Unveiling the Transformative Power of Service-Learning: Student-Led Mental Health Roundtable Discussions as Catalysts for Ongoing Civic Engagement
Abstract
This current study measured the impact of a one-time semester-long course-based civic engagement activity on student learning and participant impact, particularly participants' willingness to engage in community dialogue and promote awareness of social justice issues within their communities. The service-learning project involved on-campus and online students from three criminal justice courses and a hybrid format event titled "Finding Common Ground: Social Justice Issues Surrounding Mental Health & Mental Illness & Disorders" at a Midwestern teaching institution.The two-hour event included roundtable discussions to promote open dialogue about mental health and mental health illness and disorders. Learning and self-impact were measured via self-constructed questions and the Civic Engagement Short Scale Plus (CES2+). Results indicated increased endorsement for community engagement and positive qualitative feedback on self-empowerment. The findings provide insights into the potential benefits of service-learning activities, such as mental health community roundtables, for fostering community dialogue, personal growth, and social justice activism. The insights gained from the current study can inform future planning and enhancement of civic engagement initiatives while also contributing to developing community-based education and outreach strategies.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
- Authors submitting articles to the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education are responsible for securing any permissions or licensing pertaining to the use of copyrighted materials and photographs/graphics. Authors of accepted articles assign the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education the right to edit, publish, and distribute their text on the Internet, to archive it, and make it permanently retrievable.
- Authors do retain their copyright, so articles may be reprinted after publication as long as the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education is acknowledged as the original site of publication. Articles that have already been published or are being considered for publication elsewhere are not eligible for publication in the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education, unless a cross-publishing arrangement has been previously negotiated.
- Opinions or points of view expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the University of Louisiana System or institutions or organizations affiliated with the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education.
