Community Partners

The University of San Francisco Office of Service-Learning and Community Action views community partners as vital collaborators in the learning process. Much of a successful service-learning course, volunteer activity, and/or internship depends on the quality of the service experience. Community partners are critical to helping to frame and guide that experience, adding real-world expertise and exposure to the theories about which students are learning.

University of San Francisco students and the Office of Service-Learning and Community Action engage in the community in a variety of ways, including:

Service-Learning Partnerships

USF requires every undergraduate student to successfully complete a minimum of one service-learning course in order to graduate. Integrating service-learning into an academic course is a way to enhance the students' learning as well as the community organization's capacity. The community partner and professor work together to design service activities and learning objectives that are meaningful and related to one another, and students are challenged to explore these connections through reflective assignments.

USF sees community partners as co-educators and essential collaborators in the service-learning process. One of the principles of service-learning is that it is reciprocal, so while students are learning, they are providing valuable service to the organization. In addition, by investing time in service-learners, community partners help create future leaders who are committed to service and social justice. See Benefits of Service-Learning for a list of benefits for community partners, students, and faculty.

Community Action or Community Service

This volunteer work is performed by individuals or groups, but there is not an explicit connection with academic coursework. Students, although encouraged to do volunteer work, do not receive credit for volunteering. Faculty and staff may also participate in voluntary community action or community service. Organizations can contact OSLCA with community action opportunities, and we will pass along the information to interested people.

Internships

Internships generally last a full semester and are focused upon giving students experience in a particular professional setting or developing a particular set of skills. The focus of the internship is not so much on meeting a genuine community need, but honing students' professional abilities. Note: Internships may or may not be connected with an academic course. Some service-learning courses will identify themselves as internships. In other cases, students can arrange an internship without an academic component.

Partnership Assistance

OSLCA serves as a liaison between faculty and community partners, helping to cultivate relationships in which course objectives and organizational goals are reciprocally met. OSLCA staff regularly visit community organizations to learn about their work, and then host networking events so relevant faculty and nonprofit staff can explore mutual interests and potential partnerships. OSLCA also offers consultations with partners to develop service project ideas and identify compatible USF courses, develop problem-solving knowledge, and cultivate a shared sense of advocacy between faculty, students, and community partners.

Community Partner Service-Learning Seminar

OSLCA offers a seminar series for community partners to help develop and enhance their service-learning practices. Please click here for more information.

Professional Development Workshops

Workshops are offered at least twice a year on topics of interest to faculty and community partners. Past topics include service-learning best practices, service-learning fundamentals, partnership essentials, and community-based research.

Become a Community Partner

OSLCA seeks to develop relationships with community partners that provide reciprocal benefits to campus and community. Our hope is that USF students, faculty and staff will work with others in the community to learn about and address issues of local and global importance. Please contact Star Plaxton, Assistant Director, to discuss partnering with USF. Please include the following information in your email:

• Organization name
  
• Contact person
  
• Title/position
  
• E-mail address
  
• Phone number
  
• Location (address and accessibility by public transit)
  
• Services and programs at organization
  
• Nature of volunteer/service-learning opportunities
  
• Hours/shifts/service schedule
  
• Special requirements for service

If you are nonprofit, governmental or public service agency and would like to invite USF students, faculty or staff to serve at your agency, you may register as part of our Community Partner Database. The Community Partner Database will be replaced in Summer of 2008. You are welcome to post an opportunity here until the new database has been developed, at which time you will be invited to resubmit your information. We appreciate your patience in this process.

Advocates for Community Engagement (ACEs)

Advocates for Community Engagement (ACEs) are student employees of OSLCA who work directly with Bay Area nonprofit organizations to coordinate USF service-learning experiences. ACEs act as liaisons between the community organizations, USF professors, and fellow students to design and carry out service-learning projects. Their efforts result in partnerships that are meaningful and beneficial for everyone involved. In order to excel at this work, ACEs also receive extensive ongoing training in skill development and social issues analysis. ACEs collaboratively create projects that benefit the community and meet the course learning objectives, assist all parties to identify and respect one another's needs and expectations, and maintain communication between all of the stakeholders. Please see Advocates for Community Engagement (ACEs) for more information.

How to Get an ACE at Your Organization

There is an application process every year during the spring semester for community partners interested in having an Advocate for Community Engagement at their organization. In order to be eligible, you must have completed the Community Partner Service-Learning Seminar. Getting an ACE is also dependent on your capacity to host multiple students and offer experiences that are relevant to multiple academic disciplines. The community partner must demonstrate engagement in sustained partnerships with USF and a commitment to institutionalizing service-learning at their organization. Once an organization receives an ACE, they must attend ACE supervisor training and participate in biannual evaluations and debriefs. Contact Star Plaxton for more information about working with an ACE.