STUDENTS
SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER
THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
2018 Course Locations and Non-Profit Partners
SHOULDER-T
Students Shoulder-to-Shoulder has been creating dynamic, field studies in ethical leadership across four continents for over a decade. We are committed to our educational mission in every course we offer: to inspire and support generations of global citizens. We believe that for the next generation of students to be effective citizens, they need direct experience addressing global issues. To meet this need, our students work shoulder-to-shoulder with remarkable non-profit organizations that we are honored to call our partners. We encourage you to learn more about our programs, including course descriptions, dates, and costs, at www.shouldertoshoulder.com.
O-SHOULDER
COURSE ELEMENTS
SERVICE (time spent working)
ON THE MOVE (time spent traveling)
At least half the days at each course location are spent engaged in meaningful service work, shoulder-to-shoulder with our nonprofit partners.
Depending on where our partner non-profit is based, traveling significant distances from arrival cities to project sites is often necessary. As a result, the amount of time spent transitioning between sites varies in each program
CURRICULUM Participants are required to complete SStS’s Five Lenses Curriculum. This includes a series of online lessons (30 minutes per week) prior to traveling, peer-led discussions while in the field, and advocacy presentations upon returning home.
TREKKING (time spent in outdoor pursuits) Work projects at all sites require strenuous manual labor, so being physically fit is important. Some courses have additional outdoor experiences (e.g. hikes) with varying degrees of physical intensity.
HOMESTAY (length) Homestays (which typically occur in groups of 2 or 3) can be invaluable in allowing students to directly experience the culture and rhythms of life in each course site. Depending on the community where the project is based, homestays vary in length.
REMOTENESS (time spent in rural settings) The location of projects can change each year because SStS supports the work that is the current priority of our non-profit partners. Therefore, projects can occur in rural areas, cities, or a combination of both.
LIVING CONDITIONS (level of ruggedness) SStS students are guests and volunteers, not tourists, with local non-profits. Consequently, lodging and food for participants deliberately mirror those of local residents. In some program sites, living conditions are more rustic than in others.
KEY
High Moderate Low
Please visit www.shouldertoshoulder.com to learn more details about each course.
D ETR O IT, M I
Urban Food Insecurity
N O RTH AM ERI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Detroit, the SStS group will work with Focus: HOPE, as well as other non-profit partners, on programs targeting hunger and homelessness. Participants will explore a unique apartment complex for formerly homeless individuals, distribute food to those in need, and support an innovative urban farm. WHO THEY ARE: Focus: HOPE was co-founded by William Cunningham and Eleanor Josaitis in 1968 to unite a community that was sharply divided along racial and economic lines. Since that time, Focus: HOPE has grown to become a nationally renowned civil and human rights organization diligently working to bridge the racial and economic divides in Detroit. WHAT THEY DO: Focus: HOPE has a number of educational programs to help local students earn certificates, gain hands-on experience through apprenticeships, and pursue various college degree programs. Focus: HOPE is also working to create 100 blocks in the heart of Detroit where 100% of residents will be economically self-sufficient in a safe and supportive environment. Finally, the food and nutrition programs run by Focus: HOPE provide nutritious food to 43,000 senior citizens. WHY THEY DO IT: Focus: HOPE is dedicated to implementing intelligent and practical solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education, and racial divisiveness that have persisted for decades in Detroit. In order to meet their mission, they have developed numerous projects that focus on education, neighborhood revitalization, and nutrition.
“I saw how one person’s motivation has the power to make great change. Working with Focus: HOPE, I saw people who have chosen a problem that is meaningful to them and have the passion to work towards a solution.” Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
HARVESTING VEGETABLES FOR MOBILE FOOD BANKS
NEW ORLEANS
Wetlands Restoration and Urban Revitalization
N O RTH AM ERI CA
SSTS’S ROLE: While in New Orleans, the SStS group will work both in areas of the city that have yet to fully recover from Hurricane Katrina and on ecological projects in the wetlands intended to lessen the potential impact of future hurricanes. Time will also be spent hearing the stories of local residents and supporting other initiatives run by Common Ground Relief (CGR). WHO THEY ARE: Common Ground Relief (CGR) was founded in 2005 in direct response to the crisis created by Hurricane Katrina. CGR is a community-initiated volunteer organization offering assistance, mutual aid, and support to local communities. They are headquartered in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans and run a diverse range of projects throughout Southern Louisiana. WHAT THEY DO: CGR focuses on wetlands and ecological restoration in the bayous surrounding New Orleans. Their community garden projects provide a healthy food source for local homeowners. Finally, through their legal services program, CGR advocates for the rights and benefits of the formerly incarcerated and extends legal services to the Spanish-speaking community. WHY THEY DO IT: CGR´s wetlands restoration projects address the loss of coastal wetlands, which are disappearing at the alarming rate of one acre every 30 minutes. CGR addresses the risks of future hurricanes and environmental degradation faced by New Orleans through planting projects and educational initiatives.
PLANTING BULRUSH TO RESTORE WETLANDS “I now understand that one person can make a difference in someone else’s life. By working together on a common goal, we can achieve just about anything.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
P I N E R I DG E
Revitalization and Preservation of Lakota Culture
N O RTH AM ERI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Pine Ridge, the SStS group will work with the leaders of the Knife Chief Buffalo Nation as well as a group of local Lakota youth. The group may support a camp and school for Lakota children, work on buffalo restoration efforts, build fences for new buffalo pastures, and gather materials for traditional ceremonies. WHO THEY ARE: The Knife Chief Buffalo Nation is a grassroots organization based on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to 26,000 members of the Lakota Tribe and is the second poorest county in the United States. The Knife Chief Buffalo Nation is run by members of the Iron Cloud and Two Dogs families. WHAT THEY DO: The Knife Chief Buffalo Nation’s aim is to protect and revitalize Lakota culture and sacred traditions. They have reclaimed 1800 acres of ancestral lands for buffalo restoration projects. These involve building seven miles of fence and installing two windmills for pumping water. In addition, the Knife Chief Buffalo Nation hosts cultural and healing camps, led by Lakota elders, to reconnect youth to their culture. WHY THEY DO IT: Much of the land on the Pine Ridge Reservation is leased by the US government to non-tribal members. The Knife Chief Project aims to reclaim large segments of this land in order to restore the buffalo population, reconnect with their ancestral lands, and improve their food security and economic self-sufficiency.
“Prior to the course I had read about the circumstances affecting the Lakota people, but seeing the situation close-up was an entirely different thing.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
WORKING WITH STUDENTS AT A CAMP FOR LAKOTA CHILDREN
BOLIVIA
Rural Health Care in the Amazon
SO UTH AM ERI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Bolivia, SStS participants will support the Rio Beni Health Foundation’s clean water initiative, which provides potable water for the local populations using a unique bio-sand filter. The group will build bio-sand filters and deliver them to rural communities along the Amazon River. These filters dramatically reduce high levels of infant and child mortality, but at the same time, they are labor intensive to construct and deliver. WHO THEY ARE: The Rio Beni Health Foundation was initiated by Dr. Lou Netzer, a retired U.S. physician, in 1998. Since then the Rio Beni Health Foundation has grown into a full-time health clinic based in Rurrenabaque that also provides mobile health care to the surrounding communities. The clinic is run by Joselo Balderrama and his team of doctors and nurses. WHAT THEY DO: The Rio Beni Health Foundation provides mobile primary health care, education, and potable water to over 60 remote villages in the Amazonian rainforest of northwest Bolivia. They provide healthcare to thousands of people, many of whom are indigenous. In the last decade, over 350 filters have been constructed, providing clean water to more than 4500 villagers and school children. WHY THEY DO IT: The Rio Beni Health Foundation serves indigenous communities who have traditionally had no access primary health services and often suffer from treatable health conditions due to their remoteness. They are the only regular health care and public health education provider for tens of thousands of people.
“Many people in developing countries don’t have access to clean drinking water and suffer many consequences because of it, even though everyone should be entitled to such a basic right.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
TRAVELING UPRIVER TO DELIVER WATER FILTERS
NICARAGUA
Eco-Bricks and Elementary Education
CENTR AL AM ERI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Nicaragua, SStS participants will support the work of the Ometepe Bilingual School (OBS) and learn about their innovative strategy for managing environmental waste. The group will utilize their English fluency to enhance the language instruction. Participants will also design and teach educational enrichment programs for OBS students. WHO THEY ARE: The Ometepe Bilingual School (OBS) is the only tuition-free elementary program of its kind in Central America. In 2013 their first eco-friendly classroom was built to welcome the inaugural class of twelve kindergarten students. Since then, the school has grown to include kindergarten through fifth grade with local teaching staff at each level. WHAT THEY DO: OBS provides a free bilingual education to students in the rural community of Merida. The school works to lessen the environmental impact of waste on this beautiful, biodiverse island by constructing classrooms out of eco-bricks. Each classroom utilizes eco-bricks made from 6,000 plastic bottles and re-uses 2.4 tons of non-organic waste that would have otherwise ended up in local landfills or Lake Nicaragua. WHY THEY DO IT: In parts of Nicaragua, 62% of children do not complete 5th grade, and 30% of the population is illiterate. By providing students with a quality bilingual education, OBS hopes to increase the economic opportunities available to students in an area experiencing increased tourism. OBS also works to preserve the environment of this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which has seen a surge in plastic waste related to tourism.
“If I could only use one word to describe what I saw, it would be love. A love for the kids, their families, this community, and the culture we got to experience during our stay in Ometepe.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
TEACHING ENGLISH TO SECOND GRADE STUDENTS
PERU
Llamas and Environmental Conservation
SO UTH AM ERI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Peru, SStS participants will support the Llama Pack Project in their environmental education and conservation efforts. The group will teach environmental education in local schools and trek to an Andean community in order to engage in conservation efforts. WHO THEY ARE: The Llama Pack Project (LPP) began in 2012 when the founders noticed that Andean communities were disappearing due to a lack of economic opportunities. Many residents were forced to work in cities far from their homes in order to provide for their families. LPP utilizes these communities’ locations along parts of the Inca Trail frequented by tourists to address this problem. WHAT THEY DO: LPP is working to reintroduce llamas as environmentally friendly pack animals that serve as resources for sustainable rural development and ecosystem conservation. They provide environmental education and vocational training to high-Andean communities, located at 10,500-14,500 feet above sea level, to give residents the necessary skills to pursue an attractive alternative to urban dwelling. WHY THEY DO IT: LPP works with agricultural and pastoralist communities that have limited access to schools and public health in an area that is suffering from environmental degradation. By providing access to healthy-living and illness- prevention education, increasing environmental awareness, and reintroducing the llama as a pack animal, they are able to improve the quality of life of the residents while conserving Andean mountain ecosystems.
“Everyone we met in Peru has a deep spiritual connection to nature, especially the mountains. We all definitely took some of that appreciation of the environment away with us.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
TREKKING WITH LLAMAS TO ENGAGE IN A COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROJECT
K E NYA
Childhood Education and Community Empowerment
AFRI CA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Kenya, the SStS group will stay near the Amani Home in order to build personal relationships with the children living there. Participants will work on bio-intensive farming and building projects at the Tiriji EcoCenter, which provides a sustainable revenue stream for International Peace Initiatives (IPI). WHO THEY ARE: International Peace Initiatives (IPI), was founded in 2002 by Dr. Karambu Ringera after she met a group of women struggling to support themselves and their children while living with HIV/AIDS. After this group of women asked for help in sending their children to school, Dr. Ringera organized a dinner in Denver to raise money to support this cause. This was the start of an organization that now has seven core programs. WHAT THEY DO: IPI provides programs focused on education, enterprise and empowerment. Their Amani Home is a community-based home for HIV/AIDS and economic orphans. Their INPEACE initiative aids in the prevention of conflict. They also provide funding for exceptional individuals to attend college. In addition, IPI has four other programs to empower and support women and children impacted by HIV/AIDS. WHY THEY DO IT: IPI provides orphans, women living with HIV/AIDS, survivors of violence, and communities with the tools and resources to move from violence, poverty, and crisis to stability and self-reliance. In addition, the purpose of the Amani Home is to represent a new way of thinking about orphans, where children can remain in their community while receiving an education and maintaining close relationships with their extended families.
“This experience showed me how the most beautiful things in life are the simple ones, such as laughter, smiles, and friendship. In the short time that I spent in Kenya, I grew, not only as a student, but also as a person.” Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS FOR THE TIRIJI ECO-CENTER
CAMBODIA
Sustainable Agriculture Along the Mekong
ASIA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Cambodia, the SStS group will support the Cambodian Rural Development Team´s (CRDT) food security initiatives in rural villages on the Mekong River. Participants will also construct model farms and learn about developing production systems that are resilient to climate change. WHO THEY ARE: The Cambodian Rural Development Team (CRDT) was founded in 2001 by student volunteers from the first generation educated after the fall of the Khmer Rouge. CRDT was officially registered as an NGO in 2005, with the original founding members still involved in its management and governance. Currently, the organization has around 40 staff members working closely with communities in northeastern Cambodia. WHAT THEY DO: CRDT supports the conservation of critically endangered dolphins and the protection of tropical forest biodiversity. They provide sustainable community development programs to over 6000 families. These programs focus on food security, income generation, sanitation, renewable energy and environmental education. Their entrepreneurship development programs helps communities empower themselves. WHY THEY DO IT: Livelihoods in Cambodia are climate-dependent, especially as the rural poor overwhelmingly rely on a single crop: rice. Diversification means more choice for farmers, as well as increased food security. By helping farmers generate income from surplus agricultural produce, farmers have disposable income for education and healthcare and are less dependent on natural resources.
“I know that my course will profoundly affect my life, in some ways that I can see already and in others that will only become clear to me in the months and years ahead.”
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
BUILDING STRUCTURES FOR A CLIMATE CHANGE RESISTANT FARM
N E PA L
Girls Empowerment and Education in the Himalayas
ASIA
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Nepal, the SStS group will work directly with The Small World (TSW) and local community members on construction projects using eco-friendly and earthquake resistant building techniques. Participants will also have the opportunity to build friendships with young women who have overcome incredible challenges in pursuing their education. WHO THEY ARE: The Small World (TSW) was founded in 2006 by Karma Sherpa, one of twelve siblings from a nomadic family. After receiving a donation from a kind-hearted traveler which enabled him to attend school, Karma decided to pay it forward by founding TSW. TSW consists of Karma Sherpa, his wife Sonam, and four Nepali staff who support their operations. WHAT THEY DO: TSW supports locally driven, sustainable community development projects that help to provide education for children and empower local communities to break the cycle of poverty. Their work is focused in three areas: girls’ education, women’s empowerment, and community development. TSW also constructs earthquake resistant schools and runs the Himalayan Hope Home for orphaned and abandoned girls. WHY THEY DO IT: Many Nepalese girls are unable to attend school due to cultural traditions and economic reasons. As a result, the literacy rate of the country’s female population is just 45%. By focusing on girls’ education, TSW is able to provide at-risk young girls with the education they need to support their children, families and communities. TSW also provides infrastructure to communities that are lacking basic services after suffering two devastating earthquakes.
“The twenty-one days that we spent in Nepal will forever change my life. Working with The Small World was amazing. Their involvement in the community was so deep that it gave me an understanding that no one else could have.�
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
BUILDING AN EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT SCHOOL
TI B ETA N P L ATE A U
,
W E S T E R N S I C H U A N P R O V I N C E, C H I N A
ASIA
Social Entrepreneurship and Environmental Stewardship
SSTS´S ROLE: While in Tibet, the SStS group will work directly with the staff of the Tibetan Village Project (TVP) on their Tibet Ecowaste Project. The goals of this project are to encourage environmental awareness, reduce pollution of essential water supplies, and create economically sustainable options for Tibetans participating in TVP’s Plateau Homestays initiative. WHO THEY ARE: The Tibetan Village Project (TVP) was founded in 2001 by Tamdin Wangdu after his father died at the age of 57 due to a lack of access to medical care. In memory of his father, Tamdin started the Tibetan Village Project to fund medical treatment and prevention programs. Since these humble beginnings, TVP has expanded its programs in other villages throughout the Tibetan Plateau. WHAT THEY DO: The mission of TVP is to empower Tibetan communities through educational opportunities, social enterprise development and service projects aimed at improving the livelihood of farmers and nomads in rural communities. They provide vocational skills training, business education, and small micro loans, as well as scholarships to Tibetan students. TVP also supports rural communities by providing health services, clean water, and sanitation. WHY THEY DO IT: While infrastructure and enrollment in primary schools has improved, the rising cost of higher education has made it difficult for rural Tibetan students to complete their higher education. TVP invests in education, training, and skills for the Tibetan business sector to cultivate economic development and protect Tibetan culture. The service projects directed by TVP improve the lives of communities lacking access to basic services.
CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING IN RURAL TIBET “Being a global citizen is more than understanding global issues. Being a true global citizen is having the passion, as well as the courage, to make a difference in our world.�
Service Curriculum Trekking Living Conditions On the Move Homestay Remoteness
The safety of our students is the highest priority for Students Shoulder-to-Shoulder. Although objective risks exist in immersion programs, SStS has a variety of tested policies for managing and mitigating any challenges that arise. Central to our risk management strategies are the relationships that exist with our non-profit partners, which are well-respected organizations with deep-roots in the local communities they serve. Additionally, our course instructors are experienced and well-traveled professional educators. If we determine that an unacceptable level of risk exists, we alter itineraries without hesitation. To learn more visit www.shouldertoshoulder.com.
EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL CITIZENS Apply online at www.shouldertoshoulder.com