Seeing as that INTO THE STREETS was mentioned by a couple of folks
recently, I thought I should inform the list of where you can learn more
about the program, if you're not already familiar with it:
See: http://www.COOL2SERVE.org/its.htm
Regarding the specific questions raised about Into the Streets, which by
the way we prefer to think of as INTRODUCTORY Service Event (because it
should be used as the beginning of something bigger on your campus, not
just an end in itself), here are some thoughts:
ARE THERE LIABILITY ISSUES?
Liability is certainly an issue. It is an issue as you consider both
transportation to the site as well what work the students will be doing at
the site. We typically advice schools to use some form of volunteer sign-up
form that includes a waiver (for the school) and we also encourage schools
to get some sort of signed agreement with the agency stating that they will
take responsible for appropriate training and oversight of the volunteers.
I know that some schools also insist that agencies provide proof of
volunteer liability insurance before they send any volunteers their way. If
you are going to be sending volunteers to that agency throughout the year
anyway this is a very reasonable precaution.
HOW TO HANDLE TRANSPORTATION?
Transportation always presents liability as well as practical problems.
The liability issues can usually be addressed by either making sure you are
providing the transportation (through university vans or bus charters) or
by working collaboratively with the agencies on this issue. If you ask
sometimes you may find that the agencies or community groups you are
working with have their own vans or they may be very willing to assist you
in underwriting the costs for van or bus rentals/charters. Also make sure
you are familiar with your states Good Samaritan statutes.
While I often see schools get hung-up on these liability issues, I think
the bigger problem is the practicality issue in transportation. Because the
purpose of Into the Streets is to INTRODUCE students to service I often
advise that schools devise transportation methods that empower the student
to learn how to get to sites on their own should they decide to continue in
service. If sites are close enough to campus, organize a walking tour lead
by one of your current volunteers. If the sites are some distance away,
have the students meet somewhere on campus and then travel together via
public transportation. Lastly, if you have a lot of commuter students who
want to drive, make maps available to them. I do strongly advice against
you organizing car-pools though.
WHAT SORT OF SERVICE DO STUDENTS PERFORM?
This varies widely from campus to campus and from locality to locality.
Because the Into the Streets model encourages the use of COMMUNITY VOICE
(the first of COOL's 5 Critical Elements of Service) we encourage schools
to determine projects based on substantive community input. Also many
schools that already have established service programs will choose to make
their regular service sites the host of their Into the Streets work -- thus
using the event as a way introduce new students to the kind of work they
could be doing on a regular basis.
Some campuses seek to focus Into the Streets activities on direct service
work (i.e., tutoring, teaching, caring for seniors, etc.) - because it
tends to be more meaningful to students. Many campuses, however, recognize
that some service activities don't lend themselves well to these events
because large numbers of volunteers are too disruptive and/or these events
don't permit enough time for highly detailed training. As a compromise many
of these schools will try to involve smaller numbers of students in each
project and/or will involve students in special activities that are
labor-intensive yet are not involving very client-sensitive tasks. Some
examples of these activities include, painting a day care center, preparing
a community garden, sorting clothes for a shelter, or canned goods for a
hunger pantry, etc. If these activities are combined with a tour, a
detailed discussion of the agencies operations, and an opportunity to meet
or (better yet) work alongside some of the organizations beneficiaries,
these activities can provide a fairly good introductory experience to your
volunteers without causing any harm or disruption to the community.
HOW ARE STUDENTS AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZED?
If the campus already has a service program they generally use their
existing volunteers and leadership as site leaders. Campuses that are just
starting service programs though are strongly encouraged to form a
coalition among many different student groups (i.e., service, social,
religious, political, honorary, social groups, etc.) and use these
partnering organizations as your core group of organizers. Each group then
may assist the effort with specific tasks, or they may adopt specific
service sites.
HOW DO THEY RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS?
Recruitment strategies include the conventional methods - flyers, posters,
presentations before groups/classes, table tents in the cafeteria,
handbills, recruitment tables, etc. Also they can include unconventional
methods: student group challenges/competitions, mass e-mailed
announcements, and flyers posted on commuter student shuttle buses, etc.
The best strategy though is to get the word of mouth recruitment going.
Encourage your organizers to get their friends to join in, and so on, and
so on....
HOW TO REWARD VOLUNTEERS?
Have a post-event "celebration" on campus for all those who were involved
in the activities and give away special event T-shirts, buttons, etc..
These things make thank-you gifts and if people wear them regularly after
the event they'll help you build momentum and interest on campus for next
years event. If you form a coalition of groups be sure to provide some
special recognition for their efforts. Lastly, also keep in mind that a
post-event thank-you party can be a great way to get people together in a
common location to do some reflection work and/or to pass out your
evaluation surveys.
HOW MANY PARTICIPATE?
This varies widely from school to school, however, because the emphasis
with Into the Streets is on quality NOT quantity it still works for most
all campuses that offer it. We generally see small schools successfully
getting significant percentages of their students involved after only a few
years of offering the Into the Streets model. Large schools on the other
hand often have difficulty breaking beyond a few hundred students every
year. Although we haven't done a detailed study of why this is the case, it
seems reasonable to assume that large schools are dealing with numerous
conflicting events and activities that are competing for your students time
and attention. Some larger schools have been addressing this problem though
by making Into the Streets less of a single day program and more of a
continuing one. At the university of Texas, for instance, Into the Streets
is offered over the better part of a week (thus offering students numerous
opportunities to volunteer) and at the University of South Carolina Into
the Streets activities are now planned once a month.
DO YOU HAVE GROUP REFLECTION TIME BEFORE OR AFTERWARD?
We always encourage ORIENTATION & TRAINING before the event (the 2nd of our
critical elements) and REFLECTION (the 4th critical element) afterwards.
Sorry this message has got so long, but I hope that it answers some of your
questions. Let us know if I can be of any more assistance.
In Service,
-Lloyd-
Lloyd Jacobson, MSW
National Programs Director
Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL)
***********************************************************
* It's COOL to Serve! *
* C.O.O.L. - Campus Outreach Opportunity League *
* *
* Founded in 1984, COOL is a national non-profit *
* organization working to encourage, support and expand *
* campus-based community service efforts. *
* COOL's mission is to educate and empower students *
* to strengthen our nation through service. *
* *
* For more information contact us at: *
* 1531 P Street, NW, Lower Level *
* Washington, DC 20005 *
* (202)265-1200 phone *
* (202)265-3241 fax *
* E-Mail: homeoffice@COOL2SERVE.org *
* Web Site: http://www.COOL2SERVE.org *
***********************************************************
>JBBrown@APUNET.APU.EDU,Internet writes:
>Another question for my virtual community out there.
>
>All-school service days seem to be gaining in popularity, such as the
>Martin Luther King service days, the "Into the Street" programs, etc.
>
>Our institution is looking to host such a day, but have never done
>anything like it before. I am looking for feedback from institutions
>who have hosted all-school service days ....Were there liability
>problems? How did you handle transportation? What sort of service
>did your students perform? How were the students and services
>organized? How did you recruit volunteers? How did you reward
>volunteers? How many participated? Did you have a group reflection
>time before or afterwards? Did you have any sort of program before or
>afterwards?
>
>
>I recommend contacting COOL to get an Into the Streets Manual. It addresses
>nearly every issue you mentioned.
>
>John Sarvey
>Executive Director
>City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley
>
>