Community Service Learning

This article explores the concept of Community Service Learning and its benefits for students. It discusses the personal development, health, and problem-solving benefits of participating in community service. The relevance of Community Service Learning to students in Hong Kong is also highlighted.

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Running head: COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING
Community Service Learning
Name
Institution Affiliation

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COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING
Part A
I believe that Community Service Learning is an academic program where students learn
through experiments. This is by participating in community service placements that have been
approved by our professor and are closely related to the course learning objectives and finally
prepare corresponding reflective projects. This learning project impresses me in various ways
(Sarofian-Butin, 2017).
Community Service Learning has enabled me to connect learned lessons in the
classroom with real-life situations in society. This has ensured that I know more about my
intrinsic motivations as they explore the community at large (Sarofian-Butin, 2017). It has also
enabled me to be a critical thinker and thus able to solve real-world problems as well as thinking
out world problems and social issues in new and broad perspectives. It is an expected experience
since the more I get exposed to the community; the more I relate my learned lessons in the
classroom with real-life situations.
Community Service Learning also impresses me in that being experimental learning,
teamwork is greatly valued hence improves one’s social relations. Through teamwork, one can
also develop leadership abilities if given the position of the team leader (Conner, 2017).
Additionally, it helps one to have appropriate decision-making skills and also gain practical skills
while carrying out community activities. It is expected to gain these skills as it is automatic when
you work in a group of people.
Community Service Learning has a special thing like the fact that they have included
special education students in their activities. This has greatly boosted the self-esteem of these
special students because they also feel wanted in society (Conner, 2017). This creates a good

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image even to the society at large and acts as a role model in discouraging discrimination of
students who require special needs for their survival.
Special people who have greatly me influenced me are John Dew and Williams James.
They were the first to introduce service-based learning in any educational setting which
emphasized the combination of experimental learning and helping in various community services
(Conner, 2017). Later on, a number of associations were created that focused on service in the
community. An example of these associations is Campus Compact of 1985 that developed
service learning in universities and colleges nationwide in the United States of America.
Part B
Pursuing Community Service Learning is accompanied by a variety of benefits and
values among the students. These include the school benefits for students taking this course in
international schools and other schools in the UK and US. Most schools in the United States
require one to participate in community projects and services in order to graduate hence as a
student I ought to practice community service (Flinders, 2016).
Another benefit is the personal development benefits among students. It helps me to
know more about my personal strengths and weaknesses. While working on campaigns and
projects and getting to see real-life results, I can clearly notice how my personal attributes and
actions make a difference. For example, if I cope with a crisis or rather handle a stressful
situation, I get to learn that I have a strong character and excellent skills (Flinders, 2016).
Exposure to different situations helps me to identify my weaknesses and work on them as
I retain my strengths as well. Community Service Learning also gives me health benefits.
Focusing on other people’s problems have reduced the level of my stress. Eventually, there is

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improved mood and one is able to lead a happy life which boosts my health. Generally,
volunteering in community work protects me from depression during a hard time since it tends to
create a strong support system for participants.
I have gained good interaction skills through the community service experience. This is
because of meeting with different people and able to relate well with them regardless of their
weaknesses. Through these skills, I can live anywhere with anyone with no much struggle
(Flinders, 2016). I have also seen many world problems that have strengthened me and improved
my skills in solving problems and making wise decisions.
Community Service Learning is helpful even after graduation. This is because of the
various skills learned through it which are helpful in the normal life of a human being including
me. These are problem-solving skills, leadership skills, decision-making skills among other
relevant skills in one's life (Conner, 2017).
I have learned a lot about children while participating in community service. I have
learned that they have differences in themselves. Each child has his or her strengths and
weaknesses thus one ought to handle them differently when helping them in their problems
(Rose, 2016). Once u carefully handle these children, they show special love towards someone
because they view you as a good person who can help them in many parts of their lives and more
so increase their level of self-esteem and self-confidence at large.
Part C
Yes, this course is helpful to other students in Hong Kong today. This is because most
schools in Hong Kong demand one to participate in community service regardless of whether
pursuing Community Service Learning or not in order to graduate. This makes it very relevant

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for all students in order to be able to complete their studies in various institutions of learning (Ma
& Chan, 2016).
Yes, I recommend Community Service Learning to be a General Education course to
other students (Chui, Mui, Cheng & Cheung, 2015). This is because of its benefits as a course
which help one in one’s normal life. These benefits include health benefits, personal
development benefits, and community benefits among other benefits.
Health benefits include reduced stress in one's life. This is because volunteering into
community work helps one to lead a happy life thus avoiding stress which comes as a result of
overthinking due to idleness. Moreover, it helps one to protect himself or herself from depression
during hard times since once gets exposed to different problems which strengthens one's
personality (LING, 2018).
Personal development is encouraged once one participates in community service. This is
because of the continuous discovery of strengths and weaknesses. If one is able to provide
solutions to hard and critical situations, he or she gets to know that he has high potential in
problem-solving which is a strength (Santiago-Ortiz, 2018).

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References
Chui, W., Mui, J., Cheng, K., & Cheung, E. (2015). Community psychiatric service in Hong
Kong: Moving towards recovery-oriented personalized care. Asia-Pacific Psychiatry,
4(3), 155-159. doi: 10.1111/j.1758-5872.2012.00206.x
Conner, J. (2017). When Does Service-Learning Work? Contact Theory and Service-Learning
Courses in Higher Education. Michigan Journal Of Community Service Learning, 23(2).
doi: 10.3998/mjcsloa.3239521.0023.204
Flinders, B. (2016). Service-Learning Pedagogy: Benefits Of A Learning Community Approach.
Journal Of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 10(3), 159. doi:
10.19030/tlc.v10i3.7932
LING, H. (2018). VOLUNTEERING AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HONG KONG.
The Hong Kong Journal Of Social Work, 52(01n02), 87-98. doi:
10.1142/s0219246218000074
Ma, C., & Chan, A. (2016). A Hong Kong University first: Establishing service-learning as an
academic credit-bearing subject.
Gateways: International Journal Of Community Research And Engagement, 6. doi:
10.5130/ijcre.v6i1.3286Ma, C., & Chan, A. (2016)
Rose, A. (2016). Community Benefits. Adult Learning, 13(4), 21-22. doi:
10.1177/104515950201300408

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Santiago-Ortiz, J. (2018). From Critical to Decolonizing Service-Learning: Limits and
Possibilities to Social Justice-based Approaches to Community Service Learning.
Michigan Journal Of Community Service Learning, 25(1). doi:
10.3998/mjcsloa.3239521.0025.104
Sarofian-Butin, D. (2017). Review Essay: The Cambridge Handbook of Service Learning and
Community Engagement.Michigan Journal Of Community Service Learning, 24(1). doi:
10.3998/mjcsloa.3239521.0024.115