Service As Action, or SAA (also known as SaA), is a core element of the MYP. It aims to nurture internationally minded and caring learners. Service as action requires students to engage with their local community through community and personal activities or projects. It provides opportunities for students to investigate, plan, take action, and reflect on the positive change in their communities. Throughout the journey, students engage with their communities and are able to better understand local as well as global issues.
The Importance of MYP Service As Action
Often, prospective and current students of the MYP do not take SAA (or SaA) seriously, even though it is a major component which counts towards the end of the programme. SAA serves not only as a way to develop leadership and awareness, but also as a space to learn empathy; to connect with others. This ties into the IB Learner Profile of being a caring individual. Think of SAA as a bridge between academic learning and community needs, where you learn how to use your knowledge in the real world.
(Fig.1- Service As Action, IB Content Asset)
The Process: What Really is SAA?
Service as Action in the MYP is primarily based on school-based requirements set by the school you study in. The IB does not set any requirements, and assesses the completion of the SAA component through the school-based requirements. Usually, schools set an average of 6-9 hours for service as action, although the requirements differ school-to-school. For example, in my school, the minimum requirement is 9 hours.
In MYP SAA, there are a total of 7 learning outcomes:
LO 1: Become more aware of your own strengths and areas for growth (Awareness)
LO 2: Undertake challenges that develop new skills (New Skills)
LO 3: Discuss, evaluate and plan student-initiated activities (Initiative)
LO 4: Persevere in action (Perseverance/Commitment)
LO 5: Work collaboratively with others (Collaboration)
LO 6: Develop international-mindedness through global engagement, multilingualism and intercultural understanding (International-mindedness)
LO 7: Consider the ethical implications of your actions (Ethics)
All of these learning outcomes need to be completed by the end of the MYP programme to complete the SAA component. There are a variety of different ways that these outcomes are completed. For example, in my school, SAA is divided into two types: a service activity (2-9 hours) and a service project (2 months). Both are required to be done throughout all 5 years of the programme at my school to complete the SAA component.
It’s also possible that SAA is directly integrated into your subjects. For instance, I have subject integrations for each of my subjects, and I can choose which ones I want to include in my SAA portfolio.
SAA can also be completed as part of the Community Project (a separate MYP component usually completed in Year 4), but it really depends on what school requirements you have.
However, it really depends on what school you’re in and what their requirements are, so it’s important to ask your IB MYP Administrator/Coordinator for further details and assistance prior.
Where does SAA fit into Assessments?
As Service as Action is a required component of the IB MYP, it counts towards the final exams in Year 5, whether you’re taking the eAssessments or school-based internal assessments. SAA is required to be completed on school-based requirements for the eAssessments, while it depends on the school when it comes to internal assessments. While SAA is not graded on the IB scale of 1-7, it is still a mandatory requirement for the award of the MYP Certificate, along with ePortfolios and the on-screen examinations. Think of it like a checkbox to tick, before the award of the certificate.
Skills SAA Builds
Service as Action is not only about documentation and long hours; rather, it allows students to gain skills in leadership, critical thinking, and initiative, while simultaneously applying their academic knowledge in the real world. Tying into the ATL (Approaches to Learning) skills, SAA helps students to develop their self-management, communication, and transfer skills. Through these experiences, students shift from passive learners to active, responsible, and caring members of society.
Tips for SAA
When I was starting out in the MYP, I often felt lost in components like SAA. Over the years, I’ve learnt what works the best and what doesn’t. Here are some things you should keep in mind while doing SAA:
- Choose topics/issues you’re passionate about. This is arguably the most important. When doing SAA, I felt lost because I didn’t have any interest in what I was doing, and the documentation felt forced rather than natural. Choosing a topic you’re passionate about (for me, it has been youth education policy) helps you approach it more motivated.
- Make sure that you try to record evidence during the service experience. This is so that you have evidence to put in your process journal when you complete a service experience. Recording with photos and videos during the process is often better than scrambling for evidence at the last minute. You can take multiple different kinds of evidences, like photos of action, videos, or testimonials and screenshots for communications.
- Use a calendar and plan your activities for SAA. When you do this, it’s easier to manage this component along with the rest of the MYP. In my experience, when I complete SAA for the year very early, it reduces stress. I personally prefer digital calendar planning with an app like Notion Calendar, so I can fit SAA alongside my other commitments.
Final Notes
To conclude, I think that SAA is not simply a component of the MYP to complete, but an entirely unique journey to undertake. It helps you become a well-rounded individual, and gives you a platform to use your interests and solve local and sometimes even global issues.
To find out more, you can use the following link: https://guide.fariaedu.com/myp-service-as-action
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