Service Learning

An important part of the fraternity experience is helping others. The manpower and organizational ability of Delta Chi chapters gives us an opportunity to perform volunteer efforts and service for others. Doing so will help you grow as a member and a leader as well as increase the respect for your chapter. It is important to plan service efforts which address the needs of the local community (either the university or the town or city in which you live) as opposed to just doing projects that seem appealing to members.

There are many differing needs depending on the community you plan to work with. Some of these can best be served through financial assistance. Donations of this sort are known as philanthropic service, or philanthropy. This is an admirable, and sometimes the most practical, way to contribute to many causes throughout your community. However, for the purpose of this Area of Mastery it is preferred that you participate in a more "hands-on" service project. Donating time, energy and manpower to a cause will help give you a different perspective on life and is more in the spirit of The KEY.

Within the framework of this Area of Mastery you are given a chance to give back to your community. Here you will truly come to understand that, "The more you give, the more you receive." This is one of the most fundamental purposes of The KEY and what the Fraternity stands for. The goals for you in this Area of Mastery are:

• Identifying the Needs of a Community
• Community Service and Philanthropy
• Personal Growth Through Service

To achieve mastery over this area, complete the following four activities. Below each activity you are provided with sample options that you may utilize to fulfill the activity. Remember, these are only sample options, you may choose to come up with your own options that may better suit you or your chapter's needs. Follow up your accomplishments in your Learning Journal. Finally, once you have completed all activities within this Area of Mastery, finish the area by answering the concluding Critical Reflection questions within your Learning Journal.

Identify the needs of your local community.

• Schedule a meeting with a representative from the university or social service agency in your community. At that meeting, have the representative explain the nature of his/her organization; the services they provide, how they are funded, and the volunteer needs they have. Identify potential partnerships between the organization and your chapter. Many communities have United Way programs or programs administered by other umbrella agencies. A representative from this type of agency or from a campus community service organization can speak to the needs of a variety of groups in the local community. Take notes at this meeting and come up with some ways you can contribute to their effort.
• Attend a meeting of a local social service agency or a campus organization that has community service and volunteering as its primary mission. Your student services department should be able to help you in this search. Learn about that organization, the needs that it has, and the services it provides. Identify potential partnerships between the organization and your chapter. Be sure to take notes at this meeting and include ways you, your chapter, and the Greek system can help this organization.
• Use the internet to do a broad search of community service organizations. Look for both local and national groups with which you share interests. Contact these groups to see what you can learn about their needs and what services they provide. Identify potential partnerships between your chapter and the organization or between the organization and you. Make several of these contacts to evaluate which group or groups best suits your interests and the members of your chapter. Report your findings back to the chapter during its next meeting.

Develop a service project designed to meet identified needs.

• Together with other members of your Greek community have a joint meeting with faculty from your campus. During this meeting ask the questions: 1) What are the needs of our campus and surrounding community? 2) How can the Greek system aid in addressing these needs? 3) What support would we like to see from the college/university? 4) What support would the college/university like to see from the Greek system? 5) How can we best serve each other's needs in the upcoming year and in years to come? During this discussion develop an action plan to perform different service projects throughout the year.
• Together with other members of your Greek community, plan a year-long project to better your campus or community. Have periodic meetings to monitor the project's progress and to chart your accomplishments thus far. At the end of the year have all participants complete the Service Learning Reflection Worksheet and use the responses to gather your own thoughts. Walk through the Service Learning Project Discussion Guide to bring closure to the activity.

Participate in a community service event with members of your chapter.

• Select an organization with which you would like to build better relations and invite members of that organization to collaborate with you on a community service project With representatives from the other organizations identify 3-4 issues that you would like to address in your project or organizations you would like to assist. Using the Service Learning Planning Form, research the needs/opportunities to address each issue and support each agency and then plan; implement; and evaluate an appropriate project together. After the project has been completed, have each member complete the Service Learning Reflection Worksheet. Then collect their responses to the questions posed on the worksheet. Using the Service Learning Project Discussion Guide and the responses, write an essay describing what you learned about yourself and others during this activity.
• Design and undertake a community service project. Announce your plans during a chapter meeting to allow any other members who would like to become involved to do so. Be sure you have planned out the entire project before proceeding with the Service Learning Planning Form. This will help you map out your thoughts to further organize your project. After finishing what you planned to accomplish, use the Service Learning Reflection Worksheet and Service Learning Project Discussion Guide to evaluate your project and its implementation. Announce your results at the next chapter meeting.
• Plan and participate in a service learning activity designed to meet a specific need identified in your campus or local community with your chapter. Use the Service Learning Planning Form to help plan and evaluate your effort. After the project has been completed, have each member complete the Service Learning Reflection Worksheet. Then collect their responses to the questions posed on the worksheet. Using the Service Learning Project Discussion Guide and the responses, write an essay describing what you learned about yourself and others during this activity.

Collect and publicize the work your chapter has done through community service and philanthropy.

• As part of the planning and development of a community service project, contact your school or local newspaper to inform them of your work. Make sure to let them know what group or group you are contributing to, and in what ways. If your project is a "hands-on" project where you and members of your chapter will be working in the community, let them know the dates and times when you will be working on your project.
• Collect and calculate the number of "man hours," as well as, amount donated in financial assistance that your chapter has come up with for the year. At the end of the school year, report your findings as part of the Delta Chi awards packet so that you may receive recognition at the next Delta Chi International Convention.
• Collect and calculate the number of "man hours," as well as, amount donated in financial assistance that your chapter has come up with for the year. At the end of the school year, submit a report to your university (this may include your Greek advisor, Dean of Students, University President, etc.) informing them of your accomplishments, and asking in what ways can you better work together to increase the success of your projects next year.