The New College Service Learning Program promotes and supports different forms of community-engaged learning for academic credit. Students spend a few hours each week engaging in work for a community partner organisation that relates to their courses or fields of study. Through this work experience along with assignments that require students to reflect on their learning, students’ understanding of course material and university experience overall, is significantly enhanced. The Program thus provides students with the opportunity of gaining grounded understandings of social issues and organizational processes, developing critical analytic skills, and deepening theoretical knowledge while, at the same time, making a meaningful contribution to the work of a community organization or social justice initiative on campus. The following models for service learning are available for students through New College:
a) Embedded service learning in NEW courses
Students spend a few weeks in the classroom studying theoretical and other aspects of a topic before undertaking supervised work within a community organisation for a few hours per week, in order to integrate their classroom learning with their experiential learning (E.g. NEW342H Food Security: Theory and Practice). Depending on the course, such service learning course components may be mandatory for all students in the course, or optional for a few students in the class.
b) Independent service learning in the course NEW 495Y, for 1 full credit.
Students from New College, taking New College courses and/or those involved in New College initiatives, who are entering their third or final year, may apply for independent placements with community partner organisations or on-campus social justice initiatives if they have the requisite background.
Independent service learning students spend 5-7 hours each week on work assigned by placement supervisors, either at the placement site or elsewhere. In this way they learn about and undertake aspects of the organisation’s work as it serves community needs, sometimes undertaking specific projects for the host organisation.
Suitable applicants will be interviewed by the host organisation and the New College Service Learning Coordinator. Successful candidates will be enrolled in the NEW 495Y seminar which meets on specified Fridays through the academic year, from 4 p.m – 6 p.m. In the seminar, students read about and discuss key issues in community-based learning, engage in collective reflection on issues that arise in their respective experiences, and receive instruction in the practice of reflective writing. Regular reflection that prompts students to identify and elaborate what they are learning –in relation to relevant course work or critical issues in community engagement, in relation to the development of ethical and social responsibility and clarification of personal values, and in relation to understanding organisational dynamics –is the key academic assignment for NEW495Y. Beyond fostering critical thinking and enhancing knowledge, it is the main means of assessing the quality of students’ learning. In addition to regular reflective writing and participatory seminar discussions, a program of work for assessment and grading will be devised by the academic supervisor in consultation with the community supervisor and the student. Independent service learning students are invited to make presentations about their service learning experience in related New College courses and in a student symposium.
In applying for a position, please submit the following documents to nc.servicelearning@utoronto.ca. 1) A covering letter detailing your interest and background relevant to the specific SLP position; 2) a résumé; and 3) ROSI academic history (NOT an official transcript, but copied from ROSI into a word doc). Before submitting, please combine these three documents into a single file with the following email subject line: Name of placement- your name. (E.g. Organisation XYZ –Samantha Cho). You may apply for more than one available opportunity, but please tailor your application letters accordingly and submit separate applications for each document.
For further information, contact Linzi Manicom, New College Service Learning Coordinator nc.servicelearning@utoronto.ca. 416 978-8821