Spanish for Community (SFC) is a community-based experiential and service learning initiative in the French, Hispanic and Italian Studies Department.  SFC creates, manages and delivers course-based, cross-course, and volunteer independent projects and events in partnership with organizations serving the Spanish speaking community in Metro Vancouver as well as organizations linked with Hispanic communities in Central and South America.

Instructors, students, and collaborators engage in linguistic-based projects, and community events in partnership with local organizations and grass roots groups bringing awareness to the university community and the general public of different issues in which the Hispanic population is involved,  promoting human rights, social justice, diversity and inclusion. Through partnerships with organizations and agencies, we work together to enrich and improve cultural understanding and integration for families and individuals whose first language is Spanish, and to create links with our university community.

By participating in these community projects, we have the opportunity to interact and learn from our partners and clients, to expand linguistic skills working hands-on in meaningful and relevant contexts.  Our initiative integrates experiential components into a pedagogical approach. The model also considers sustainability by being sustainably conscious. From our classrooms, students work locally for the benefit of the communities here and globally through projects with partners abroad.

Spanish for Community is aligned with UBC’s vision and strategic plan linked with teaching innovation and global and community engagement. In the wider scope of the university’s mandate, these Community Service Projects are based on the UBC Community Learning Initiative’s definition that includes the following three key elements:

  1. Classroom learning
  2. Volunteer work that responds to community-identified priorities, and
  3. Structured reflection activities that challenge students to make connections between what they are studying and their experiences in the community.

Spanish for Community has three models for projects and events:

  • Course-based projects and events aligned with specific curriculum content and learning outcomes (Experiential and Service-learning course-based and service learning component-option)
  • Cross-courses based projects and events  (involving more than one course) also aligned with shared objectives and transversal content.
  • Independent projects and community events (these projects are run by students volunteers and are related but not integrated to any particular course).

The Spanish for Community model for course-based projects (fully integrated or as option),  involves two-way direct interaction and co-teaching by partners that visit our classes or outside class,  giving between 2 to 4 hours of instruction to our students per project.