Study Abroad in Stellenbosch: Service Learning Certificate

Service Learning – Certificate in Community Engagement in South Africa

The object of this Certificate program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the historical background and current issues impacting on community life and problems in South Africa and experience it first hand through service to a South African community while earning academic credits.

Upon completion of the certificate program, the student will have acquired:

  • A basic understanding of the South African context service learning.
  • A basic understanding community development concepts, principals, processes and practices with special reference to the South African context.
  • The ability to compile a community/organizational profile and conduct a needs assessment.
  • The ability to address the needs of a community/organization using available resources and identifying gaps that exist in this regard.
  • The ability to identify their individual service role in relation to existing services and available resources.
  • The ability to apply their theoretical knowledge in the practice in the contexts they will work in.
  • The ability and skills to think analytically, critically and practically about their work, through reflection, observation, supervision, planning and experience.
  • The ability and skills to work individually and as part of a team, so that the set goals are achieved.
  • The skills to develop a group facilitation manual for the services they’ll be providing in their respective host-communities/ organizations.
  • Sensitivity for cultural diversity and respect for value systems that differ from one’s own.

Students opting to take this Learning for Sustainable Community Engagement program may earn a total of 15 credits, comprising a 9-credit mandatory Learning for Sustainable Community Engagement course plus one or two 3-credit modules from the list of general courses.

Requirements

  • 3.2 minimum GPA required
  • Students must be aged 20 or older by the start of the program
  • Only students at the third year level of their study or more, OR students having completed at least five semesters of coursework or more, will be considered for acceptance to the module
  • Students will be required to submit an essay (please consult your AIFS Admissions Officer for further details)
  • Please note that acceptance to the AIFS Stellenbosch program does not guarantee acceptance into the Service Learning program. Your Service Learning application will be reviewed by the Service Learning program coordinators at Stellenbosch University and an acceptance decision will be provided prior to departing the U.S.

Course Outline

Students opting to take the Certificate program can earn up to a total of 15 credits, comprising a 9-credit mandatory Service Learning in Community Development course plus one or two 3-credit modules from the general courses list to earn a total of 12 or 15 credits.

Mandatory Module - Service Learning in Community Development 301/401 (9 credits)

Students will attend lectures once a week, on a Friday from 9:00 to 16:00 in the community Lynedoch. They will provide services to Lynedoch Primary School every Monday from 9:00 to 15:00. The course will span over 12 weeks and is structured as follows:

Week SEMINAR / ACTIVITY
1

Profiling of Lynedoch Primary School
LSCE class members skills-audit
Contracting with Lynedoch Primary School
Preparation of Programs for first engagement and an introduction to journaling
2 Presentation and Submission of Organisational Profiles and Skills Audit
Introduction to Core-concepts
Planning of interventions for weeks 3-12
3 Submission of manuals for weeks 3-12
Submission of a copy of signed contracts
Ethical guidelines and rules for community engagement
First Micro-skills training Session : Group Cohesion and Facilitation skills
4 Class Test  and Experiential Learning: Community Excursion
5 Theoretical Framework for formulation
6 Theoretical Framework for formulation
7 Assignment One : Open Book Assignment : Using Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological Systems Theory as a framework
8 Theoretical Framework for Community Engagement
9 Exploring Sustainability
10 Assignment Two: Open Book Assignment : Use CE Theory to compile critical overview of your learning over the past 10 weeks
11 Termination Processes
Termination Summaries
Continuity
Planning of Group Presentations and Portfolios for submission
Organisational Assessments 
12 3 Group presentations and Individual portfolio submissions

If you are interested in participating in this Learning for Sustainable Community Engagement program, please have the appropriate courses approved by your home university on the course selection form. You will be required to submit an application and essay for selection.  Please contact the Admissions Officer for further details.