Design
What was the old structure?
The teens were split into three different cohorts that met separately once a month. Once a month, all TLB got together to go over announcements, updates on service projects, and anything else the student leadership (President and VP) wanted to cover.
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All students were a part of service groups, that met once or twice a month. Non-TLB members were also a part of each service group.
YMCA of Greater Seattle
Mission Statement
Building a community where all people, especially the young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind and body.
Things to consider…
Those who will be in their second year of TLB mixed with those who are in their first year
Number of participants – limited growth or can we take more?
Space for meetings – can rooms hold all 45+ at one time?
Attendance – better or worse with more frequent meetings?
Service group commitment – already meeting once a week with their service groups
Service group structure – is this the best learning lab? Is it real service learning?
Research on Service Learning
Service Learning Standards:
Duration and Intensity Standard: Service-learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.
Link to Curriculum Standard: Service-learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.
Meaningful Service Standard: Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities.
Youth Voice Standard: Service-learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults.
Diversity Standard: Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all participants.
Partnerships Standard: Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs.
Reflection Standard: Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.
Progress Monitoring Standard: Service-learning engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals, and uses results for improvement and sustainability.
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Stages of Service-Learning (IPARD):
Investigation
Planning and Preparation
Action
Reflection
Demonstration/Celebration
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From the "K-12 Service-Learning Project Planning Toolkit", RMC Research Corporation for Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2009.
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The 4 C’s:
Critical thinking
Creativity
Collaboration
Communication
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From "Service, the 4Cs, and Employment" from Youth Service America
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Complementary Learning Objectives: The Common Competencies of Leadership and Service-Learning
Select the leadership competencies: Identify the leadership competencies you want students to learn and develop. 

Select an appropriate form of service-learning: The service experience should align with the learning goals. 

Consult with community partner(s): Work with local organizations or community leaders to identify projects that would build their capacity or meet an existing need. 

Action and reflection: Engage with students and community partners in the service-learning experience while embedding reflection through- out. 

Assess: Assess students’ leadership competency learning and development, and assess the community benefit and impact. 

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From "Complementary Learning Objectives: The Common Competencies of Leadership and Service-Learning" by Corey Seemiller, 2016.
Key Assumptions
"This approach to leadership is built on several key assumptions:
Leadership is concerned with effecting change on behalf of others and society.
Leadership is collaborative.
Leadership is a process rather than a position
Leadership should be value-based.
All students (not just those who hold formal leadership positions) are potential leaders
Service is a powerful vehicle for developing students' leadership skills"
(HERI, 1996, p. 10)​​
Goals of SCM
"To enhance student learning and development; more specifically, to develop in each student participant greater:
Self-knowledge: understanding one's talents, values, and interests, especially as these relate to the student's capacity to provide effective leadership.​
Leadership competence: the capacity to mobilize one-self and others to serve and work collaboratively.
​To facilitate positive social change at the institution or in the community."​
(HERI, 1996, p. 19)
The Seven C's
Individual Values
Consciousness of Self
Congruence
Commitment
Group Values
Collaboration
Common Purpose
Controversy with Civility
Society/Community Values
Citizenship
CHANGE
Proposed Structure
Meetings:
TLB will meet weekly for the entire year. One week will be a TLBC meeting (TLB Content), the next will be a TLBS meeting (TLB Service). TLBC meetings will be for ALL members of TLB, TLBS meetings will be with service groups. Non-TLB members who want to be in the service groups can attend the TLBS meetings.
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Leadership Model:
The program will focus on the Social Change Model for all participants this year. Next year, we can look at creating additional curriculum to build on this year's.
Year 1 = SCM
Year 2 = The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (Kouzes & Posner)
Year 3 = Servant Leadership
Year 4 = Facilitation and leadership of groups
Service Model:
Students will continue to be in service groups, but each group will be tasked with doing a specific service project of their choosing. Their work on this will be guided in the TLBS meetings.