Laurier Centre For Community Service-Learning (LCCSL)

Wilfrid Laurier University

Community Partner/Placement Description Winter 2012

Please provide the following information regarding your organization and your proposed Community Service-Learning (CSL) placement or project and return to Shannon Pennington, Coordinator, LCCSL, spennington@wlu.ca , 519-884-0710 ext. 3911.  This information will allow us to link your interests and needs with the appropriate CSL course(s) at Laurier, so that both your organization and our students derive maximum benefit from the partnership. 

If you have any questions please contact Shannon, or Rebekah Rempel, Coordinator LCCSL, rrempel@wlu.ca, 519-884-0710 ext. 3799.

Organization Name:  Life Change Adventures

Organization Address:  145 Northfield Drive, Waterloo, ON

Organization Description (Please add a description of your school here):  We are a bunch of involved activists seeking to level the playing field for the children, youth and families who call the Sunnydale Community their home. We are involved in many areas of poverty reduction and sustainable development including; literacy, healthy eating, sports and activity programming, mentoring, etc. We are particularly looking for students to assist us with an afternoon literacy and mentoring program.

Contact Name(s):  Jeremy Horne MSW

Phone #(s):  519-590-5316

Email(s):  Jeremy@lifechangeadventures.org

Please indicate your preferred means of contact with students (email or phone):  email

Please indicate what days/times are best for students to contact you: anytime

Placement  Supervisor(s) (please include contact info, if different than contact(s) above – these would be teachers that CSL students would be working with, if not you):

Placement(s) Title and Description (please include examples of the tasks /duties students will be performing):   

1)      Run and Read: Participation is a weekly after school literacy, fitness and mentoring program at Cedarbrae Public School called “Running and Reading

2)      Discover Sport: Join us as we develop a new initiative designed to assist children discover the joy of sport while acquiring skills and understanding. Many of our children do not have access to after school recreation programs so we are bringing the program to them. Based in the gymnasium of Cedarbrae Public School we will provide weekly activities for children.

3)      Preferred/Required Day/Time for Hours to Be Completed:

1)      This program takes place on Tuesday’s beginning as the school day closes at 3:30 and goes to 5:30. Join us for some or preferably the entire time. 

2)      Our program will run from 6:00 - 8:30 each Thursday evening.

Number of Students Requested: 

1)      3

2)      3

Police Check Required?  Yes... vulnerable and at risk kids involved.

 How old can the check be (e.g. 30days, 6 months, 1 year, etc.)?   30 days

Can a student start a placement if they have applied for a police check and have a receipt to prove it? Yes

TB Test Required?  Yes

1)      Other Requirements (Interview, orientation session(s), references, etc)?  Due to the vulnerabilities of this population police checks, application and references are required.  We will have an orientation session and then I will provide ongoing guidance and coaching throughout.

Community Partners, please keep the following in mind when planning your project(s):

• Sign-up day for CSL placements is Jan. 10^th.  Students should ideally be contacting you that week to set-up their initial meeting. 
• If students contact you promptly, placements should be able to start the week of Jan 16^th and run through to the week of March 26^th (10 weeks).
• Students generally serve for 2 hours a week over a period of 10 weeks for a total of 20 hrs.

Roles and Responsibilities in the CSL Partnership

The placement supervisor is asked to:

• Fill-in the Placement Information and Agreement Form (example attached) with the student at the beginning of their placement (student will bring this form with them).

•  Initial weekly and then sign at the end of the placement period, the Placement Attendance Form (example attached – student will bring this form with them, though you are welcome to keep it on-site during the placement period). 
• Provide adequate orientation, training, and supervision for students and to the best of their ability help students to start their placements promptly. 

• You will be asked to provide feedback on the student and the CSL partnership experience at the end of the semester.

The LCCSL Coordinator will:

• Work with community partners and CSL faculty to ensure that placements meet both their needs and those of the students.
• Provide students with information about the placement opportunities and coordinate the process of signing up for placements.
• Maintain contact (through emails, phone calls and at least one site visit) with Community Partners, students and faculty throughout the semester to ensure that the partnership is running smoothly.
• Coordinate the collection of feedback from Community Partners, faculty and students at the end of the semester.

The CSL Students are expected to:

• Sign-up for their CSL placement promptly (on Sept. 19^th at 5pm, or shortly after) after ensuring that they can satisfy all of the expectations of the position (as agreed to here).
• Contact the placement supervisor promptly (ideally within several days of sign-up) to set-up their initial meeting and orientation.
• Maintain a courteous and professional approach to their placement at all times.  This includes in communications, performance of duties, punctuality, attendance, etc.
• Perform their duties and complete their placement to the best of their abilities, as agreed upon with the community partner in the Placement Information and Agreement Form and through any subsequent agreements (verbal or written).

Communication Throughout the Semester

The CSL Coordinators are here to help throughout the semester.  We will be checking-in with you, the students and faculty at regular intervals and hope to visit students and supervisors at the placements at least once.

 If you have any questions, comments or concerns at any time, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  We are available to assist with resolving any issues that may arise with students.  Please consider documenting issues as they arise to help with the resolution process.

If, at any point in semester, you feel that the student has not fulfilled their part of your agreement with them, it is your right to end the partnership.  In such an instance, please contact an LCCSL coordinator to let them know. 

Please include any additional questions or comments below.