Community Service

Community Service

For high school students, it is important that they get involved in some form of community service.  Many clubs and organizations offer opportunities for community service.  Some are:  4-H, Student Council and Boy Scouts of America.  The Congressional Award is one award that depends heavily upon community service.  To learn more about this award go to www.congressionalaward.org.

Below is a printable community service log that you can print out for your student.

Protocol for Types of Activities Which Qualify as Service Hours

In general, community service focuses on the larger community and it addresses a significant community need rather than the gain associated with the service. Community service is done without monetary compensation and is done most often for non-profit agencies rather than for-profit businesses.

What is volunteering? 

Volunteering is an opportunity to engage as a community member and citizen with and in service to other members of a given community in an effort to make the world a better place.

Hours should be categorized as either direct service or indirect service. Anytime a letter of participation can be provided, attach a copy to the log as supporting documentation.  The following explains what activities fall into each of these two categories.

Direct Service

• Time physically spent serving and addressing community needs (i.e. building a house, raking leaves)
• Time spent helping with ongoing and existing service projects in the community (i.e. crafts with seniors)
• Time spent assisting the community in accomplishing necessary tasks (i.e. serving food at a local festival)

Indirect Service

• Time spent planning and preparing for a service event, program, or activity
• Time spent on creating public relations materials or posting public relations materials for an organization’s service activity
• Time spent on set up or tear down for a service activity
• Time spent recruiting members for the organization
• Time spent on fundraising for an outside agency or your club/organization’s needs in assisting the community (i.e. supplies to           make cards for soldiers)
• Time spent on service-learning initiatives
  • Time spent educating others about a community, environmental, and/or social need or problem to be addressed
  • Time spent in formalized group reflection, as recognized by the organization, upon service and/or focusing on an environmental or social problem associated with the service

Not all time spent related to a service organization can be categorized as direct service or indirect service. The following activities are neither:

• Time spent at an organization’s meeting socializing, having a pizza party, etc.
• Travel time to/from a service activity
• Time spent on fundraising for your campus club/organization’s own benefit (i.e. social events, transportation costs)