Do Something
From Service-Learning Wiki
| This program was profiled in Growing to Greatness 2004. |
Projects are mentored by “community coaches,” typically teachers or guidance counselors, who help young people plan and carry out activities. The first students recruited in a school typically become project leaders who provide youth leadership to all Do Something activities. Do Something has been a pioneer in the utilization of the Internet to bring young people together, and to plan and operate a national service-learning program. It has involved musicians such as Christina Aguilera to draw young people to the Internet where they can participate in moderated chat rooms that address community needs and programming, list their success stories, and learn more about opportunities for service. Do Something also uses the Internet to allow educators to download curriculum, connect with other Community Coaches, or record their students’ skill-building efforts.
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Service-Learning in Do Something
Service-learning is integrated throughout Do Something activities through a number of mechanisms, including explicit curriculum materials developed by the national staff and the utilization of the Path to Change© process as the foundation of all activities: see it believe it build it do it reflect on it In many instances, the initial steps in this process involve young people developing and running a “Speak Out,” a town hall-like meeting that focuses on community challenges that can be addressed over the course of the year. Activities are typically followed by celebrations that promote reflection on accomplishments and other lessons learned.
The Path to Change is also a means of problem-solving that young people learn, apply more broadly, and utilize for a lifetime. (In 2002, Do Something was asked by the Wisconsin Department of Education to develop a pilot program to integrate the Path To Change curriculum into social studies programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Wisconsin public schools.)
Scope of Service-Learning
At the high point of the Internet-based approach there were roughly 200 Community Coaches who oversaw ongoing activities in their schools. Do Something has trained Community Coaches in 400 schools in 27 states, with a concentration of 155 schools — primarily in New Jersey and Wisconsin. The most recent data suggests that approximately 18,000 young people participate in ongoing Do Something activities, with as many as 20,000 students in all 50 states participating in their Kindness and Justice Challenge.
Intended Outcomes
Do Something fosters leadership, citizenship, and character. Recently, Do Something engaged Brandeis University researchers to work with them to develop and implement a system that will provide objective quantitative data on their activities and outcomes. Initial data suggest that Do Something has shown positive effects on participant skills and attitudes, including civic competencies and attitudes towards service.
