RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROJECTS AND MISSION TRIPS
Developed by Sharon Ely Pearson
In 1990, Search Institute released Effective Christian Education, a national study of 560 congregations in six denominations. In the area of 'service it was discovered that the more time youth give in service to the community through the congregation, the greater the loyalty and bonding to the church. Similar patterns emerged when young people indicated the likelihood that they would be active in church as adults. Finally, young people who were most active in service throughout their congregations were almost twice as likely to say, "it is very important to me to belong to a church," when compared to those who had been involved in no service. Service is an important vehicle for nurturing loyalty. Bonds among those who serve side-by-side also keep young people active because of their shared experience and the relationships that form through he service.
All the following aspects of a Christian education program for youth which nurtures growth in faith (as measured in the Effective Christian Education study) are integral to a service-learning model:
- Emphasizes intergenerational contact
- Uses life experience as occasion for spiritual insight
- Creates a sense of community in which people help one another develop faith and values
- Encourages independent thinking and questioning
- Involves youth in service projects
- Emphasizes values and moral decision making
- Emphasizes responsibility for poverty and hunger
- Teaches the Bible and core theological concepts (which service-learning does through preparation and debriefing)
- Teaches youth how to be friends and make friends
- Helps youth develop concern for other people.
Using understandings of adolescent development, these types of service projects are appropriate:
For grades 6-8 (Middle school):
Planting trees in a park
Setting up a recycling program
Helping a family move
Collecting food for a foodshelf
Helping in a a homeless shelter
Tutoring younger children
Visiting nursing homes
Being peer ministers
For grades 9-12 (high school)
Designing and conducting a campaign to educate others about he environment
Writing letters to Congress or city officials
Organizing a product boycott
Educating adults about racism
Teaming with adults to build or renovate a home
Tutoring younger children
Assisting/running an after-school programs
RESOURCES
Parents for Peace and Justice (Ten Years later) by Kathleen and James McGinnis - Integrating social action and the liturgical year - there is opportunity for integrating the spiritual and the social/political in the social dimensions the life of Jesus as Celebrated in the church year. Orbis Books, 1990 Maryknoll, NY 10545
Beyond Leaf Raking: Learning to Serve/Serving to Learn by Peter L. Benson and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain (1993 Search Institute).
The Kid's Guide to Social Action by Barbara A. Lewis (1998, Free Spirit Publishing) How to solve the social problems you choose - and turn creative thinking into positive actions - transform your creative thinking into actions that make a difference in your neighborhood, town or city, state, country - even the world. Written for kids (and adults) on topics: life beyond the classroom, power skills - writing letters, using the internet, petitions; working with the government; resources of Webster, telephone # and address; tools - samples of petitions, surveys, resolutions ready for photocopy and how to write a grant.
Facing the issues: Creative strategies for probing critical social concerns by Robert E. Myers Zephyr Press - 1994 - Tucson. AZ PO Box 66006 8572806006 - conflict resolution activities and social concerns awareness exercises
Alternatives for Simple Living's mission has been to equip people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly since 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas. Its annual Christmas Campaign ("Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?") is a popular resource published annually.
Treasure Kids! Is a project of the Office of Children's Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center. Magazines for children about children around the Anglican Communion are available through Episcopal Parish Services and the web, most recently Jerusalem and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
UNICEF is the United Nations Children's Fund, represented in over 158 countries. Their focus is on immunization, girls' education, HIV/AIDS, child protection, war and poverty of children under the age of 18 years. There are many areas of work of this organization:
Voices of Youth is a global website for young people to explore, discuss and take action on issues that effect them.
Young Leaders gives examples of stories of how young people are taking action for making the world a better place.
United Nations Special Session on Children From 8 to 10 May 2002, more than 7,000 people participated in the most important international conference on children in more than a decade, the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children, at which the nations of the world committed themselves to a series of goals to improve the situation of children and young people. This site provides many links for further understanding about the needs of children around the world.
HUNGER PROJECTS & MISSION OPPORTUNTIES:
Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers.
CARE is an international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
CROP Walk is a community based fund raising event that raises money for local hunger-fighting agencies as well as the international relief and development efforts of Church World Service.
ECHO - Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization is a non-profit, Christian organization actively involved in networking global hunger solutions that specifically focuses on small rural farmers and urban gardeners in developing countries.
Food for the Poor ministers to spiritually renew impoverished people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Established in 1982 as a 501(c)(3) corporation, their goals are to improve the health, economic, social and spiritual conditions of the men, women and children we serve. They raise funds and provide direct relief assistance to the poor, usually by purchasing specifically requested materials and distributing them through the churches and charity organizations already operating in areas of need. In this way, the organization serves the poor with dignity and ensures the most appropriate use of donors' funds. One particular project is to turn your old inkjet and toner cartridges into donations that can be used to feed hungry children.
Heifer Project International combats hunger, alleviates poverty, and restores the environment by providing appropriate livestock, training, and related services to small-scale farmers worldwide.
The Society of St. Andrew is an ecumenical Christian ministry that feeds the hungry all year long by saving fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste and giving it to the needy. It includes several projects:
The Potato Project has redirected 45,000-pound loads of fresh, nutritious produce to soup kitchens, Native American reservations, food pantries, low-income housing areas, local churches, and other hunger agencies for distribution to the poor.
The Gleaning Network coordinates volunteers, growers, and distribution agencies to salvage food for the needy.
Harvest of Hope is an ecumenical study, worship, and action mission trip program
HOUSING PROJECTS AND MISSION OPPORTUNITIES:
Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat is founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, decent, affordable place to live in dignity and safety.
Trevor's Campaign (blankets for the homeless) It was a cold December night in 1983 on which 11-year-old Trevor Ferrell saw a TV newscast about people living on the streets. Those images stirred compassion deep within Trevor and he pleaded with his parents to take him to downtown Philadelphia so he could give his blanket and pillow to the first homeless person he met. In ensuing weeks, with the help of family, classmates and neighbors, Trevor made nightly trips into Philadelphia to distribute food, clothing and blankets to the needy. Through the generosity of hundreds of citizens and businesses, this little "campaign" soon grew into places to stay and an entire array of programs.
Tools and Blanket is a program of Church World Service that supplies blankets, tents and emergency supplies to people in crisis. Curriculum and resources are available.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS AND MISSION OPPORTUNITIES:
Children's Rain Forest (Monteverde Conservation League) is a private, nonprofit association of Costa Rican and International members. It manages and preserves for current and future generations the Children's Eternal Rain Forest (Bosque Nuboso Eterno de Los Ninos) , which contains over 50.000 acres; the largest private reserve in Central America. The MCL carries out various projects related to research, education, protection, habitat rehabilitation and volunteering. Its mission is to conserve, preserve and rehabilitate tropical ecosystems and their biodiversity.
National Arbor Day Foundation helps people plant and care for trees and encourage the celebration of Arbor Day to advance global environmental stewardship for the benefit of this and future generations.
Save our Streams (SOS) is a national watershed education and outreach program of the Izaak Walton League of America
WORLD PEACE PROJECTS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND MISSION OPPORTUNITIES:
Kids Meeting Kids promotes peace, fair treatment of young people and a better world
