SEL: Leadership and Community Engagement
Practicing ethical leadership, service, and collaboration
SEL: Leadership and Community Engagement
Practicing ethical leadership, service, and collaboration
SEL - Grade 9-12
- 1
Define leadership in a community setting. Include two behaviors that show positive leadership.
Think about actions that help people feel included and motivated.
Leadership in a community setting means helping a group work toward a shared goal in a responsible and respectful way. Positive leadership can include listening to others, encouraging participation, solving problems fairly, and following through on commitments. - 2
A student group wants to improve school recycling, but only a few members are doing the work. Identify one leadership challenge and one strategy to address it.
One leadership challenge is that the work is not being shared fairly. A good strategy is to create clear roles, such as outreach leader, supply manager, and data tracker, so every member has a specific responsibility. - 3
List three community stakeholders who should be consulted before starting a neighborhood cleanup project. Explain why each stakeholder matters.
A stakeholder is a person or group affected by a decision or able to help with it.
Local residents matter because they are directly affected by the cleanup. City or school maintenance staff matter because they may know safety rules and waste disposal procedures. Local businesses or community organizations matter because they may provide supplies, volunteers, or support. - 4
Rewrite this statement to make it more respectful and collaborative: We need to do this my way because nobody else has a good plan.
A more respectful statement is: I have one plan we can consider, and I would like to hear other ideas so we can choose the strongest approach together. - 5
Describe the difference between a manager and a leader in a service project.
Managers often focus on tasks, while leaders also focus on people and purpose.
A manager organizes tasks, schedules, and resources so the project runs smoothly. A leader also builds trust, motivates the group, listens to concerns, and helps people connect the work to a shared purpose. - 6
Create a SMART goal for a community engagement project focused on reducing food waste at school.
A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
A strong SMART goal is: By the end of the semester, our group will reduce cafeteria food waste by 15 percent by measuring weekly waste, sharing awareness posters, and working with cafeteria staff to improve donation or composting options. - 7
A team member misses two meetings and does not complete an assigned task. Write a constructive message a student leader could send.
A constructive message is: I noticed you missed the last two meetings and the outreach task is not finished yet. I hope everything is okay. Can we check in today and make a plan so you can still contribute or adjust your role if needed? - 8
Identify one ethical issue that could arise during a community service project and explain how a leader should respond.
Ethical leadership protects dignity, privacy, fairness, and safety.
One ethical issue is taking photos of community members without permission. A leader should respond by asking for consent, explaining how the photos will be used, and respecting anyone who does not want to be photographed. - 9
Read this situation: A group wants to help at a local shelter, but they planned the project without asking shelter staff what is actually needed. Explain the problem and suggest a better approach.
The problem is that the group is assuming what the shelter needs instead of listening to the people who understand the situation. A better approach is to contact shelter staff, ask about current needs, and design the project around their guidance. - 10
Rank these actions from least community participation to most community participation: students design the whole project alone, students ask residents for feedback, residents and students plan together, students inform residents after the plan is finished. Explain your ranking.
More participation means the community has more influence over decisions.
From least to most participation, the ranking is: students design the whole project alone, students inform residents after the plan is finished, students ask residents for feedback, and residents and students plan together. Planning together gives the community the most voice and shared power. - 11
Name two strengths you could bring to a leadership role and one skill you would like to improve. Explain how the improvement would help your team.
A sample response is: I bring organization and empathy to a leadership role. I would like to improve public speaking because clearer presentations would help my team explain our project and recruit more volunteers. - 12
A leadership team is deciding between two service ideas. One idea is popular with students, but the other addresses a more urgent community need. Explain how the team should make a responsible decision.
Responsible decisions use both values and evidence.
The team should gather evidence about both ideas, listen to community stakeholders, consider available resources, and discuss the likely impact of each option. A responsible decision should balance student interest with the real needs of the community. - 13
Design a simple three-step action plan for recruiting volunteers for a park restoration day.
A simple action plan is: First, create a clear message that explains the purpose, date, time, and volunteer tasks. Second, share the message through school announcements, social media, clubs, and community partners. Third, confirm volunteers, send reminders, and assign roles before the event. - 14
Explain how active listening can reduce conflict during a group project. Include one specific listening behavior.
Active listening shows that you understand before you respond.
Active listening can reduce conflict because it helps people feel heard before decisions are made. One specific listening behavior is paraphrasing, such as saying, I hear that you are concerned about the timeline, before offering a solution. - 15
Write a short reflection about how a successful community engagement project can benefit both the community and the student leaders.
A successful community engagement project can benefit the community by addressing a real need, building relationships, and creating positive change. It can benefit student leaders by helping them practice communication, responsibility, teamwork, and empathy.