What are Service Trips?
They are a service-learning program for students to explore social
issues through meaningful service, education, and reflection during their
academic breaks.
Each trip focuses on a different
social justice issue such as poverty or environmental justice. Each trip has a
different cost; prices can be found on each trips individual webpage or the
application. There are pre-trip meetings before the trips that each participant
is required to attend. The meetings are very important to educate, orientated,
and train students for the trip. It also allows the participants to become
familiar with each other. Each trip has
a different schedule, but typical days of service include 4-8 hours of work
with reflection at night. Depending on the location and service on the trip,
there is some free time for tourism and fun.
SIEO offers 3 types of trips;
Weekend Trips- These weekend
Outdoor Outreach or InterCity Impact trips occur once during the fall semester
and once during the spring semester and are usually Friday-Sunday. InterCity
Impact trips are co-sponsored in partnership with Diversity and College Access.
Alternative Spring
Break (ASB) Trips- These trips occur over spring break every year. For spring
break 2017. We have two trips scheduled occurring March 19 through 25.
Fess are varied based on location.
Check out our Youtube channel to see
a real inside some of our past service trips!
Purpose and Goals:
The purpose of all our volunteer programs is to offer inclusive
volunteer opportunities that prepare student to be active citizens engaged
in the community and world.
Through participation in service trips, UW-Stevens Point
students will:
- Describe their
own identity and examine how personal, societal and institutional factors
influence assumptions, prejudices and privileges.
- Engage in
opportunities for cross-cultural interaction and communication with those
who come from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Develop strong
interpersonal connections with students who are different from themselves.
- Contribute to
the community in ways that build on community identified strengths and
address community needs.
- Demonstrate an
awareness of social justice issues and the skills needed to promote social
action.
The Active Citizen Continuum is the
basis of our selection process, our pre-trip meetings, and our service and
reflection on our trips. We are looking for students at all different stages,
from a member to a conscientious citizen, the more diversity the group has in experiences in knowledge the more
participants can learn and grow from one another.
Application
Process
1.
Find the application on this website.
2. Print off application and sign all forms
and waivers.
3.
Complete the essay portion of the application.
-
The essay portion of the application is the most important aspect; each
question should be answered in at least 1 descriptive
paragraph. All responses must be typed, and
include students ID number.
4.
Turn in the signed forms, essay responses, and required money deposit to the
information and tickets desk in the DUC.
5.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee of students and staff.
- If necessary group interviews will
be conducted to choose participants.
6.
Students will be notified in due time if they have been selected. If students
are not chosen to participate on the trip, they will receive their deposit back
in full.
Why volunteer with the Service trip
program?
·
Looks
great on a resume
·
You
are working with individuals who care for social justice just like you
·
It
is unlike any other volunteer experience
·
Create
lifelong friendships
·
It
is an affordable travel experience
·
It
is an opportunity you can only have in college
Things to know
·
There
is no alcohol or drug consumption allowed on each trip
·
Some
community partners/housing will be with a religious organization
·
Checked
bags are not included in on the cost
What am I signing up for?
-
2-3
pre- trip meetings that educate, train and orientate you to the trip, social
issue, and location
-
An
alcohol/ drug free trip
-
Fundraising
to lower cost of trip for all students
-
A
weekend or week of volunteering, education and reflection
o
There
is some free time on trips for tourism and fun, but the main focus is to
volunteer and learn about different social justice issues.
Pre-trip Meetings
Each trip
has 2-3 required pre-trip meetings. Dates and times of these meetings are set
by the service trip coordinator. If students are unable to attend pre-trip
meetings these are asked to specify the reason why, or email the service trip
coordinator. If a participants are absent at pre-trip meetings it is up to that
student to set up an additional meeting with the service trip
Purpose of
Pre-trip meetings
•
Get
to know each other
o
Icebreakers
o
Talk
about everyone’s previous knowledge or experience with volunteering or working
with social issues
o
Bond
as a group
•
Logistics
for trip
o
Packing
list
o
Tickets/sign
forms
o
Itinerary’s
•
Orientation
to site
o
Learn
information on community partners
o
Culture
of the area we will be working in
o
Everyday
life of the people/organization or environment we are serving
•
Education
on issue
o
Articles
o
Statistics
of social issue
o
Poverty
Simulations
o
Guest
Speakers
o
Explore
the root causes of social issues
Reflection
After each day of service the group will participate in a
reflection facilitated by the coordinator or site leader. These reflections can
last from 20-60 minutes. This is a crucial part to the service trip experience
because it dives deeper into each participant’s experience, and also allows
students to participate in a safe and constructive dialogue about real issues.
Our program shapes are reflections on trip on the “What? So What? And Now What?” model. It
allows our students at all different stages of the active citizenship continuum
to learn and progress. Here is an example of
questions that are covered in each type of reflection:
•
What?
o
What
happened during the day?
o
What
did you observe or take part in?
o
How
did it make you feel?
•
So What?
o
What
did you learn?
o
How
did the service impact the community, how did it impact the individual?
o
Why
does this issue matter?
o
How
can we help solve the issue?
•
Now What?
o
What
is the community doing to help solve the issue?
o
What
are we doing as individuals?
o
What
can we do, or what is the action plan moving forward?
How can I find out more
information?
Please contact Bitty O’Leary, the SIEO Service Trip
Coordinator, at sieotrip@uwsp.edu or 715-346-2260 if you have
further or more in depth questions.
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