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Featured Effective Practices

You can view our Featured Best Practices according to the following topics:

Education
Environment
Human Needs
Program Management
Public Safety
Volunteer Management

For more best practices, please visit the Resource Center.


Topic: Education	Program

Assisting Underperforming Students with After-School Service-Learning

Blending Service-Learning and Character Education to Promote Strong Citizenship

Building Effective Practices for Summer Learning

Building effective programs for summer learning.

Communicating the Joys of Volunteering

Creating an After-School Biliteracy Program

Creating Buy-In Among Students of Service-Learning

Creating Curriculum to Encourage Thoughtful Citizenship

Creating partnerships between schools and communities to support youth development

Delivering Civic Engagement Training to National Service Programs

Designing a Family Literacy Program

Designing Volunteer Literacy Programs for Successful Intergenerational Tutoring

Developing an Intergenerational Pen Pal Project

Developing Character Education Book Lists to Build Civic Responsibility and Increase Literacy in a Community

Dispelling Age Stereotypes With a Senior-Senior Prom

Engaged for Success: Service-Learning as a Tool for High School Dropout Prevention

Engaging Parents and Adults in Educational Activities at School

Establishing an Outdoor-Based Mentoring Program

Generating Discussions About Service, Justice and Civic Engagement

Generating Discussions about Service, Justice, and Civic Engagement

Helping Children Learn to Read

Helping with Homework and Academic Skill-Building During Out-of-School Time

Holding a Poetry Contest to Educate Youth About Watershed Ecology

Honoring Ordinary Heroes Through a Community Service Project

Instituting a Day of Service with New Student Orientation

Integrating Entrepreneurship Education With Service-Learning Programs

Inviting Student Voice in a Place-Based Service-Learning Garden Project

Involving families in tutoring programs

Involving Youth in Community-Based Service Learning

Keeping Schools Open During Non-School Hours

Matching Peer Mentors with Children Who Have Disabilities

Promoting Literacy Through Service Projects

Selecting Appropriate Books to Read With Children

Serving at-risk junior high school students by modeling positive life choices.

Sharing Between Seniors and Elementary School Students

Solving Problems in Mentoring Programs

Supporting At-Risk Youth With Summer High School Preparatory Programs

Supporting Student Leadership in Higher Education Service-Learning

Teaching Students to Recognize Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

Training Parents and Volunteers in Storytelling

Using a Scheduling or Goals Worksheet to Organize a Tutoring Session with Multiple Students

Using California State Parks as a Service-Learning Resource

Using Community-Based Service-Learning as a Strategy During Out-Of-School Time

Using High School Students as Tutors in a Service-Learning Project

Using Service-Learning to Introduce At-Risk Students to a Broader Community


Topic: Environment	Program

Developing community gardening spaces for low-income families.

Educating Students About Conservation with a Multi-Disciplinary Service Project

Getting Classroom Support for Environmental Programs at an Elementary School

Implementing environmental service-learning with youth.

Offering a Watershed Learning Event for Elementary Students at a Nature Center

Organizing a County-Wide Recycling Program With RSVP Volunteers

Organizing County-Wide Recycling with RSVP Volunteers

Partnering with Communities to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning

Performing Environmental Stewardship at an Historic Ranch

Reducing Household Hazardous Waste with a Service-Learning Project

Responding to Environmental Needs After a Flood

Restoring Valley Oak Riparian Forests with a Service-Learning Project

Using California State Parks as a Service-Learning Resource


Topic: Human Needs	Program

Collaborating in service to increase quality of life for persons with disabilities.

Compensating family members who care for elderly relatives in the home

Conducting Home Visits to Families in Need

Creating a culture of civic responsibility on a college campus.

Engaging Kindergartners in Making a Hospital Waiting Room Child Friendly

Helping youth use technology for social change.

Integrating Civic Responsibility into Community College Curricula

Involving a Campus Community in Service with a Faith-Based Learn and Serve Program

Involving Elementary School Students in the Naturalization Process

Providing Summer Youth Activities

Setting up a Kids Voting Program to Increase Civic Participation

Supporting Family and Friends of Homicide Victims

Supporting Female Victims of Crime and Their Families

Using family clubs to maintain community well being

Volunteering as a Family: 20 Tips


Topic: Program Management	Program

Bringing Together Service Groups Around a Broadcast of Everyday Heroes

Collaborating to Develop Service Programming to Address Community Needs

Creating a Central Organizing System for a City-Wide Day of Service Event

Developing eight core competencies for successful volunteer programs.

Developing Service-Learning and Community Partnerships

Encouraging AmeriCorps Members to Write Their Stories

Ensuring AmeriCorps members meet eligibility requirements.

Finalizing Your Service Day Project Plan

Finding and Keeping Baby Boomer Volunteers Through School Partnerships

Finding Resources on Civic Engagement

Going beyond annual banquets to recognize senior volunteers

Going Beyond Simulations to Promote Education About People with Disabilities

Helping Members Become Culturally Sensitive by Offering Quality Diversity Training

Increasing awareness of service-learning by participating in a radio talk show.

Instituting a New Service Day by Combining University and Community Resources

Managing Online Volunteers: Six Tips

Offering Educational Activities for Children on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Partnering With County Extension Agents to Train Mentors

Planning a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Planning and Implementing a Successful Statewide Service Event

Planning for National Volunteer Week: 20 Tips

Promoting Inclusion in Mentoring

Promoting National Volunteer Week

Providing Citizenship Training to AmeriCorps members

Recognizing Student Volunteers with Leadership Awards

Recruiting Mentors for At-Risk and Youth with Disabilities in Rural Areas

Recruiting Older Adults as Volunteers in Intergenerational Programs: 16 Tips

Retaining Volunteers Through Long Training Periods

Supervising "Aging in Place" Volunteers

Understanding performance measurement terminology as it relates to Learn and Serve programs

Using a service council to generate collaborations in a large state region.

Using a website to recruit RSVP volunteers.

Using Multiple Communication Methods to Promote a Program

Using Positive Approaches to Inclusion During a Meeting and a Conference: A Case Study

Utilizing Foster Grandparents To Increase Literacy During Summer Break

Utilizing Volunteers with Disabilities in Senior Corps Programs

Volunteering in America: Resources for Retention


Topic: Public Safety	Program

Collaborating to recruit and train RSVP volunteers for homeland security needs.

Conducting a hazard assessment.

Defining Volunteers' Roles in Preparation for Disaster Response

Designing a community disaster preparedness plan.

Developing and Implementing a Block Parent Program

Ensuring Safety During Service Projects

Implement