1
Factors to consider before engaging in community-based service learning
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name & Number
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
2
Participating in community-based service learning (CBSL) effectively allows students to
apply their knowledge and skills in real-life situations and give back to their communities.
Nevertheless, it is essential to discuss the following considerations as a guideline to ensure such
initiatives are conducted appropriately and appropriately. During high school, I realized that it is
crucial to consider the local context, power relations, and genuine participation with the
communities. This paper has highlighted the accompaniment approach and the concept of "big D
small d" development to help understand these dynamics. By reflecting on my own experiences
and utilizing theoretical concepts, I expanded my understanding of the processes and dynamics
of effective community involvement.
A particular consideration that must be considered before engaging in CBSL is the
history and culture of the community. In high school, I was engaged in a service-learning project
to help an Indigenous community in our province. At the beginning of the project, I had certain
assumptions regarding their requirements and how to fulfil them. However, when I started to pay
attention to what they had to say and be a part of their culture, I learned that it was necessary to
listen to their narratives, histories, and views on life. This experience also told me that solutions
forced without considering the context only serve to reinstate colonialism (Ghosh, 2021). CBSL
students should enrol with humility and willingness to learn from the communities they intend to
impact. For instance, I understood the significance of the community's traditional practices for
sustainable resource utilization and their strong bond with the land, which was contrary to my
expectations of their requirements. In this manner, I gained valuable insights, which allowed me
to adjust the team's approach to the project more culturally appropriately.
Analyzing the ideas of ‘big D’ and ‘small d’ development by Gillian Hart helps to reveal
the connection between global programs and local activities (Lewis, 2019). Many times in my
3
school’s volunteer club we used to analyze the demerits of an approach that is centrally
controlled but does not consider the local capacities and contexts. Instead, we learned to
prioritize "small d" initiatives that emerge from and affirm community visions. The
accompaniment approach, as exemplified by Svea Closser's work in Pakistan (2010), emphasizes
active listening, building relationships, and co-creating solutions with communities. This
approach challenges students to view community members as experts in their development rather
than perceiving themselves as saviors. In the course of our project, we saw how a ‘big D’
initiative, a government-sponsored project, did not meet the needs of a community because it did
not involve or consider the community and its culture. However, our 'small d' initiatives, where
we worked with the local leaders and elders, produced better and long-lasting results.
Furthermore, students must critically examine structural dynamics and power relations
that influence development processes. During a class discussion on global development, we
explored how economic disparities and covert forms of power shape political citizenship and
decision-making processes (Scott-Villiers & Oosterom, 2016). This understanding highlighted
the importance of creating inclusive spaces for community participation and challenging existing
power imbalances. Additionally, Hammersley (2022) emphasizes that students must engage in
critical self-reflection to identify their motivations, assumptions, and potential impact on
communities. Throughout my high school experience, I learned the value of cultivating mutual
relationships and prioritizing shared learning over a one-sided provision of service. For instance,
our project facilitated workshops where community members shared their knowledge and skills
with us, fostering a reciprocal learning environment. This approach challenged the notion of
students as the sole providers of knowledge and promoted a more equal and respectful dynamic.
4
In conclusion, service learning in the community calls for understanding the local
context, the work and power relations, and the ability to work with communities. The
accompaniment approach and the "big D small d" framework help us understand these
complexities. Thus, the principles outlined above can help students build reliable, considerate,
and empowering relations with the communities that will make sure that the communities' voices
and visions are heard and included in the developmental processes. My high school experiences
demonstrated the value of listening, critical thinking, and reciprocal learning in developing
effective and lasting community relations. This paper highlights how students can participate in
positive social change while building skills and gaining cultural awareness.
References
5
Closser, S. (2010). Chasing polio in Pakistan: Why the world's largest public health initiative
may fail. Vanderbilt University Press.
Ghosh, A. (2021). The nutmeg's curse: Parables for a planet in crisis. In The Nutmeg's Curse.
University of Chicago Press.
Hammersley, L., Lloyd, K., & Bilous, R. (2022). Community-based service learning for
development. In K. Sims, N. Banks, S. Engel, P. Hodge, J. Makuwira, N. Nakamura, J.
Rigg, A. Salamanca, & P. Yeophantong (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Global
Development (pp. 641–652). Routledge.
Lewis, D. (2019). 'Big D' and 'Little d' Two types of twenty-first-century development? Third
World Quarterly, 40(11), 1957-1975.
Scott-Villiers, P., & Oosterom, M. (2016). Power, poverty, and inequality. IDS Bulletin, 47(1).
Sims, Kearrin, Nicola Banks, Susan Engel, Paul Hodge, Jonathan Makuwira, Naohiro Nakamura,
Jonathan Rigg, Albert Salamanca, and Pichamon Yeophantong, eds. The Routledge
Handbook of Global Development. London: Routledge, 2022.
