Does Service Work? – ServiceWorks Full Report

Authored by Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship and Public Service and Associate Dean for Research at Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life

“ServiceWorks is part of Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative. First launched in 2014, Pathways to Progress aimed to help low-income 16- to 24-year-olds develop the “workplace skills and leadership experience necessary to compete in the 21st century economy.” Points of Light received one of the grants as part of the initiative specifically to create the ServiceWorks program. Its goal was to provide 25,000 low-income youth with “community engagement and volunteer service” opportunities “to develop the skills to prepare for college and careers” (Equal Measure, 2016). In 2017, I conducted this review, based on my assessment of data and documents provided by Points of Light and interviews with participants and stakeholders.”