Feset, Turku 8.-10.5.2014Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied SciencesSenior Lecturers: Niina Manninen ja Mai Salmenkangas

VOLUNTARY WORK AS A BASE FOR LEARNING IN DIVERSE SETTINGS

Contents of the presentation

✱ Theoretical aspects related to Service Learning model

✱ Why to apply Service Learning model✱ KAMU project as a base for

implementing Service Learning model✱ Experiences and learning in KAMU

project

Service Learning in nutshell

✱ “Teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.” (Learn and Serve America National Service Learning Clearinghouse)

✱ For students’ learning, it is crucially important that service-learning is linked with the contents of the curriculum (Kurki, L. 2001). Rather than being based on random observations, the learning must be analyzed and conceptualized by the tools that link service and learning and the contents and learning aims of the curriculum.

✱ Translation into Finnish “palveluoppiminen”, “vapaaehtoistyössä oppiminen”?

Why Service Learning?

✱ There is a great pressure to adjust socio-political measures to fit with the current economic situation -> Finances for social and educational services are to some extent cut down -> The question of self-help and communal activities and volunteer based services is more topical than ever before.

✱ In Service Learning projects students work in varied societal settings in collaboration with professionals who represent different fields and backgrounds. This enables the students to understand their service work from multidisciplinary points of view.

Why Service Learning?

✱ Service Learning offers balance between service and learning objectives

✱ Phases emphasis on reciprocal learning ✱ Increases understanding of the content in which

service work occurs✱ Focuses on development of civic skills✱ Addresses community identified concerns✱ Involves community in service-learning design

and implementation -> Improves participation and social inclusion (Faculty Toolkit for Service Learning in Higher Education, 2007).

Why Service Learning? Benefits to different parties

✱ The community in which the service is done is receiving additional support for their core functions

✱ Universities of Applied Sciences' students benefit by experiencing and reflecting real life encounters with service users in various service contexts

✱ Students are a great new volunteer work force that can bring new ideas and develop the services in the volunteer work sector together with the professional volunteer work organization

KAMU project (2013-14)✱ Aims of the project

✱ Promote the use of Service Learning (SL) model in Finland ✱ Pilot the use of Service Learning model among project partners✱ Develop support material to carry out Service Learning model

(guides, assessment material, board games, drama methods)

✱ Partners in the KAMU-pilot✱ Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: students of

social services ✱ Keskuspuisto Vocational College: immigrants with mild or

moderate learning disabilities✱ Kalliola Settlement: organisation promoting volunteer work

✱ Funded by European Social Fund

Aims of KAMU project partnersHelsinki

Metropolia University of

Applied Sciences

Kalliola Settlement

Keskuspuisto Vocational

College

ALL PARTNERS• Promoting civic skills• Supporting communities and

strengthening participation• Disseminating Service

Learning model

• Developing volunteer work related training and counselling

• Engaging students in volunteer work

• Providing meaningful learning environments to students

• Developing curriculum • Creating new pedagogical

tools taking into account different linguistic/ ethnic backgrounds and capacities to learn

• Exploring new ways to support the integration of students into the Finnish society

Process of KAMU/Buddies pilot

Preparation of games

Metropolia UAS Kalliola SettlementKeskuspuisto Vocational College

Course on volunteer work

Group activities and games

1 SCHOOL YEAR

KAMU/ Buddies activities

SUPERVISI ON

SUPERVISI

ON

Memory

boxes

Assessment of learning outcomes and project outcomes

SUPERVISI

ON

Testing KAMU games

Work continues with buddies

Service Learning in multiprofessional, diverse settings

✱ In Metropolia voluntary work is part of curriculum ✱ 4th Work Placement: 5-8 ECTS✱ Students can choose any form of voluntary work and

any setting supporting their professional development

✱ Opportunities for multiprofessional co-operation e.g.✱ Students of Nursing + Clothing in a pallitive care

home✱ Students of IT + Education giving in asylm seekers

reception centres

To support implementation of SL-model✱ Service Learning Guidebook to volunteer work agencies,

Universities and students*✱ Methods to be used in SL-trainings/ group activities

✱ KAMU games and drama methods available at: http://kamu.metropolia.fi (some in English)

✱ Guidebook on facilitation✱ Film on multicultural work*

✱ Material on KAMU process (can be adjusted to different contexts)✱ Marketing material✱ Introduction questionnaire, contract etc. to students✱ Assessment material on learning to students*

✱ Good practices tested during KAMU-project✱ “Bridge” student doing work placement in a partner organisation✱ Memory box method to assist in assessment

* Ready in autumn 2014

Tasks of partners in SL-model (KAMU-model)

Instructions to and orientation of

students

University/ College/ School Volunteer Work AgencyMunicipality/ NGO etc.

Training to students on

volunteer work

Supervision (learning)

Supervision (volunteer

work)

Practical arrangements

Support to end service, assessment

PHASE 1

PHASE 2 Support to start service

PHASE 3

Service

Assessment of learning

PHASE 4

Implementation principles of Service Learning

✱ Those needing the service are involved in defining the contents of the service (ideally with students)

✱ All partners are equally committed to common aims and equally treated

✱ Division of labour is clearly defined✱ Systematic reflection and feedback related with

the service are ensured✱ Students must have a free choice in order for some

elements of voluntary work to be maintained✱ There should be enough flexibility in the aims and

implementation of the service

Learning in KAMU and curriculum

✱ In the KAMU project we can find and establish the links between the curriculum of the Bachelors of Social Services at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the service. The themes of diversity, otherness, inclusion vs. exclusion and integration vs. marginalization are crucial both in the curriculum as well as in the KAMU Project’s service-learning model.

Reflection in KAMU

✱ Students will encounter new and sudden experiences as volunteer workers and these experiences should be linked with learning. Reflection is needed; What happened, why it happened, what can you learn from it?

✱ The whole idea of service learning is to actively reflect the service and peer support activities by discussing them together, by writing about them in individual learning journals and by assessing learning in every possible aspect. Service-Learning handbooks that are created in the KAMU project will help the students as well as organizations involved to make the most out of the volunteer work and service learning.

✱ In the KAMU –project following reflection tools were made use of✱ Learning diary –Individual Learning journal ✱ Group discussions, Reflection meetings at Metropolia and Kalliola Settlement✱ Group discussion, orientation/feedback meetings at Keskuspuisto Vocational College✱ Questionnaire to evaluate individual level learning in the Service Learning program

Experiences of students in KAMU✱ The learning experiences of both Keskuspuisto students and Metropolia

students have been promising.

✱ What seems to be the most important aspect in service-learning such as in the KAMU model, is that learning is reciprocal, reflective and based on shared experiences and communality.

✱ The idea of ‘us’; partnership that is based on doing something together and meeting and acting in dialogical relationship

✱ Most of the Metropolia students experienced that dialogical relationships were formed towards the end of the KAMU process. The shift from professional, counselor approach changed gradually into partnership, friendship based relationship.

✱ The students at Keskuspuisto emphasised though that there was a certain distance between them and Metropolia students. They wished that more friendship –like relationship would develop in the end.

Learning in KAMUMetropolia students✱ Use of plain Finnish in communication ✱ Guiding and counselling at an individual and group level ✱ Gender roles in different cultures✱ Encounters and creation of dialogical relationship

through meaningful and shared activities

Keskuspuisto students✱ Learning Finnish and the Finnish society e.g. different

occupations✱ Learning new skills, such as baking, painting, drawing

etc.

Closing remark

Communal activities create a base for our understanding of us, rather than just thinking how different we are, what separates us. During KAMU we have learned something very essential about social pedagogy, encounter and dialogue.

Thank you

References

✱ Final Dissertation of Bachelor of Social Services Student: Minna Lahtinen. 2014. KAMU –läsnä oleva ystävä vai etäinen ohjaaja? Maahanmuuttajien kokemukset KAMU –kaveriohjauksesta.

✱ Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences – Degree Programme in Social Services Curriculum. Available at: http://opinto-opas-ops.metropolia.fi/index.php/en/16183/en/127/SP13S1/year/2013

✱ Kurki, L. 2001. Kasvaminen palvelutehtävään – sosiaalipedagoginen katse vapaaehtoistyöhön. Teoksessa A, Eskola & L. Kurki (toim.) Vapaaehtoistyö auttamisena ja oppimisena. Vastapaino: Tampere, 67-92.

✱ Manninen Niina. 16.2.2014. KAMU project – Combining service and learning in promoting integration. Available at: http://kamu.metropolia.fi/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/KAMU-Project_Service-Learning-Case-Model.pdf

✱ Reflection discussions and feedback from Metropolia KAMU -Bachelor of Social Services Students. Fall 2013 and spring 2014.

✱ Seifer SD and Connors K. , Eds. 2007. Community Campus Partnerships for Health. Faculty Toolkit for Service-Learning in Higher Education. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. Available at: https://ccsr.ku.edu/sites/csl.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/HE_toolkit_with_worksheets-4.pdf