Teaching Note—Partnering Macro Social Work Students and Agencies Addressing Youth Homelessness: A Model for Service Learning

ABSTRACT

In addition to direct practice skills, social work students need to become familiar and competent with macrolevel approaches to addressing youth and transgender youth homelessness. Service-learning courses provide an effective approach for students to learn the necessary knowledge and skills. In two sections of an upper-division social work macropractice course, teams of students worked with nonprofit organizations that addressed the needs of homeless youths and transgender youths. A three-pronged approach—community forum, fund-raising, and advocacy campaign—allowed a range of activities and learning experiences that benefited the students and agencies. This three-pronged service-learning model engaged the community, spread the message about youth and transgender youth homelessness, and consisted of projects that people can easily implement in their own communities.

Notes

¹ At the time of this project, Social Welfare Policy, another macrofocused course, was taught in a subsequent semester. The two courses are now taught concurrently, which may allow future cross-course efforts to expand the scope of the service-learning projects.

Additional information

Funding

This project received financial support from the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Community Engagement & Learning.

Notes on contributors

Donna M. Aguiniga

Donna M. Aguiniga is an Associate Professor of Social Work at University of Alaska Anchorage. Pam H. Bowers is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Humboldt State University.