Alternative Break Program
Do more with your time off: build a stronger community, impact lives, and transform
your personal adventure with real-world experience.
Western Carolina University will SOON OFFER Alternative Break trips during semester breaks. During an Alternative Break, you'll perform short-term, community-based service while exploring and learning about the new community you're in.
Alternative break participants volunteer with a wide range of organizations, such
as Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, the Salvation Army, food pantries,
homeless shelters, children's homes, art museums, and summer camps.
The WCU program follows the eight components of a quality alternative break program,
sourced from Break Away:
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Strong Direct Service |
Programs should provide an opportunity for participants to engage in direct or “hands on” projects and activities that address unmet social needs, as determined by the community. Community interaction during service projects and throughout the week is highly encouraged during the break. |
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Alcohol & Drug-Free |
Issues of legality, liability, personal safety and group cohesion are of concern when alcohol and other drugs are consumed on an alternative break. Programs should provide education and training on alcohol and other drug related issues, in addition to developing and communicating a written policy on how these issues will be dealt with on an alternative break. |
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Diversity |
Strong alternative break programs include participants representing the range of students present in the campus community. Coordinators should recruit for, design, implement, and evluate their program with this end in mind. |
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Orientation |
Prior to departure, participants should be oriented to the mission and vision of the community partner or organization(s) with which they will be working. |
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Education |
Programs should include specific educational sessions that participants attend prior to and perhaps during the break. These sessions should provide participants with the historical, political, social and cultural context of the social problems they will be working with during the break. Effective education provides facts and opinions from all perspectives on the issue, including ways that the participants’ personal life choices are connected to them. |
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Training |
Participants should be provided with adequate training in skills necessary to carry out tasks and projects during the trip. Ideally this training should take place prior to departure, although in some instances it may occur once participants have reached their site. Examples of training include teaching basic construction, learning how to work with children, or gaining first aid skills. |
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Reflection |
During the trip, the participants should be encouraged to reflect upon the experience they are having, synthesizing the direct service, education, and community interaction components. Time should be set aside for this activity to take place both individually and as a group. |
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Reorientation |
Upon return to campus, programs should have reorientation activities for all participants where they can share their break experiences and translate these experiences into a lifelong commitment to active citizenship. Through these activities, participants can continue their volunteer efforts in their local area, learn about possible internships, engage politically in their community, obtain resources for continued education on social issues, and make life choices that benefit the entire community. |