LEARN TO LEAD THROUGH SERVICE PROJECTS: HOW TO
Day of Service volunteers
Women’s Federation for World Peace USA (WFWP) National Day of Service, which is the kick-off event to our 23rd Annual National Assembly, entitled “Women Leading the Way to Sustainable Peace,” will be held this year on Thursday, October 22.
Two years ago WFWP initiated the National Day of Service as an educational experience which puts “Leadership of the Heart” into action, through raising authentic, compassionate, and conscientious leaders who learn to see the value in addressing community needs.
As in the past two years, we are collaborating with local schools to beautify our nation’s capital by cleaning the historic Georgia Avenue, on Thursday, October 22, 2015. We will meet at the 4th District Metro Police Department, 6001 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20011 at 10am, and close by 2pm. (Lunch will be provided by grateful local businesses.) We would love it if you could join us in this educational undertaking.
Our Mission is to help create an environment where our young people can and will develop their character and build self-esteem as they learn to “lead through service.” Students can improve their academic skills by applying what they learn in school to the real world. Service teaches us lessons that cannot be taught in a classroom about responsibility, compassion, and empathy.
Mrs. Beverly Berndt leading the way to serve
Vision for the Day of Service
WFWP supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership and achievement and healthy and clean communities.
WFWP believes:
Service should be the common expectation and common experience of all young people.
Children and youth are community assets and resources possessing unique perspectives, idealism, energy, creativity, and commitment.
The earlier youth are asked to serve, the better prepared they are to embrace the virtue of lifelong service and philanthropy.
Church leaders, public officials, and the media play crucial roles in the campaign to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of youth service.
Ways to begin a Service Project in your area:
Survey your neighborhood and find out what your community, or a community you’ve chosen to serve, needs.
It is good to establish community partnerships.
Plan ahead for the service you have decided to do.
Look for the community leaders, activists, and accomplished parents in the community to give awards to or recognize volunteers for outstanding service to their community and to families in the community.
Try to set-up intergenerational projects.
Along with your service activities, include academic preparation, so that students can give structured reflections. Then, after the project is completed, to make the service-learning project an educational experience, ask students to reflect on their experiences. In this way, students can see the Principles of Service in action, and link them back to their academic work.
Participants being prepared for their day of service
Here are some comments from participants of last year’s Day of Service: "I never realized how much serving people made them happy," said one student from New Hope Academy. "We got comments like 'Good job!' and 'You guys are awesome!' from storeowners and people on the street."
Another student said, "We had such a great time working together! It seemed like the more energy we put into cleaning the streets the more we excited each other to do even more and work even harder!"