Volunteerism and Civic Engagement

"Be of service. . .There is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service to someone in need."
--Gillian Anderson

The Center for Student Leadership (CSL) recognizes the power of a helping hand, and it strives to coordinate the needs of the community with students who are interested in volunteering. The Center utilizes the Social Change Model in order to facilitate student engagement and success. A number of student organizations on campus are focused on philanthropy and volunteerism; some are national service clubs, others may be religiously-based, while others yet may be focused on a particular type of service. The CSL keeps an active database of volunteer opportunities offered by companies and organizations in the Wichita community that regularly seek volunteer support. Individual students and Registered Student Organizations can access the many volunteer opportunities coordinated through the Center.
The Center for Student Leadership is committed to ensuring that students engage in opportunities within the community that will support their efforts to be productive citizens. The CSL matches students with community volunteer opportunities that will help students learn the intrinsic value of service while gaining experience. The goals of the Center's Volunteerism and Civic Engagement programs are to:
       1. Facilitate the placement of students in volunteer activities with agencies in need of assistance.
       2. Establish relationships with community agencies in order to provide opportunities for faculty, and students to  engage in    service-learning exchanges.

Service Learning
The opportunity for students to engage in the service and community action process enhances educational outcomes. The CSL engages students in experiences that supports the following outcomes:
   • Promotes cognitive development through active participation in service experiences
   • Encourages students to utilize skills and knowledge in real-life situations
   • Applies classroom curriculum in the field, while connecting knowledge across disciplines
   • Develops critical analytical skills
   • Enhances self awareness, self-confidence and interactions with others.

For our service to have value and meaning there are six critical elements that must be part of everything we do.

1. Community Voice: Is essential if we are to build bridges, make change, and solve problems. The voice and needs of the community should be part of our community service programs.
2. Education: Information is shared with volunteers abut the community, the issues, and the agency or community group that will be part of any service program.
3. Preflection: It is critical to engage in a process of understanding how to serve with sensitivity, as well as determining learning goals before any service program.
4. Thoughtful Action: The service being done is necessary and valuable to the community itself. Thoughtful action makes people feel like what they did made a difference in a measurable way and that their time was utilized well.
5. Reflection: Reflects about the issues is critical and may dispel any stereotypes. Reflections allows for the experience to be place in broader context.
6. Evaluation & Assessment: Evaluation measures the impact of students’ learning experience and the effectiveness of the service in the community.

Summary of Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs

1. Volunteer Fair: Every year the Center for Student Leadership coordinates a Volunteer Fair for students to gain access to different community service opportunities throughout the greater Wichita community. Each participating agency is given one table to utilize for the purposes of display and or solicitation of potential volunteers. Being a part of the Volunteer Fair is a great opportunity for agencies to showcase the many ways students, student organizations, and faculty might engage in meaningful service.

2. Individual and Organization Service Matching: Students who are interested in pursuing service opportunities in Sedgwick County, but are not familiar with local opportunities, may register through the CSL match system. This database allows CSL staff to match students and student organizations to a project based on their interests, availability, and talents. After completing a service exchange, participants can submit their experiences through the Verification Form. This form allows CSL staff gauge the number of hour, projects, and agencies served by WSU students. Additionally, the form solicits participant reflections.

3. Service Splash: SS is geared to students who want to serve, but can not commit to a long-time term project. Service Splash is designed to introduce students to thoughtful community service and to provide a learning experience that will challenge them to volunteer on a regular basis. The continuing goal of SS is to strengthen students’ capacity to help solve problems within our society. Projects are completed within 1 day and are facilitated by a CSL staff member. Facilitators engage students in reflections of meaningful service.

4. Alternative Spring Break: Alternative Spring break places students in communities to engage in community service and experiential learning during their break. Students perform short term projects for community agencies and learn about issues such as literacy, poverty, racism, hunger, homelessness and the environment. The objectives of an alternative spring break program are to involve college students in community-based service projects and to give students opportunities to learn about the problems faced by members of communities with whom they otherwise may have had little or no direct contact. Being completely immersed into diverse environments enables participants to experience, discuss, and understand social issues in a significant way. The intensity of the experience increases the likelihood that participants will transfer the lessons learned on-site back to their own communities even after the alternative break ends. Alternative Spring Break is a springboard into lifelong active citizenship...where the community becomes a priority in an individual's life decisions. Students returning from their experience have the opportunity to share their reflections with the campus community through their journals or presentation.

5. Social Justice Experience: The Social Justice Experience is a concept that the CSL is working towards implementing in 2010. This experience will utilize experiential learning through the use of community outreach and reflection to examine social justice issues.

6. Civic Engagement Lecture Series: This lecture series engages students in an opportunity to apply critical thinking skills to opinions and reflections of authors, academics, community activist, and policy developers.

Fill out the Individual Volunteer Profile form to get connected with local volunteer agencies.

Fill out the Group Volunteer Profile form to connect your student organization with local volunteer agencies.

Fill out the Community Organization Volunteer Request form if your organization is seeking volunteers.