Impact of international humanitarian service-learning on emerging adult social competence: A mixed-methods evaluation

Paul Schvaneveldt,Todd Spencer

doi:10.5130/ijcre.v9i1.4788

Abstract

This article presents the results from a study into international humanitarian service-learning experiences on young adult volunteers. Specifically, the service-learning experiences of emerging adults who had served in orphanages in Latin America were assessed, in a pre- and post-test design, for their development in areas of social competency such as identity, self-efficacy, self-esteem and ethnocentric attitudes. A mixed-methods design using both qualitative and quantitative measures was used. Both qualitative and quantitative results identified significant and important impacts on the development of the social competencies of these emerging adults. In addition, several qualitative themes illustrated that longer term international service-learning experiences have a profound impact on the social competence of emerging adults.Keywords: International humanitarian service, service-learning, emerging adult competency

Highlights

The Orphanage Support Service Organization (OSSO) is a nonprofit secular organisation that provides direct care to children residing in orphanages in many parts of the developing world
This study examined the service-learning experiences of volunteers who had served in orphanages in Latin America with a non-profit secular organisation Orphanage Support Service Organization (OSSO)
No differences were identified in length of service with OSSO

Summary

Introduction

The Orphanage Support Service Organization (OSSO) is a nonprofit secular organisation that provides direct care to children residing in orphanages in many parts of the developing world. A primary way that OSSO provides care is to connect volunteers from the United States and Canada with orphanages in Latin America. Its secondary mission is to create a two-way bridge of meaningful connection between children in need in developing countries and caring people in the United States and Canada who have the means to help. The aim of OSSO is to change lives for the better on both sides of the bridge (OSSO 2016). To this end, OSSO operates orphanages and provides support to orphanages in the developing world. The first author of this paper has served as a volunteer with OSSO and developed training materials for volunteers

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Conclusion