, December.
• Mead, Lawrence M., (1994). Poverty: How Little We Know. Journal of Social Service Review, September.
• Morgan, B. (1993). Four Pennies to My Name: What it's Like on Welfare. Public Welfare, 51(l): 29-3 1, Winter.
• Specht, Harry and Courtney, Mark. (1995). Unfaithful Angels: How Social Work has Abandoned its Mission. New York: The Free Press.
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• Tropman, John E., (1995). "Community Needs Assessment." Encyclopedia of Social Work (19th ed. p. 563). MD: NASW Press.
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• Wolf, Maura, (1993). Involving the community in national service. Social Policy. Vol. 24, pp. 14-20.