Fall break is a time for college students to catch up on school work and mentally prepare themselves for the rest of the semester.
Students at Salt Lake Community College can use the extra time to give back to their community through the Alternative Break service program. The semi-annual event is organized by the Thayne Center for Service Learning and will run in conjunction with the traditional fall break, which begins Thursday, Oct. 13.
“Alternative Breaks are intended to be immersive service experiences, engaging students in service work [and] addressing social issues such as food security, homelessness, animal rights and other important topics,” says Alternative Break supervisor Brandon Devlin. “We hope that as a result of the training, service and reflection that are hallmarks of Alternative Breaks, all students are able [to] explore what the root causes of these important issues are and see how they can engage with their communities to creating sustainable positive change.”
SLCC students who participate in Alternative Break this fall will work with local charities and non-profits to support refugees or combat food insecurity. Each of these activities will give volunteers a fresh perspective of the world around them.
“Alternative Fall Break participants learn what it means to be an active citizen and how individual actions make a difference on a large scale,” Devlin says. “This is also an opportunity to challenge our own perceptions, both of ourselves and of others. By expanding our comfort zones on these projects, students also practice leadership skills like handling controversy with civility, collaboration, increasing self-knowledge, and critical thinking.”
In addition to Alternative Fall Break, the Thayne Center has organized two Alternative Weekends with the Youth Resource Center, which will take place later this month. Visit the Thayne Center website to find out more about these service opportunities and how to participate.
