Originating in Minnesota in 1989, the National Service-Learning Conference is the largest gathering of youth and adults involved in the service-learning movement. Each year, it draws approximately 2,200 attendees from across the United States and around the globe.
During the two-day youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference, young leaders attend learning sessions around the Ten Global Calls to Action. Youth leaders, together with the featured Nobel Peace Prize Laureate discuss the Laureate's selected theme. Conference participants spend several months leading up to the conference studying the life of the visiting Laureate and implementing a service-learning project around at least one of the Global Call to Action issues in their own community. They then present the service work they have done in their local area.
Over the history of the service-learning movement, young people have been at the forefront, generating change in their communities and around the world. The 2012 conference theme, Our World, Our Future, is an opportunity to share how youth passion, creativity and innovation can address world issues. How all young people must have a nurturing, collaborative, challenging, and safe environment in which to work, learn, and live. A vision of a future where all young people – both with and without disabilities can become effective and visible leaders in their schools, communities and the world. The conference is the place to explore: How are youth impacting the global water crisis? How are youth helping to end poverty and racism? How have they created positive changes in curriculum, in communities, across cultures? What does the research show happens when young people lead through service-learning? How can youth performance and art be a catalyst for youth leadership? How are youth ending prejudice and creating schools and communities of acceptance for all? How are we creating leaders of change rather than recipients of learning and programming?
The conference focuses on service-learning as a way of teaching and learning that builds academic skills and citizenship while addressing community needs in a genuine way. It convenes teachers and other service-learning practitioners, administrators, researchers, policy-makers, youth leaders, parents, program coordinators, national service members, community-based organization staffs, and corporate and foundation officers.
The conference connects participants with service-learning leaders through three days of plenary sessions, thought leader series, and service-learning projects. With more than 100 workshops, it provides access to new ideas and networking opportunities.
The conference has drawn an impressive array of speakers starting with Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich in 1989 with future years drawing such names as President Bill Clinton, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Senator Harris Wofford, Senator Paul Wellstone, Senator Dave Durenbuger, Senator John Glenn, Jane Goodall, Alec Dickson, Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, John Bridgeland, Alan Khazi, Gerda Weisman Klein and many others.
Each year the conference features over a dozen on-site opportunities to serve the local community. Past on-site service-learning projects have included International Sharing and Caring Mural, Sewing for Others Hygiene Care Kits, Family Care Packages, More than Warmth Quilts, Be Aware Bracelets, and Operation Goody Bag, just to name a few.
Serving the host community is part of the history of the conference. Along with on-site opportunities, conference attendees are encouraged to go off-site and get their hands dirty. Off-site projects have included Habitat for Humanity projects, the Ronald McDonald House, EarthMatters, Youth Opportunity Center, Homelessness Projects, Save the Bay, and many others.
What Your Peers are Saying
"The conference is the number one forum for the service-learning field to meet, greet, and exchange ideas on an annual basis. I love the diversity of topics, presentations, special events, and resources offered. The conference provides a spotlight under which I gage the field's progress and identify the needed areas for future growth."
James Toole, Ph.D.
Compass Institute and University of Minnesota
"The conference is top notch … it thoroughly meets the needs of teachers, administrators, and most importantly the students."
Nancy DiNunzio
Director of Operations
LEAD Academy,
Nashville, Tenn.
"The NSLC (National Service-Learning Conference) is the most valuable conference for service-learning that I have ever attended. The plenary sessions are wonderful, and the workshops help to keep me updated with what's going on around the country in service-learning. Each year I look forward to attending this conference because it always inspires me to see what youth are doing around the world."
Judy Huynh
Box Team Member
Ionia Intermediate School District
Ionia, Mich.
National Youth Leadership Council
NYLC has been at the helm of advancing service-learning and supporting its practitioners — young people and adults — for more than 27 years. Whether conducting action research, developing model programs, codifying teaching standards, or training, NYLC is at the center of quality service-learning practice.
youthrive
The youthrive mission is to engage young people with adults to strengthen leadership and peace-building skills. To fulfill its mission, youthrive provides unique, standards-based curriculums and program models for youth in four age groups: elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. In all youthrive programs, young people become agents of positive community improvement through service-learning projects they design and lead in partnership with adults to address local needs they have identified.
PeaceJam
The mission of PeaceJam is to create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities and the world through the inspiration of Nobel Peace Laureates who pass on the spirit, skills, and wisdom they embody. PeaceJam's program is built on a pyramid of three simple ideas: Education, Inspiration, and Action.
Education: The process starts with education, as the students participate in PeaceJam Programs focusing on the lives of the Nobel Peace Laureates. Programs are available for youth ages 5-29 and each program includes components which stimulate critical thinking skills, strengthen research skills, build skills in leadership and nonviolence, and promote personal reflection and growth. Each program teaches specific content around the lives and work of the participating Nobel Peace Laureates including an exploration of the issues that affect communities – both locally and globally.
Inspiration: Education is followed up by Inspiration, which comes from meeting the Nobel Laureates at conferences, and connecting with other people working on projects for their communities. Through the first-hand stories provided by the Nobel Laureates, youth will get to know each Nobel Peace Laureate on a very personal level - each story emphasizing the Laureates choice to stand up for social justice, human rights, nonviolence, and peace.
Action: After being properly inspired, Jammers get out of their seats and into the streets! They get to work on service-learning projects that align with PeaceJam's Global Call to Action - an ambitious campaign to create and track ONE BILLION projects addressing ten of the most pressing issues facing our world.