noun_404_ccJune 20-27 (not including travel dates)
 
This opportunity is a 6-day residential immersion program held in Guatemala, in collaboration with our community partner SERES. The program is delivered in Spanish, with a limited number of UCI students participating alongside their youth counterparts from Guatemala and El Salvador. Applicants must have an advanced level of Spanish, and a proven involvement (minimum 1-year) with sustainability-related issues, education, and/or actions on or around campus. Prior affiliation with one of the sustainability-related student organizations and/or the GSRC is desirable.

sisl_international_lgABOUT THE PROGRAM

The purpose of this program is to provide student sustainability leaders with an interest in international development with a unique south-north learning experience that helps to awaken and develop a critical lens on local-global solidarity while providing the necessary tools for transformation that will help their development as effective and impactful sustainability leaders.
It is expected that participants in this program will:

  • Deepen their understanding of the relationship between sustainability and equity, and develop a critical lens on social justice, solidarity, local-global relationships (particularly around north-south interdependence);
  • Develop sustainability leadership skills that help their impact as a leader and agent of change (transformational leadership, facilitation, community visioning);
  • Have the opportunity to meet and share with young sustainability leaders from different settings and bridge across traditional boundaries (social, economic, cultural, sectoral, etc.)

WHAT TO EXPECT

16539331664_6e2c3a194f_zThe program is a 6-day immersion program hosted in Guatemala by SERES, our international community partner. The program will be entirely in Spanish, and will include other young sustainability leaders from Central America. The program is designed as an intensive deep-dive experience, and there will be both daytime and evening activities for the duration of the program.
 
 
As part of the holistic focus, you will be invited not only to lead sustainability but also to live and learn sustainability in a very hands-on experiential program. All participants stay at the SERES Guatemala Embassy: a sustainability learning and demonstration center that is designed to be low-impact. Accommodation and bathrooms are shared with other participants. The food provided for the duration of the program is designed and prepared by San Franciscan eco-chef Roger Feely, whose menu creations focus on sustainability, culture and traditional seed-to-plate systems thinking, also known as “made from scratch.” Roger’s cooking features global cuisine using local ingredients, and you should expect a diverse, flavourful, healthy and primarily vegetarian cuisine for the duration of your stay.

PROGRAM AND DATES

The program starts on Sunday, June 21, and finishes on Friday evening, June 26, 2015. You should make travel arrangements to arrive in Guatemala no later than 3:00 pm* on Saturday June 20. The program fee covers accommodation on the evening of Friday, June 26 and breakfast on Saturday, June 27. Check-out time is 10am on Saturday, June 20. If you seek to make separate arrangements for a later check-out in order to stay additional days in country, such arrangements require pre-approval and agreement to terms to be confirmed with the University through the Sustainability Initiative.
*Transport to/from the airport in Guatemala will be arranged by SERES.

MORE INFORMATION

16973972378_9bae30aec6_zWe encourage you to investigate the following sources for more information about the training program, SERES and the immersion experience:

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION

Limited spaces are available for this program and applications close on Sunday, June 7, 2015, at 5pm. If you are interested in applying for a position or have any questions about this training program, please contact GSRC Program Manager Fernando Maldonado at fernando.m@uci.edu. Please note, you must have a valid passport (valid for at least 6 months after travel dates) in order to be considered for this program.
All participants will receive a scholarship valued at $1,500, which will cover transport including international airfares, accommodation, all meals, workshops, and activities for the duration of the event. In order to guarantee your placement in the program, successful applicants must pay a non-refundable $100 fee and commit to the following:

  • Full attendance at all 6 days of the event (participants may not come and go during the program)
  • A 2-page written report or blog post of the experience
  • Assist the GSRC as a student co-facilitator at one of our summer or fall quarter sustainability programs, trainings, workshops or other events (see here for full calendar of summer events)

The program is subject to modification or cancellation at the discretion of the University and SERES.