The Regional Service-Learning Award organized by the Central and South Eastern European Service-Learning Network recognizes outstanding achievements in Service-Learning pedagogy within the Central and Eastern European region. It was established by the CSEE Service-Learning Network in 2020 and emerged from a collective effort to highlight and celebrate the impactful contributions of individuals, organizations, and projects in the field of service-learning.
The primary aim of the Regional Service-Learning Award is to recognize and honor exemplary service-learning initiatives that demonstrate innovation, effectiveness, and meaningful impact on individuals and communities within the Central and South Eastern European context. The RSLA aims are:
- Collecting and systematizing service-learning practices that allow students/participants from preschool to secondary school age to broaden their learning horizons and commit themselves to transform their communities jointly with other social actors.
- Acknowledging the schools that better integrate students’ curricular learning with service actions aimed at improving the quality of life of their communities.
- Acknowledging the informal youth groups that better integrate students’ learning objectives planned from the non-formal curriculum or any learning plan with service actions aimed at improving the quality of life of communities.
- Creating visibility for the teachers, organizations or non-formal groups who work with youth, who commit themselves to implement service-learning practices aimed at improving education quality and inclusion, which could lead to social transformation, and for the students whose educational trajectory is oriented towards active citizenship.
- Promoting and disseminating a culture based on participation, service, and citizen engagement.
- Offering feedback on the experiences submitted and assessed, including technical support, bibliographic suggestions, and training material.
Recipients of the RSLA are publicly recognized and celebrated for their achievements through various channels, including awards ceremonies, press releases, social media platforms, and the CSEE SL Network’s website and publications. Additionally, winning projects may be featured in case studies, conferences, workshops, and other events to disseminate their success stories and inspire further innovation and collaboration in the field of service-learning.
The first three years of RSLA were organized by CLAYSS and MIOS across six countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia. Since 2024, the initiative has expanded significantly — thanks to the joint efforts of CSEE SL Network members, organizers from Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro rejoined the awarding process. In 2025, partners from the Czech Republic and Croatia joined as well.