Linking collegiate service‐learning to future volunteerism: Implications for nonprofit organizations

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges facing nonprofits is attracting and retaining volunteers to help deliver their programs. One way that colleges and universities are attempting to educate students on the importance of community issues and to graduate "good citizens" is through service-learning (S-L) programs. Although many scholars argue that collegiate S-L programs will increase the extent to which students volunteer following graduation (for example, Astin, Sax, and Avalos, 1999;Misa, Anderson, and Yamamura, 2005)

Multiple Ways of Coordinating Volunteers With Differing Styles of Service

“…This reauthorization was hailed as a symbolic recognition of the importance of volunteerism across the generations by youth-serving organizations as well as gerontological societies. Articles on civic engagement and children (Nicotera, 2008), service-learning among students (Tomkovick, Lester, Flunker, & Wells, 2008;Wehling, 2008) and capturing older volunteers (Butler & Eckart, 2007;Kaskie, Imhof, Cavanaugh, & Culp, 2008) pepper the contemporary human service literature. The shifting sands of volunteerism not only include changes in vocabulary, but encompass changes in motivation, style and length of service, and the oversight of people who want to be of help (Brudney, 2005).…”

A Decade of Helping

“…Increased participation in community service from 7% in 1996 to 19% in 2008, in particular for health and education, may represent a trend to provide for direct application knowledge and skills acquired during instruction to work settings, called "service-learning" (Tomkovick, Lester, Flunker, & Wells, 2008). Several speculative interpretations are offered here, recognizing the need for future investigation and corroboration.…”

Service-Learning and Philanthropy: Implications for Course Design

“…When students take an active role in designing service projects and have a choice in terms of their involvement, civic outcomes increase (Morgan & Streb, 2001). When students believe their contributions are valuable to the organization and to the constituents being served, they are more likely to volunteer in the future (Tomkovick et al, 2008). When community partners are engaged Critical Service-Learning Initiatives as active coeducators in the course and faculty members participate at the service site, this contributes positively to student outcomes (Mabry, 1998).…”

“…Service-learning addresses a wide range of social issues (e.g., education, health care, poverty, sustainability), and the service experience frequently takes place within nonprofit organizations (Campus Compact, 2012;Tomkovick, Lester, Flunker, & Wells, 2008). Leveraging this community context in educationally meaningful ways can provide students with a deeper understanding of the role of nonprofit organizations, the motivations of volunteers, and the skills to work with others toward the common good.…”

“…Transformational partnerships and relationships, although seemingly more time intensive, increase the likelihood for more significant impact at the organization level; this can lead to higher satisfaction for the nonprofit organization and for students. When students know they are contributing to the mission of the organization, they are more satisfied with the service-learning experience and more likely to volunteer in the future (Tomkovick et al, 2008).…”