Community Service-Learning

In a community service-learning (CSL) experience, students participate in ongoing, weekly community service-learning placements, or community-engaged project activities. Built on values or reciprocity, empathy, and social justice, students work primarily with non-profit and public-sector partners.  

Examples of Courses Offered

There are several courses Laurier students can register for that include a CSL component. Below are some samples of student experiences in CSL, but for the full list of courses that offer the CSL component, visit our students' CSL courses offered page.

Graphic Novels and Animation

Offering a community-service learning project, students work in groups to produce French Bande Desinees (graphic novels) and accompanying activities for the partner to use. Partners have included schools, Laurier Students for Literacy, and Epelle Moi Canada. Read more about how our students gain future-ready skills from community partnerships.

Community Psychology

Students volunteer in a range of community settings working directly with equity-seeking individuals and communities and/or those with different lived experiences. Students volunteer with partners such as The Working Centre, Adventure4Change, YMCA, Empowerment Squared, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Learn more about the experience of our partnership with Empowerment Squared and how our students were provided with a virtual service-learning opportunity.

How the Experience Works 

Express Your Interest

If your organization is interested in having student volunteers, contact us or complete the Partnership Request form. 

We look for opportunities two to four months in advance of the course starting. Courses start in September (fall), January (winter) and May (spring). 

Student Placement Process

Volunteer placement opportunities are matched to courses so students can gain experiences that overlap with their course content.

Placements are introduced to students in their first week of classes each term. For most placement courses, students will sign up for an opportunity during the second week of classes.

Students will reach out to the contact for your organization after they sign up to set up an orientation/initial meeting and determine their start date. Students will be volunteering for two hours per week for 10 weeks in most courses. 

Our CSL coordinators will be in touch with your organization and your student to ensure that placements are working smoothly. 

Post Opportunities in Navigator

We encourage you to update your opportunities through Navigator. Using Navigator, you can change description of roles, add new opportunities, inactivate opportunities, change the number of students needed and update your organizational information. 

When you initially register your organization as a partner, you will be asked to complete our partner organization terms and conditions, a safety declaration and review form in Navigator. At the end of the term, you will be asked to complete an optional evaluation of your experience with the CSL program. 

Learn more about using the Navigator online portal.

Your Responsibilities During the CSL Experience

Some of the responsibilities that you will have to contribute to the student experience include: 

• Responding to student(s) promptly when they first contact you. Try to meet within one week of that first contact and have their placement start the week after. 
• Providing orientation and training for students at the beginning of their placement/project.
• Providing adequate supervision of students throughout the placement/project period, including the opportunity for check-ins and feedback on performance and to what extent mutual objectives are being met. 
• Validating the student's weekly attendance at the placement, or completion of project milestones. You will receive emailed prompts to complete this task.

In CSL project courses, groups of students work together throughout the term on a deliverable that your organization has requested or identified as helpul. These courses usually involve a partner visit at the beginning of the term, some scheduled checkpoints during the term. In past experiences, partners often join for the final presentations at the end of the term.

Health and Safety Requirements

In your placement posting, you can indicate the health and safety requirements you have in place for volunteers and placement students (e.g., vaccinations, TB test, PPE, etc.).

Students will determine their eligibility based on their ability to meet these requirements as outlined in the posting. Students may be able to use the Laurier Wellness Centre located on their campus to assist them. 

Student Responsibilities

Police Record Checks

Students are advised to apply for a vulnerable sector police check ahead of taking a CSL course with a placement component. If you require a police check before a student begins their placement, make sure you include this information, along with the type of check required, in the posting description in Navigator. 

Attendance

Students know it is their responsibility to contact their placement directly upon signing up for an opportunity. 

If you have received a message that a student has selected an opportunity with you, but they have not contacted you, contact your coordinator. 

If you have any concerns about the student's attendance or performance at any point through the placement or project period, contact your coordinator.