Benefits of Service-Learning through Community Volunteer Programmes to Pre-University Students

Abstract

Service-learning in the Malaysia context is a course-based, credit-bearing education experience in which students participate in a structured service learning activity that meets academic and societal demands (Balakrishnan et al., 2022). Service-learning is a method of community engagement that is enriching students and empowering the community. This study discusses the findings of service-learning via volunteerism for the community by pre-university students. The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of service-learning via community volunteer programmes on the students who enrolled in the Critical Analysis of Current Issues course at the pre-university level. A mixed methods approach was used in the research design, whereby participants’ responses to their level of comprehension, level of knowledge, level of social responsibility, level of personal development, and level of academic achievement related to their involvement in community volunteer programmes were assessed with a pre- and post-test questionnaire. Document analysis of participants’ reflections of their experiences conducting the community volunteer programmes was also conducted. Responses were analysed to identify key themes and subthemes. The findings reveal that the mean for their level of comprehension, personal development, and academic achievement was high for both the pre- and post-test. The mean for their level of comprehension, knowledge, social responsibility, personal development, and academic achievement was higher in the post-test. The mean for their level of knowledge and social responsibility was at a medium level for the pre-test. However, this was at a high level in the post-test. This shows that the participants showed significant improvement in their knowledge and social responsibility from involvement in voluntary programmes. Finally, recommendations for youth empowerment in becoming involved in community volunteer programmes were highlighted.