Volunteering in the Camp Setting as a Learning Tool: Graduate Students Share Their Experiences

Experiential learning in the field is central to the training of many helping professionals, and field education is the signature pedagogy for social work. Service-learning offers another opportunity for graduate students in the helping professions to get hands on training. Volunteering would also offer a hands-on learning experience but appears to be less common. This study interviewed 14 master of social work (MSW) students who volunteered at a healing camp for bereaved children and adolescents to explore their lived experiences. The study revealed both professional and personal themes, and these were compared to themes divulged by similar students participating in service-learning courses. Based on this study, the researchers concluded that volunteerism can be a valuable means for graduate students in the helping fields to experience personal and professional growth.