By Shira Woolf-Cohen, Co-founder, Innovageous
In nearly three decades as an educator, school leader, and workforce development advocate, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the National Youth Leadership Council in many capacities – from conference attendee to board member, conference host, and facilitator of their Certificate in Instructional Leadership in Service-Learning. Through these experiences, I’ve seen firsthand how service-learning can transform a student’s understanding of themselves and the world around them. It’s more than giving back – it’s an opportunity for students to connect their strengths and passions to meaningful work, explore career possibilities, and develop the skills and mindsets they’ll need for future success.
As the co-founder of Innovageous and author of Leading Future-Focused Schools: Engaging and Preparing Students for Career Success, I focus on helping schools create learning environments that prepare all students for the opportunities and challenges ahead. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through career-connected service-learning, which blends service-learning with career awareness, exploration, and skill development.
Here are a few examples of how this looks in practice:
- Middle school Red Cross Club: Students learn babysitting skills, CPR, and basic first aid. They then organize a community certification event for other student babysitters, inviting elementary teachers to share activity ideas and an accountant to run a workshop on saving money. Through this project, students not only serve their community but also gain leadership, organization, and financial literacy skills.
- 5th grade community garden redesign: Students collaborate with science and math teachers and consult with horticulture experts and landscape architects to design a new garden. After presenting their scaled models and receiving feedback, students help implement the chosen design, learning teamwork, planning, and project management while seeing the direct impact of their ideas.
- High school criminal justice and forensics elective: Students shadow police detectives and support community initiatives, such as fingerprinting elementary students for safety purposes. Through this experience, they learn professional responsibilities, build social-emotional skills, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world impact.
The benefits of career-connected service-learning extend far beyond the classroom. Through these experiences, students gain awareness of a variety of careers, develop employability skills, and deepen their self-understanding, which positions them to make more informed educational and career choices. At the same time, engagement in meaningful projects strengthens their connection to school, increases motivation, and helps reduce the risk of disengagement or dropout. By applying academic knowledge in real-world contexts, taking on leadership roles, and collaborating with community members, students also cultivate social awareness, a sense of belonging, and the skills and mindsets they need to thrive as future-focused learners.
By integrating career connections into service-learning experiences, schools can ensure that every student begins to see a clear pathway from their passions to meaningful work in the future. This approach aligns directly with the steps I outline in Leading Future-Focused Schools, providing leaders with a framework to prepare students for career success while fostering strong, engaged communities.
For leaders and communities looking to lead with a future-focused lens, Leading Future-Focused Schools provides a wealth of resources, including an engaging online resource center that supports practical implementation. At Innovageous, we continue to partner with schools to bring these principles to life, helping educators design programs that are both inclusive and future-focused. The intersection of service-learning and career development is more than a teaching strategy, it’s a powerful pathway for students to uncover their strengths, define their purpose, and imagine the possibilities that lie ahead.
If you’re interested in exploring how career-connected service-learning can strengthen student engagement, purpose, and future readiness, I invite you to continue the conversation. Leading Future-Focused Schools: Engaging and Preparing Students for Career Success offers practical frameworks, tools, and real-world examples to help leaders bring these ideas to life—along with access to an online resource center designed to support implementation. You can also explore additional resources on the Innovageous website, including a curated set of career-connected service-learning ideas aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Connect with me on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected] to share ideas and learn from others doing this work. Together, we can build learning experiences that help every student see themselves as capable, connected, and prepared for the future!
