Learning goals determine what type of project will best enhance student learning. Here is a range of project types.
Direct Service
1. Educational Outreach
Teaching, tutoring, mentoring, demonstrating, or presenting their knowledge and/or skills with a community partner. Ex: Afterschool Programs, Parenting Programs
2. Companionship or Personal Assistance
Spending time with people from target populations (ex: people who identify as elderly, refugee, homeless, youth at risk, people with disabilities) to offer support with language, storytelling, technology, etc.)
3. Field Experience
Designing experiments, collecting data, or contributing to ongoing studies through data monitoring for community partners. Ex: Idaho Fish and Game, Foothills Learning Center.
Indirect Service
4. Design and Production
Applying technical skills to design and/or produce a product for community partners. Ex: technical writing, curriculum development, designing adaptive devices, developing an app, revitalizing spaces, updating wayfinding, etc.
5. Background Research / Issue Analysis
Conducting a needs assessment, resource mapping, program evaluation, and/or background research on current issues for community organizations. Students may then work with community partners to disseminate to the public.
6. Community Outreach and Impact
Assist community partners in generating awareness, such as writing newsletter articles, developing or curating videos, assisting with outreach events, etc.
7. Advocacy
Working with community partners to advocate for action or to educate target groups about issues of public interest
See the Social Change Wheel for other types of SL projects.