Direct vs. Indirect Service Learning

Service learning projects are events, activities, or educational opportunities taken to further your education and capabilities. By doing service learning projects you become a more qualified and well rounded individual. But how do you know what to do? There are 2 different categories in service learning projects called direct or indirect service learning.

Direct service learning projects are activities or events that involve working closely with people, animals, or parks you wish to affect. For example volunteering at a nursing home or tutoring another individual. These tasks help you develop interpersonal skills and other skills like empathy that you can make use of throughout your life. You should use direct service learning projects if you wish to develop your relationships with others and your community.

Indirect service learning projects are activities or events that do not directly affect people, animals, or places. Some examples of these would be fundraising, and food or collection drives. Although fundraising is an important part of service activities and it allows direct service projects to happen, you don’t specifically interact with the people, places or things. This is what makes it an indirect service activity. Indirect service is a wonderful way to help your community and enable other types of activities to happen. You should use indirect service activities if you wish to help someone or something but don’t have the time, resources, or specific knowledge to help.

The picture on the left is an indirect service activity of a bake sale

hosted by the Forsyth High School Senior Class with thre

e members in the picture Adaline Reilly (left) Ashlee Fraker (center) and Benjamin Mallory (right).

The picture

on the right shows Lilly Harris (left) and Ashlee Fraker (right) visiting a nursing home.