(South Park: “Night of the Living Homeless” Shown April, 2007)
SOCIOLOGY 104
SERVICE LEARNING PACKET
SPRING Semester 2013
Sue Dowden, PhD
El Camino College
1. Overview of Service Learning with due date & points
2. Service Learning Agreement (Site Information Sheet)
3. Time Sheet
4. Instructions for Critical Thinking Paper
5. Examples of sites for volunteer work
Overview of Service Learning Project
Sociology 104
The purposes of service-learning are to:
(1) Apply the concepts of this academic course in sociology to a real life situation
(2) Gain insights about yourself as well as the people with whom you are working at this service agency, and the clients they serve
(3) Give your time and energy to the community in which you live.
What is service learning?
Service learning is volunteer participation in any organized service activity that addresses community needs. For this class, we will focus on those addressing the needs of poverty and homelessness. Addressing these needs could be clothing, food, tutoring or day care for children, or many others services.
The requirements for a volunteer placement to be accepted as a site for this assignment are:
(1) volunteer, nonpaid activity involved with poverty or homelessness (either in tutoring, feeding homeless, housing, etc.) in the local/LA community
(2) Sponsored by a non-profit organization
(3) Not with a family member, or other relative
(4) 5 hours during this semester is the minimum participation
(5) signed statement from a site supervisor stating this person agrees to have you at the site, and will sign a time sheet stating you worked at least 3 hours during the semester (see attached)
Selecting a site:
(1) Think first about what you want to do, the logistics for you this semester.
(2) See the attached sheet with two websites and several local organizations; where students in previous semesters have volunteered;
(3) Investigate activities sponsored by your church, local community centers, senior centers, activities sponsored by local governments, or other organizations in your community.
If you have any questions about selecting an appropriate site, talk with the instructor as soon as possible. Due dates are NOT flexible.
Due Dates:
Turn in site information sheet (see attached) Wednesday, March 27 5 pts
Paper describing site and your experience Wednesday, May 22 65 pts
5 hours volunteer (signed time sheet
(in this packet) must be included with the final paper) 5 pts
Service Learning Agreement
Student Name: (print)______
I, the El Camino College student, understand that I am expected to behave in a professional and respectful manner * while engaged in this Service Learning Experience.
Student Signature: ______
* Professional and respectful manner includes, but is not limited to, the following:
· Perform my duties to the best of my abilities and show respect to anyone I interact with during my time at the volunteer site.
· Adhere to the rules, procedures, and policies, including the handling of confidential information.
· Be open to supervision and constructive feedback about my work, and take the opportunity to learn from this.
· Meet time and duty commitments. You are being depended upon for services. Please provide adequate notice to your supervisor if you cannot meet your commitment.
Name of Service Learning Site: ______
Complete Mailing Address (including zip code) of Service Learning Site:
Name of Site Supervisor: (This is the person with whom you will work most closely at the site. The supervisor will be asked to verify your hours at the site and is the person your instructor may contact for questions or information.)
Print Name of Supervisor ______
Signature of Supervisor ______
Supervisor’s Telephone #: ____(_____)______
Supervisor’s E-mail Address (optional): ______
NOTE TO SUPERVISOR: With your permissions, the name of the organization and a contact telephone number will be distributed to other students on campus and available on the instructor’s website.
Please check: ______Yes, okay to distribute ______No, not at this time
SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT (Sociology 104)
Must be turned in with the final paper
Date & Time / Description of Assignment / Total hoursTOTAL
NAME of SUPERVISOR (print)
______
As supervisor of this volunteer site, I verify that
(NAME OF STUDENT) ______participated at our site as a volunteer during the hours recorded above.
SIGNATURE OF SUPERVISOR: ______
DATE: ______
Sociology 104
Poverty & Homelessness in Los Angeles
Paper Based on Service Learning Activity
Date Due: Wednesday, May 27
Possible points: 65
Purpose:
· To examine the social problems of poverty and homelessness as they exist in the local community,
· To participate in strategies addressing these problems in the local community
· To evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies
Select one of the social institutions and/or one of the programs in the South Bay or Los Angeles region which seek to address the issues of poverty and homelessness in the community. After volunteering a minimum of five (5) hours in the program, write a research essay which analyzes poverty and homelessness and the efforts to address these problems in the local community. Your essay should address the following:
1) Identify and describe the organization that you worked for. If it is part of a larger organization, describe that organization also. Give a brief history of the project (when did it start, who started it, etc.).
2) What is the purpose of this organization? Describe the services this program provides. Describe the clients it serves.
3) . What does this group (the people involved in the group) define as the social problem to be addressed? Identify values/ethical beliefs that are expressed by this organization in defining this social problem. What is the purpose of this program in addressing the social problem (this will be important in evaluating the program).
4) Describe the social problem of poverty and homelessness in the Los Angeles area, or more specifically in the South Bay area. Approximately how many people are affected, who are these people most likely to be? What are the harmful consequences of this social problem for the individuals who are poor and/or homeless and what are the harmful consequences of these conditions for society as a whole?
5) Give three (3) sources in addition to the text book as research sources for your paper (NOTE: encyclopedia, including Wikipedia, and dictionaries are not considered research sources). List these in a works cited page using the correct format, either MLA or APA. Citations, in the correct format, must be given in the paper to indicate when these research sources are quoted or summarized.
6) Evaluate the effectiveness of this program in addressing poverty and homelessness. Criteria should include, but is not limited to, discussions about whether the program is accomplishing its purpose, how much does it cost, who is paying the cost, are the right people getting the assistance, and what changes might be made to the program to make it better.
7) Separate from the research paper: Attach a separate page in which you write a personal reflection describing your reaction(s) to this experience? Did it change any of your previous thinking about the poor or homeless our society? Explain.
FORMAT:
· Essay style: introduction (with a thesis statement), supporting paragraphs, conclusion.
· DO NOT USE 1ST PERSON WHILE ANSWERING THE FIRST 6 TOPICS OF THE PAPER. 3RD PERSON MUST BE USED. In the personal reflection, you may use 1st person.
· Typed, double spaced, on white paper, 12 pt font; do not use script font.
· Be sure to attach your signed time sheet to the paper; papers will NOT be read without a signed time sheet.
· A Works Cited page must be included, using either MLA or APA format.
GRADING: The following items will be taken into consideration in grading:
1. Content - (70% of total points)
Whether the essay includes all of the points requested in the assignment;Whether the essay shows an application of the materials covered in the text and lectures to the real life situation.
Appropriate research on the topic
2. Writing Style - (20% of total points)
Essays should have an introduction (thesis statement), several points which support and explain the introduction, examples to help the explanation, and a conclusion.
Correct grammar, spelling, editing, proofreading.
Correct citation of references used for information.
Clear communication; logical and clear progression of thoughts.
3. Format (10% of total points)
Following correct format (above)
Overall appearance of the paper.
Format of work-cited page
LATE PAPERS: Papers are due in the first 15 minutes of class; after that they are considered late.
· Three (3) points will be deducted for each day the paper is late (time of class each day) plus 5 points for a weekend.
· E-MAIL: Papers may be e-mailed. The attached file should be in Microsoft Word (any version); if the attachment cannot be opened, the paper is not considered turned in until a hard copy is given to the instructor. Time submitted is based on time of email; if you do not receive an email within 24 hours acknowledging your email, it was not received.
Sociology 104
Suggestions for Service Learning Sites
· Volunteer websites
o http://www.volunteermatch.org
o http://www.californiavolunteers.org
· Other sites where students in previous semesters have volunteered:
o Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat.org, click on “get involved” OR
Habitat for Humanity LA
17700 S Figueroa Street
Gardena, CA 90248
o Feed the Homeless
(Volunteer Soup Kitchen)
Christ the King Lutheran Church
2706 W. 182nd Street
Torrance, CA 90506
Contact: Rev. Dale Krumland, 310-323-6821
o Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Sort and inspect donated food, create food packages for adults, children, and seniors.
Website: http://www.lafoodbank.com
Contact: Ana Martinez, Volunteer Director, 323-234-3030x144,
o Midnight Mission
See website: www.midnightmission.org
o Project Angelfood
Volunteers prepare meals and/or deliver them.
Located on Vine Street in Los Angeles
Contact: Verna Fartek, e-mail
o Outreach Program (feeding homeless at the Church and in other areas of LA)
St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church
1900 S. Prospect Drive
Redondo Beach, CA
o St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran church
14517 Crenshaw Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90249
Contact person: Rev George Villa, 310-676-8804
The church provides meals on Wednesdays and Fridays; they also have a clothing closet on Saturdays.