AMSTERDAM

Course Description

The trip is organized by a CAS Trips educational student travel tour operator. They focus on sustainable tourism and tackle the UN SDGs whilst engaging in volunteer projects inspired by the notions of Creativity, Activity and Service. Every trip has destination-specific elements that focus on the creative, active and service-orientated parts of volunteer travel. 

Visit the world-famous 17th century capital of Holland. Enjoy the historic buildings, beautiful museums and pleasant ambiance. Go for a boat tour on the canals, discover medieval city centre and Jordaan Jewish district, we explore the myriad network of streets, canals, art and architecture to reveal the fascinating stories behind one of the world’s most beautiful, historic and tolerant cities. This programme is a combination of action, service and creativity. 

Program (subject to change) 

Day 1 Arrival,  Walking Tour: Amsterdam’s History and Culture.

Day 2 Sustainable Design Challenge - This exciting hands-on challenge is where students’ teamwork skills and creativity are put to the test. In small groups, participants look at local issues facing people they interview before working as a team to develop and present creative solutions. Service Challenge: Taste Before you Waste - Food Waste Challenge.

Day 3 Bike tour to see the windmills in Zaanse Schans area. Slow Fashion Runway - Fast fashion is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions and global warming. In this sustainable fashion experience, groups will be challenged to shop within budget to put together an outfit while finding items to bring back home while learning how the methods of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle can look good and be affordable.

Day 4 Plastic fishing with plastic whale - Departing on small electric boats with fishing nets in hand, you will not be catching fish, but you will be collecting any plastic you see in the many canals of Amsterdam. Your CAS Trips guide will give you an insight into the history of Dutch terraforming; including how it has and continues to affect the environment, and what is being done to combat and adapt to rising water levels in NL today. The plastic you ‘catch’ will be donated to Plastic Whale, who recycle it and build electric boats from the waste.  

World Famous Art Museum.

Day 5 Cultural Immersion Experience - The best way to understand a culture is to interact with it! In this 2-hour challenge, teams of 3-5 students will be tasked with capturing photos, recording interviews, tasting delicacies, and delving into the art and history of the local culture. There will be a prize for the teams who immerse the most!  UN CAS Project Challenge - you will learn about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and receive the tools and frameworks to plan, organize and implement a long-term collaborative CAS Project that will have a positive impact on your community back home. Souvenir Shopping, Departure

CAS Opportunities for IB Students: This trip relates to the “Activity” aspect of CAS. The first half of each day is the active part, and full participation and cooperation with the farmers and your student team is expected. Talk to the trip chaperones in advance if you would like the trip to become part of your CAS portfolio. ​

Learning Goals

Engage in global issues of significance - what was shaping Dutch history and culture.

To broaden our minds and develop a deeper knowledge of intercultural understanding.

Exploring the themes of community service. Learning how identify, plan and execute projects that have a lasting impact on society.

Forge and strengthen relationships with classmates and teachers throughout a truly unforgettable experience.

Analyse the personal growth and impact of an experience by encouraging students verbalize expectations of an activity and as well as reflect on impact of an activity upon completion.

ISP Mission Links

This trip to Amsterdam aligns with the ISP mission of inspiring, engaging, and empowering all learners to be curious, competent, compassionate, and changemakers in several ways.

Firstly, it fosters curiosity by providing students with opportunities to explore the history, culture, and global issues of significance that shaped Dutch history and culture. They will learn about terraforming, the impact of rising water levels on the environment, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which will broaden their minds and deepen their knowledge of intercultural understanding.

Secondly, the trip promotes competence by providing students with hands-on experience in identifying, planning, and executing community service projects that have a lasting impact on society. They will engage in a sustainable design challenge and a UN CAS project challenge, learning how to analyze needs and create solutions that positively impact the world around them.

Thirdly, the trip encourages compassion by engaging students in community service projects that address issues related to sustainability and food waste. They will also have the opportunity to participate in plastic fishing with Plastic Whale, which promotes environmental conservation and sustainability.

Finally, the trip inspires students to be changemakers by encouraging them to analyze their personal growth and reflect on the impact of the activities they engage in. Through this process, they will learn how to verbalize their expectations, develop leadership skills, and forge and strengthen relationships with classmates and teachers throughout this truly unforgettable experience.