Integration of Service Learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Volunteerism in Communities: The Cases of 2018 Summer Season Voluntarism in Amhara Region

Among the classic roles of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) i.e., research, teaching and community service the social engagement of institutions and their impact on civil society should be particularly highlighted. Of which, volunteering and service learning are believed to be an excellent means for accomplishing such goals. However, whether or not HEIs in developing countries like Ethiopia are able to materialize their social responsibility through such activities like student volunteerism, and their role in developing the active society was least explored. As a result, this study was planned to take place with a major objective to explore the integration of Service Learning in HEIs and Services in communities with a special focus to the cases of 2018 Summer Youth Voluntarism in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. For the purpose, a qualitative research methodology was employed. Officers and experts in the Amhara Region Bureau of Youth and Sports, and similar others at Bahir Dar City Zonal administration and in the sub-cities were drawn as informants and drawn data through interviews. In addition, the role of universities in promoting Service learning was examined from the syllabuses point of view, mainly a Course called Civics & Ethical Education using a content analysis technique. The findings reveal that though the service learning in the HEIs was not much visible through the Harmonized curriculum, Youth, especially, students of HEIs in Amhara Region of Ethiopia were found to be fully participated in services of community during the summer season of 2018, which implies the availability of the required motivation from the youth side. However a well-developed integration of service learning and volunteerism was unable to be discovered rather, this study calls for its realization.


INTRODUCTION
Service Learning is a new educational method that is expanding the involvement of universities in their neighboring communities. It is a teaching and learning strategy that attempts to integrate community service with an academic curriculum (Celio, Durlak and Dymnicki, 2011). Service-learning, also known as community service-learning, academic service-learning, community based learning, community learning, and experiential learning has become a popular teaching method everywhere from elementary schools to colleges. (Griffith, 2005). In relation, Tapia, et al. (2006: 68) argued that service-learning is "service encounter these opportunities in a vast array of volunteer systems, some national in scope and others managed by states, cities, localities, private groups, or foundations (National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, 2015). Volunteering is an excellent way for all youth to identify their interests, skills, abilities, values, and goals. They can explore careers, learn how to research organizations, understand how to match who they are with what they want in order to find their organizational fit, and be prepared for the application and interview process. It is also an excellent way to acquire and practice hard and soft skills, grow their social skills and social network, build a resume, develop their work ethic, practice independence skills, and be exposed to new people, ways of doing things, and different cultures(National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, 2015).
Consequently, youth can benefit both personally and professionally by volunteering and by taking advantage of service opportunities as they prepare for and manage the challenges associated with growing up and transitioning from educational settings to the workforce. All youth, can benefit from service because all youth need access to high quality, standards-based education, information about career options, and exposure to the world of work. These work experiences include internships and opportunities to develop social, civic, and leadership skills, strong connections to caring adults, access to safe places to interact with their peers, and support services to allow them to become independent adults (National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth [NCWD/Youth], 2005; cited in National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, 2015:3).
Thus, integration of service learning and youth volunteerism is expected to bring different benefits to the community and the attendants of the service. Nevertheless, despite the increased presence of SL in the education world, it is still unclear what student outcomes are associated with SL programs and what factors are related to more effective programs (Celio, Durlak and Dymnicki, 2011). Moreover, there is a lack of in-depth research on how; service learning and youth volunteerism are interfaced in Ethiopian Universities. Accordingly, this study is planned to take place so that to describe their integration and the impacts to the community and the attendants.

RESEARCH METHODS
The major objective of this study is to explore the integration of Service Learning in HEIs and Services in communities with a special focus to the cases of 2018 Summer Season Youth Voluntarism in Amhara Region. For the purpose, the qualitative methods of research were employed.

Target Population
Four constituencies were the sources of data. Accordingly, 1. Sources of primary information (information that are collected directly from people)  Officials and experts who mobilized youth volunteers in Amhara Region  Students from HEIs and took part in Volunteerism 2. Sources of secondary information (information that is gathered independent of the program)  Documents in the Amhara Region Bureau of Youth and Sports, Zonal Office and Sub-Cities in Bahir Dar  Harmonized syllabuses of Universities in Ethiopian 3. Sample population and Sampling Techniques  Officials and experts who mobilized youth volunteers in the Amhara Region, in particular, at Regional, Zonal and sub-city level were included using availability sampling technique.  Among the university students/graduates who participated in youth volunteerism activities in 2009 in Amhara Region, only 10 in number randomly selected and included in the study  Documents and Syllabuses which believed to be informative (mainly, the common course of Civics and Ethical Education) about the initiating roles of the courses in students' Volunteerism.

Instruments of Data Collection
Interview schedules and documents were the major instruments for data collection. Accordingly, open-ended interview guide was prepared and administered to the officials and experts who were involved in the 2009 E.C. Mobiliztion of Volunteer activities. In addition, documents and syllabuses which believed to be informative about the engagement of University students in service learning during their life in campus and their involvement during summer season of 2018 were examined.

Data Analysis Techniques
The collected data were analyzed using qualitative methods thematically. The presentation followed by Tables and Charts and the analysis used frequencies and percentages. In the analysis, the names of the informants were left to appear as it is other than using their pseudonyms. This is made with the consent of the respondents.

Breadth of Students' willful engagement in voluntary activities
In bringing about the youth towards the proper direction of ethics and moral standards, a course so called 'Civics and Ethical Education' is provided composed of the necessary ethical knowledge, attitude and skills. The course is given either in an integrated or isolated manner in the educational system of Ethiopia. Of the expected behavioral changes, students are supposed to serve themselves, their families, the nation and the society at large. Though the intention of the course since its start was to play such a role, the document prepared by the FDRE government for a national discussion with teachers and stakeholders (MoE, 2018) reveal that the course was unable to meet its intentions. This includes inability to motivate students in general and those in HEIs in particular to the willful service provisions.
In spite of such limitations in the role of the Courses related to Civics and Ethical Education, students of HEIs, were found to be involved in different services of the community since long time, including the summer season of 2018. The mobilization of students from HEIs in volunteer activities especially in Amhara regionals state was searched from the responsible organization i.e., The Bureau of Youth and Sport Affairs in Amhara Region,. The information secured from the target officers and experts of the respective organization is presented in the preceding sub-sections.
Of the informants, the Youth Organization and Supervision Director (Mr. Desalegn) in the Bureau of Amhara Regional State Youth and Sports Bureau was the one. Of the questions raised to him was 'How are the involvement of university students in volunteer activities?' He elicited the traditions of youth volunteerism in Ethiopia like Campaign for literacy activities called "Letters' Army"/ Yefidel Serawit/ starting from Haile Selassie Regime of the 1960 and early 1970s to the time of Derg Regime's "Development through Cooperation: Campaign for Knowledge and Work"/ Ediget Behibret Yeewketna Yesira Zemecha/ of late 1970s. Also the Anti-Illiteracy Campaign of the Derge Regime in the 1980s were cited as the historic service practices by youth, mainly from students' of secondary schools and HEIs. Again, since the Regime change in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian People's Democratic Front led government was able to mobilize a number of youth volunteers from 1996 on, in particular during summer season, though the tone of participation vary from year to year. The participants were reported to include students of different educational levels, none students like members of youth associations, league members and adults. These evidence was repeatedly mentioned by other officials from the same Bureau, the Zonal officers of Bahir Dar Town ( Mr.Sahilu), and Belay Zeleke sub-City administration (Mr.Getachew). The obtained data about the participation of volunteers in the 2018 summer season was found to be as presented in Figure  . above illustrates the distribution of student volunteers across zones and city administrations of Amhara Region, Thus, it was in West Gojjam zone that the number of student volunteers were higher in number followed by East Gojjam. Basically, as to Hustinx et al. in (Ribaric, Dadic & Na, 2014:423), volunteering by university students involves activities that are: non-compulsory or spontaneous (so extracurricular),unpaid, externally oriented, not necessarily conducted within an organizational framework, not necessarily limited in time and/or kind of activities and taking place inside and outside the university setting. The motive for involvement in volunteering activities is never financial or any other material (tangible) benefit, but solely inner motives and grounds such as belonging to a community, personal satisfaction or aspiration to improve existing and gain new knowledge. The growing unemployment rate of young, highly educated people with no job experience of any kind urges the need to bring volunteering closer to them and to introduce volunteering as a means to improve knowledge, skills, and competencies, gain working experience and in this way increase their competitiveness and employability on the labour market. -329-  Figure 2 above also demonstrations, the proportion of Male and Female participants. Thus, as the proportion of female students in HEIs is not far beyond this, it ensures that girls are empowered to serve their community in such activities that were listed in the upcoming sub-sections. The literature review shows mixed results on gender as the sociodemographic factor determining the volunteerism. Namely, Ribaric, Dadic & Na (2014) argued that if differences do exist, that implies that the same motivation strategies did not be used for both genders in mobilizations of Students for Services. It was stated that female volunteer primarily driven by the desire to help others, create new contacts and acquaintances, whereas men are more motivated by the desire to succeed and prove themselves. Female are again said to prefer and support organizations that take care of babies, children and young people, while males select organizations and activities which require physical work and readiness, and where there is adrenalin and stress involved. However, in this volunteer campaign, both tend to be involved in the same types and forms of volunteerism.

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An analysis of socio-demographic variables in this research shows that the involvement itself in voluntary work is not influenced by gender: both male and female are on average proportionally involved in volunteering activities since the proportion of females in HEIs is not more than the respective data. In looking for data about the forms and types of community service activities by students of higher education institutions, the informants were asked a question stated as 'What the areas of intervention are by volunteers coming from universities?' Experts and officers in the Youth and Sports Bureau, zonal offices and Sub-city administration of Bahir Dar revel that there are different areas of placement of student volunteers from HEIs. Volunteers' engagement is not actually unique from the none-students' but noted as the areas are diversified. The details as mentioned by informants and analyzed from the documents are presented in Tables 3 and 4 below: • Coordinating music to raise funds for a youth organization, Table 3 above indicates the Involvement of HEIs Students in different categories of services i.e., Direct Service-service engages students face-to-face with people; Behindthe-Scenes Service, serving on site at an agency, organization, or school but not face-to face with the people it serves; and Indirect Service, serving on behalf of an issue, population, or community of concern but removed from the actual site. This type of service is very removed from the physical center of concern. As can be from the Table, volunteers in Amhara region in general and students of HEIs in particular were found to be involved in all the 3 categories. This shows that the scope of community services attended by volunteers were broad. By doing so, it is hoped that the impact of the service in the society is expected to be un-negligible.  -331-direction by allowing them to pursue career development; alternative breaks which allow students to use their time off from school/ or university to participate in volunteer opportunities; and Unpaid internships varieties related to a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom are reported to be the forms of participation. Though the proportion of volunteers in each form is not clearly known, the breadth of involvement tends to be comprehensive.
Informants were asked on 'How are the procedures of Volunteer Advocacy and popularization of the program in the region?' Respondents reported that there is an organized Steering Committee at ANRS Level regionally and this body took the responsibility to plan on the procedures, breadth and depth of services areas and to coordinate steering committees up to Woreda level. In this regard the political organization: 'Amhara National Democratic Movement' has its own part to play and there are different organizations of youth within HEIs and outside. These bodies are the main organs who are responsible to run volunteerism. Respondents said that especially, the participants of such community service by students of HEIs are much advocated by student councils and other youth organizations in campus. This shows it is not the HEIs management or the academia who mobilize the students for volunteerism. In any case students of HEIs took part in the 2018 summer season in Amhara Region and the proportion of them as compared to the total volunteers are unfolded in Figure Figure 4 exhibitions the proportion of student involvement in community services during the summer season of 2018 in Amhara Region across zones and city administrations. Meanwhile, those from West Gojjam account the majority (26.8%) followed by East Gojjam (24.6%). Among the city administrations, (2.2%) of volunteer students were from Bahir Dar town followed by Dessie (1.5%). Though, the largeness or smallness of the distribution does not really indicate the degree of Mobilization (since the whole number of students in HEI in the specific locality is unknown, it could clue that using the students for community service is much higher in those with high proportions. Informants were asked if they can inform us about the hosting procedures about volunteers: a pre-deployment volunteer training and capacity building. What was mentioned include that there are no formal trainings but as soon as students of HEIs report their willingness to attend the community service and pass through registrations, the steering committee and the technical committee members at each level organized a well- -332-come program and arranged panel discussions with the volunteers besides providing them with the concrete realities about the region, the services demanded by the society and organizations and the possible areas of participation. It is through such processes that the volunteers engaged in the development packages of any sort. Accordingly, if one examines the proportion of volunteer students and their contribution in the year 2018 in Amhara Region, the picture is found to be as displayed in Table 2 Table 2 specifies the Total Participants in Volunteerism during the summer season of 2018. This includes not only students from HEIs but also lower grades, adults in different occupations and diversities. In particular data from the interview reveal that the major mobilizers of such volunteerism was run by different organized groups such as Youth Associations and Youth Leagues, Consequently, reports show that it was possible to involve 2556479 volunteers in Number, and by the contribution of those volunteers a total of 4499616 people were reported to be benefited. Moreover, the Total Service Calculated is said to be account in Birr 321947174. Therefore, the benefits drawn from the total community service providers within a two months' time was found to be huge in worth. -333- Figure 5 portrays the proportion of students' contribution from HEIs as compared to the total volunteers' contribution in Birr. Hence, the student volunteers' role tends to account only Birr 19842701 (6.2%) as compared to Birr 321947174 (93.8 %) of all participants' impact. From the data, it can be understood that the amount of money saved from students' Of HEIs volunteerism is not minimal.  Figure 6 reveals the proportion of Share of Impacts of Student Voluntary Services from HEIs' as compared to the Total Participants' Effects. Subsequently, the data from Gonder Town exhibit the share of Volunteers from HEIs is higher as compared to the total participants in the respective locality.

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Officers and experts were asked if they have any packages of recognition for volunteers who provide summer season services. In common, volunteers are certified following their accomplishment however, depending on the resource generating efforts and success of each Woreda administration and steering committee, those who successfully participated in the volunteer service program supplied with transportation costs, bed sheets and bags during the welfare ceremonies. The certificate is believed to be considered during job search and has a recognition for recruitment. In addition, the sources of the financial support for planning, training and/or implementation of youth volunteerism are reported to be volunteers, public and private organizations who may be approached by the steering committee members. Other than such mechanisms, there are no well-established sources of funding for youth volunteerism either University Operating funds, Foundation grants, Regional State grants, Federal grants are none existent.
In securing the necessary technical assistance from HEIs and Universities on planning or implementation of student volunteerism, according to the observation of the informants, it was minimal. There were no strong arrangements for coordination with universities on the identification of problems for volunteer intervention or to run calls of volunteerism for university communities rather, it was by the steering committee at each level that the areas of intervention identified. However, it seems that there are positive interests from both side i.e. The Regional Steering Committee and HEIs to upgrade the relationship further and to promote student service learning in a better manner for the coming years.
Informants were asked to value the effectiveness of the volunteer services practiced in 2018 in Amhara Region, as compared to the previous years. Even though they seem to lack tangible data at hand, their observation tends to increase progressively since the last 5 to 6 years. Finally, officials and experts in Amhara region who mobilized youth volunteerism cited different challenges related to the placement, and effective mobilization of youth for community services. Of which, lack of coordination between the HEIs and Regional Steering Committee of Volunteer Services; Limitations on the human and material resources in effective mobilization of the volunteers; absence of research based impact analysis on the program; loose readiness from many volunteers to provide fruitful services with no financial support; linking of the voluntary service as the accomplishment a political agenda; disproportional placement of volunteers to as compared to the needed intervention sites; and restriction of the service only to during summer season.

CONCLUSION
The following are conclusions that can be given from the results of the analysis and discussion:  The magnitude of Service learning in the Higher Education Institutions particularly, through the course Civics and Ethical Education is condemned to be unable to produce well-motivated youth who can provide the society different volunteer activities. Therefore, though volunteerism is there in the ground, it seems beyond the impact of service learning which were given within the training institutions.  The involvement of Students from HEIs in the community services on the basis of volunteerism package was broad in nature and a number of students were participated in the 2018 summer season volunteer services conducted in Amhara region. Though the non-students were also parts of the volunteer services, the services rendered by students could not be undermined. The examination of sex distribution of students from HEIs informs that it was not left to either sex rather both are involved which ensures that girls are empowered to serve their community in such activities that were listed in the upcoming sub-sections.  The distribution of student volunteers across zones and city administrations of Amhara Region, Thus, it was in West Gojjam zone that the number of student volunteers were higher in number followed by East Gojjam participants.  HEIs Students were found to be involved in different categories of services i.e., Direct Service-service engages students face-to-face with people; Behind-the-Scenes Service-serving on site at an agency, organization, or school but not faceto face with the people it serves; and Indirect Service-serving on behalf of an issue, population, or community of concern but removed from the actual site.  Student were found to be involved in different forms of service commitments like episodic volunteering, referring to participation of volunteers in several different career interests or work settings; alternative breaks which allow students to use their time off from school/ or university to participate in volunteer opportunities; and Unpaid internships varieties.  The benefits drawn from the total community service providers within a two months' time was found to be huge in worth and a number of people was reported to be benefited from various types of community services provided by volunteers in general and students in particular.  The amount of money saved due to the involvement of students and other volunteers for a two months summer time was not minimal  The procedures of Volunteer Advocacy and popularization of the program was mainly left to the Steering and Technical committee members in the Amhara region. As a result, the participation of Higher Education Institutions in mobilizing their students for community services were not as observable as expected.  Even though there were welcome sessions and panel discussions while arrival and welfare ceremonies during return, there were no visible mechanisms for the hosting procedures a pre-deployment volunteer training and capacity building to volunteers from HEIs.  The acknowledgements given to the students involved in Volunteer services are limited to certification and the possible priority for participants during employment application. Other than such packages there are no definite financial and material supports for those who wish to work away from their families and wherever their intervention could be productive. In addition, there are no sufficient budgets for the planning, training and/or implementation of youth volunteerism in Amhara Region. Again no University Operating funds, Foundation grants, Regional State grants, or Federal grants for planning or implementation of volunteer services.  The technical assistance secured from the Higher Education Institutions either in identifying the intervention areas, in crediting student participation and raising overall participation was found to be very minimal or non-existent. This was reported to be originated from the loose coordination available between the steering committee and the management of HEIs.  Other than the challenges surrounding the placement and effective mobilization of the volunteers the overall impact of the summer season community services rendered by students of HEIs in particular and all volunteers in general were very much higher to be declared.  Therefore, the following recommendations are forwarded on the basis of the aforementioned summery of findings.