The Community Service and Sustainability Program (CSSP) at DHA Suffa University (DSU) is based on the theme of giving time or talent for the benefit of a community group (not for profit) that has a genuine need for service. The CSSP is an action program that allows an individual to learn, serve, and transform their lives. While classroom teaching can help students learn about homelessness, extreme cases of poverty and societal problems, social service is the main driver that enables students to learn more dynamically. Such form of learning is essential for the success of a student’s professional growth. The CSSP plays an important role in invoking a sense of civic responsibility in an individual. To ensure that DSU’s vision of nation building is materialized, the university has made community service a mandatory requirement for undergraduate students of the Management Sciences Department.
Aims and Objectives of CSSP
- The primary purpose of the CSSP is to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their communities and in society and to help them develop a greater sense of belonging in society.
- The CSSP aims to develop strong ties between the students and their community by fostering valuable and long-term relationships.
- The program aims to make DSU a university that not only focuses on academic excellence but also on character building. This will enable the students of DHA Suffa University (DSU) to gain a competitive edge in the job market by having a unique selling point. DSU graduates will be all rounded, compassionate and empathetic individuals that will be able to contribute to nation building in numerous ways.
Duration of the Program
The CSSP recognizes student’s commitment to their university and to their community. All students enrolled in the BBA program are required to complete 60 earned hours of community service in order to graduate from the degree program.
Procedure for the CSSP
- Students will be required to download the CSSP volunteering form available on the download page or the CSR Departments homepage under the CSSP program.
- Students need to fill the CSSP volunteering form in the 1st week of every semester and submit it for approval to the CSSP coordinator. This form should clearly indicate the activity or activities that a student plans to complete in the year and the total number of volunteer/activity hours completed till date. More than one volunteering form may be submitted when additional activities are planned that were not included on a previously submitted form. The completed form must be signed by the student and by the CSSP coordinator before submission.
- Final approval of any community service activity on the CSSP volunteering form will be given by the Director CSR, Head of Department and Dean.
- Students will be required to visit the CSR coordinator to verify the status of their approved or non-approved activities by the 3rd week of the semester.
- Upon completion of each activity, students must update their status on the forms that were submitted for approval and approved.
- Volunteer hours that have been completed will be officially recorded into the system by the CSSP coordinator after verification is received. The CSSP will only count those hours that were approved. An official letter from the organization where the activity was completed verifying the number of hours completed and the nature of the activity must be submitted. A feedback form from the organization as well as a student feedback form must be submitted.
- At the end of each semester, the total number of community service hours completed will be transferred to the students CBA for official records. Hours completed till date and the balance hours will be displayed on the students CBA. Students must keep a track of the hours completed and plan their activities to ensure that the 60 hours are completed in the given time frame.
Rules and Regulations for the CSSP
- The CSSP is a non-credit assignment, with no credit hours given to the students in the final transcript.
- Students will not be paid for performing any community involvement activity. Any activity that is paid will not be approved by the CSSP coordinator.
- The CSSP coordinator will provide a list of approved community involvement activities with registered NGOs and social organizations within the city. The list will not be exhaustive and students may enroll in other activities that meet the criteria for community service. For such activities prior approval is necessary from the CSSP coordinator. Hours completed must be verified by the supervisor/organization once the activity has been completed.
- Before a student enrolls or opts for a particular activity they must verify their eligibility and availability of that activity with either the relevant organization or the CSSP Coordinator. Students that are unsure if a particular activity meets the criteria, should schedule a meeting with the CSSP Coordinator to obtain the relevant approvals. Students are advised to only engage in those activities that have been approved.
- The CSSP coordinator will only help in facilitating and guiding students to ensure that they are able to register for community service activities and programs. The completion of 60 community service hours will be the responsibility of the student. The CSSP coordinator will not be held responsible if a student does not show up or complete the community service activity that was pre-approved by relevant authorities.
- Students may select one or more community service activity that is relevant to their area of interest and/or expertise in order to complete 60 hours. It is recommend that students engage in activities that will result in the maximum benefit to society.
- All students registered for the CSSP will be required to complete the 60 hours of community service in the first 2 years (by the 4th semester) of their degree program. Community service hours that have not been completed by the 5th semester will be treated as backlog hours. It will be the responsibility of such a student to immediately schedule a meeting with the CSSP coordinator so that the backlog hours can be handled on a priority basis.
- Students that have not completed the 60 hours of community service and have not received clearance from the Director CSR, Head of Department and Dean will not be eligible for issuance of the final transcript and the degree.
- Students that have not completed the 60 hours of community service and have not received clearance from the Director CSR, Head of Department and Dean will not be eligible for issuance of the final transcript and the degree.
Scope of Community Services and Sustainability Program
The scope of activities will range from opting for social internships, volunteering at organizations or participating in any activity that is for the direct or indirect benefit to society.
The following activities will be accepted by the CSSP:
- Volunteering at any official organization extending community service or a registered NGO - Accepted organizations include Darul Sukun, KVTC, Alamgir Welfare Trust, Edhi, Bint-e-Fatima Old home, Anjuman Hayat us Salam orphanage, Robin Hood army, Idarieu Welfare Association etc.
- Office based social internship program - Accepted organizations include TCF, Aman Foundation, and Hunar Foundation etc.
- Social internship programs based on community outreach - Accepted programs include TCF summer camp, etc.
- Literacy elevation programs – Accepted programs are offered by Al-Afzal School, TCF-ADP etc.
- Volunteering/ participating at any community service events organized by the Community Service and Conservation Society or the CSR Department – Events may include blood drives, blood donation, health camps etc.
- Fundraising activities and charity distribution organized by the Community Service and Conservation Society or the CSR Department for an external organization or a registered NGO– Examples include earthquake relief, toy drive, Ramadan ration drive etc.
- Participation in protest walks and campaigns such as the PWFP peace walk for a clean Karachi, recycling campaign, anti-corruption walk, paper disposal campaign, ban on plastic bags campaign, beach clean-up etc.
- Any activity that is a requirement of a course in which the student is enrolled.
- Any activity that is hazardous and contains substances or situations that could damage or harm human health, safety or the environment.
- Any activity that consists of normally performed duties at home or personal recreational activities such as cleaning your colony, making a sewerage system for your own house, beach cleaning in front of your house, etc
- Any activity that involves a court ordered program such as community service program for young offenders, probationary programs or any unlawful activity.
- Attending or volunteering at any information/ awareness session that has been arranged by the Community Service and Conservation Society or the CSR Department – Events include session on safety and evacuation, disability awareness, anti-tobacco sessions, traffic rules awareness, etc.
- Attending or volunteering at any session that is being held to provide information for a relevant community service activity or the prerequisite training required to engage in an activity. Attending or volunteering at any session that is being held to provide information for a relevant community service activity or the prerequisite training required to engage in an activity.
The following activities will be considered as Non-Qualifying activities for the CSSP:
Criteria for hours completed
There is a difference between earned hours and contact hours. Earned hours are the hours that will awarded for participating in a particular activity. No student will get extra hours for an activity that has already been assigned specific hours. Earned hours will be capped irrespective of the time spent in completing or participating in the activity. Contact hours are the exact number of hours that are spent engaged in a particular activity. These hours are flexible and will not be capped to any particular time limit. These hours must be verified by the organization conducting the activity. Verified number of contact hours will be recorded as the earned hours for a particular activity
The number of hours that different community involvement activities will earn are as follows:
- Volunteering at any official organization extending community service or a registered NGO, social internship programs or literacy elevation programs will be awarded contact hours as per the report of the relevant organization or program under which the activity was conducted.
- Volunteering/ participating at any community service event, fundraising activities and charity distribution events will not be awarded more than 4 earned hours of community service. In the event that the contact hours are less than 4 hours, the lesser of the two hours will be awarded. In case of blood donation, those students that donate a one bag of blood will be awarded 2 earned hours of community service.
- Participation in protest walks and campaigns will not be awarded more than 2 earned hours of community service. In the event that the contact hours are less than 2 hours, the lesser of the two hours will be awarded.
- Activities that do not qualify as community service and involvement will not be approved under any circumstances and no community service hours, earned or contact, will be awarded.
