Embracing the Shift from “Service Learning” to “Community Engagement”

November 19, 2025 | Written by Lindsey Barta

At Magnified Giving, we believe young people can and should live out philanthropy within their communities by directly engaging with real issues, building relationships, and working toward solutions. A recent article published by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) highlights a growing shift from “service learning” to “community engagement,” emphasizing the importance of collaboration with community members in the philanthropic process (tieonline.com). This language underscores the idea that service activities and philanthropy should flow from the process of connecting with the community and deeply understanding its needs through relationship-building and exploration of a community’s strengths and needs.

While we continue to use the phrase “service learning” because it is widely recognized and understood in educational settings, our programs are intentionally designed to go beyond short-term activities. We focus on helping students form lasting relationships with nonprofits, explore root causes, and stay connected to ongoing community work. This approach helps youth see themselves not simply as helpers, but as collaborators who stand alongside community members in creating change. It also reflects the IBO’s call to honor community voice and empower youth as active contributors (tieonline.com).

In practice, this philosophy shapes every aspect of Magnified Giving’s work.

• Students research local needs and learn about the missions of nonprofits.

• Youth groups engage in student-led grantmaking and make collective decisions about giving.

• Youth advocate for their chosen nonprofits and cross-educate their peers on community needs and nonprofit partners, often incorporating personal stories and experiences.

• Participants reflect on how their efforts connect to broader community systems.

• Service experiences are designed to continue and grow rather than begin and end in a single moment.

Through this model, we encourage youth to understand philanthropy not as a project, but as a mindset that lasts a lifetime. Magnified Giving’s programs help youth move from short-term service toward long-term engagement, where our core values of empathy, collaboration, and youth empowerment guide every step of their learning and their leadership.

At our Youth Leadership & Service Conferences, nonprofit leaders engaged with students and shared about the social causes their organizations address in the community and invited youth to be part of their work.

Each summer, we host an annual workshop to equip educators to engage their youth in meaningful service and reflection. The focus is on supporting long-term projects that lead to youth development and community engagement.

As part of each pillar in Magnified Giving’s programming, youth learn about social causes in the community and then become advocates for those causes, igniting their own passion and educating their peers!