International Service Projects
This CSD Civic Service Research Fellows study tests a definition of intercultural competence and develops an instrument to measure and assess it. This project investigates the impact of international youth service programs on Swiss and British volunteers and on their Ecuadorian hosts using surveys and focus groups. Findings contribute important knowledge to the field of intercultural education regarding the identification, development, assessment, and impact on those involved. CSD is partnered with the Brookings Institution (BI) on the Initiative on International Volunteering and Service to build knowledge on international service worldwide. BI aims to create avenues for meaningful participation in international volunteering and service, and to ensure long-lasting value for volunteers, as well as for sending and hosting organizations, communities, and countries. As a partner in this initiative, CSD is conducting research that builds knowledge on international service worldwide and will contribute to related policy analysis. CSD is currently conducting an impact assessment of volunteers in Cross-Cultural Solutions' international service program. This CSD Civic Service Research Fellows study will analyze and compare national policies regarding youth civic service in France, Italy, Czech Republic, and Poland. The goal of the analysis is to investigate how national frameworks expand international voluntary service opportunities for young people in the EU, and to what extent EU policies and legislative instruments can support this expansion. The study will develop case studies based on interviews with volunteers, government officials, and NGOs. With the goal of developing a global research agenda on civic service, CSD conducted a comprehensive scan of civic service programs worldwide. This project assesses the forms, purposes, activities, servers, and operations of all civic service programs worldwide and gathers information on their prevalence and geographic distribution. The North American Community Service (NACS) evaluation studies an innovative pilot project in transnational youth service--service conducted in one country by youth from another country. This project evaluates and analyzes the transnational features and impacts of this program involving Mexican, Canadian, and U.S. youth. The results of the study will guide the expansion of the youth service program and provide direction for future policy related to youth service. This CSD Civic Service Research Fellows study investigates the potential of youth civic service programs to serve as effective development tools for transitional countries. Research focuses on the National United Nations Volunteer Program, which was founded by Mongolia's government during a period of social, economic, and political transition. In-depth interviews and focus groups suggest that the program had a positive influence: communities experienced increased access to resources, gained knowledge of democratic processes, benefited from the increased capacity of local government, and became more involved in volunteering and civil society groups. This project uses a quasi-experimental design involving two International Voluntary Service (IVS) programs (Cross-Cultural Solutions and World Teach) to determine which features have the greatest impact on volunteers, host organizations, and community outcomes. Research is being conducted in Peru and Costa Rica using matched comparison groups at each level. Methods include longitudinal surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. This CSD Civic Service Research Fellows study investigates the Technical Aids Corps (TAC) Scheme, established by Nigeria in 1987 to provide human development assistance to African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries as a "practical demonstration of South-South cooperation." Using in-depth interviews, the research explores factors that encourage participation in civic service, the effect of TAC on servers' civic nationalism, and the program's impact on recipient and server communities. This CSD Civic Service Research Fellows study explores the organizational factors that promote long-term civic service engagement at Habitat for Humanity International programs in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Guyana. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques, the research focuses on what aspects of the volunteer experience have the most effect on volunteers and their motivation to continue volunteering. Findings provide insight into how organizations can increase long-term volunteer recruitment and retention in Latin America and the Caribbean. |
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