Center for Service in Action: Alternative Break

Spring 2010

|Projected sites for Alternative Spring Break (ASB) 2010 |

Transformative Action: Exploring Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Orange County, CA

The non-profit climate is rapidly changing due to increased competition between various non profit organizations for funding and decreased availabilities of such funding. Thus, non-profits are increasingly looking to social enterprise and social entrepreneurship endeavors to increase chances of survival. Both terms connotate a combination of "the very best of the not-for-profit, philanthropic world with the very best of the for-profit, enterprising world". Social enterprise is " social mission driven organizations which apply market-based strategies to achieve a social purpose" while social entrepreneurship is recognizing "a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change".

The goal of this alternative break is to visit companies that exemplify these themes and learn about how the incorporate these values in the work they do. As volunteers, we will be doing service based on each individual company, working alongside the people these companies help, learning about the kind of change they exhibit.

Asian Americans: Dispelling the Model Minority Myth

Los Angeles, CA

When you think of Asian Americans, would impoverished, uneducated, and diverse be terms that would immediately come to mind? Unfortunately, Asian Americans today are plagued with the “Model Minority” label, stereotyping the entire group as being highly educated, economically stable, and lacking any form of cultural diversity within the blanket term “Asian.” Such a label blinds the public from realizing that, contrary to popular belief, some of the most impoverished, uneducated, and dangerous areas in the country are areas that are mostly inhabited by Asian Americans.

Join UC Irvine’s Center for Service in Action as we take our Alternative Spring Break to many different areas in Southern California to fight the Model Minority myth by exposing ourselves to Asian American groups in need, as well as actually performing community service, such as aiding the elderly without proper healthcare and tutoring children from low-economic and undereducated homes. In addition, we will also be studying different ethnic backgrounds, such as Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese cultures, within the Asian American community in order to remove the Western stereotype that all Asians are uniform, as well as dispelling stereotypes that different Asian ethnicities may have about each other. Through this Alternative Spring Break’s seminar and community service trip, we will take one step closer in realizing diversity in terms of economic and cultural statuses, which will impact the way we see one another on this very campus.

Giving Back to the National Forests

San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino, CA

The San Bernardino National Forest has more visitors every year than both Yellowstone and Yosemite combined due to being within driving distance of 10% of the nation’s population. With this said, it is very important to help maintain a healthy relationship between the forest and its visitors. Unfortunately, we tend to forget how important our environment is so it is nice to be reminded once in a while.

This Spring Break, UC Irvine will be collaborating with The San Bernardino National Forest Association and their recreational programs to learn to respect our precious forest environment. We will be working closely with the Off Highway Vehicles Program and learn about trail ethics, stewardship, and patrolling trails. Not only this, but we will also be able to visit parts of the forest that few people get to see thanks to today’s multi-terrain technology. This Alternative Spring Break site will give an opportunity to learn more about the help we can give back to the environment, but it will also bring appreciation to the forests surrounding us.

Providing Healthcare to Native Americans

San Juan Capistrano, CA

Research has found that Native Americans have limited access to their health care needs resulting in a higher rate of diseases and the lowest life expectancy in the United States. Health programs for American Indians receive less than 1.1% of the healthcare dollar for the entire nation. The purpose of the break is to raise awareness about the healthcare issues affecting the Native American population and providing direct service in clinics and reservations. We will also explore more about the Native American traditions and cultures by visiting reservations and becoming a part of the community.

Through this Alternative Break trip, we will learn about the healthcare of Native American communities and how we can impact their lives through our service.

FACULTY/STAFF & GRADUATE STUDENTS

Alternative Spring Break Faculty/Staff & Graduate Student Application
Due date: February 12, 2010

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you are a past participant there is a NEW program, Alternative Break Revisited!!
Click here for more details.