A Community of Learners Students in Service-Learning Programs Modeling Just Relationships Carrie Hutnick, Saint Joseph’s University 2012

Faith-Justice Community Roles at SJU  Service Scholars  Partner with professors  Work in pairs in the classroom  Communicate logistics  Training  Contact information  Service cancellations  Respond to reflection  Facilitate class discussions on justice  Coordinate with Placement Liaisons  Regular staff meetings and supervision

Faith-Justice Community Roles at SJU  Placement Liaisons  Partner with community organizations  Work in Faith-Justice office and in the community  Regularly attend meetings with organizational staff  Communicate placements to organizations  Conduct “Awareness Training” to prepare students for service  Cultural lens  Logistical responsibilities  Performance responsibilities  Retrieve attendance reports from organizations  Facilitate organizational feedback on student performance

Personal Development  Academic  Understanding issues: Reading  Seeing real application: Observation  Receiving guidance and support: Supervision  Civic  Performing meaningful service  Building just relationships  Developing a critical social analysis  Personal  Writing reactions  Processing emotions  Talking about perceptions through dialogue

Community Development  Purpose  Why do we care about each other?  Why do we work together (what common values)?  Why do we need each other?  Outcome  What should relationships look like?  What should society look like?  What should policies look like?  Process  How do we participate in a meaningful way together?  How do we form relationships that reflect our outcome?  How do we make sustainable change?

Community for Faith-Based Action  Preparing students to live the word of the Gospel, living and treating others as Jesus did  Personal faith  Academic- Education  Civic- Faith in action  Personal- Spiritual/theological reflection  Faith community  Purpose- Agapic love/One body  Outcome- Human dignity  Process- Faith-Justice*  Spiritual journey unique to each student

Community for Civic Engagement  Prepares students to be active participants and promote a just democracy  Personal citizenship  Academic- Education  Civic- Citizen participation  Personal- Value formation  Democratic community  Purpose- Common good  Outcome- Social justice  Process- Civic Engagement/Organizing  Students as citizens must determine what role in society they take

Faith Community at SJU- Purpose  Agapic Love- Students enter into relationship to love and support one another, and to build meaningful and just relationships

Activities to Promote Agapic Love and a Sense of Common Good  Personal credos  Personal Check-ins  Share the Love  Coffee Dates  Martha Mary Dinners  Retreats  Eyes meditation  Community Builders  Shared responsibility  Unstructured time  Affirmations  Faith-Sharing

Faith Community at SJU- Outcome  Social Justice- Students learn and train together to understand what justice looks like and how to best effectively lead their peers in transformational service and learning as a community

Activities to Promote Human Dignity and Social Justice  Group service  PL/Scholar Training  Facilitation techniques  Reflection responses  Professionalism  Problem-solving  Understanding of Social Justice Theories  Types of service and justice  Stakeholders in service  Reflection and process  Power and Privilege  Social issues in Philadelphia/Camden  Familiarization with Organizations in Philadelphia/Camden

Faith Community at SJU- Process  Faith-Justice- Students learn to model those loving relationships as part of a just community outside of the Service-Learning program, on campus or in the community and beyond their time as an undergraduate

Activities to Promote Faith-Justice  Scholars:  Facilitating class discussions  Supervision and guidance  Regular meetings with professors  Responding to journal entries  Placement Liaisons:  Facilitating service training for students  Developing relationships with organizations  Arranging and attending regular community meetings  Leadership at staff meetings  Community meetings for group education/reflection

Basic Elements of Community  Diversity of perspective for dialogue and learning  Just relationships for empowerment and understanding  Shared values or goals for common purpose  Critical analysis of issues for justice and change  Co-creation of experience for meaningful action

Community Outcomes  Continued support from peers after graduation  Example: Julian  Tools to build community in future career and civic roles  Example: Stanley  Understanding of social change as a collective effort  Example: Ashley  Skills to build healthy and just relationships  Example: Cassie  Self-Reflection of purpose and vocation  Example: Allie

Questions for Discussion  1. How is community built in your program or classroom?  2. Why is building community important to training students in civic engagement?  3. What knowledge, skills and motivations do you think are necessary for students to build a “just community”?  4. How might issues of power, privilege and identity be different in communities on campus than those students form “outside.”  5. How might civic engagement faculty and/or students navigate perspectives that may be different or even at conflict with one another when attempting to build a strong community of learners?  6. What role does the faculty or staff member have in a student community in civic engagement? How are professional and administrative responsibilities balanced with modeling just relationships and community for (and with) students?