Vision, Mission & Values
Vision
Students, educators and communities building partnerships to learn from each other while working together in innovative ways to strengthen individuals, communities and society.
Mission
CACSL is a national alliance established to support the active participation of students, educators and communities in community service-learning (CSL) by:
- providing resources and support to CSL practitioners in the post-secondary and non-profit sectors across Canada
- supporting local, regional, national and international networks of individuals and organizations involved in CSL practice and research
- investigating, celebrating, promoting and strengthening promising, community-centred CSL practices which contribute to positive social change
- advocating for CSL in Canadian post-secondary institutions as a complement to existing teaching, learning, and research and as a means of deepening and broadening inquiry through collaborative community engagement
- advocating for the integration of CSL into planning and practices within organizations in Canada’s non-profit sector, as a complement to their own existing strategies to educate on social issues, implement programs and manage resources
Values
- CACSL believes community service-learning is a powerful form of experiential learning and community-university engagement.
- CACSL believes that informed engagement, through participation in activities focused upon community-identified issues, contributes to community and regional development and is an avenue to achieve social, environmental, and economic justice.
- CACSL encourages effective communication between, and active participation of, all CSL partners in decisions about the planning, development, and evaluation of individual CSL programs and of CACSL itself.
- CACSL understands that reflective research and inquiry into the processes and effectiveness of CSL are crucial to its becoming an integral part of academic and community learning.
- CACSL encourages the effective and creative application of CSL research to further enhance CSL practice
- CACSL recognizes and respects multiple ways of knowing (e.g. academic knowledge, community-based knowledge, indigenous knowledge) and believes they are complementary and mutually reinforcing.
- CACSL values the sharing of resources, knowledge, and information; clear, inclusive communication; creative collaboration; and meaningful partnerships with stakeholders from all sectors: educational institutions, community organizations, students, the private sector, and individuals.
- CACSL values open and inclusive communication and policies that are respectful of diversity and responsive to differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language, and ability.