Sustaining service-learning and maximizing its benefits: The perspectives of community and academic partners

What ingredients are critical to sustaining service-learning? What impact can sustained service-learning have for both community and academic partners? What factors are important to maximizing the benefits of service-learning? What challenges are commonly encountered in service-learning, and how can they be addressed? In this session we present answers to these questions from the perspectives of both academic and community partners who have participated in service-learning in health professional education. We share methods and findings from the ten year follow-up study of the Health Professions Schools in Service to the Nation (HPSISN) program. Implemented from 1995-1998, with support from the federal Corporation for National Service and The Pew Charitable Trusts, HPSISN supported community-academic partnerships for service-learning and the integration of service-learning into the curriculum at 17 U.S. health professional schools. In this presentation we highlight case studies we conducted at two of these 17 institutions in early 2009. Our research explored the multiple factors in the academic environment and the community-academic partnership process that influence the sustainability and impact of service-learning. Data collection consisted of site visits to each academic institution and three of its community partners for service-learning, interviews with community and academic partners, and analysis of program documents. Our findings highlight the unique perspectives of academic and community partners on what makes for sustainable and successful service-learning. We will end with recommendations for both academic and community partners regarding how they can foster the sustainability of service-learning and maximize its benefits for everyone involved.