Wesley College (Dover, DE)
Boys
and Girls Club of Delaware
Summary
Since 1997, the College has offered its students and the surrounding community
four unique, campus-based volunteer-service programs: hosting the Campus
Community School, a publicly funded charter school; the Wesley Children’s
Theatre; the YMCA Resource Center focusing on substance abuse prevention
and education; and the Wesley Boys and Girls Club (the club). An average
of 80 students per day participate in the after-school and drop-in programs
of the club during the academic year and more than 500 in its full-time
program during summer 2003.
The Practice
An outgrowth of a College strategic initiative to become an active force
in the surrounding community, the College provides a house, as well as
use of all athletic and recreational facilities for the programs of the
club, which is jointly administered by the Wesley College Department of
Education and the Boys & Girls Club of Delaware. Start-up funding
was provided by the Club and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.
Student and faculty involvement is at the core of the Club’s structured
after-school program, a fee-based program for elementary and middle school
age children who would otherwise be unsupervised in the late afternoon.
Wesley College students comprise 95 percent of the staff and design and
implement educational and recreational programs. During a mandatory homework
hour, staff and college student volunteers (as part of their education
class requirements) work one-on-one with students.
The “drop-in” program serves up to 60 teens from the neighborhood
on any given day. This program provides organized recreational activities
such as football and basketball leagues for high school-age youth from
the adjacent neighborhood. Average daily participation is 40-60. The Wesley
College football and women’s field hockey teams organize annual
clinics for club members.
When school is not in session, the full-day summer program serves an
average of 150 students per day, and participation each year continues
to increase. Wesley College students lead weekly field trips to area sites
such as the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, and water theme parks
During the summers of 2002 and 2003, an Outdoor Adventure Program has
enabled approximately 200 urban students each year to visit local natural
and wildlife areas, learn an outdoor recreational skill, and participate
in scientific activities. This program has been developed as a curriculum
module by a Wesley College graduate student hired in a joint position
as science coordinator for the campus charter school and the club.
Effectiveness
Prior to the club being on campus, children from the neighborhood either
steered clear of the College or came onto campus to “cause trouble.”
Now, a genuine sense of community exists between the children and Wesley
College students. Wesley College acknowledges the club’s benefit
to the campus community.
While fostering self-growth and academic achievement among neighborhood
youth, the club simultaneously provides a setting in which Wesley students
provide community service in both paid and unpaid positions while gaining
professional experience in their chosen majors. A distinctive feature
of this campus-based practice is that commuter students who also have
paid jobs have an opportunity to learn and serve while on campus. An evolving
feature is the new 10,000-square-foot Wesley College Community Service
and Partnership Center. This Center oversees and supports the expanding
community engagements of the College and the growth of service-based experiential
learning of the students.
Resources
Additional information regarding specific aspects of the program is
available from the contact person.
Contact Information
President Scott D. Miller
Wesley College
120 North State Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: 302-736-2300
millersd@wesley.edu
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Effective
Practices Exchange
