St. Cloud State University

Volunteer Connection : Service Learning

Service-Learning Student Responsibilities : St. Cloud State University

BEFORE YOUR FIRST VISIT

• Select a site that will work well with your interests and schedule
• If you have any questions, call Christopher Bineham, Service-Learning Coordinator at (320) 308-3898, your professor, or the contact person at the site.
• Call the contact person
• Give your name, say that you are a SCSU student, give the name of the class for which you are doing this service component.
• Ask what times during the day/evening/weekend are available for you to work.
• Let the contact person know the number of hours that you can work at the site.
• Let the contact person know what you will need in terms of information for your class. 
• Your first visit
• Confirm the service site address and ask for directions if you need them.  Keep in mind that all local busses are free for SCSU students.
• If you are unable to work, call the site supervisor/teacher and give as much lead-time as possible (a minimum of 24 hours is necessary).  The school/worksite depends on you to show up and do the work agreed upon.   

AT THE SITE

• Arrive on time and be prepared to work.
• When in doubt about what you are to do, how to do it, or why to do it, ask the site supervisor/teacher directly for clarification.  A convenient way to organize your responsibilities (student’s, supervisor’s, site’s) is to complete a “Service-Learning Contract.”
• Fill out the “Service-Learning Time Sheet” each time you go to your community site/school and have your site supervisor/teacher initial the sheet each time before you leave the site.
• Make sure you know the time and date of your next visit before you leave. 

AFTER YOU LEAVE FOR THE DAY

• Make entries in your journal/or other reflection tool as soon as possible after completing your service on a given day.  The sooner you make your entries after completing your service, the more vivid and accurate your memories will be.

GENERAL ADVICE

• If any concerns emerge about the quality of your work experience and/or the supervision you receive, contact Christopher Bineham or call your instructor and discuss the matter with either or both of them.
• While you are at the school or community organization, you are a representative of SCSU.  Remember this and act accordingly.
• Do not give your home phone number or address to students at a school or clients at a community organization.
• Keep confidential information confidential.  This rule holds true while you are at a service site and afterwards when discussing site activities in class or with friends.

AT THE END OF THE COURSE

• Arrange to give copies of any papers or reports that you produce about the service experience to your site supervisor/teacher.  They are very interested to know what you discovered or concluded as a result of your service.
• Thank your site supervisor either in person or in writing.