Expectations

May I add a late contribution to the discussion about language? Behind the use of an emotive - or perjorative - word such as "slavery" there might be another area worth thinking about and that concerns expectations. Our students on service-learning programs have an orientation course at Westminster College, Oxford; those on Community Service do not - but we have to try and get a similar message over to both

Perhaps surprisingly, I am quite "up front" with students that in a service placement they will be exploited. By that I mean they will be worked hard - clients with whom they work can be difficult to the point of @**!!!## - whatever that word is in American.... - when working especially with children there will be long hours - sometimes they will feel that neither the agency or the clients are very grateful for what is being done. And, of course, on top of all that there is culture shock! Perhaps the most important reason why they will be exploited in some agencies is because they are so desperately needed in situations where staff are hard pressed to the point of burn-out. That is reality.

BUT - there is another side. We PROMISE that students will not be there for "grunge work". They will work alongside professional staff and have real responsibilities. If there is menial work that they must do it is because ALL staff do it - not just the student. There are basic conditions of service to which the agency has agreed, and - because we work with placements to develop their student relationships - the agency WANTS the placement to work for both parties. THEN there follows what they can get from the experience for themselves.

The key is to understand what SERVICE is - and we send a hard hitting paper with the info pack (copies on application - unless hundreds of you want it!). So - students ARE exploited - but the exploitation is fair, understood, and for a purpose. (Of course, you might argue with my use of the word "exploitation" - students tend not to....). They never have - but they might use the word that some took exception to to describe their work - but they would NOT use it as a complaint......

Expectations

by Anthony Evans

07 May 1999 19:19 UTC