The Community Project is a significant student-directed collaborative inquiry held over an extended period (6 months), completed during Year 3 of the MYP (Year 8). The Community Project includes:

• a proposal for action
• a process journal
• service as action
• a presentation showcased to the school and wider community

The Community Project holds an important place in the MYP and provides an excellent opportunity for you to produce a truly personal and creative work of your choice and to develop an awareness of others' needs and serve others in an area of your choice. It is the consolidation of the skills you have developed through approaches to learning. The project should be based around a topic that motivates and interests you but must address an existing need within the community. Students will be striving to change "...their behaviour in response to the learning and recognizing that they are able to make a difference through the decisions they make and the things they do." (IB, 2016, p. 19)

Whatever form the Community Project takes, it must allow you to demonstrate service as action as a result of the project. The service as action of a Community Project will vary depending on the nature of the goal of the project and the focus global context.

The characteristics of the Community Project can make it an attractive, rewarding experience for all.

The aims of the MYP Community Project are to encourage and enable you to:

• participate in a sustained, self-directed inquiry within a global context
• generate creative new insights and develop deeper understandings through in-depth investigation
• demonstrate the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time
• communicate effectively in a variety of situations
• demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of, learning
• appreciate the process of learning and take pride in your accomplishments.

This is your chance to complete a passion project revolving around an idea that not only interests you but is of benefit to others.

The service as action can take a number of forms: direct service, indirect service, advocacy or a compilation of research. You might care for injured marsupials, tutor students, develop a new organisation's website, construct a club honour board, pack medical supplies, create a film or produce an environmental report. Your service as action should involve direct engagement with the recipient or service organisation and should involve a minimum of five hours of service outside of school.

The team should develop a clear goal which extends your knowledge, skills or techniques in an appropriate way. However, the goal should be achievable based on the time and resources available and should be realistic rather than overly challenging.

Deciding whether a project is realistic or unrealistic will be based on discussions between you and your mentor.

You cannot do a project...

that will benefit or interest you alone

that is too costly - at Scotch we recommend that you spend no more than a couple of hundred dollars.

that would lead to harm or persecution of others

that your parents are opposed to

that cannot be completed (in terms of service outcome) by early August of Year 8 (Winter Term 3 Week 3) otherwise you will have too little time to evaluate the success of your service action and to effectively present your findings

NB: Please also note that you cannot hold any event at the school without the express permission of the Head of Middle School.

You will have a mentor who you will meet with at least once a term. You are to be in regular contact through email or Teams with your mentor detailing updates on your progress and any queries. It is imperative that you have one scheduled meeting per term with your mentor.

Depending on your project, you may also choose to seek the guidance of a person of your choice with experience or expertise in your chosen field of study. You may also run ideas and drafts by trusted friends, relatives and teachers. Please note that the work must be all your own (see referencing page regarding academic honesty).

IB (International Baccalaureate). (2016). Projects guide. Cardiff, Wales: International Baccalaureate Organization (UK).