Supporting Communities through Engagement and Volunteerism

This course gives the student the opportunity to grow academically, through participation in a service-learning experience. Students will meet real needs in the community by applying knowledge from the course. This course will examine elements of disaster response, volunteerism, civic engagement, service learning, social innovation, healing proposals and service projects and will expose students to the four basic principles of service learning namely, engagement, reflection, reciprocity and public dissemination. Students will complete 30 hours of service over a five week period (Weeks 7 to 11), which may include participating in community enhancement activities or other community projects that are related to disaster risk reduction/management. During the 5 weeks of community service, students will be expected to reflect on their experiences and document their reflections in their online journal while completing other tasks online. Students will work with selected NGO’s, CBO’s or other established community groups and partners in their respective territories, in post-disaster response or disaster preparedness/risk management service areas that positively impact the community.