Community service learning is the core of the Urban Diversities course. Social workers have to navigate these competing, contradicting, and paradoxical urban realities. In order to support the challenging nature of practice, schools of social work are experimenting with a variety of models of university–community partnerships. Amongst these models is community service learning (CSL), defined as a ‘pedagogical model that intentionally integrates academic learning and relevant community service’ . Even though multiple understandings and practices of community service learning co-exist, many models include three basic principles.
First, the learning process of the social work student is driven by civic engagement, by a desire to put social justice into action, and the willingness to serve a valuable societal cause that transcends his or her self-interest.
Second, the learning process takes place in and with a group or community. There is an intentional effort to ensure that all stakeholders take part in and benefit from this learning process.
Lastly, the construction of knowledge is strongly reflexive and experiential based, anchored in the needs and rights of the people and communities concerned. Within this evidence-informed practice perspective, equal weight is given to service user experiential knowledge, practitioner wisdom, and research evidence.
Read more:
Claes, E, Schrooten, M, McLaughlin, H & Csoba, J 2021. Community service learning in complex urban settings: challenges and opportunities for social work education. In: Social work education. The international journal 2021 volume 40 issue 8.
