Community Perceptions of Student Impact and Service Learning

1. Community Perceptions of Student Impact and Service Learning Mary Beckman, Ph.D. Annie Cahill Kelly, M.A. BJ Heckner, M.A. Center for Social Concerns, University of Notre Dame Center for the Homeless, South Bend, IN

2. How can we – campus and community partners – collaborate toward greater community improvement?

3. Documenting Effects: Focus on Individuals and Organizations • Strand, K., Marullo, S., Cutforth, N., Stoecker, R., & Donohue, P. (2003). Principles of best practice for community-based research. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 9(3), 5-15.

4. 2009/2010 Survey Questions • To what extent has student involvement in your organization empowered individuals on your staff involved in your organization? Please provide examples. • Not applicable Not at all Slightly Moderately Significantly • To what extent has student involvement in your organization empowered the people served by or involved in your organization? Please provide examples. • Not applicable Not at all Slightly Moderately Significantly • To what extent have students enhanced the capacity of your organization to fulfill its mission? Please provide examples. • Not applicable Not at all Slightly Moderately Significantly

5. Empowerment of staff involvedin the organization 24 responded “Significantly” = 41% 22 responded “Moderately” = 38% 4 responded “Slightly” = 7% 5 responded “Not at all” = 7% 3 did not respond = 5% 32 responded “Significantly” = 66% 13 responded “Moderately” = 19% 1 responded “Slightly” = 3% 1 responded “Not at all” = 7% 7 responded “Not applicable” =12% 5 did not respond = 5% 2009 Responses (n=58) 2010 Responses (n=59)

6. To what extent has student involvement in your organization empowered individuals on your staff involved in your organization? 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

7. Empowerment of individuals served by the organization 38 responded “Significantly” = 66% 11 responded “Moderately” = 19% 2 responded “Slightly” = 3% 4 responded “Not at all” = 7% 3 did not respond = 5% 40 responded “Significantly” = 68% 6 responded “Moderately” = 10% 2 responded “Slightly” = 3% 1 responded “Not at all” = 2% 5 responded “Not applicable” = 8% 5 did not respond = 8% 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

8. To what extent has student involvement in your organization empowered the people served by or involved in your organization? 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

9. Enhancement of Capacity 40 responded “Significantly” = 69% 13 responded “Moderately” = 22% 2 responded “Slightly” = 3% 3 responded “Not at all” = 5% 37 responded “Significantly” = 63% 11 responded “Moderately” = 19% 1 responded “Slightly” = 2% 1 responded “Not at all” = 2% 4 responded “Not applicable” = 7% 5 did not respond = 8% 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

10. To what extent have students enhanced the capacity of your organization to fulfill its mission? 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

11. Documenting Effects: Time • Outputs: short term results of community engagement, e.g., research report • Outcomes: medium term results of outputs, e.g., program changes in light of research PAR Outcomes Project.  (2007). 31 August 2007 planning meeting. Retrieved on 9-30-08 from: http://comm-org.wisc.edu/wcbr/page.php?2

12. What are students doing at CFH?▪ Children’s Programming ▪ Adult Programming ▪ Operations What are some of the outputs and outcomes? • Outcome: Child reports to learning coach consistent improvements in test scores. Staff regularly notice boost in self confidence. • Outcome: Guest passes GED. Tutees frequently express desire to become tutors, as well as desire to further education. • Outcome: Guest is able to speak with Spanish-speaking guests who feel alienated, developing a sense of community and trust. • Output: Child works with volunteer tutor to improve study skills. • Output: Adult Guest is tutored to prepare for GED. • Output: Guest is tutored in basic Spanish.

13. Moving Toward the Long Term: Impact • Outputs: short term results of community engagement, e.g., research report • Outcomes: medium term results of outputs, e.g., program changes in light of research • Impact: long term accumulation of effects of outcomes; ultimately, improved community well-being • Stoecker, R., Beckman, M., & Min, B.H. (2010). Evaluating the community impact of higher education community engagement, 177-198. In H.E. Fitzgerald, C. Burack & S. Seifer (Eds.) Handbook of Engaged Scholarship: The Contemporary Landscape. Volume Two: Community-Campus Partnerships. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press. • Stoecker, R. & Beckman, M. (2010). Making higher education civic engagement matter in the community [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.compact.org/news/making-higher-education-civic-engagement-matter-in-the-community/9748/

14. To what extent has the overall issue your organization addresses been affected by student involvement in your organization?Not applicable Not at all Slightly Moderately Significantly

15. Effect on overall issue • Question not asked 28 responded “Significantly” = 47% 16 responded “Moderately” = 27% 2 responded “Slightly” = 3% 2 responded “Not at all” = 3% 4 responded “Not applicable” = 7% 7 did not respond = 12% 2009 Responses 2010 Responses

16. To what extent has the overall issue your organization addresses been affected by student involvement in your organization?

17. “Impact” Difficult to answer. Health care for the poor and underserved is a chronic issue for our country. The students hopefully played an active part in the health care reform bill and elected officials who can and will assist with this issue. It is difficult to measure if an organization has had an effect on recidivism. The point here is that your organization has had an impact on juveniles who have made poor decisions in their past. St. Joseph Regional Medical Center South Bend Juvenile Correctional Facility

18. Is CFH getting results it wants from student involvement? • If we want to get to impact – in this case, CFH’s ultimate goals – in what ways could we improve our collaboration?

19. Is CFH getting results it wants from student involvement? • Yes • Opportunities for Development: • Project-Based Volunteering • Goal Setting • Reliability If we want to get to impact – in this case, CFH’s ultimate goals – in what ways could we improve our collaboration? • Draw more students and faculty into research to explore ways to break the cycle of homelessness • Continue Developing Special Projects

20. Questions and Discussion What resonates with what you are doing?