Why Create a Leaders Circle? | What Will the Leaders Circle Do? | FAQ

WHY CREATE A "LEADERS CIRCLE"?

LEADERS CIRCLE RESOURCES Service-Learning Investment Prospectus Leaders Circle Frequently Asked Questions Leaders Circle Organizations

For two decades, the service-learning community has been developing practice standards, scholarly journals, professional education venues, research agendas, and leadership networks. The result has been an increased use of service-learning, better evidence about its impact and greater recognition of its value.

Yet, despite this progress service-learning is at a tipping point—whether it tips in a direction that advances and institutionalizes the field or away from that goal depends largely on whether it has adequate and sustained backing. Collective leadership among the institutions, organizations, and groups advancing service-learning is essential to determining the future institutionalization of service-learning.

Recognizing this, a group of service-learning leaders, representing a diverse set of organizations, programs, and methodologies, met in December 2004 to discuss strengthening the field in order to institutionalize service-learning. These leaders asked themselves, "How can we work together to strategically leverage our past, present, and future work so as to maximize service-learning's impact?" They agreed that the answer is not simply "more money." Collaborative work is essential to fill the critical gaps in the field's infrastructure. The answer to this challenge is the Service-Learning Leaders Circle.

View the current list of organizations invited to participate in the Service-Learning Leaders Circle.