Florida State University
EN-13: Community Service

Under the Florida Mentoring Partnership program, state employees are encouraged to help young Floridians excel in school and life by becoming a mentor to a student in need. State employees may take up to one hour of administrative leave per week (not to exceed five hours per calendar month) to participate in mentoring, tutoring, guest speaking and providing any services related to participation in an established school district's mentoring program.

Under the Volunteer Florida program, state employees may choose to use one hour of administrative leave per week (not to exceed five hours per calendar month) to participate in community service programs that meet child, elder or human needs including, but not limited to, Guardian Ad Litem, Big-Brother/Big-Sister, Senior Corps and Adult Literacy. State employees can also volunteer for church-sponsored, community-based projects, as long as the activities are not primarily for the benefit of the church itself.

The submission’s numbers were based on the academic year Summer 2021 to Summer 2022 and calculated through the FSU ServScript program records. The number of students engaged in community service (headcount) includes non-unique participants that could be duplicated over multiple semesters. The total number of community service hours are unique cumulative hours served. These numbers reflect hours logged by any student on all three of the FSU campuses during these windows. They reflect a large variety of types of service, research, and volunteering (not specific to sustainability).

The ServScript Program at Florida State University, provides students with a platform to record their service to the community on their official FSU transcript. Community service programs, such as the ServScript Program are designed to help students learn about themselves and others. Engaging with the community allows students to address areas of community need while also gaining valuable knowledge and skills. To qualify for the ServScript program, service hours 1) cannot be court-ordered or sanctioned; 2) must be unpaid; 3) must benefit or contribute to the solution of a community need; and 4) must have third-party verification. Students may engage in direct service, indirect service; research service; and/or advocacy service. The Center for Leadership and Social Change verifies student hours at the end of each semester through an auditing process. Because the ServScript Program is based on voluntary reporting, it represents a fraction of the total service hours completed by students at FSU.

The Center for Leadership and Social Change also supports a service-learning program. Service learning is defined as “experiential education that combines classroom instruction with organized service to the community, emphasizing civic engagement, reflection and application of learning.” Service learning includes academic preparation, service that meets an identified community need and structured reflection. A service-learning experience can enhance learning and development, encourage civic responsibility, foster community-based scholarship, provide a forum for leadership development and address social issues. https://thecenter.fsu.edu/service/service-learning