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Inside/Out: Humanitourism Adventures

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

insideandout-logo

The other day I received a comment on the blog from Zoe Katsulos, the wonderful leader of Inside/Out, a program similar to SalaamGarage.  Like SalaamGarage, Inside/Out hosts organized trips throughout the year to various regions of the world.  During these voyages, the participating travelers work together on a collaborative service project that is particularly relevant to the region at hand.

Meet Zoe: zoe-katsulos

Here what Zoe says about Inside/Out’s mission:

inside/out provides life changing travel experiences for people who want to make a difference in the world. Our trips are designed around opportunities to do humanitarian volunteer work on meaningful international projects and are combined with sustainable eco-adventure travel in the local area of the project and people. These Humanitourism™ trips are designed to create longer-term relationships between communities and travelers.

I love how they sum up their mission, and I LOVE their term, Humanitourism.  It couldn’t be more spot-on! 

As we speak, Inside/Out is leading an animal welfare mission in Greece, where they are working with the local homeless dog population.  Some of their projects during this endeavor include installing permanent feeding stations for the animals, and also preparing some dogs to be adopted into homes.  They are very excited about this project (rightfully so! and so I’m sure are the dogs they are helping! :-) )greek-dogs

If this animal welfare mission is something that is right up your alley, don’t fret: they’ve had such great responses to this trip that they are planning another one for next year!!  So you can follow along with this year’s trip, learn all you can, get pumped up, and take part next year!  Pretty great, huh?  You can follow along with them on Twitter, Facebook, and by emailing Zoe to sign up for the Inside/Out newsletter (mail.insideout@gmail.com).

I get so excited learning about these various organizations that are out there, welcoming service as a part of travel, and am so happy that through Enchanting Challenge, we can help get the word out and connect volunteers to the service trip of their dreams…Tomorrow, there will be a post about Inside/Out’s summer trip to Africa, for which they are still openings!  Keep your eyes peeled! :-)

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Posted in Animals, Challenges, Children, Community Volunteering, Service, Service Abroad, socially responsible travel | No Comments »

Let’s Help Fellow SalaamGarage Volunteer, Simon Cordova!

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Last week I blogged about SalaamGarage and their wonderfully altruistic voluntourism endeavors.  Well, they haven’t gotten out of my mind.  I’m infatuated with their organization!  And I want to do what I can to get the word out to help them with their endeavors.  (After all, that is the goal of Enchanting Challenge: to connect the volunteer dots across the universe!!)

I think one of the coolest things SalaamGarage does is offer advice about how to raise money for their adventures.  There are so many organizations out there that offer altruistic and exciting travel packages, but so often it seems impossible as to how one can afford such an under-taking.  SalaamGarage breaks it down and reminds you that you can raise money, a little bit from a lot of different sources, to help you get on your way. 

In my last post, I also mentioned Simon Cordova, a SalaamGarage volunteer who is taking part in their September 2009 voyage to India.  Simon has under-taken quite an endeavor: not only is he embarking upon the voyage to Rajasthan, India and taking a nose-dive into some serious service work there, but he is also taking on a MAJOR citizen journalist project once he returns home to Los Angeles…Let me explain the full monty here.

Meet Simon: simon

An LA resident and photography guru, Simon will be working with the KARUNA mobile education van this September in India through the Vatsalya nonprofit.  KARUNA is basically a school on wheels that drives to the slums in Jaipur, India to help educate children who are too poor to be sent to school.  KARUNA has the best intentions, but not the best funding, and thus it can only make this educational voyage once every five weeks.  Simon’s goal is to accompany the KARUNA operators on their voyage this fall, and to document their efforts.  He will use this documentary to raise money so that the van can make the trip more often than only once every five weeks; his goal is to get the van to the slums ONCE A WEEK.  It’s a big goal, but reachable with outside help.

simon2

But, Simon is VERY ambitious and doesn’t plan on stopping hiw work when he leaves India.  Nope, he’s got more in mind: when he returns to Los Angeles, Simon plans to put his photography to work, to let the picture tell the story.  He is scheming to put on a photography exhibit of the photos he took while in Vatsalya to further spread the word and raise more money for the KARUNA van.  I think this is SUCH an amazing idea, and one that could turn his potential into reality.  BUT, he needs funds.  He says it best when says, “Though I have plenty of drive, and the desire to make an impact with the KARUNA effort, I lack the necessary funding to do so.”  So let’s get the word out there and help Simon however we can.  With a lot of helping hands, a little bit goes a long way.  Simon needs a total of $5000 to make this trip happen (flight, project amount and fee’s).  To carry this dream to fruition, he’s begun the penny collecting journey and is at $150 right now in donations.  To donate yourself, click here:  http://www.vatsalyaproject.com/donate/.  To spread the word to others who may be interested, you can read Simon’s words on his blog here, check out his photography here, or follow him Twitter here.  Volunteers like Simon bring such hope to the world, and that hope is contagious.  If we all help Simon a little bit, we can all be a part of his work, and the further work that his work creates, and help spread that wonderful feeling of hope…

simon3

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Posted in Children, Community Volunteering, Education, Interviews, Joy, Service, Service Abroad, Social entrepreneurism, socially responsible travel | 1 Comment »

SalaamGarage Service Opportunity in India this September

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

vatsalya2

Flashback to SalaamGarage…

The other day I posted about the lovely voluntourism organization, SalaamGarage.  Today I want to talk specifically about their upcoming service trip to India this September.  They have 3 spots left for this trip and I want to get the word out so that any of my loyal readers that are interested can have the opportunity to sign up! 

vatsalya3

The 411…

Here’s the low-down.  The SalaamGarage journey to India will voyage to Rajasthan, India from September 18-October 1.  In Rajasthan, volunteers will work with the Vatsalya Nongovernmental Organization, a really lovely & altruistic nonprofit that seeks to bring opportunity to the underprivileged people of their city.  Some of their endeavors include housing homeless women and children in a group home away from the city; orchestrating educational, mental, and physical support systems; teaching HIV/AIDS awareness programs; and coordinating internships and vocational training for impoverished city residents. 

vatsalya4

How to learn more, an insider’s story…

To learn more about the details of the service involved with this trip, you should check out Salaam volunteer Simon’s website.  Simon has talked in detail about the specific project he will be working on, helping to coordinate Vatsalya’s Educational Van that tours some of the city’s poorest areas to bring the education to the children.  He talks with wonderful passion about his wonderful ideas and plans.  You should check out his site asap for inspiration! :-)

The cost…And the reason to choose SalaamGarage

Okay now for the details that make everyone groan…The price.  The total cost of the trip is $3300, and that includes all housing, 2 meals a day, all transportation, translators, in-country guides, and museum entries.  Also, 10% of the profits go directly to Vatsalya to help them in their endeavors.  ALSO, if you refer a friend, you get a $200 discount! :-) So spread the word!!  Keep in mind that the prices does not include air fare, spending money, visas, vaccinations, laundry, tips, 3rd daily  meals, beverages, and the necessary travel & health insurance (this is a big must!).  It definitely sounds like a lot of money, but if this type of hands-on service in this region of the world is something you are looking for, SalaamGarage prepares it all for you at the lowest possible cost. 

How to pay for this…

SalaamGarage includes lots of ways that you can raise money to support such a venture.  For example, the aforementioned volunteer, Simon, has a donation tab up on his website that is helping his readers and supporters donate to his cause.  Many of the past volunteers have similar stories of raising all the money they needed for their trip by putting the word out about their endeavors and collecting a little money from a lot of different places.  Anything is possible if you want it enough.  Good luck, and Salaam! :-)

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Posted in Children, Community Volunteering, Education, Family Volunteering, Service, Service Abroad | No Comments »

Service Trips Coming Out of Our Ears!!!

Friday, February 20th, 2009

24 Days Until Tulum!

We are busy bees here at Enchanting Challenge, little elves working away in our service-trip workshop!!  Plans have come underway to finalize the itinerary of the service spring breakers in Tulum, which is looking action-packed with awesome eco-work!  We have exciting news of a partnership with the Amigos de Sian Ka’an , meaning that Enchanting Challenge service breakers will work to fulfill some of the Amigos’ projects, such as wildlife management, bird conservation, and community-based natural resource management.   It will be a week filled with fun AND important activities!  Enchanting Challenge will film this week of eco-service and post videos on our blogs and websites, so that our readers can learn about these service trips and be inspired to take part in the future.

amigos(photo taken from the Amigos website)

Coming Up Next: Mendoza!

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Argentina&sll=-32.861709,-68.832779&sspn=0.252625,0.615234&g=Mendoza,+Argentina&ie=UTF8&ll=-38.416097,-63.616672&spn=15.889532,39.375&z=5&output=embed&s=AARTsJpGgpVKqp50ASKx8WWhLnaNFMLrSA&w=425&h=350]

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, if you can not make it to the Tulum service trip in March, do not fear that you have lost your opportunity to embark upon an Enchanting experience!!  Our next service trip opportunity will take place in August in Mendoza, Argentina! 

Service Trip to Mendoza with Enchanting Challenge

& Fundación Viviencias Argentinas

 

Attention all study-abroad students, backpackers, ex-pats, and tourists!!!  Come join Enchanting Challenge and their Mendocino (meaning from Mendoza) partners at Fundación Viviencias Argentinas this August for a two-week service trip in the Mendoza province.  As a re-cap, this is what the trip will entail:

 

Week One:

Week One will be spent in the city of Mendoza, working with the disadvantaged children of this community.  All English-speaking volunteers will stay with a Mendocino family for this week, learning about the Mendocino culture, sharing in the language experience, and eating meals with their host family.  During the day, volunteers will work with the children, participating in the following activities:

  1. Organizing a donation drive for shoes, clothing, toys, and games
  2. Coordinating and participating in recreational activities
  3. Assisting children with their school work
  4. Addressing any health-care needs that are not being met

 

Week Two:

Week Two will be spent in the Desierto Lavalle, working with the indigenous Huarpes community on various community development projects.  20-25 Mendocino volunteers are expected to go—all school children between the ages of 15-18 from the Colegio San José de los Hermanos Maristas de la Provincia de Mendoza.  English-speaking tourist/back-packing/study-abroad/ex-pat volunteers will work side-by-side with their Mendocino counter-parts, taking part in the following activities:

  1. Organizing a donation drive for shoes, clothing, toys, and games
  2. Teaching and demonstrating methods for sustainable living and farming practices, such as cooking in a solar-powered kitchen
  3. Coordinating a donation drive for items necessary in a rural region, such as electricity generators, vaccines, and medications
  4. Collecting items for school children, such as computers and clothing for uniforms
  5. Participating in community cultural events and festivities

 This experience has the ability to turn your stay in Argentina into something more than just a vacation.  It can help give you a profound sense of place, and Argentina will leave its mark upon you as you simultaneously leave your mark upon it.  There is perhaps no more rewarding way to travel than through service travel.

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Posted in Children, Education, Environment, Family Volunteering, Language Study, Service, Service Abroad, Spring Break, Summer Break, Tulum Eco Spring Break Service Trip | 2 Comments »

Countdown to Tulum: 25 Days!

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

ECOTULUM HERE WE COME!!!

2 students have officially bought their plane tickets to MEXICO for the Educational Ecological Service Trip!!!  Hurray!!  We are on our way to rainforest reconstruction, learning lessons in sustainability from the ancient Mayan culture, and so much more…4 more students are looking into plane tickets, but there are more spaces awaiting, so just let me know if you want to join in this exciting ecological mission!!!

The students will arrive in Tulum on Monday, March 16th.  At the resort, they will be met by the lovely Gabriela Miranda, who will welcome them and help them to settle in.  The service breakers will eat a scrumptious dinner on the evening of their arrival, and then will go to sleep in their cabana, getting ready for the first day of service on Tuesday, March 17th.

Service activities will be planned for Tuesday, March 17th; Wednesday, March 18th; Thursday, March 19th; and Friday March 20th.  Saturday, March 21st will be a free, do-as-you-please beach day.  Go splash in the Caribbean Sea and reward yourself for all your eco-accomplishments during this wonderful week!!  The specifics of the service activities will be planned in the upcoming days ahead.  (Join in the planning: the first meeting is on our Facebook Group: Tulum-Bound, tonight at 5:30 pm CST!)  The options for the activities include a beach clean-up at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, volunteering in a Mayan hospital and/or Mayan library, a day in the jungle (perhaps accompanied by a biologist!), a day learning and participating in Mayan cultural activities, and a day visiting and learning from Mayan ruins!!

INSPIRATION

Check out the amazing site “Imaginative Traveller” for inspiration on why service vacations are the MOST rewarding and the MOST fun!!  As the volunteer-trip organizer Bruch Haxton sums up, “There is a huge amount of fun [in service trips] and people don’t always understand that.  It is about having fun & doing something worthwhile at the same time.”

MORE ON THE DOCKET…

If you can not come to the Educational Ecological Service Trip in Tulum this March, do not despair, for there are a handful of other exciting Enchanting Challenge opportunities just around the corner!  The next one takes place this August in Mendoza, Argentina.  Here is a profile of the Mendoza program scheduled for August.

Fundacion Viviencias Argentinas

For the Mendoza service trip, Enchanting Challenge will partner with Fundacion Viviencias Argentinas, a foundation that has been running service trips for the past 10 years in Mendoza.  This year they have decided to open their doors and welcome anyone to do service with them, which is where Enchanting Challenge comes in!  We at Enchanting Challenge want to invite any interested parties in joining on this lovely adventure to serve the Mendoza community.  Together on this trip we will spend one week working with orphans and disadvantaged families in the city of Mendoza.  After one week we will trek out to the nearby Desierto Lavalle (also in the Mendoza province) for another week, where together we will work with the indigenous communities, participating in various community development activities.  Read below for a list of activities that will be covered in these two weeks.

Working with Orphans and Disadvantaged Families in the City of Mendoza

During our one week in Mendoza, we will do a number of community-enriching activities with the children of Mendoza.  These activities will include the following:

  1. Helping with school work
  2. Helping with health care needs
  3. Organizing donation drives for clothing, shoes, toys, games, and more
  4. Organizing and participating in recreational activities

Working in the Desierto Lavalle

For the second week of the Mendoza service trip, our group will head into the Desierto Lavalle, where we will work with the Huarpes Community, an indigenous community native to this region.  We will participate in the following activities:

  1. Organizing donation drives for shoes and games for more than 35o children (a tall task, but one that I know we can accomplish)
  2. Organizing donation drives for the fundamental elements necessary for rural life, such as electricity generators, medicines, and vaccines
  3. Organizing donation drives for school-children’s needs, such as clothing and computers
  4. Helping to teach energy efficient living and farming practices, such as cooking in a solar kitchen, sustainable planting and harvesting methods, and methods to increase the quality of the drinking water
  5. Participating in the important cultural events of this region

Contact Me if You are Interested!!

The two core parts of the Mendoza service trip–the week in the city and the week in the desert–come together to create a rejuvenating and rewarding experience.  Volunteers on this trip will stay in homestays, making it a cultural experience as well!!!  For more information on the Mendoza service trips, check out Agustin’s blog here.  If you are interested in joining this trip, please contact me at sarahannmaxwell@gmail.com and I can give you more details!!!  And, most touching and exciting of all, check out pictures of this service trip here and here.  They will melt your heart!!!

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Posted in Children, Education, Environment, Family Volunteering, Language Study, Service, Service Abroad, Spring Break, Summer Break, Tulum Eco Spring Break Service Trip | No Comments »

Why the Economic Crisis is a Good Time to Embrace Service

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

With the economic crisis affecting us all in some way, and with scary headlines sweeping our newspapers everyday, it may feel like a pretty dark time.  However, although it might be hard to believe, this is also a time of unlimited opportunity.  As the saying goes, “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste” (Paul Romer, economist).  Let me explain.

This week, Luke Russert interviewed former President Bill Clinton.  And you will not believe the advice Bill Clinton gave to young people who are about to finish their 4-year degrees!  Read it and get excited:

  • Stay in school if you can or want to
  • Volunteer
  • Go abroad
  • Any combination of the above options

Because of our shaken-up economy, now is most likely not the moment you are going to find the career that allows you to save millions of dollars.  Though that may seem to be a gloomy fact, that reality also frees you from obligations of normal societal expectations, such as embarking upon your career path.   Now is the time that you have nothing to lose, which awards you the freedom to take risks, to follow your dreams and to do the things that seem unwise and unsafe when you have a secure office job at stake.  A crisis truly is a terrible thing to waste, as it allows you to remake and redefine the reality of your life. 

So what are your options?  If you are graduating, programs like AmeriCorps and PeaceCorps are amazing options.  So are shorter-term volunteer opportunities, such as Visions in Action .   

peace-corps(photo taken from Peace Corps website)

americorps1(image taken from the AmeriCorps VISTA site)

There are also some certification programs that you can embark upon either before or after graduation that can lead to altnerative career opportunities, such as a job within the emerging and highly-demanded green economy.  One of the best of these programs that I can recommend is Green For All, a vocational program (for which you DO NOT need a 4-year college degree!) that trains people and helps to place them somewhere in the alternative energy field.  Another interesting option in this genre is Green Corps, a very cool one-year program that teaches its trainees to organize environmental service and volunteer drives within communities, campuses, and more.  Let me know if you are interested in any of these programs and I can help to give you more information!

green-for-all(photo taken from the Green For All site)

And of course, what else can you do?? Enchanting Challenge service trips!!! We are getting ready to embark on the first one next month in Tulum, Mexico; we are busy plotting away the second one in August in Mendoza, Argentina; and we are putting together the pieces for the third one scheduled to take place in October in Puerto Madryn, Argentina.  Get ready for tomorrow’s post, as it will be a re-cap on all of these amazing service destinations!!!

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Posted in Animals, Children, Education, Environment, Family Volunteering, Language Study, Service, Service Abroad, Spring Break, Summer Break, Tulum Eco Spring Break Service Trip, Winter Break | No Comments »

Serving Our World Through Fair Trade

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

Okay I realize that not every necessary item can be bought locally.  I have spent time in a variety of regions throughout my life–from Wisconsin to Washington, DC; from the Western Australian outback to the green hills of Ireland; and now finally just plain and simple to Buenos Aires, Argentina…Although I have loved each of these homes for their own uniqueness, each one of their regional farms has lacked a very crucial staple to my sustenance: COFFEE.

Many profitable crops like coffee and cocoa hail from regions where the majority of the farming population is excluded from the power structure.  The farmers from these regions must grow what is most in demand on a world market so that their goods can sell.  However, that does not mean their products are rewarded with a fair market price.  Instead, they are often paid such low wages for their goods that even with their enormous crop yields they can not pay for even the most basic necessities, such as food and medicine.   

It is such an oxymoron: the farmers that are the very source of our nourishment, our survival, are themselves starving.  They must sell their crops to make a living, but the market on which they are selling them is stacked against them.  However, this does not have to be.  It is like the old argument that a sweat-shop job is better than no job at all, when in fact, due again to consumer demands, the presence of the sweat-shops make it impossible for other places of employment to compete.   And just like the consumer can demand sweat-free goods, so too can the consumer demand fairly traded food. 

It is as simple as that.  Once again, our money is our vote.  As consumers we have the power to create a market that DEMANDS fair trade food.  Though fair trade products will cost a bit more than free trade products, it is well-spent dinero.  This is what the few extra bones will be paying for:

  1. Ecologically-sustainable farming practices.  Free trade products such as coffee emphasize bang for buck.  This mind-set leads to rainforest destruction so that farmers have more room to plant crops.  Such practices lead to temporarily bigger crop yields, until a few years later when the soil is depleted of nutrients due to the loss of its natural ecosystems, making it barren and unable to yield much of anything.  Such practices are counter-intuitive and short-sighted.  The bang for your buck lasts a minuscule of a second, and then there’s a real bang: no more farmable land, which is a much bigger cost than planting a few less coffee beans every year.  (Information gathered from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle…of course!)
  2. The prohibition of child labor.  Yes, you heard me correctly: child labor.  Most of the chocolate we consume is probably made from cocoa leaves farmed by children working under abusive circumstances.  The website Global Exchange alarmingly informs us that nearly 300,000 children work under abusive circumstances in the West African cocoa fields.  By buying fair trade, we are buying better options for these children.  Remember, these children had no control over where they were born, and the economic laws of that region.  It could have just as easily been you or me as a child in that cocoa field.  Let’s buy fair trade so it becomes no children.  Check out this awesome Global Exchange video for more information and motivation:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx5QRzyDO6o]

Though fair trade will make you go the extra dollar, your dollar is well spent in preserving our environment and our humanity.  To find out where to buy your favorite items in a fair way, check out the following websites:

And to see how fair trade single-handedly improves the lives of millions, check out this inspiring video about farmers in South Africa:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cDMn8jtCiU]

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Posted in Children, Environment, Service | 4 Comments »

Enchanting Challenge Service Trips

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

Mendoza

At Enchanting Challenge, we are busy working away to create more service trips for your travelling feet (and working hands).  Currently we are working with some service gurus that run programs in Mendoza, Argentina, the beautiful vineyard region of Argentina, nestled against the majestic Andes. 

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102363860910397564880.0004622d272c49df3490e&ll=-32.892721,-68.833101&spn=0,0&t=h&output=embed&s=AARTsJpyvDeiQ3BklW0Z70tIcLf9lFkFTQ&w=425&h=350]

The program in Mendoza will include service work in the city as well as a three-day voyage into the Desierto Lavalle to reach out to the indigenous populations there and help them in any way we can.  This program will take place in August, and as soon as we have more information, we will let our readers know, ASAP.

Patagonia

But it doesn’t stop in Mendoza! No, we are also putting together a program allowing servers to volunteer in the beautiful nature of Patagonia, Chile.  The details have yet to be hammered out, but as soon as we have a plan in place, we will notify you!! In the meantime, here are a few photographs of the wondrous land of Patagonia, Chile, just to get your mouth watering over such an experience.

Ulaa Mountains

ulaa-photo-farm5

ulaa-photo-flower1

Tulum

In the meantime, Spring Break is our first priority, as it is quickly approaching!! Which means, you will have to start getting your travel plans in order, and let me say it again, Enchanting Challenge’s Educational Ecological Service Trip to Tulum, Mexico is a WONDERFUL opportunity.  Just to recap the opportunities of this adventure, these are some of the activities the trip will include:

  • Rainforest work, including planting or harvesting
  • Mayan educational experiences (visiting ruins, learning lessons in sustainability, etc.)
  • Mayan cultural experiences (such as the sweat lodge ceremony)
  • Learning about the jungle from an on-site biologist
  • Spending time frolicking in the waves of the Caribbean Sea
  • Eating delicious meals specially prepared for you by the resort chef
  • Relaxing in your eco-friendly, rustic cabana
  • Celebrating a week of hard work with a party at Playa del Carmen

Now, truly, how can you resist such an opportunity?  What could be a better way to contribute to the world’s environmental reconstruction than to work with Mayans and biologists in a UN biosphere?  And what could be a better place to do this in than exotic, serene Tulum?  Remember, there are only 10 spots, so email me immediately (sarahannmaxwell@gmail.com) if you are interested!  I really look forward to coordinating this adventure in Tulum, and future adventures in Mendoza and Patagonia, with you!! 

Website of the day: Low-Impact Living Initiative

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Posted in Animals, Children, Education, Environment, Service Abroad, Spring Break, Summer Break, Tulum Eco Spring Break Service Trip | No Comments »

A Little Inspiration

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

Did you know that the world now has two up and running social stock exchanges, or stock exchanges where private donors contribute to philanthropic causes?  Sao Paulo, Brazil is home to the first one, and since 2003, its donors have contributed $5.5 million to 71 philanthropic endeavors!   South Africa is home to the second social stock exchange, and England and Germany plan to open up their own altruistic exchanges later this year.  India, New Zealand, Thailand, and Portugal are also planning their own (click here for a full article on this awesome topic).  This idea sounds so radical, but its founder, Celso Grecco, realized that profit, economic markets, and social progress can go hand-in-hand.  Imagine if he had given up on his idea, imagine how many philanthropic endeavors would go unfunded, and how much potential for future philanthropic endeavors would be lost. 

Our world today is full of examples like the Sao Paulo stock exchange, full of beautiful institutions that started with one idea that was pushed to fruition.  From Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank, to Bunker Roy and Barefoot College, to Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish and Sekem, social entrepreneurs are crossing the globe, readjusting and fixing previously harmful structures.   Watch this video (click here for full the full webpage) with Muhammad Yunus for some inspirational insight:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJsWSwf43Ps]

The most beautiful words from the interview are the following:

 

“You can create your own world…You dream of a new world…Write it down, and make it happen.” 

And Muhammad Yunus is right.  You can create your own world, you can make your dream world our real world.  All of the most amazing and altruistic endeavors that you can think of started with one idea.  If you read the book The Power of Unreasonable People, a book that is filled with inspiring information about people like Muhammad Yunus, you will see how so much of our world is changed by those who simply refuse to abandon their dreams, simply refuse to forget that they can make a huge difference in the world.  So let your ideas free, and pursue them with passion and commitment.  Service and service trips are the perfect opportunity to see what moves you most, to see what you would most like to change.  Travel to Tulum with Enchanting Challenge, or to any of the places offered by organizations such as Break Away, and you too will begin your quest to help the world…And you too can eventually become one of your very own heroes.  Together we will be the Volunteers of America.

Website of the day: Barefoot College

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Posted in Animals, Children, Education, Environment, Family Volunteering, Interviews, Service Abroad, Spring Break, Summer Break, Tulum Eco Spring Break Service Trip | 1 Comment »

More on Break Away’s Alternative Breaks Program

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

So Much Information for You…

 

On Friday I talked a lot about Break Away, the alternative breaks program that helps to link schools with service sites appropriate for their mission and ideals.  Today, I would like to continue talking about Break Away, as there is so much information for this program, and it is a program that might prove to be very helpful to you as you continue your quest to find the service trip that fits you.  I want to give you all the information you could possibly want or need so that when the time comes to embark on a service trip, you feel prepared, excited, and knowledgeable.

 

The Benefits of Joining Break Away

 

As mentioned on Friday’s post, if your school is lacking in a service trip program, or has significant gaps in their already-existing service programs, a great place to remedy the situation is Break Away.  If you are not sure if your school is already partnered with Break Away, click here to see a list of the 140 schools that have a Break Away relationship.  The benefits to forming a relationship with Break Away are numerous.  For one, with your relationship, you will have 400 nonprofits and their corresponding service opportunities at your fingertips, all of them listed in Break Away’s “SiteBank,” which becomes available to you upon membership. Furthermore, when forming or strengthening your program, Break Away provides you with all the resources that facilitate this process, such as press releases, application forms, timelines, checklists, and more, as mentioned here on their webpage.  Also, Break Away coordinates pre-trip preparation activities, as well as post-trip reflective, evaluation, and referall programs.  On the same wavelength, they also provide training twice a year (in the summer and in the fall) for Break Away trip leaders.  And…as a final carrot stick, as a partner, you get up to 20% discounts on all these products and services.  Now how can you resist?

 

Make a Phone Call

 

As I said in Friday’s post, the very first thing to do is call a Break Away representative to get more information for your specific needs.  It all begins with a simple call, and the ensuing tasks do not involve jumping through any hoops such as obtaining mountains of signatures and breaking through bureaucratic tape.  Break Away will walk you through the steps you need to take to establish your university’s relationship, but I guarantee they will make it easy and keep you focused on the goal: a service trip.  All you need is simply passion and determination to take part in a service trip. 

 

Write a Mission Statement

 

 

Just to give you an idea of the ensuing tasks, after you speak with a representative, you will begin to form a group with your fellow peers that can help share the organizational and leadership responsibilities of forming such a program.  After the committee is formed, together you will write a mission statement for your program (i.e., the purpose of this service trip). 

 

Set Your Goals, From a Timeline

 

After your mission statement has been written, you and your committee will establish your goals.  Your goals will include how many service sites you want to visit (Break Away recommends 1-2 for beginning partners), how many students can go on these trips, how much money it will cost, ways to publicize the program, and so on.  Finally, you will develop a timeline for accomplishing these goals.  And then, you will begin to accomplish them, one-by-one. (Click here for a full list and explanation of the steps required in developing your program.)

 

An Example of a Break Away Trip

 

All this information may sound a bit vague without some corresponding examples of Break Away trips.  Here on their website, the organization provides a great example of a sample service opportunity available in their SiteBank.  The program is titled “Los Ninos,” and it is a service trip involving community development in Tijuana, Mexico.  The purpose of the trip is to begin gaining insight into the Mexican/United States border region through working together with the peole of this area to build schools.  The listing in the SiteBank includes contact information, housing information, information on the work involved in the program, and information regarding fees and insurance.  It is very thorough, and very inspiring to see a sample of the service that is available to you.  It makes me want to jump away from the computer and go do the things I am blogging about! :-)

 

Website of the day: Break Away

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