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Community Outreach
Alternative Breaks & Immersion Programs
What is an Alternative Break?
Alternative Break and Immersion Programs are service-learning experiences designed to heighten participants’ awareness of critical social issues, enhance their individual growth, and prepare them for lifelong social action. Each weekend or weeklong trip integrates service, reflection and education and focus on topics as varied as poverty, hunger, housing, healthcare, and disaster relief. Trips are offered throughout the year in local and national destinations. Please see "Trip Descriptions" on the right hand menu for more specific information.
What makes these trips "alternative"?
Alternative Breaks give students an opportunity to meet new people, gain new experiences and to step away from traditional learning and living. These breaks provide a full immersive experience in the population, culture, and social issue that each trip focuses on. Each trip will define how they choose to define “alternative” and will integrate that into their programs, however all trips are entirely drug and alcohol-free.
Alternative Breaks Philosophy
Alternative Breaks at UConn focus on three major categories to ensure an all encompassing service-learning experience. The above image, also known as The Triangle of a Quality Alternative Break is created by the equal presence of the three major components: Education, Strong Direct Service, and Reflection. Community Outreach’s programs use the uniform blend of these elements to construct impactful and lasting experiences for students, faculty and staff.
Strong Direct Service
Each day participants will partake in service projects that will be directly incorporated with the social issue facing the community they are working in. Participants may be working with varying populations, different age groups, and in different locations.
Education
Education is an important part of every experience and occurs during pre, on-site, and post trip activities. This educational component aims at helping the students better understand the systemic causes of the problems they encounter in the projects.
Reflection
Time is set aside each day of the experience for participants to collectively and individually reflect upon the day’s happenings and personal experiences. Reflection helps to achieve one of the principal goals of an Alternative Break, which is to help the participant through a stage of personal development.
Week Long Trips
- Location: Gulf Coast
January 6-17, 2010
Topic: Disaster Relief
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: August 31, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- Washington D.C.
March 6-14, 2010
Topic: Women, Children & Political Action
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: August 31, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- Philadelphia, PA
March 6-14, 2010
Topic: Healthcare
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: October 3, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
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- New Orleans, LA
March 6-14, 2010
Topic: Disaster Relief
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: October 3, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- Pine Ridge, SD
March 6-14, 2010
Topic: Native American Culture & the Culture of Poverty
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: October 3, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- Hartford, CT
March 6-14, 2010
Topic: LGBTQIQ Social Activism & Well Being
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: October 3, 2009
Application Deadline: November 7, 2009
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Weekend Trips
- Boston, MA (Fall 2009)
November 6-8, 2009
Topic: Homelessness
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: August 31, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- New York City, NY (Fall 2009)
November 6-8, 2009
Topic: HIV/AIDS
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: August 31, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
- Providence, RI (Fall 2009)
November 6-8, 2009
Topic: Arts and Activism
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: August 31, 2009
Application Deadline: PASSED
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- Boston, MA (Spring 2010)
April 9-11, 2010
Topic: Homelessness
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: January 19, 2010
Application Deadline: February 18, 2010
- New York City, NY (Spring 2010)
April 9-11, 2010
Topic: HIV/AIDS
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: January 19, 2010
Application Deadline: February 18, 2010
- Bridgeport, CT (Spring 2010)
April 9-11, 2010
Topic: Affordable Housing
More Information and trip details
Applications Available: January 19, 2010
Application Deadline: February 18, 2010
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Related Links
Alternative Breaks Week Long Trips
- Gulf Coast
Disaster Relief
January 6-17, 2010
- Washington, DC
Women, Children & Political Action
March 6-14, 2010
- Philadelphia, PA
Healthcare
March 6-14, 2010
- New Orleans, LA
Disaster Relief
March 6-14, 2010
- Hartford, CT
LGBTQIQ Social Activism & Well-Being
March 6-14, 2010
- Pine Ridge, SD
Native American Culture & the Culture of Poverty
March 6-14, 2010
Alternative Breaks Weekend Trips
- Boston, MA (Fall 2009)
Homelessness
November 6-8, 2009
- New York City, NY (Fall 2009)
HIV/AIDS
November 6-8, 2010
- Providence, RI (Fall 2009)
Arts and Activism
November 6-8, 2009
- Boston, MA (Spring 2010)
Homelessness
April 9-11, 2010
- New York City, NY (Spring 2010)
HIV/AIDS
April 9-11, 2010
- Bridgeport, CT (Spring 2010)
Affordable Housing
April 9-11, 2010
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