Background: Traditional approaches to reducing adolescents' socially inappropriate behaviour typically target individuals rather than groups. This case study investigates whether positive outcomes might accrue in social behaviours among a group of extraordinarily behaviourally-challenging youth resulting from a peer-mediated service-learning project. Aims: Service-learning interventions are implemented with the goal of increasing students' bonding to their school community, increasing personal responsibility, developing an ability to manage conflict responsibly, identifying with positive peers and increasing prosocial skill repertoires. Sample: Subjects are 26 adolescent students attending an Alternative High School in the USA due to their school failure in regular settings. Method: Group members worked together in small, heterogeneous groups on service-learning projects that contributed to improving their school or solving a problem that they themselves recognized within their school. Results: Self-report measures taken pre- and post intervention suggest improvements in behavioural accountability, bonding to school, anger management, and the establishment of a psychological sense of school membership-all primary goals for this intervention. Conclusion: These data support the contention that service-learning projects can increase affiliation with the life of the school and create enhanced valuing of self within a cohort of behaviourally challenging youth. This approach is easily implemented in schools and might prove useful to schools serving difficult-to-manage youth. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)