Promoting civic engagement through a service learning experience

In recent decades, many indicators of civic involvement among adolescents have declined. While debate continues
about advantages and disadvantages of mandating community service in universities, the practice of compelling
adolescents to participate in community service is increasingly common. This study explores the civic behaviours,
opinions, knowledge and dispositions of undergraduate students through their participation in a communitybased intercultural leadership program in Vietnam. In this program, students from six different countries were
made to visit poor village entrepreneurs and offer their assistance in business improvement. Preliminary findings
suggest that students who are competent for civic action, justice oriented, personally responsible and have high
civic accountability, enjoy the service learning experience in the village. Students who rate the community service
program as meaningful, exciting and educational are more compelled to participate voluntarily in the coming
year. The goal of this research is to affirm a set of civic measures that are appropriate for use with youth
participants in community service so as to promote civic education and inculcate civic engagement as lifelong
practice.