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Research Paper 

 

Service Learning, Cultural Humility, and Language Instruction: Being in Community 

 

Katie Crossman 

Bow Valley College 

 

Jason Andrews 

Bow Valley College 

 

Iftu Hargaaya 

Bow Valley College 

 

Rida Abboud 

Independent Evaluation Consultant 

 

Abstract 

 

To address linguistic, social, and settlement needs among professional and highly educated 

newcomer language learners in Canada, a Service Learning program was established at an urban 

community college. It incorporated field-specific language instruction, cultural humility and 

intercultural communication training, and meaningful Service Learning placements with local 

organizations. Using a participatory action research approach, co-design, and developmental 

evaluation, a case study of the course’s development, delivery, and short-term impacts was 

conducted. This paper highlights key findings from that case study. Data were collected from 

surveys, focus groups, and reflections over the course of two pilot offerings with 27 learners. 

Using an inductive approach to qualitative data analysis, broad themes were identified. In this 

paper, the findings are grouped into four main themes: language development, settlement needs, 

cultural humility, and personal transformation. To conclude, barriers, facilitators, and 

recommendations are discussed with the goal of highlighting the challenges and celebrations of 

Service Learning for newcomer language learners.  

 

Introduction 

 

Canada is the world’s top resettlement country, having welcomed 437,539 permanent residents 

and 46,528 refugees in 2022 (IRCC: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2023a). 

This country aims to attract nearly 1.5 million permanent residents in the next three years (IRCC, 

2023b). Canada’s immigration strategy privileges immigrants with professional and educational 

experience in high demand fields.  

 

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Professional and skilled immigrants across Canada bring with them varied backgrounds 

and often have high levels of education, advanced occupational skills, and innovative ideas. 

However, many professional and skilled newcomers’ economic and social potential is not 

realized (Preston et al, 2010). Called “one of the greatest bait and switch games in human 

history” (N. Nenshi, cited in Roy, 2011), many highly educated skilled immigrants, prioritized by 

Canada’s immigration strategy, struggle to find employment commensurate with their skills. For 

example, credentials from other countries may not be recognized, foreign work experience is 

often not valued on par with Canadian experience (Sakamoto et al, 2013), and the economic and 

occupational outcomes of upskilling or reskilling in Canada tend to be moderate (Adamuti-

Trache, 2014). This is a reality faced by many adult language learners in Alberta, British 

Columbia, and across Canada in general. 

 

Research (Nakhaie, 2019) has found that the four main service need priorities for 

immigrants to Canada are government services and language skills; information about Canadian 

life; education and work; and networks and community involvement. A structured Service 

Learning program for professional and skilled adult immigrants can help to directly or indirectly 

address each of these needs. This paper presents research findings stemming from two pilots of a 

Service Learning course for underemployed newcomers with professional and related 

educational backgrounds. 

 

Background Literature 

 

Language Needs 

 

Findings from AAISA’s (Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies) ASIP Stakeholder 

Engagement Report (AAISA, 2021) noted a key barrier to labour market attachment was a lack 

of language proficiency, especially language for the workplace. Similarly, AMSSA (Affiliation of 

Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies in British Columbia, 2024) noted that language 

proficiency is correlated with positive integration in civic and cultural integration spaces. 

Research (Imai et al, 2019) has demonstrated that of immigrants to Canada with high-level 

professional experience in their country of origin, those with less English language proficiency 

were further disadvantaged in the Canadian labour market. This disadvantage resulted in a 

greater likelihood of them working in manual jobs where they are not able to use their 

professional skills. Similarly, Boyd and Cao (2009) found that lower proficiency in an official 

language was positively associated with lower weekly earnings. There are also social 

implications, as “language is intricately woven into the fabric of human life. It is closely linked 

to the relationship between…self and society” (Kumaravadivelu, 2003, p. 156), and strong 

connections exist among language proficiency, economic and social mobility, and full civic 

participation (Spruck Wrigley, 2012). These relationships point to the importance of ensuring 

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that newcomers have access to high quality language programs to address not only linguistic but 

also other settlement needs. 

 

Sociocultural Needs 

 

Language proficiency and professional skills are necessary but typically not sufficient for 

successful settlement and integration. Languages and cultures are brought into close contact in 

additional language classrooms, “where our sense of ourselves, our subjectivity, is constructed” 

(Kumaravadivalu, 2008, 46). As such, intercultural communication development programs and 

cultural humility can also benefit newcomers as they settle and construct their identities in a 

multicultural country. Cultural humility refers to a lifelong learning process that promotes 

openness, self-awareness, self-reflection, and critique to facilitate mutual empowerment and 

respect (Foronda, et al, 2015). Research (Deeb & Bauder, 2015) has shown that learning and 

employing intercultural communication skills helped some professionally skilled newcomers 

realize their economic potential and move into better paid and managerial positions. Aside from 

positive economic outcomes, intercultural learning is also personally transformative (Lange, 

2015). 

 

 Intercultural offerings that promote cultural humility can prioritize “reflection, 

awareness, and critical dialogue in a culturally secure learning environment” with the aim to 

empower learners to “move beyond the learning of content to engaging with a community” 

(Mercer & Carter, 2018, p. 13). In the classroom, instructors foster a “nurturing temenos [that] 

encourages dialogue and reflection while helping students integrate what they learn about the 

objective world with their subjective experiences of the self in the world” (De Rezze, 2020, 40). 

 

Opportunities for intercultural dialogue make mutual learning possible (Phillips et al, 

2014), and intercultural development programs can foster awareness of social justice issues as 

well as understanding of community interactions (Leydens, 2015). These practices are promising 

because community engagement among immigrants is associated with greater well-being; as 

such, its promotion among immigrants is important (Alfieri et al, 2019). Li (2020) found that as 

immigrant women’s social networks widened, their civic engagement increased, which was 

positively associated with mental health and life satisfaction; it is not clear if the same positive 

outcomes might apply to men. Despite these benefits, immigrants tend to volunteer at lower rates 

and have smaller social networks than those born in Canada (Kazemipur, 2011). 

 

Canadian Experience Needs 

 

It is well-established that newcomers’ education and work experience is consistently undervalued 

in Canada; they often experience deskilling, unemployment, under-employment, and lower 

earnings upon immigrating (Grenier & Xue, 2011; Kaushik & Drolet, 2018; Slade, 2011, 2012; 

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Taylor, 2019). Canada’s immigration strategy (Canada, 2022), British Columbia’s Provincial 

Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration (British Columbia, 2023), and the Alberta 

Advantage Immigration Strategy (Alberta, 2024), prioritize the welcoming of professional and 

skilled immigrants with the hope that they will be able to use their skills to contribute to the 

economy and society. However, the reality is often misaligned with the promise, and many 

newcomers find themselves unable to secure employment that is commensurate with their skills 

and experience (Taylor, 2019). In response, immigrants may respond in ways that include 

resignation (e.g., giving up and settling for a survival job), reducing expectations (e.g., working 

in jobs that are not aligned with their education or experience in the hope that that Canadian 

experience will pay off), or researching (e.g., learning as much as possible about Canadian 

workplaces and strategically pursuing goals) (Bernhard, 2023). For those researchers who are 

committed to integrating into a Canadian workplace, further education (e.g., upskilling, language 

learning) and experience is often necessary. As such, professional development programs that 

combine education with Canadian experience can be beneficial.  

 

Community Engaged Service Learning 

 

Service Learning is:  

 

a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and 

reflection. Students engaged in Service Learning provide community service in response 

to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is 

provided, the connection to their service, their coursework, and their roles as citizens 

(Seifer, 1998, p. 274) 

 

Service Learning serves as a powerful educational tool, offering students opportunities to 

apply theoretical and applicable skills gained in their studies in community-based and workplace 

settings. While it has similarities with community service/volunteering and traditional 

practicums or work-integrated learning (WIL) programs, there are some key differences. For 

example, Service Learning is meant to benefit both the learner and the community partner, while 

volunteering is typically for the benefit of an organization or community and WIL programs tend 

to benefit the learner. Additionally, Service Learning includes structured reflection and content 

that can lead to deeper understandings of complex social issues in addition to personal and 

professional growth (University of Northern Iowa, 2024) 

 

Transformation and reciprocity are at the heart of Service Learning. Learners transform 

themselves through their connections with and contributions to the community. Communities are 

transformed and benefit from the contributions of learners who offer their skills, time, and 

perspectives. The benefits of Service Learning are well documented (Alberta, 2021; Desmond et 

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al, 2011; Eyler, et al, 2001) and extend to improved personal, social, and learning outcomes as 

well as career development and contributions to research.  

 

To date, most Service Learning projects and research have focused on K–12 or post-

secondary programs for domestic learners. Although Service Learning opportunities are 

relatively common in post-secondary contexts, programs designed for newcomers or language 

learners are relatively rare, despite the promise they hold for language development (Wisla et al., 

2017) and community connection (Riley & Douglas, 2016). When it comes to newcomers, there 

is a clear gap not only in Service Learning programs, but also in the research about them. In fact, 

it is not uncommon for Service Learning opportunities to be designed for local post-secondary 

students to volunteer with immigrants, and the benefits of such program are recognized as 

learner participants expand their own awareness of others and take on more pluralistic and 

culturally aware views (Pasricha, 2008). It stands to reason that the benefits of immigrants 

providing service is also valuable and warrants research. 

 

Service Learning programs can offer newcomers meaningful and relevant work 

experience, community engagement, and language learning opportunities, and it has already been 

demonstrated that newcomers who engage in volunteering reap many benefits (Guo, 2014). 

Likewise, community organizations benefit from Service Learning projects because participants 

bring with them skills and can make valuable contributions to organizations, especially when 

coupled with training and support (Edwards et al, 2001). Despite the clear potential, this 

approach has been under-utilized and under-explored in the field of English language instruction. 

 

Course Description 

 

To respond to this gap, and to test out the feasibility of a Service Learning program with 

newcomers, we developed a course, delivering it to two cohorts of language learners. There were 

three main components of the course: Language instruction, cultural humility training, and 

Service Learning placements. The language and cultural humility components were taught by 

two different scholar-practitioner instructors who worked closely together and with the research 

team, ensuring that their content and approaches were aligned.  

 

Language Instruction  

 

The language component of the program was primarily aimed at preparation for Service 

Learning placements and future workplaces. Deciding how to approach this type of preparation 

was initially a challenge, as the learners had varying backgrounds, skills, expertise, and language 

proficiency. The language component of the course used an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) 

framework, in which the specific purpose was Service Learning. The language content and 

instruction drew on the learners’ existing expertise. One of the main goals of the ESP-inspired 

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language component was “rhetorical consciousness-raising, helping students to become more 

aware of the language and communicative practices in their fields” (Hyland, 2022, p. 214). This 

focus on field-specific language and communicative practices guided the course designers when 

choosing language content, developing materials, and adapting resources. Language instruction 

focused on grammar and vocabulary items relevant to workplace communication and community 

engagement. It was closely connected to the cultural humility components of the course, drawing 

on concepts learned in the cultural humility part of the class to recycle vocabulary and scaffold 

grammar learning. 

 

 A thematic approach to organizing the curriculum was applied, and learners practised 

applying grammar and language content to Service Learning, while balancing the fact that 

placements were distinct and would require different language. Language instruction continued 

through their placements, and the students’ Service Learning experiences were used for in-class 

language focus and job readiness. For example, learners practised incorporating their Service 

Learning experiences into their resumes and cover letters. Additionally, language learning was 

also connected to the intercultural component of the course; for example, students learned and 

practised the grammatical and logistical aspects of using and sharing personal pronouns. 

Connecting the language instruction helped narrow the focus of language instruction, while 

keeping it structured enough to be effective in a short amount of time.  

 

Cultural Humility  

 

Intercultural communication and cultural humility training was also a daily occurrence in this 

full-time program. Having ample designated class time and an experienced and committed 

instructor with an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) focus addressed the main challenges to 

incorporating Intercultural Communication content (Landry, 2023) in language programming. 

Designed for language learners ranging from CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks) 6–8, the 

materials were accessible to those with limited background knowledge and developing English 

language proficiency.  

 

 The goal of this component of the course was to provide learners with information about 

various social issues that are topical in Canadian workplaces and society; examples include, 

Indigenous awareness, identity, bias, power, privilege, and advocacy. One of the main goals was 

to help learners develop strategies to be inclusive and advocate for themselves and others. This 

course content guides them to recognize their lived experiences and diverse backgrounds as 

strengths. With Canada’s growing diversity, lived and living experience, coupled with cultural 

humility skills, is an asset, especially in the age of artificial intelligence, when the soft skills that 

machines do not perform are valued in the workplace.  

  

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Service Learning Placements 

 

Learners also took part in various Service Learning activities, with time during the second half of 

the 15-week course reserved for individual placements. However, prior to embarking on their 

placements, learners also took part in Service Learning activities as a class. They volunteered at a 

shelter to serve lunch, collected donations, worked at a conference, and went out together on and 

around our urban campus to perform random acts of kindness for strangers. The random acts of 

kindness included giving people small notes of encouragement, flowers, and coffee cards, while 

inviting them to have a conversation about what kindness means to them. The goal of these 

group activities was to raise awareness of social issues, while also safely empowering learners to 

address these issues and connect with community members. This experience also helped prepare 

them for their individual placements. Individual placements occurred in a variety of 

organizations, and there were a few internal placements on campus. Service Learning placements 

were varied, with learners at ethnocultural and settlement organizations, housing and food 

security organizations, and a women’s organization. Tasks ranged between resource 

development, accounting, event planning, food preparation, childcare, and education. When 

possible, placements were tied to learner interests and experience. While some placements were 

better fits than others, with some learners having the opportunity to make meaningful 

contributions of their skills, other placements looked more like volunteering opportunities where 

they prepared or served food or answered phones. Placements ultimately depended on learner 

experience, willingness, and ability, as well as organizational capacity and openness.  

 

Methods 

 

To better understand the potential for Service Learning with newcomers, this program was 

designed and piloted with two cohorts of language learners, and a research component was 

incorporated. The learners were all adult newcomers recruited at a community college. Prior to 

enrolling, they had all had language assessments and already attained CLB 5–7 levels. The first 

cohort had eight learners enrol and successfully complete the course; the second cohort had 19 

learners enrol, and 13 learners successfully complete the course (n=27). Women outnumbered 

men in this program, with 21 women and six men. Their length of residency in Canada ranged 

from nine years to under one year, with a mean of 4.4 years. Of the 27 learners, 23 were 

permanent residents and the remainder were admitted under the CUAET (Canadian Ukrainian 

Authorization for Emergency Travel) program. All but one learner had completed post-secondary 

education from their country of origin. 

 

To contextualize and understand the themes that were coming out of the data analysis, a 

co-design team was formed. Co-design, (sometimes called co-creation), is an emancipatory 

approach to participatory social justice, in which participant voices are centred (Fanjoy & Bragg, 

2019), as it prioritizes involvement from those who are most impacted by the research. Co-

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design is about designing with rather than for, employing inclusive facilitation that embraces 

many ways of being, doing, and knowing (McKercher, 2023). In this study, findings (i.e., 

categories and themes that emerged from the data, along with anonymized examples) were 

discussed with the group, and solutions and ideas were proposed during sessions. During and 

between the two cohorts’ semesters, the group co-design team met once every three weeks, for a 

total of 12 times. This team was comprised of learners (n=12) and community organization 

representatives (n=7); it was facilitated by a member of the applied research team and attended 

by a research assistant who helped with facilitation, note-taking, and logistics. Co-design team 

members were remunerated for their time and expertise.  

 

A case study approach (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2009) was employed, focusing on this specific 

program, along with its development and delivery over the course of two years. With the goal of 

conducting an in-depth analysis, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and 

analyzed. Incorporating participatory action social justice design (Creswell & Creswell, 2018, p. 

230), learners were invited to take part in many aspects of the research project, and an informed 

consent process was used for all data collection; as such, some participants consented to 

participate in some components and not others or were absent during some data collection, which 

accounts for the inconsistent numbers. Data included pre-surveys (n=27) and post-surveys 

(n=18), in-class reflections (n=28), a learner focus group, and an instructor focus group. 

Likewise, representatives from community organizations were also invited to participate in 

research components, which included two focus groups and surveys (n=6). Some learner and 

community organization co-design participants (n=13) also took part in two focus groups. 

 

This project employed a developmental evaluation approach to understanding the pilots 

and their outcomes. That approach was embedded throughout the project and served to collect 

and highlight information to report to the funder as well as to answer broader questions about 

program feasibility and lessons learned for future iterations. At its core, “developmental 

evaluation is designed to be congruent with and to nurture developmental, emergent, innovative, 

and transformative processes” (Patton, 2010, 7). An evaluation framework was developed to 

answer questions in a formative assessment (i.e., Did the Service Learning pilot meet its 

objectives?), a process assessment (i.e., What were the facilitating and limiting factors that 

contributed or inhibited the outcomes?), and as identified by the project team (i.e., “Can Service 

Learning work with newcomers, and can it fit within LINC [Language Instruction for 

Newcomers to Canada] programming?”). 

 

This research project had approval from the institutional REB (Research Ethics Board) at 

the community college where this study took place. Data were co-analyzed by an applied 

research team that comprised of a lead researcher, a research officer, three student research 

assistants, and an external developmental evaluator. Quantitative survey data were collected, and 

descriptive statistics were produced. Qualitative data were collected from reflections, open ended 

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survey responses, and focus group notes. The research team employed an inductive logic model 

(Creswell & Creswell, 2018, p. 64) for data analysis. After the data were initially analyzed to 

form categories, the researchers collaboratively revisited categories, looking for broad patterns. 

The team collectively discussed those categories and patterns to identify themes and sub-themes.  

 

Limitations 

 

This study and its results are limited by a small sample size and reflect the project’s context. 

While findings and recommendations may inform other programs, they cannot be generalized to 

a broader population or different programs. Additionally, quantitative data are based on student 

perspectives of the impact of the program. For example, their CLB scores were wide ranging and 

used only for entrance into the course; they were not reassessed upon completion due to the 

length and structure of the program. 

 

Findings 

 

Four key themes that are particularly relevant to adult language learners emerged from the data: 

Language Proficiency, Settlement Needs, Cultural Humility, and Personal Transformation. Each 

of these themes was identified by the research team, based on data collected and analyzed. These 

key themes were then explored more deeply in focus groups and co-design sessions to better 

understand and contextualize them.  

 

Language Development 

 

Because this project was run in a language school that is part of a community college and 

students were all adult English language learners, it is unsurprising that much of what came out 

of the data connected with language learning. Learners were surveyed about their perceptions of 

the impacts of the class on their language proficiency, and they largely reported positive results. 

For example, when asked about improvements to their speaking proficiency, 61% of post-survey 

respondents reported that they had improved very much or quite a bit. Surprisingly, even more 

reported improvements in their written communication, with 78% of post-survey respondents 

indicating they had improved those skills very much or quite a bit.  

 

Many learners expressed concerns prior to their placements about their language 

proficiency, worrying about their ability to communicate effectively. For example, one learner, 

Myrocja1, reflected, “Since my English is still not good enough to be fluent, it will be difficult 

for me to explain to the [clients] exactly what we do at [placement] and why it is so important.” 

Despite concerns prior to their placements, many learners reported feeling more confident with 

their language ability upon completion of their placements. For example, Sandra reported, “It 

 
1 All participant names are pseudonyms 

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helped me lose my fear of talking to other people in English… I was able to collaborate by 

serving as an interpreter with other participants who did not speak English only Spanish, my first 

language.” Meera described how much of her placement involved speaking on the phone, which, 

as a language learner, had been a fear of hers. She described how her placement manager took 

time to practise with her, which gave her more confidence and helped her develop her speaking 

skills.  

 

Settlement Needs 

 

Post-survey results indicated 78% of respondents reported that the course had helped them to 

make further educational decisions, with the remaining 22% reporting some improvement. Most 

learners opted to continue their language studies upon completion of the program. A smaller 

percentage (61%) of learners reported the program helped them further their career decisions 

very much or quite a bit; the remaining 39% reported that it had increased somewhat.  

 

When it came to workplace skills, various learners reported specific skill development 

and knowledge gains related to their careers. For example, Kristina, who assisted with 

developing materials for Research Ethics Board training, noted “I found this topic very 

interesting, so I feel like I became … more critical thinking, problem solving. Back home my 

research field was … very technical, [and] this area [research involving humans] improved my 

decision-making skills in real life.” Likewise, Jeremy, who assisted a sustainability coordinator 

in researching and evaluating prior organizational projects mentioned, “I have learned a lot of 

things about sustainability (related to the environment, the society and the economy), which are 

useful in the engineering field. I have also been able to develop my communication and 

collaboration skills.” More generally, learners reported that class components and assignments, 

such as resume writing and presentations were important and connected to future employment 

and education. 

 

Although many learners recognized that the program can indirectly help them secure 

work through gaining Canadian experience or expanding their networks, a small minority were 

disappointed that their placements did not directly lead to employment. As Raed mentioned, “I 

was expecting the program to end with an employment but unfortunately it didn’t happen and we 

[were] only able to do some volunteering.” However, in another reflection he mentioned “This 

program increased my ability to connect with workplace[s] through my increased knowledge, 

skills, and opportunities.” Although the instructors and coordinators were clear that placements 

would not directly lead to employment, for some learners this expectation persisted, perhaps 

indicating that the pressure to find suitable employment is a top-of-mind concern. 

 

 Learners reported that the program was successful in meeting other settlement needs. 

Lisa shared in a focus group that she appreciated learning more about support and resources, but 

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wished she had had access to this information and program earlier in her settlement journey: “I 

wish I had this opportunity when I first came. I had to do so much chasing, some information 

here, some there, and some [was] complicated, and I wish it was more organized.” Learners had 

been asked about their awareness of various settlement services prior to and immediately 

following the program; on average, learners were familiar with 2.78 different settlement services, 

and were aware of 4.5 upon completion; this is a 61% increase. This awareness of settlement 

services was also explored at length in co-design, as participants highlighted their needs as 

newcomers. As such, the co-design team curated a list of resources and identified what 

information is most useful during various stages of settlement based on their own experiences as 

newcomers at various stages of their settlement journeys. 

 

Cultural Humility 

 

In addition to the language instruction and skills development, learners also had intercultural 

learning opportunities throughout the program. When asked to what extent they increased their 

understanding of people who have different backgrounds than their own, 83% of learners 

reported they had increased their understanding very much or quite a bit; the remaining 17% 

reported some increase. 

 

 Many learners reported that this information was new to them, but useful in their 

settlement journeys. Soo described how the content she was learning helped her understand 

broader Canadian culture: “I was surprised when I heard some words [on] the TV and I realized I 

am learning very essential parts.” Filomena noted the value of this information, reflecting that 

“It’s important to be aware… about multiculturalism, and the diversity of cultures. As a 

newcomer we need to know a lot of the society and support to begin [a] new life.” 

 

 Learners noted that this content had helped them better understand others’ perspectives, 

along with notions of privilege and power. Frida mentioned that she had become “more 

grateful… and more empathic with others, because they don’t have opportunities in different 

ways” demonstrating the development of cultural humility.  

 

It is important for newcomers to be a part of a community. Despite high levels of 

education that the learners had, some had had exploitative experiences in Canadian workplaces 

and other institutions. As such, they learned to advocate for themselves and leverage their 

diversity. Soo added that she learned “to communicate with [people] from different cultures, how 

to answer their questions without any assumptions, and how to set up boundaries to protect 

[her]self.” 

 

Noor also spoke about boundaries and relayed an episode from her placement where she 

was able to assert her boundaries and respectfully advocate for herself. She described how a male 

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colleague tried to touch her as part of a friendly gesture, which was not appropriate in her 

religion. Previously she would have said nothing despite feeling uncomfortable. When this 

happened, she politely told him, that as a Muslim woman, she should not be touched by a man. 

He was understanding and had not realized his actions were offensive. In her words, “I used my 

information about boundaries.” 

 

Personal Transformation 

 

Many codes from the data connected to notions of personal transformation. These were related to 

confidence and civic engagement. When asked about the extent to which their confidence had 

increased, 72% reported it had increased very much or quite a bit; the remaining respondents 

reported some increase. Interestingly, the responses were identical with responses to the question 

of whether their community and civic engagement had increased during the program, and 72% 

reported it had increased very much or quite a bit. Again, the remaining respondents reported 

some increase. It is possible that there is a connection between increased confidence and 

increased engagement.  

 

Regarding community engagement, Song reported that her placement provided her with 

“a great opportunity to support women in need and engage with a community. It was a rewarding 

experience as it made me feel part of a community, allowing me to positively impact the lives of 

others and grow as a person.” Fariha completed her placement doing a different role at the same 

organization, and she learned a lot about the organization’s services, noting it is “an incredible 

organization that supports many women in different ways and I definitely not only put my skills 

into practice but also learned how [to] support others.” Both learners continued to volunteer at 

the organization beyond the completion of the program. 

 

 Myroscja’s desire to continue volunteering and using her skills in the community was 

also apparent. During her placement, she assisted in a classroom, and described how she “felt the 

students really appreciated we were there to help…. this made me think about going to my kids’ 

school to volunteer.” 

 

 Likewise, Frida reflected on her increased confidence to engage with and contribute to 

her new community,  

 

As a newcomer, I didn’t think I could help people in a country that I immigrated to. It 

was a unique experience. I didn’t used to volunteer in my own country, but helping 

people in Canada, I was able to learn a lot. About Canadian culture, especially people 

who are underprivileged. It was eye opening. At home, I never connected with people 

who needed support from the government or organizations. It was good to be a part of it. 

And to work with staff and other volunteers.   

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Soo described how she was able to draw on community and social support to increase her 

confidence. She mentioned how although she was interested in her placement, she did not have 

previous experience in that field, noting that she was nervous about the responsibility,  “I have 

talked about this with my husband, my friend, and my teacher, they all encouraged me and gave 

me confiden[ce] to do it… during service learning, I also can ask for help from the teacher and 

my classmates.” Similarly, Milana described initial reservations and how the Service Learning 

workplace was different than in her home country, but that the Service Learning “workplace was 

comfortable. I had some nerves about being in a Canadian workplace, [but] it was much better 

than I thought—nice, friendly. I felt more confident. I had a chance to practise English, [and] no 

one made fun of me.” 

 

 Increased confidence and civic engagement can be transformative. Frida’s in-class 

reflection touched on notions of confidence, transformation, empowerment, and community 

engagement:  

 

Throughout this course, it made me think how I want to live. I learned more about how to 

be with people around me. More about me being in community. Now I know that I can 

provide support and help even though I am an immigrant.  

 

Implications 

 

Service Learning programs can address, at least in part, the three needs outlined in the literature 

review: Language needs through relevant instruction; sociocultural needs through class content, 

Service Learning placements and experience; and Canadian experience needs through Service 

Learning placements that can be put on resumes and increase networking opportunities. Despite 

the many promises and positive outcomes of this Service Learning course, Service Learning with 

newcomers is not without challenges and considerations. This section outlines some barriers, 

facilitators, and recommendations associated with an Service Learning program for language 

learners.  

 

Barriers  

 

Service Learning programs can be both organizationally challenging and resource intensive, 

when compared to traditional language classes, and even compared with established Work 

Integrated Learning (WIL) programs or practicums. A few factors contribute to this. For 

example, language learners come from a wide range of professional and educational 

backgrounds, and the course they are taking is not directly tied to one field, unlike WIL and 

practicum programs where the class learns specific content for future careers. This lack of 

specificity can make it challenging to find appropriate placement opportunities that build on 

learner skills. It requires dedication reaching out to potential organizations, finding good fits, and 

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communicating openly and honestly with learners and placement contacts. Additionally, there 

may be other demands on time and financial resources, such as obtaining police background 

checks for Service Learning placements that may involve vulnerable populations. These factors 

are certainly more resource intensive than a regular language class. In our program, one 

instructor negotiated placements for the first cohort, but with a larger second cohort a dedicated 

placement coordinator took over this role. Having an additional coordinator may be prohibitive 

regarding time and cost. Program designers must allot sufficient time and resources to the 

logistical challenges.  

 

Facilitators 

 

Despite the barriers that exist, there are many factors that facilitate successful Service Learning 

programs with language learners. Community organizations with interest and capacity are 

invaluable, and so when individuals who are invested get involved, the benefits are manifold. 

Learners have meaningful and tailored experiences and organizations benefit. Related to these 

benefits is a mentorship component, which makes a big difference in a learner’s experience. 

Those who completed placements in organizations with involved mentors had a much more 

positive experience than their peers with less direction and support. It can be challenging to 

recognize which organizations will work best, so the other main facilitator is relationship 

building and maintenance. Similarly, if one organization was a great fit for a particular learner or 

with a particular project, it does not guarantee it will make a suitable placement with other 

learners; this variability can be due to the goals of the organization, individual learners, or 

turnover within organizations. Getting to know and work with organizations, or working with 

those where there is an existing personal or professional connection, is fruitful. Likewise, 

organizations benefit from structure, regular communication, and clear expectations so that they 

can plan for the placement and flag any concerns that arise. In our program, we had greater 

success with placements done on and near campus, because relationships and expectations were 

already established.  

 

When it comes to classroom content and instruction, materials that are directly related to 

placements help. It is also useful to make salient the connections between course content and 

Service Learning so that learners can see the bigger picture. Additionally, incorporating reflective 

practices into course work allows learners to consider and integrate their learnings and 

experiences. Embedding reflective opportunities throughout the duration of the course is a major 

facilitator to successful outcomes and can help learners find value and make meaning. 

 

Recommendations 

 

For Service Learning with newcomers to be successful, we recommend that learner recruitment 

focus on those who have been in Canada for at least a few years. They should have some 

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knowledge of the culture and a level of language proficiency that will not disproportionally 

hinder their ability to complete their role successfully. Additionally, it is prudent to recruit 

learners who have articulated professional goals. We learned that those without a clear sense of 

what they wanted to do ended up in less meaningful placements where they felt more like 

volunteers and were less able to use their skills and expertise. It may also be wise to also recruit 

learners who are men, as they are at times overlooked in programming and recruitment efforts. 

The practical experience offered by such a program might appeal to them and help them build 

networks. Research has shown (Li, 2020) community engagement is associated with many 

positive outcomes for women, but it is unclear if this is also the case for immigrant men. This is 

a potential direction for future research and programming. 

 

While this program took place during one semester, it may be more practical to run it 

over two semesters, in which semester 1 is dedicated to preparing students and doing group 

Service Learning activities in addition to instruction. Semester 2 would be reserved for reduced 

instruction time and more time in placements. In this scenario, the extra time could be used to 

help learners articulate their expectations and become more involved in finding an appropriate 

placement for themselves, with the support of an instructor or coordinator. This gradual increase 

in responsibility is likely to foster more ownership of the experience and lead to placements they 

are personally invested in. We suggest this may also be more beneficial or potentially impactful 

for the organizations where learners complete their placements.  

 

 Based on this case study, we believe that Service Learning programs for adult language 

learners offer a lot of potential for their development of language, cultural humility, and 

workplace skills. As such, we recommend that Service Learning offerings be considered by 

language programming funders, policy makers, and educational administrators. For the learners, 

Service Learning may also be a transformative experience that increases their confidence and 

civic engagement, while supporting their settlement journey, integration, and contributions to 

Canadian society.  

 

Acknowledgements 

 

This project, including its development, piloting, and evaluation was funded by the province of 

Alberta. Besides the authors, many people contributed to its success including Diane Hardy, 

Danica MacDonald, Abby Popowich, Helena Shoraj, and May Wang. We would also like to 

thank the community organizations who graciously welcomed in the learners. Most importantly, 

we appreciate the enthusiasm and contribution of the learners who participated in the course and 

the research.   

  

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