Service Learning in practice: A personal perspective
You might expect this to be one of those typical testimonials about an initiative, wrapped in storytelling, ultimately promoting that very initiative. A testimonial blog designed to persuade people to participate through a personal story. I have written such blogs before, for other organisations. The words were always genuine – the experiences real. Yet, this blog about the Service Learning Programme within EUniWell will be different. I am honest and clear: my heart is writing these words.
From Defeat to Strength
When I attempted to study sociology at the University of Cologne in 2006, I failed. I never successfully completed the programme. It took me years to process and accept this fact. This defeat is now a part of my life. Without it, I would not be where I am today. And yet – and yet I sometimes wonder why it happened. Procrastination? Lack of focus? Lack of motivation? My 20-year-old self certainly would not have wanted to reflect on it with me. However, I remember a central feeling that dragged me down and repeatedly prevented me from achieving my learning goals: the feeling of being alone and that my personal effort was not valuable. I did not feel like I was part of something bigger, something truly important. Not just for myself, but ultimately for society as well. In German, there is a wonderful term for this: Selbstwirksamkeit – the belief that one’s actions create something good. Something that lasts.
A Team That Connects
Perhaps Service Learning could not have prevented my failure, but I am sure it could have been a safe haven for me during that difficult time. A safe space. I have been teaching in the Service Learning Programme for five years now on the topic of “Online Communication.” Since 2022, even within the international framework of EUniWell.
Imagine students from various universities across Europe coming together to support social projects, investing their labour, ideas, and time into these projects. The students all have different backgrounds, attitudes, experiences, and origins, but they share the desire to create something good.
In the summer of 2024, I accompanied students from Nantes Université, the University of Birmingham, the University of Konstanz, the University of Cologne, and Linnaeus University as they developed a digital strategy and campaign for Station Linné in Öland, Sweden. The team’s results were impressive. A taste? A corporate influencer programme. An Instagram campaign. A social media playbook. Paid ads. Organic posts. If you were to hire an agency for this, your bill would likely be in the six figures. However, the students did not receive a cent for their work. They wanted to do something good and support an organisation that protects our nature and our future.
The Power of Self-Efficacy
But something else happened. Something I did not personally expect. Did you notice it in the text? I have already subtly mentioned it. The students, who had never met before, became ONE TEAM! Today, over a year after the project’s completion, we still keep in touch. We cheer for Sweden during the Eurovision Song Contest via WhatsApp and check in on each other. One team member even moved to Sweden through the recommendation of another team member. Students became a team. A team became friends.
Service Learning: More Than Just a Project
If it were up to me, the Service Learning Programme would be even more widespread at universities. What do young people need in 2025 to make a career? What do we hear in nearly every industry? Everyone wants the perfect balance of hard and soft skills, expertise and empathy, heart and mind. That. Is. Service Learning!
Real Memories That Last
I would not just recommend the Service Learning Programme to my 20-year-old self to finally get moving. I recommend it to all of you. I promise you, this time creates memories and experiences that endure.
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