A
Research Project to Develop an "Audit Toolkit" to Assess the Impact of
Service Programmes and Volunteering
Principal Investigator: Justin Davis Smith; Institute for Volunteering Research; London, England.
Despite the existence of an ever increasing body of knowledge on volunteering and service, little is know about its impact on various stakeholders, e.g., the servers or volunteers, the served, the host organization and the community. This study will attempt to develop an easy-to-use instrument that allows service and volunteer organizations to assess the impact of their programs. The instrument will be developed with the aid of service and volunteer organizations within and outside the United Kingdom to ensure that the instrument is useful in different cultural, political and social contexts.
In
Between Occupational Work and Volunteer Work: Serving as a Teacher in
France and in the United States
Principal Investigator: Maud
Simonet-Cusset; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris,
France; in conjunction with the Center for the Study of Philanthropy
at the City University of New York
This study will focus on the implications of educational civic service in France and the United States and the relationship of educational civic service and the field of education.
The study will look at the role of the server as a teacher in educational civic service and the role of the teacher in the professional field of education. It will also investigate the ways in which the professional field of education in France and the United States is influenced by existing service programs.
K-12
Service-Learning in Argentina Principal Investigator: Maria
Nieves Tapia; Centro Latinoamericano de Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario;
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Service-learning
is perhaps the more prevalent form of civic service in many countries
in Latin America. This study will examine service-learning in Argentina
in primary and secondary schools. The study will look at the schools
currently participating in service-learning projects to develop a detailed
profile of these institutions, including the social and economic context
in which they operate. The study will also explore the most common themes
in K-12 service-learning projects, and the partnerships with public
and private organizations.
Statism,
Youth and the Civic Imagination: A Critical study of the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) Program in Nigeria
Principal Investigator: Ebenezer
Obadare; Center for Democracy and Development; Ikeja, Nigeria
This study will explore the nature of service and citizenship in the National Youth Corp Programs in Nigeria. The study will take an in-depth look at how political forces have affected the implementation of this program and will assess the effects of the NYSC of Nigeria on civic engagement thirty years after its inception.
Study
of the UN Volunteers Program in Mongolia
Principal Investigator: R.
Gantumur; Centre for Social Development of Mongolia; Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia
As an emerging democracy Mongolia recognizes the importance of citizen participation in social development. Mongolia started the National UN Volunteer Program to support social and community development in the country. Little research exists on the outcomes of this program. The study assesses the role of the National volunteer programs in the development of local communities and civil society in Mongolia; the outcomes of such programs for participants, and the best implementation arrangements to support the goals of the program.
The
Voluntary Cultural Year in Germany: Possible Outcomes for Volunteers,
Society and Institutions; Future Ways for Civil Service in the Arts
Principal Investigator: Gesa Birnkraut; Institute for Arts and Media Management; Hamburg, Germany
In recent years the German government has introduced creative modalities to their zivildienst or alternative civil service for those who have a moral objection to military service. This study looks at the German cultural year and its outcomes for German cultural institutions. The study will also develop a profile of the typical volunteer for this type of program and the effects that participating has on them.
Youth Civic Service and Patriotism
Principal Investigator: Elena Panova; Sozidanie (Constructive Approach Foundation) Moscow, Russia
Previous research by Sozidanie suggests that youth participation in socially constructive activities increases respect towards others and an understanding of patriotism. This study assesses the relationship between youth civic service participation and the participants' understanding of patriotism.
