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What is an Alternative Break?
Break Away, a national nonprofit organization that serves as a resource pool for universities and other groups, defines an alternative break as a trip where a group of college students engage in direct service, typically for a week. Each trip has a focus on a particular social issue, and immersion in that issue begins long before the trip itself. Students educate themselves and each other, then do hands-on work with relevant organizations. These experiences challenge them to think critically and compassionately—and to understand that there’s no such thing as “not my problem.” Upon return, participants are empowered to make more informed decisions and to take meaningful action that supports a greater good. Through alternative breaks, we hope to foster the personal growth of contributing members of society. Alternative breaks are the "what" of Break Away, but active citizenship is our shared "why." (http://www.alternativebreaks.org/about/)Our Alternative Break...
We met for our Alternative Break Leader orientation and training on May 2. After that, we met to discuss our theme and possible locations. While the location cannot be announced until after all of our participants are selected, we our proud to share our theme. Our service will be themed around Urban Youth Development.We will explore the opportunities, disparities, and efforts to improve youth development in an urban environment. We will learn about area organizations and efforts that address issues in development opportunities, such as educational disparities, family economics, and marginalized populations. Participants will work hands on with children of every stage of development. They will also discover that many urban centers have similar youth issues that can be found here in Knoxville, and we hope that the experiences we have during Spring Break will inspire them to become more involved with our community and youth here.
