Learning to CARE
Education, Volunteering, and Community Service
by Dr. Patricia Mihaly Nabti
Association for Volunteer Services

If you are a school administrator, teacher, student leader, parent, or community partner who would like to help schools become institutions where students learn to care (learn to become active, caring, socially responsible adults) then this is the book for you. Learning to CARE: Education, Volunteering, and Community Service is a comprehensive manual to help schools establish a caring school environment and develop any of six different options for incorporating volunteering and community service into a school:

1)      School-Sponsored Service Projects

2)      Extracurricular Clubs

3)      Service Incentive Programs

4)      Mandatory Service Programs

5)      Service-Learning

6)      Volunteers For Schools

The books seeks to empower students to volunteer and to plan and implement their own service projects under the supervision of responsible adults. It provides guidance to the different stakeholders (administrators, teachers, parents, and community partners) about how they can contribute to this empowerment.

The premise of the book is that students can learn to care. They can learn to develop the genuine feelings of concern for those in need and the problems in society that need to be address; they can learn not to be indifferent  and irresponsible; and they can learn how to actually make a difference through commitment and effective action. The term care is used in the book because it contains within it an expression of both feeling and action. A person who truly cares about someone or something is compelled to act on that concern, to care for or take care of what s/he cares about. Care  also stands for the four attributes of a good volunteer:
                     Capable
                     Available
                     Reliable
                     Engaged

Through volunteering and community service students can increase their academic and interpersonal skills, knowledge, appreciation of human diversity, and sense of social responsibility while they provide genuine service to their local community, their society, and the world as a whole. And volunteers for schools can improve the schools while providing important role models for students. 

Examples in the book are primarily from schools in Lebanon, but there are also examples from the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere in the world. The book is illustrated by 50 drawings by Lebanese students and 140 photographs of service activities organized by Lebanese schools. It includes over 300 inspirational quotations. In addition, its rich appendix has guest articles and many other valuable resources to support school service programs from sources worldwide. 

Initial funding for the book was provided by the World Bank with additional contributions from Lebanese-Canadian Bank, Indevco, and Byblos Bank.  Proceeds from sales of the book will be used to support AVS and its Learning to CARE Program.

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TO BUY the book Learning to CARE: Education, Volunteering and Community Service:

For buyers in the United States, Canada, and the Arab region: The cost of the book online is $35 plus postage and handling. To buy the book, click on this "Buy Now" button:

For buyers in Australia and New Zealand: The cost of the book online is $50 plus postage and handling. The additional $15 per book actually helps to cover the added shipping costs, since these cannot be calculated on a regional basis through our PayPal account. To buy the book, click on this "Buy Now" button:

For buyers in all other countries: The cost of the book online is $40 plus postage and handling. The additional $5 per book actually helps to cover the added shipping costs, since these cannot be calculated on a regional basis through our PayPal account.. To buy the book, click on this "Buy Now" button:

Arabic Edition: The Arabic edition of the book is expected to be in print by October 2008.

Other languages: AVS is interested in finding partner organizations that would translate and adapt the book to other cultural regions. If your organization is interested, contact the AVS Office.

Book: Learning to CARE
About the Author
Table of Contents
The Six Service Options
Book Reviews
To Buy the Book
Learning to CARE Program (Training Program)