Cultivated Social Justice Inspired Service-learning in a Black Church
The S-L curriculum aligned well with the goals and values of the church and fit relatively seamlessly into summer programming. All 20 S-L sessions were delivered as planned including content, instruction, and activities facilitated mostly by camp staff, who also completed all trainings and took full advantage of ongoing consultation. Attendance and adherence exceeded the average rates of retention and completion in traditional mental health services for urban, low-income youth (McKay et al., High engagement and enthusiasm among adolescents and camp staff illustrate that youth felt valued, staff felt confident, and content felt meaningful. Youth especially enjoyed physically active sessions that raised critical awareness of structural and historical inequities in their communities and daily lives. Camp staff echoed these points and appreciated tools to promote youth engagement, social-emotional learning, and positive development, and content to shape their perspectives on societal differences. Findings align with several S-L Quality Standards (NYLC, 