COMMUNITIES
COMING
TOGETHER
SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT OVERVIEW
ESSENTIALS FOR YOUNG LIVES 2012
The YMCA of Orange County is privileged and honored to join forces with HomeAid and the Children and Families Commission of Orange County in support of homeless families rebuilding their lives. The YMCA will assist in the collection of needed items for homeless mothers and children by providing 60 drop-off locations and rallying the youth and families in our programs in support of the 2012 Essentials for Young Lives Drive. In conjunction with the donation drive, staff will guide youth in planning and organizing a service learning project addressing homelessness in their communities throughout the months of April and May. The service learning project will culminate with the donation drive and a field trip to the donation distribution center. As part of this community service project, youth will document their experience using various media (pictures, videos, written accounts) and share what they have learned with the community.
There are four main components to a comprehensive service learning project: preparation, action, reflection, and celebration. Below is an outline and some recommendations for implementing in your program or group. Feel free to expand on/ modify these ideas and create your own projects tailored for your program participants. Service Learning is a great learning and growth experience for children ages 5 and up, families, afterschool programs, Adventure Guides Family Programs, and any group ready to make a difference in their community.
In 2011, the Y helped to raise 321,565 items. We hope to help increase this total even more this year with more locations and programs participating. One or two programs with the most participation and community engagement will visit the Village of Hope at the end of the project and see the fruits of their efforts in a very meaningful way.
See our success from last year and plan your own project this year! Visit the YMCA of Orange County website for Service Learning resources, project ideas, and updates.
Essentials Drive Links
