DWU - Psychology Department

Elbert Hubbard, a popular homespun philosopher at the start of the 20th century, said, "A school should not be a preparation for life. It should be life." The Psychology Department engages students in civic life.

We believe that classroom lessons should be complimented by work outside the classroom, and we encourage students to apply their skills in psychology to very real community problems.

The Chinese proverb, "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand," reminds us that service to the community supports classroom learning. Meaningful community service:

Here are a few quick examples of community service opportunities in our community.

Adjustment Training Center—Mitchell Area	996-2032
Services adults who have developmental disabilities. Volunteers can participate in the advocacy program, which pairs volunteers with clients and gives them a chance to form lasting friendships. Volunteers are encouraged to take their friend out for a morning, afternoon, or evening to have a good time at the movies, the bowling alley, or someplace else. The Adjustment Training Center asks that volunteers, who participate in the advocacy program, commit at least four hours each month to spending time with their friend. Volunteers can also visit residential facilities to spend time with clients—reading to them, writing letters, talking, and more. The time commitment for this type of volunteer work varies from once a month to once a week or even more frequently, depending on the volunteer’s availability.
Mitchell Area Safe House	996-2765
The Safe House is an emergency shelter for women and children, who are victims of domestic violence. Support groups are available. Volunteers can take part in listening and guiding support groups, assisting clients with running errands, taking phone calls, and more.
Mitchell Recreation Center	995-8450
Programs for adults, children, and tots. A variety of fitness activities, which include basketball, aerobics, swimming, volleyball, and more. Volunteer opportunities are available for students with interests in sports. Volunteers can coach youth basketball and other sports and are invited to referee volleyball and basketball games.
Avera Brady Health and Rehabilitation Skilled Nursing Facility	996-7701
Provides quality care with compassion and respect for human dignity for adult residents who need long term or rehabilitative care and cannot be cared for in their own home. Volunteers can read to and visit residents, write letters, play games, assist with arts and crafts, and more.
Salvation Army	996-3964
The vision of The Salvation Army is to help change lives for the better—physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. The Salvation Army strives, through emergency services, to help individuals and families reach their full potential in terms of personal self-sufficiency. They encourage people to take responsibility for their own problems and take part in solving those problems. Caseworkers attempt to find a solution to the underlying causes to a crisis and assess other matters that may impact a person’s ability to prevent future crises in their lives. Volunteers can work on the angel tree, participate in Dakota Wesleyan University’s food drive, assist with the Harvest Festival, and much more.
Mitchell Area Literacy Council	995-8480
Volunteers help adults improve their reading skills. Matches the adult learner with a tutor who will meet with them once a w week at an agreed-upon time. The lessons are private and are held in a neutral setting such as a public library. Become a volunteer. The only qualifications are a desire to help someone to read, patience, and enthusiasm.
Children’s Care Hospital & School—Sioux Falls	(605) 782-2300
Provides rehabilitation services to children. Provides a variety of outpatient services and products, including evaluations, therapies, training, and durable medical equipment. The Medically Complex Program provides comprehensive inpatient services and serves pediatric and adolescents who need high quality, intense medical care, without surgical intervention or continuous hospitalization in an acute care setting. Volunteers can hold or rock a young child to provide tactile stimulation or assist staff with children on playground playing games, going for walks, swinging, wagon rides, and more. Evening and weekend volunteers can participate with and assist children and staff with recreational activities, including reading, arts and crafts, board games, swimming, and music. Volunteers can also assist in transporting children to and from classrooms, therapy areas, and various other activities and can assist with field trips and provide one-on-one assistance with child as needed.