Why is community service beneficial for adolescents' development? A review and theoretical model

The authors review current knowledge on adolescent community service and present a model explaining community service benefits. Community service combined with reflection predicts positive academic, personal, social, and civic outcomes. To explain this broad range of positive effects, the authors present the IMAR community service model. The model assumes that all community service includes a degree of interdependence (I), moral responsibility (M), and agency (A), and that community service effects are stronger the more adolescents' service activities and perceptions of these activities include these three elements. Reflection (R) plays a key role in establishing IMA perceptions and consequently reinforces community service outcomes. The authors present evidence for the model along with recommendations for future studies and educational practice.