Community-Based Service Experience (6 Credits)

Students studying at the CAPA London Study Center have the opportunity to enroll in a six-credit course,"The Social Dynamics of London: Contemporary Issues through Service-Learning", that includes 10-15 hours of service-learning each week. The course, with a sociological focus, will look at urban issues facing Londoners including multiculturalism, inequalities in social services ranging from education to healthcare, and welfare concerns. The course is coupled with group projects at community service organizations throughout London.

Community-Based Service Experience and CAPA

Service-learning allows students studying abroad the opportunity to work on a project during the semester that benefits the community while developing an understanding of community issues. Unlike an internship, which builds on professional skills for future career growth, the main focus of a community-based experience is to fulfill the needs of the community. CAPA has developed its community-based program to give students the opportunity to engage with the community while having time in the classroom each week to reflect on their experience. Each week students will have a three-hour seminar that looks at a variety of urban and community issues. They will also work in groups of 2-4 students at their assigned community center on a semester-long project.

The Course

"The Social Dynamics of London: Contemporary Issues through Service-Learning" consists of weekly interactive seminars that examine British society to establish links to the context of global social realities using an academic framework which includes readings, discussion of current events, visits to relevant local agencies and dialogue. The course aims to utilize London as the students' urban laboratory - the course, including the placement in group projects, will examine the structures that serve London, both in terms of successes but increasingly in terms of failures and issues relevant to current affairs. This is a comparative course, dealing with themes and issues in London, but using this city as a lens through which to examine urban issues in Britain and other cities as well. The class will meet for the first three weeks in 3-hour sessions for an intensive series of lectures, training and discussions. In week 3 the representatives from the service-learning sites will come together with students for training and discussion. After this introductory period, group placements will begin, and classes continue as 3-hour weekly seminars (or out-of-class visits and activities) with part of the class dedicated to reflection of the project work’s progression. The final week will consist of final site work and visits, and a 3-hour class meeting for final presentations and reflection on the projects, attended by site representatives. Click here to see the syllabus.

Sample Community-Based Service Placements

Your service experience in London will be as diverse as the city itself. London is home to individuals from varied social and cultural backgrounds. Our group service-learning projects will reflect the diversity of London as well as the immediate social challenges facing communities in need. Examples of community-based service projects include:

• Developing and facilitating an art project for young children and youth;
• Assisting with a community food co-op that encourages healthy lifestyles through workshops and cookery sessions;
• Organizing an annual bazaar to raise funds for a local community center;
• Planning events for the elderly and assisting with intergenerational projects that promote interactions with youth;
• Assisting with outreach activities to promote projects and services in diverse communities.

Here are just some of the organizations where you maybe placed:

Castlehaven Community Association

Camden (North London) Since its inception in 1986 Castlehaven has addressed its aims to respond to the educational, recreational and social needs of local residents’ by offering a number of services and activities to local people. The principal focus of Castlehaven’s work has been with young people (under 20) and older people (over 60). While the majority of community served by Castlehaven is white British, the center also caters to the needs of growing Bangladeshi and Somali populations.

Masbro Community Centre

Shepherd’s Bush (West London) The Masbro Centre is one of the largest community-led centers in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which has established a reputation for quality provision of services, which are tailored to the expressed needs of local people. The Masbro Centre provides a diversity of services and facilities to the local community including education and training initiatives. While the majority of Masbro’s community is Irish or British, their services are also utilized by growing Vietnamese, Bangladeshi and Middle Eastern communities.

The Baytree Centre

Brixton (South London) Located in the heart of Brixton, the Baytree Centre offers support to women and girls of all ages. The Baytree Centre aims to meet the needs of the local community by offering a range of training opportunities, youth activities, mentoring, and support. Baytree’s Youth Service has a wide range of activities, including dance, drama, Study Club, Science Club (organized by UCL), ESOL and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

St. Hilda’s East Community Centre

Bethnal Green (East London) St. Hilda's East is a thriving community centre providing educational, social and recreational activities for a multicultural population of all ages. St Hilda’s aims to meet the diverse needs of the local community by providing good quality services that promote social inclusion, and help and empower individuals. They provide a number of services to their community including youth projects, creche, women’s groups and work skills training.

Placement Process

CAPA works with key partner organizations to determine projects in various communities. Once the placement sites have been identified, we carefully read your personal statement and application to obtain a better understanding of your skills and motivations and match you with the most appropriate placement. In order to help us learn about your background, previous experiences, and interests, all students will need to complete a community-based service application. The key component of this application is the personal statement; this portion of the application will be shared with the service-learning site. In your statement you will address the following points:

• What does community service mean to you?
• Why do you wish to participate in the CAPA Community-Based Service course?
• What do you hope to gain from this experience?
• What do you hope to contribute to this experience?
• Based on your application, the Experiential Learning team will consider your interests, that of your classmates, and most importantly the needs of our service-learning partner organizations to place you in an appropriate community-based placement.

Student Feedback

"I was placed at St. Hilda's community centre not really knowing what to expect. I always considered myself a diverse person, but I had no idea how much room I had to grow. I am so lucky to have had the experience I gained throughout my time at St. Hilda's. I have met people who have challenged my views and helped me to expand my opinions beyond what I have experienced first-hand. Much of the community built around St. Hilda's is composed of a large Bangladeshi population. This community has accepted me so quickly, while teaching me things every day about their culture and customs. I am a practicing Jew, so to get the chance to form connections and relationships within the Muslim community has been an incredible and enlightening experience for me. I feel as though when I go to St. Hilda's I am not in London, I am in my own little world away from everything else I am used to seeing in London on a daily basis. I have had the opportunity to work with members of the community from all sorts of backgrounds. I have worked with everyone from infants to teenagers to adults with disabilities. Everyone has been represented in this community throughout my experience, and it has truly been a pleasure to spend my time in London becoming a part of this incredible community." -Joshua Wexler, University of Pittsburgh

Related materials: 

Service Learning Application

"The Social Dynamics of London: Contemporary Issues through Service-Learning" Syllabus