International Service-Learning: Is It Right for You?
By Laura Colket
This article was printed in Abroad View Fall 2005
If you have ever considered studying or volunteering abroad—or perhaps both—you should think about international service-learning. This can take either of these alternatives to a higher, more meaningful level (both for you and your host community). Service-learning combines academic study with community service, so that your experiences in and out of the classroom are constantly reinforcing each other. The end result is a rich experience that can enhance your academic understanding, cultural awareness, and real-life skills—all while you are making positive changes in a specific community.
HOW IS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING DIFFERENT FROM STUDYING ABROAD? In most study abroad programs, you take academic classes while immersing yourself in a new and exciting culture, which is certainly an amazing experience. However, in a service-learning program you still take classes, but you also have the opportunity to use your classroom learning in a real-life situation. You get to contribute to your new community in a meaningful way, and you have the support of an experienced faculty and/or staff member.
One of the most rewarding aspects of service-learning is that it can enhance any course of study. Whether you are studying psychology, medicine, ecology, economics, or anything in between, you can find an appropriate service-learning experience that matches your interests, needs, and goals. In addition to the immediate benefits, there are long-term benefits as well. For example, this experience can enhance your resume, widen your career opportunities, and make you a more desirable job applicant. You will be one step above someone who just sat in a classroom and read from books; you will have applied that classroom learning to a real-life experience.
An effective service-learning program will combine your academic goals with the needs of the community. As a result, your work will not only help you develop, but it will also create a positive impact in your host community.
HOW IS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING DIFFERENT FROM VOLUNTEERING ABROAD? With international service-learning, you participate in a more structured experience than if you were volunteering. Your program will be coupled with a classroom environment that will involve reflective activities to help you better understand your experience and process the emotional component of volunteering. As a result, you will gain a deeper, more critical understanding of the community, its needs, its culture(s), and its people. The academic component also makes it possible for you to receive credit (pending approval from your home institution).
IS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING RIGHT FOR YOU? One of the main things to consider is that an international service-learning experience can be more emotionally and academically demanding than a volunteering or study abroad experience. This can be a good thing, if you are prepared. You will be responsible for your academic work, as well as your volunteer service—and while this combination can be very rewarding, it may also be time-consuming. Depending on your particular program, your time for independent travel may be limited.
Another consideration is the length of the experience. Many volunteer programs can last anywhere from two weeks to one year, depending on your preference. With service-learning programs, however, you may not have the option of a short-term experience (i.e. less than a typical semester)—although there are a few exceptions. Most service-learning programs coincide with the academic year, so you can participate in a semester program, a year program, or maybe a summer program. However, if you have time constraints and are looking for a shorter experience, you may not be able to participate in service-learning, and traditional volunteering might be the better option.
If you are unsure whether you are ready for such an experience, you may want to try volunteering in your home community first. This can give you a feel for what it is like to work in an unfamiliar environment and can help prepare you for a similar experience abroad. It is important to keep in mind, however, that there are often significant cultural differences between volunteering at home and abroad. Cross-cultural understanding is a key component of preparing for your international experience.
One last factor is money. Somehow you will have to find a way to finance this experience, so it is important to keep in mind the cost of the international service-learning programs. They vary depending on the organization, destination, and length of stay, so you may want to do some research. Also, you can see if any scholarships or financial aid might be available.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? You can always visit the study abroad office at your school to discuss your options. Also, Action Without Borders (www.idealist.org) provides an online resource center with a database of more than 45,000 nonprofit organizations from 165 countries and some 10,000 volunteer and/or service-learning opportunities.
At the time this article was written, LAURA COLKET was a master’s degree student at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, concentrating in Intercultural Communications. She received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, and she studied abroad with Semester at Sea. She wrote this article while she was an intern at Action Without Borders.