The Problem
Confidence that government officials listen to “people like me” has eroded over the past half-century, especially among young people who used to be more confident in the government than their elders. Yet Americans ages 15 to 25 are more likely than any other age group to report participation in some form of service; nearly 40 percent say that they have volunteered at some point in their lives. A 2008 study conducted by the MacArthur Foundation identified this “profound generational shift” from understanding citizenship as a matter of duty and obligation among older Americans and an “actualizing citizenship” where individuals are more responsible for defining their own identities. Connecting this desire to serve with both formal and informal civic structures is critical to maintaining a vibrant democracy and a responsible citizenry.

The Recommendation
Provide Illinois High School Students Service Learning Opportunities by:

• Revising teaching standards to include service learning as part of the certification requirement.
• Endorsing the inclusion of service learning as an effective teaching tool.
• Encouraging project-based service learning experiences over a specific number of student service hours.
• Encouraging both group-based and individual student service learning experiences where students have a legitimate voice in the project.
• Promoting service experiences connected to a formal classroom curriculum.
• Encouraging the allocation of sufficient time for individual reflection on service experiences.

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