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Service learning from the supply side: Community capacity to engage students
Author(s) -
Littlepage Laura,
Gazley Beth,
Bennett Teresa A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
nonprofit management and leadership
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.844
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1542-7854
pISSN - 1048-6682
DOI - 10.1002/nml.20056
Subject(s) - agency (philosophy) , scope (computer science) , public relations , sample (material) , service learning , service (business) , business , marketing , perception , psychology , political science , sociology , pedagogy , social science , chemistry , chromatography , computer science , programming language , neuroscience
The rapid increase in the use of service learning raises important public policy questions about who is being served and whether partner agencies have the capacity to meet student demand for community‐based experiences. This article uses a large sample of nonprofit organizations and a comparative framework to examine the characteristics of partner agencies and the scope and nature of college student community involvement. Multivariate analysis tests these factors on a community agency's ability to engage more students, particularly service learners. The findings are generally optimistic about agency willingness to involve students, suggesting widespread community benefits from their involvement. While organizational size and capacity predict current student engagement, an agency's past experience with students and its perceptions of student benefits have the greatest impact on its willingness to take on future students.