Experiential Learning Guide: Service Learning
Where does this sit on the Experiential Learning Continuum?
Learning through work: an experience premised around an authentic scenario that simulates elements of a professional role or broader aspects of an industry/sector.
What is it?
Students are asked to integrate meaningful community service with academic learning to address genuine community needs. Service learning often takes the form of a project-based activity where students apply their academic knowledge and skills to create a positive social impact while meeting defined learning outcomes. The community partner could be a local charity, school, local authority, NGO, cultural organisation, environmental group, health service or grassroots initiative.
Working in collaboration with a lecturer, the community partner will define a specific need, challenge or project and the students will respond by engaging directly with the community, undertaking research or developing resources whilst delivering agreed outputs. This should combine meaningful, mutually beneficial community service with structured academic reflection to deepen understanding of both subject content and social responsibility.
Projects can be individual or team-based, assessed or non-assessed and may run over a short intensive period or a full semester. The approach is adaptable across disciplines and is particularly effective where real-world application and civic engagement are core learning goals.
How does it work?
A lecturer identifies a community need that aligns with course / programme learning outcomes and finds a committed community partner.
In collaboration with the community partner, the project should be co-designed ensuring that the service links to the course / programme and is purposeful, feasible and impactful. Be sure to create a framework that sets out agreed deliverables and expectations from all stakeholders involved.
For maximum impact, projects should be designed to deliver immediate and visible benefits, as this will be helpful to both the community partner and the students. Connect the project explicitly to the intended learning outcomes, making it clear how the service activity develops academic knowledge and disciplinary and future skills.
On the course, students receive learning related to professionalism, cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations. The community partner (or lecturer on behalf of the community partner) shares information about the project/organisation to the students.
Students (either individually, or as a group) undertake the agreed service activity (e.g., delivering workshops, conducting research, developing resources, running awareness campaigns etc.)
Typically, students will be asked to present any deliverables (i.e., reports, campaigns, events, physical products) for the community partner. Service learning can be a great way of introducing meaningful assessment, with the deliverables and the potential for asking for reflection on the process and outcomes offering a way for this to be structured.
Where possible, thank and celebrate community partners and student participations publicly to strengthen relationships.
Does it work?
There is strong evidence that links service learning with enhanced academic performance, retention, civic engagement and personal development.
If the activity is well designed, it can support learning by:
- Enhancing subject knowledge by applying theory to socially relevant contexts
- Building future skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and intercultural competence
- Improving student engagement, motivation and sense of belonging to their studies
- Supporting students to develop their professional network and practice the art of networking whilst strengthening relationships with community partners
What do I need?
- A committed community partner with a defined need that aligns to the course / programme.
- A clear framework for the project, including project scope, timelines, agreed deliverables, and communication expectations.
- To schedule time for / create preparatory materials to help students to learn about professionalism, cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations.
- If forming part of the course assessment, criteria and / or reflection prompts to help students integrate learning from the experience.
You may also wish to consider:
- Opportunities for students to reflect on the activity, potentially through formative or summative assessment (such as a reflective report)
- A way to collect feedback from students and the community partner to evaluate impact and improve / inform any future service learning
- Health and safety measures
- Risk assessments
- Safeguarding checks (particularly if working with vulnerable groups)
- Insurance cover
References and further reading
The dos and don’ts of getting started with service learning
What role does service learning play in improving education?
Learning to make a difference – how to bridge the gap between ideal and delivery in service learning
How ‘service learning’ can improve outcomes for students, educators and local communities