Site-Leaders

Spring/Summer Breaks:

• Section I: Propose Location - DUE MONDAY, MAY 31

• Section II: Identifying Community Partners & Gathering Approved Location Information - DUE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16

• Section III: Contacting Potential Community Partners & Issue Education - DUE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

• Section IV: Securing Lodging and Service & Site Orientation Education - DUE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29

• Section V: Educational Components - DUE FRIDAY, JANUARY 14

• Section VI: Finalizing the Alternative Break - DUE FRIDAY, JANUARY 28

Service and education make up the majority of your alternative break. However, by planning a day/half-day activity that helps your group get to know your community better, can enhance the experience. What can you do:

• Plan a tour, government/public building, museum visit, special local attraction, etc.

• Use your imagination! What can you do that still links the activity to your social issue theme? This is important for you evening reflection!

• The budget for this is up to $17 per person. Sometimes there are great free events too, so look for these type of events in your search.

• Include your participants in the decision making process!

Smithsonian Affiliate Directory

• Prepare as much of your alternative break as possible during the summer months.

• Some organizations are not able to plan several months in advance (especially for spring/summer ABs), so you may not be able to solidify hours; but, it is extremely helpful to establish a connection and exchange information about possible dates/hours. This will help you be ready when the deadlines approach. At that point, you can reconnect with the organization and confirm new information.

• Don't reinvent the wheel: Utilize the BreakAway location and community partner database . Username and password: SouthDakota (AWOL pays a membership fee so please be responsible with login information and do not share publicly.) Also utilize the location and social issue database on the Google Drive. And don't forget about education materials; look at previous groups that had your social issue to get a head start on education.

• Keep a notebook/folder dedicated specifically to AWOL

  • 1. Jot down contact information, and take notes when talking with community and housing partners. Keep a log that includes dates, method of contact, and any helpful details.

    2. Regularly add these notes to your assigned Google Drive folder, in an organized manner, so that it can be easily accessed by the VPs and AWOL Advisor. We are here to help you; please make it easier for us by letting us know what you've done.

• Stay organized: Add all deadlines and mandatory events to your calendar or in a planner - they sneak up on you faster than you think.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help!!!! Executive board members are here to support you; they have experience as well as access to various sites and databases to help you plan.

Writing a blurb about your alt break

You have begun the process of taking a social issue and creating an actual AWOL Alternative Break. You’ve selected a learning community, have made contacts with community partners, and have been gathering information to educate yourself and your group about a specific social issue. Now you need a team. It’s time to share that information and recruit potential team members!

Site-leaders are responsible for creating a blurb about their alternative break! Here are some guidelines:

• Create an interesting title that is descriptive

• Frame the social issue in a positive way

• The location is important to mention, but is secondary to the theme

• People are not social issues; please be careful in your wording. It is the circumstances that they live with that are the focus of our learning, and leads us to learn more about how their lives and society, collectively, are affected by those circumstances.

• Be as specific as possible. In other words, be descriptive. What tells you more about these alternative breaks: Environment or Wetland restoration? Education or Empowering youth to ensure success? Health or Closing gaps in healthcare access? Use descriptive writing.

• Talk about what you will be doing, where, and why. Don’t, however, give out information that is still tentative and could likely change. If your community partners are still up in the air, talk more about why than what and give examples of things you will do.

Below are a few examples of blurbs for you to get your creative-writing thoughts flowing. This is an important step in the AWOL recruitment campaign. Upload a copy of your description to your AWOL Google Drive folder and then send a copy to AWOL@usd.edu. The due date for this is mid-August (so we can get information out at the student org fair the first week students are back). Feel free to send us the first draft and we can give you feedback.

Example 1

Strengthening Rural Resilience in Indian Country

Social Issue: Resiliency in Native communities

Site-Leaders: xx

Location: SD, NE, IA

Travel Dates: xx

Rural resilience looks at how native communities are using resources to recover from external and internal circumstances that have led to social, economic, and cultural destruction. This alternative break will be working with community partners in the tri-state area to learn about Native American health and child development programs. With the support of organizations such as Whirling Thunder Wellness Program and Urban Native Center of Siouxland, as well as USD faculty, our service and learning will be focused on understanding how aspects of physical, emotional, and spiritual health impact resiliency. For more information….

Example 2

Fighting Poverty and Addiction: Understanding the Connection and Serving in Nashville

Social Issue: Hunger, Homelessness, Addiction

Site-Leaders: xx

Location: Nashville, TN

Travel Dates: xx

Learn about hunger and homelessness alongside addiction recovery through volunteering with the Nashville Rescue Mission and Park Center in Nashville, TN. These social issues can be closely related—drug use and addiction may be causes or consequences of hunger and homelessness. Working with our community organizations, we will learn about how to serve people experiencing homelessness with both long and short term approaches. We will volunteer in the kitchens and support organizations offering rehabilitation with maintenance tasks. For more information….

Example 3

Looking to the Future: Sustainability in Puerto Rico

Social Issue: Sustainability

Site-Leaders: xx

Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Travel Dates: xx

Discover what sustainable practices mean for the people of Puerto Rico. Participants will learn more about Puerto Rico’s fight to create a more sustainable future and what local organizations are doing to help protect them from the devastation of hurricanes and other environmental impacts. This service will be accomplished through direct partnerships with local residents on tasks that involve supporting agriculture, housing, and water storage. For more information….

Example 4

Pride: Building Future Leaders and Safer Communities

Social Issue: LGBTQ+ rights and awareness

Site-Leaders: xx

Location: Charlotte, NC

Travel Dates: xx

With the help of Campus Pride, the leading national educational organization for LGBTQ+ and ally college students and campus organizations, we will increase our knowledge about inclusiveness on campuses, in the social justice system, within the community, and through leadership development. Volunteer and educational activities will include sports index outreach, LGBTQ+ perspective exhibit, online fair outreach, queer history, awareness projects, and LGBTQ+ & the Media. For more information…

Site Leader final departure packet

Three Weeks Prior

• Call community partners/organizations to confirm service projects, itinerary, and number of participants.

• Call housing partner: discuss your estimated time of arrival, confirm two contacts (phone numbers), and clarify any questions you have.

Two Weeks Prior

• Email group or have a meeting (remote is fine) with a reminder to review itinerary, packing list, community partner information, educational materials, etc. Make sure everyone is clear about:

  • • Meeting time and location for departure

    • Specific packing and clothing reminders: Keep it appropriate, bring work clothes but not grimy clothes.

    • AWOL policies and agreed upon group rules.

    • Behavior commitment – we are representing USD and the AWOL program; the focus for the alternative break is service and learning, not site-seeing and shopping

    • Encourage asking questions now if they are not certain about something

• Review and finalize materials

  • • Review materials in this packet to familiarize yourself with contents of the binder, including manuals. Know where to find information before you need it.

    • Are you missing any information? Discuss it with the AWOL Advisor

    • Gather additional icebreaker/get-to-know-you games – ones you can play in the van and some you can play during the week

    • Are the educational materials you plan to use during the week prepared?

    • Is your reflection plan complete? (Learning happens through reflection, this component is very important.)

• Meet with each other, and/or AWOL Vice President or AWOL advisor to discuss any unfinished or changes in plan to itinerary, logistics, etc.

• Add pertinent information to phone such as important numbers, maps (be prepared with an offline map application that has your destinations saved/programed in), weather applications (511)

One-Two Days Prior

• Pick-up supplies from GC. Pick up vehicle keys from Fleet (offices closed weekends – must pick-up before 5pm Friday)

• Check weather forecast for entire route and discuss any concerns with AWOL advisor

• Text participants with reminder of meeting time, location, and any updates

• Pick up travel groceries (if applicable)

• Pack:

Cell phone/camera/charger

Games/activities for downtime

First aid and travel emergency kits

AWOL binder (Make sure all paperwork is inside)

Driver’s license/insurance

Any supplies needed

Creating a budget

This checklist will be in your travel binder.

Prior to Departure

• All students have completed pre-service survey electronically or on paper

• Student and Learning Partner cell phone numbers stored in your phone (create a group text and confirm numbers prior to departure day – send a reminder about departure meeting time and location)

• AWOL Advisor and GC Director phone numbers stored in your phone

• Fleet van keys, first aid kit, travel binder w/ receipt organizer

• Travel advance deposited into account 1 week prior

• All drivers have reviewed driving rules: no cell phone, no speeding, change drivers every 3-4 hours, etc.

• Grocery list is planned (don’t forget to get supplies if you your housing has limited resources), and pre-shopping is complete

• Excursion: make sure plan has been made for the outing. Know how you are traveling: public transport or parking options if using vehicle. Follow all policies for expenditures.

Leaving Vermillion

• Beginning odometer reading of vehicle recorded on the fleet form

• All participants arrived at the assigned departure location, or you have received a message or been in contact

• AWOL Advisor notified at time of departure (402-580-8987) from Vermillion and when you arrive at destination (any time you start and stop long drives)

• Housing contact is aware of your expected time of arrival, or you have sent update

• Set rules for phone use (put away unless using for emergency, photos, or downtime). Do not let phones distract participants from being present and doing what you are there to do! Snip problems in the bud early. Don’t wait, it won’t change on it’s own.

At Destination

• Arrive promptly to each service site (notify contact if there is a delay). Check-in with local staff, work hard, follow all site rules/guidelines, thank them for being your host community partner

• Ensure photo releases are signed if needed

• Give each community partner a survey with instructions

• Give small thank you to community partner if you have something planned

• Track service hours each day on sheet

• Buy postcards and send them off

• Evenings: prep, eat, & clean as a group; set and keep regular reflection time; relax during down time as a group by doing something safe and fun (primarily in your housing location)

• Send photos, social media post (or something similar). AWOL@usd.edu, @USDAWOL

• Notify AWOL Advisor as soon as possible if emergencies happen

• Contact AWOL Advisor at end of day if any major changes to expected itinerary need to be addressed

Leaving Destination

• Have all participants complete the post-event survey online or by paper

• Call or text the AWOL Advisor at time of departure and when you arrive

• Once in Vermillion, wait until all participants have departed before returning van to Fleet

• Fill gas at Fleet, record final odometer reading, drop keys in Fleet office or drop-box

• Schedule a time with GC to return supplies and turn in receipts.