Background
In 2003, the city of Raleigh, North Carolina began the process of creating a
master, long-range plan designed to eradicate the area’s growing homelessness problem.
In order to create this ten-year plan, similar to that proposed by the National Alliance to
End Homelessness (NAEH)
1
, city, county, and non-profit representatives determined it to
be advantageous for all actors to have the community involved in the process via forum
sessions with specialized homelessness related topics. These meetings would allow
individuals to express their interests and concerns regarding the process and project
leaders in turn have the ability to utilize the various information when drafting the final
proposal.
Over the last five years, North Carolina State University has enhanced its efforts
of involving students with community activities through the encouragement of utilizing
service-learning components in current and newly developed courses. Service-learning at
N.C. State is defined as a “collaborative teaching and learning strategy designed to
promote academic achievement, personal growth, and civic engagement.”
2
Students
spend between fifteen to twenty hours volunteering in community settings relevant to the
course material. Students then spend time reflecting upon their experiences both
individually and in groups so that they may enhance the relationship of their work to
class materials and theories, as well as understand their community, and how they may
become more active within.
1
For further information on the campaign and materials on producing ten-year plans, please visit
www.naeh.org
2
Definition from N.C. State’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning website:
www.ncsu.edu/fctl/Initiatives/Service-Learning/
Convention