Service Learning

What is Service Learning?

Service learning is a component of the Career-Related Programme core. Service learning provides opportunities for students to understand their capacity to make a meaningful contribution to their community and society. Through service learning, students develop and apply academic knowledge, personal skills and social skills in real-life situations involving decision-making, problem-solving, initiative, responsibility and accountability for their actions. The purpose is for students to contribute to society by improving the lives of people or assisting the environment or animals.

Service learning benefits all involved—students as they continue developing skills and knowledge applied to real-life situations, and the community through reciprocal collaboration. Service learning fosters development of abilities, attitudes and values in accordance with the IB mission statement and the IB learner profile. The process of service learning is best when understood and organized as an ongoing experience occurring with regularity throughout the duration of the students’ CP.

The five service learning stages offer a helpful ongoing process framework for students. Reflection is central to building a deep and rich experience in service learning.

Reflection allows students to explore ideas, skills, strengths, limitations and areas for further development, and to consider how they may apply their prior learning and background in new contexts.

Students have 18 months to complete 50 hours of service learning. Students are given the opportunity to think about their career and community and find ways to bridge the needs they see and find. Students will be able to complete this requirement in a variety of ways as they can do direct service learning, indirect service learning, advocacy service learning and research service learning. Students will also meet with their service learning supervisor 3 times to discuss and reflect on their learning. All hours will be logged on ManageBac . Below is the Service Learning guide to learn more.

For more information and assistance, please contact the IB CP Coordinator and Service Learning Coordinator, Jill Meadow.