SITE DEVELOPMENT

Before beginning your search for a new site, it is key to have a plan of attack. When selecting new sites, it is important to realize how far a little creativity can go. There are a multitude of communities and issues in great need of volunteers, so pick the ones that best meet the needs and interests of your program. The following section serves as a foundation to help you ask those very questions about your program that will lead to the best possible match. We hope that this information will enable you to utilize the resources within this web page and expose your program to all the possibilities of an alternative break experience.

THE 5 CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF QUALITY COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Community Voice
• Orientation & Training
• Meaningful Action
• Reflection
• Evaluation

THINGS TO LOOK FOR

• Availability of back-up projects
• Housing is available and safe
• Community interaction opportunities
• Feasibility of work project
• Site is supervised
• Affordability

DEVELOPING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS

• Phone Focus - Be prepared when you call a site; have an agenda ready
• Log conversations
• Timelines - Keep the site informed about plans and students who will visit
• Research - Make sure the site meets your program's needs
• Follow-up - Stay in touch with your site
• Evaluation - Give both the site and students a chance to evaluate the experience
• Consider comfort levels - Be aware of comfort of students and community members regarding differences in politics, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ideology, and other elements.