Sustained Service-Learning @ Lewis & Clark College Harold McNaron

Barbara Jacoby’s Service-Learning Definition Community service Learning outcomes Ongoing reflection SLS uses this definition of service-learning, which is inclusive of co-curricular projects like ours & even extra-academic service-learning projects

Tania Mitchell’s Critical Service-Learning Names social change as goal Redistributes power Consists of authentic relationships SLS uses Mitchell’s model as a guide in service-learning partnership & project initiation and management

Lee Ann Bell’s Social Justice Definition GOAL PROCESS Full & equal participation of all groups Society mutually shaped to meet needs Equitable distribution of resources Physical & psychological security Everyone has self-determination, agency Interconnectedness & social responsibility Democratic Inclusive collaborative SLS utilizes Bell’s dual definition of social justice as a way to distinguish from heavenly “pie in the sky” SJ & the everyday actions we can utilize for SJ. Also, we understand SJ to relate to a critical power analysis that acknowledges systems of oppression (eg. racism, transphobia, sexism) & the resulting identity group-based disparities - which we hope to chip away at via our community partnership work.

Ok, so how do we practice this stuff? Collaboratively written, assessed partnership agreements Long-term partnerships that change shape to fit present realities of the work Student staff training re: these definitions, theories, curriculum design, etc Awards & payments to community partners in acknowledgement of their role as co-educators (via tools & materials money or honoraria payments - only for some programs currently)

Assessment - Program Scope School year 2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 # SSL projects 55 54 63 # SSL partners 5 9 # SSL student participants (includes duplicates) 260 300 283 # SSL project person-hours 876 1411 895 This gives you an idea of the scope of our Sustained Service-Learning Program, which operates throughout the school year. The photo shows a group of students raking leaves at Wisdom of the Elders, a Native American-run organization with a community garden in East Portland.

Assessment - Student Leaders Your understanding of social justice How do you relate that to SLS’s work? Equity Critical engagement intersectional It’s much more complex than I originally understood SLS has helped me to better articulate what social justice is Social justice is related to service-learning and critical reflection SLS taught me that social justice relates to all stories being valid SLS taught me that there are good and bad ways to do social justice This is an assessment of our 2016-2017 critical service-learning curriculum for SLS student staff. The photo is from a recent staff retreat.

Assessment - Community Partners successes challenges Lewis & Clark students are enthusiastic about learning and sharing themselves Communication between Lewis & Clark and agency representative SLS’ collaborative processes The transportation Lewis & Clark provides Community partners learn with students SLS connecting community partners to other resources on campus Partners request that we do more pre-screening and training with students Differing calendars and other time constraints limit partnership success Transportation issues SLS’ web resources could be updated, expanded Partners’ confusion about SLS partnership options and protocols Students disinterested in what community partners offer The dominant themes from the last 4 years of annual community partner meetings (usually have 20-30 new & returning community partner representatives at these). The photo shows a student conversing with a guest at Portland Animal Welfare Team, a nonprofit vet clinic for pets of low-income and houseless Portlanders.

Questions & Comments Harold McNaron Director of Student Leadership and Service Lewis & Clark College haroldmcnaron@lclark.edu