Evaluation and lessons learned from an undergraduate service learning course providing youth-focused relationship education

Abstract

Adolescent romantic relationships are known to have a significant impact on individual well-being and development. However, few teens experience formal education about the knowledge and skills necessary for building healthy romantic relationships. In response, a statewide relationship education initiative was developed at a large university in a Southeastern state. Undergraduates who enrolled in a service learning course in Human Development and Family Studies partnered with this initiative and implemented a relationship education program targeting high school students. A service learning model is used in this initiative because it offers opportunities for students’ professional development and experiential learning. The present article provides a formative and illustrative summative evaluation of the service learning program. Specifically, the primary aims of this paper are to 1) provide an overview of the service learning course components; 2) describe preparation of the service learning students and their implementation of the relationship education program; 3) discuss challenges and lessons learned; and 4) offer initial evidence of effectiveness by showing change in targeted outcomes for the high school student recipients of the relationship education program.