Who We Are
Service Learning Seattle (SLS) is a partnership between Seattle Public Schools, higher education, local government, businesses, community based organizations, teachers and empowered youth to support the long-term sustainability of high quality service learning opportunities for youth in Seattle and regionally. We seek to collaborate to develop, implement, and evaluate service learning projects and practice.
Our Goals
Creating Connections: To connect key stakeholders in community based organizations and schools to facilitate high quality service learning opportunities that meet real community needs. Promoting and supporting a common definition of service learning, advocating its integration into K-12 teaching strategies and curriculum, and implementing common assessments and data collection for reporting school and community impacts.
Support & Resources: To support high quality service-learning practices through resources, tools, education and training to community organizations, educators, parents, students and other interested parties. Obtain resources to support high quality service learning implementation through grants, partnerships, and development.
2012-2013: Our activities are designed create and sustain service learning systems which are responsive to the needs of service providers (organizations), learning providers (teachers, adult leaders), and service learners (youth). We seek to provide innovative and proven training and technical assistance services, programming and activities. We seek partnerships with other groups to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for youth.
- Annual Service Learning Symposia: In February, we bring together approximately 100 people to learn and share tools and resources around service learning, culminating project, and civic engagement.
- Learn and Serve America Grants: SLS serves as the advisory group for funding received for service learning activities in Seattle Public Schools.
- Unique Training Opportunities: SLS seeks to make available local and national trainers to the community. Through our partners other training is offered; e.g. Volunteer Program Manager Training with United Way.
- Listserv & Website Management: Assists with Service Learning enhancements on United Way of King County’s volunteer website, contributes to WSU Service Learning Website, and manages SLS Listserv.
Organizational Structure
Steering Committee* of community organizations, school district staff, teachers and youth. Meets monthly, and leads work teams (training & technical assistance, partnerships, advocacy). Membership is open to committed stakeholders.
Partners: all interested parties that participate on listserv, attend activities and trainings, and/or participate on work teams.
*Current Steering Committee Members (12-13) represent the following organizations: Seattle Public Schools, United Way of King County, YMCA of Greater Seattle, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, WSU Extension 4-H, Girl Scouts of Western Washington, Arts Corps, Nature Consortium, CommonAction, South Seattle Community College & SOAR.
