As a new initiative, Engage Dallas is consistently seeking feedback and insights on ways to innovate our work, improve our processes, and reaffirm mutual benefit between SMU and the South and West Dallas communities.
Here’s what we discovered since our modest beginning in October 2020: While our community partners enjoy having Engage Dallas groups come on-site and serve alongside them, sometimes they need only one or two students — not an entire group.
Engage Dallas also knows SMU students have varied schedules and may not always be available to serve with their Residential Commons during scheduled group service.
So, what’s the solution? A new form of individual service called solo service. Solo service launched to students on February 14, 2022.
While Engage Dallas still offers monthly, group service through the Residential Commons, solo service is a type of Engage Dallas Individual Service. Solo service provides semi-structured opportunities for students to volunteer and provide direct service on an individual basis. Engage Dallas curates these individual service opportunities for students, based on their Residential Commons affiliation, to volunteer as their schedule and the community need align.
Solo Service is characterized by:
- Individual, or sometimes a pair, of students participate in service
- Students organize their own transportation to and from the service site
- Students sign-up or schedule directly with the Community Partner representative
- An Engage Dallas Student Director is not present during service
- Students must register and respond to monthly check-in emails from Engage Dallas until complete
- Students track their individual service hours via the Community Partner process or on their Engagement Hours Log
Students can learn more and find out how you can get started with solo service today.
Plus, recognized Engage Dallas community partners can submit solo service opportunities via our online form.