Empower the next generation of changemakers.
Volunteers work with youth in communities on projects that promote engagement and active citizenship, including gender awareness, employability, health and HIV/AIDS education, environmental awareness, sporting programs, and info technology.
If you choose Youth in Development, take three courses from one of the following areas:
Social Work and Psychology: The social work and psychology faculty recommend the following:
- PSCI 3053 Introduction to Public Administration
- PSYC 3223 Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 4083 Adolescent Psychology
- SOC 4313 Community and Identity
Criminal Justice: The criminal justice faculty recommend the following:
- CRJU 3053 Juvenile Justice.
- CRJU 3083 Community Based Corrections
- CRJU 3113 Juvenile Law
- CRJU 3123 Juvenile Rehabilitation and Corrections
- CRJU 4013 Legal and Ethical Issues in Juvenile Justice Prerequisite: CRJU 3053
- CRJU 4043 Gang Behavior
And build 50 hours of related field experience through activities including the following examples:
- Teaching or counseling in at-risk youth programs
- Activities that involve planning, organizing, assessing community needs, counseling, and leadership, in areas such as education, youth development, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment, and/or business
- SWK 2053 Community Service Learning experience meets this requirement
- Available internships
- Psychology interns have served with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) organization, the Living Waters Domestic Violence Shelter, the Columbia County Literacy Program, and Davita Dialysis
- Criminal Justice internship students are placed with several different agencies in Ouachita, Union, and Columbia counties, including the Magnolia Police Department, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Adult Probation and Parole Office in Magnolia, El Dorado, and Camden, the Living Waters Compassion’s Foundation, the Turning Point Domestic Violence Shelter in El Dorado, the SAU Police Department, the Camden Police Department, and the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office
- Social Work students intern with the Department of Human Services, Wentworth Place, Magnolia Health and Rehab, Methodist Family Health, Juvenile Probation, Agape House, Abilities Unlimited, Magnolia Specialized Services, and Living Waters Domestic Violence Shelter
- Serve in a leadership role or lead a project in one of the many clubs and organizations.
Examples of their activities include:- The SAU Psi Chi chapter (International Psychology Honor Society) emphasizes scholarship and service. Service projects include organizing domestic violence awareness programs and fundraising to purchase mosquito netting for impoverished countries where mosquito-transmitted diseases are common. Psi Chi members also visit residential care facilities
- The Psychology Club has an open membership and encourages students to engage in activities such as movie night, community service, and attending career building lectures by guest speakers
- The Criminal Justice Club raises funds for trips, usually to a state prison, every year. They also work security for Relay for Life
- The Phi Alpha Honor Society provides high achieving Social Work students the opportunity to form closer bonds with other students and promote humanitarian goals and ideas. In addition, the society organizes bake sales, encourages students to participate in Lobby Day at the state capitol in Little Rock, and participates in community projects.
- The Social Work Education and Leadership Club (SWEL) offers volunteer opportunities with the Department of Human Services, Magnolia Specialized Services, Harvesting Hope (collecting non- perishable foods and cleaning supplies), Relay for Life, Special Olympics, the Domestic Violence Clothesline Project, Wentworth Place (transporting and assisting residents at the Columbia County Fair), and the Division of Children and Family Services
- Volunteering or interning at the Magnolia Boys and Girls Club sports programs
- Volunteering or interning at the Magnolia Boys and Girls Club after-school program with sports,
arts and crafts, homework assistance, meal program - Volunteering or interning at the Whitley Reeves Barnard Learning Center
- Volunteering or interning at Magnolia Specialized Services
- Volunteering with MSS Fishing Derby
- Volunteering with Special Olympics Basketball
- Volunteering with Special Olympics Track Meet
- Volunteering or interning with Compassion’s Foundation
- Coordinating the SAU Lois Davis Annual Cross Country Meet
- Volunteering with the SAU Angel Tree program
- Working with the SAU Criminal Justice Program
- Working with the SAU Upward Bound Program as a peer counselor during the summer or as an instructor or group leader or driver
- Volunteering or interning with the Magnolia Arts Council to develop youth programming
