Impact of a Service-Learning Programme in Mainland China: Views of Different Stakeholders

Abstract

This paper describes the evaluation findings about a service-learning programme offered in a public university in Hong Kong based on the data collected in 2015–2016 academic year. The programme aims to nurture generic competences, positive values, and social responsibilities in university students and to promote the positive development of migrant children in Mainland China through the service. Evaluative findings based on different stakeholders including service providers (i.e. university students), service recipients (migrant children), project collaborators (teachers of the local primary school), and service observers (local university students) converged to suggest that this programme was implemented smoothly and there were multiple benefits to not only university students but migrant children in the served community. Both service providers and recipients also showed very positive perceptions about the programme content and the service. Ratings of the programme by community collaborators and observers further suggested that the quality of service provided by university students was high. The present findings add to the limited literature that provides scientific evidence for the impact of service-learning programmes on the community. The usefulness of including different informants in programme evaluation has also been demonstrated.