The Community/Higher Education/School Partnership and Service, Preparedness, and Response Coalition address Florida's needs through collaborative service learning & educational-community partnerships.

Florida Community/Higher Education/School Partnership (CHESP) and Florida Service, Preparedness, and Response Coalition (SPARC) are partners in the Florida Alliance for Student Service. Both programs are based in Tallahassee, and provide funding, training and technical assistance, support and leadership to service-learning projects throughout the state. CHESP supports local multi-sector partnerships among institutions of higher education, K-12 schools, and community-based organizations that promote social capital, increase meaningful service and civic participation, and strengthen the ability of those communities to meet local needs. CHES partnerships engage students from K-HE in collaborative service learning that addresses Florida's educational and community needs. Each partnership reflects a model of K-HE service learning that promotes students academic and civic growth, addresses a compelling community need, and can be sustained, disseminated, and replicated. SPARC is a new statewide coalition that is working to expand service learning in the area of homeland security. SPARC partners will help students apply knowledge, behaviors, skills, and habits of citizenship they need to learn through service for Florida's residents and visitors. Service-learning activities focus on compelling state needs: 1) disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, 2) senior safety, and 3) school and community safety.

http://www.fsu.edu/~chesp

• Maureen Bradley
• (850) 488-3143
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