College Alternative Break Teams
Changing the World; Promoting Active Citizenship
We’re the international Alternative Break leader. We build relationships with the communities where we are working to determine the real issues and create programming that will allow volunteers to provide real solutions. There are many programs that offer international volunteer opportunities; however few offer a structured program focused on creating clear objectives, while measuring results and providing a safe and healthy environment with full logistical support for alternative break teams to focus on meeting the needs of the community. By joining Outreach360, your alternative break program creates the possibility to make a real difference in the world!
Special Notice: Summer 2013 Dare to Dream Program:
During Summer 2013, Outreach360 volunteers will be creating the Dare to Dream Summer Program for the kids we are working with in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. In addition to the Outreach360 academic program focused on teaching Spanish Literacy and English, we are overlaying a program to include Character Building, Skill Building, and Dream Building. All teaching will be done in a fun, interactive format. This is a great opportunity for families to powerfully share these softer skills with disadvantaged students who do not normally receive exposure to this type of education. And teaching something can often be the best teacher! No teaching experience or Spanish knowledge is required. More information on the Dare to Dream Summer Program is available here:
http://www.outreach360.org/programs/summer
Outreach360 Overview:
Outreach360 was incorporated in 1994 as Orphanage Outreach. We changed our name in September of 2011 to better reflect our change of focus from orphanages to entire neighborhoods of disadvantaged children. We match real needs in the countries where we work with the unique resources our volunteers have to share. Since 1994, over 15,000 volunteers have joined us in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, including over 2000 last year alone.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to enable children to live a life of choice - to be qualified when completing high school to be able to choose to pursue a college degree or meaningful employment. Our focus is on those children growing up in the impoverished neighborhoods where we work.
Our Volunteer Teams:
High school teams, college teams, families, and individuals join us each week of the year, from any Saturday to any Saturday. Our family program is growing; families enjoy the extensive support provided, our focus on safety and health, and the family friendly atmosphere.
"Turn-Key" Approach:
If your school hasn't traveled to a developing country before (and even if you have), you will appreciate the "turn key" approach we take. We will purchase the insurance, meet you at the airport, arrange the meals, housing, ground transportation, and projects. You'll still be busy, but it will be time well spent supporting your team and the direct service to the community; not managing basic logistics.
Our Program:
We are implementing Neighborhood Learning Centers in the areas where we work, teaching children during the half day they are not in their local school. We are starting with the younger children first, primarily teaching English and Spanish literacy. As the children get older, we will expand our focus to include college preparatory classes and vocational skills. Your college team will most likely be working with children from pre-school through 4th grade. Our mission is to enable these children to live a life of choice - to be qualified to choose to pursue a college degree or meaningful employment.
Safety:
The safety and health of our volunteers is our number one priority. Since 1994, over 15,000 volunteers have joined us without anyone's personal safety being threatened. We use common sense guidelines, as well as implement specific measures to ensure your team stays safe. Our leaders live and work full time in the communities where you will be staying; we and you are part of the community. We specifically choose to work in rural communities, far from the crime of the larger cities and tourist areas.
Health:
Your health is a top priority of ours. You will be staying in Outreach360 facilities; we purposefully avoid more risky home stays. Your meals will be cooked by Outreach360 trained staff. We use purified bottled water for all cooking and drinking. Mosquito nets are provided when needed. Competent and professional medical clinics are located near your volunteer location; if you need to visit one, you will be accompanied by an Outreach360 staff member to help with the process including translation. We carry excellent medical insurance, including emergency medical evacuation coverage. All that said, it is very, very rare that an Outreach360 volunteer ever needs to visit a clinic. More info in the Volunteer Guide: Medical Precautions; Medical Insurance
Accommodations:
We have our own facilities where your team will be eating and sleeping. We have modern toilets and showers. Your team will be living in simple but comfortable facilities. We have our own cooks, and most volunteers rave about the excellent food.
Professional In-Country Leadership:
Your team will be led by American and Canadian full time staff. We work hard to focus on the many in-country logistics necessary to make your trip a success, so that you are able to focus on your team.
Insurance:
Outeach360 has personal medical/travel insurance for each volunteer, along with industry leading foreign general liability insurance.
Dominican Republic vs Nicaragua:
Our service program is very similar in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic; you'll be working with young children primarily teaching English and Spanish literacy. And your housing and facilities in both countries is very similar. After that, the programs are very different. In the Dominican Republic, you will be volunteering in a fishing town on the beautiful northwest coast; in Nicaragua, you will be volunteering high in the mountains in the Nicaragua coffee growing region. And the cultural experiences your family will have are very different as well. The ideal thing might be to join us in the Dominican Republic one year, and Nicaragua the next.
Costs:
The program donation for adults is $800 for one week; this tax deductible donation for U.S. tax payers covers housing, all meals, ground transportation, insurance, and professional team leadership. Your team will receive its' own fund-raising page on our web site; we encourage you to invite family and friends to donate to sponsor your volunteer service. People are usually very happy to donate to a cause where they can see first hand the impact they are having. Volunteer Guide Info: Costs page.
Spanish Language:
This program is great for people who are looking to practice and expand their Spanish; the opportunities are limitless. It is also a great experience for people with no Spanish knowledge; one of our 10 Volunteer Principles is "Communicate Love" - to stress that language is not a requirement to make a connection with people, and to make a real difference. English only speakers are especially helpful in our English classes.
Alternative Break Checklist:
We will arrange your on-ground transportation including to and from the airport. We provide safe, simple yet adequate sleeping accommodations, including access to bathroom facilities. All meals are included and all meals are prepared by our trained cooks. We collect all dietary considerations at the time of registration and make the accommodations as needed (vegetarian, vegan, low salt, etc.). You will have access to our online Volunteer Guide, which includes details about your team's experience and what to bring.
Fundraising SupportWe do not want to see the funding for this trip come out of your programs funds or your participants pockets. We have developed a highly successful online fundraising system that has allowed for most volunteer to raise 100% of their funding. Also, included in the Volunteer Guide is more information about Fundraising and fundraising support.
We will guide your trip leaders through the process of volunteering with us with on-request phone conferences and email communication. We will also set up phone/video conferences with your entire team to field questions about the experience.
We collect emergency contact information for each participant during registration. Your school and parents will have access to our emergency number as outlined in the Volunteer Guide. We purchase medical insurance for each of your trip members (insurance plan description). We are also one of the few international service-learning organizations to provide a $1,000,000 Foreign Global Liability Insurance. We orientate all volunteers on-site on health and safety guidelines and there are great clinics nearby our facilities!
Volunteer Guide is the best source of pre-trip information. We will also provide your leaders with materials to educate team members about the area they will be working as well as information about the Issue. We have a full orientation when arriving on site to discuss health, safety, respectful living as well as the direct service projects.
We understand the importance of reflection for deeper understanding of the issues. We will provide your team with time and space for reflection. We can also provide your trip leaders with some reflection materials prior to arriving. We will also take an evaluation of your team member after the trip so that we can continue to improve the volunteer experience.
"This experience truly changes your perspective. The children are beyond amazing and the O360 staff is so well organized and enthusiastic to help you make this experience perfect. Nothing in the world beats the love, hope, and affection you receive from the kids. - Taylor Deutsch, University of Virginia [view more comments]
Outreach360 strives to provide direct service opportunities that meet the needs of the communities where we are working. Our programs are aligned with our vision of a transformed world in which every child is able to pursue a college degree or to be gainfully employed upon reaching adulthood, enabling them to live a life of choice. Each child will become an active citizen, committed to serving those less fortunate, and be an active friend of the environment. Our full-time on-site staff build relationships with the community to ensure we are meeting the highest priority needs. We invite you to get involved to start making an impact through one of the following programs!
Organized College Teams
| Adelphi University | Appalachian State University |
| Arizona State University | Berklee College of Music |
| Boise State University | Boston College |
| Brock University | Bucknell University |
| Buena Vista University | California Lutheran University |
| Capital University | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Catholic University | Central Michigan University |
| College of Charleston | College of Mount Saint Vincent |
| College of William & Mary | Colorado State University |
| Columbia University | Concordia University |
| Cornell University | Depauw University |
| Eastern Michigan University | Florida International University |
| Florida State University | Franklin Pierce University |
| Georgia Tech | Glenville State College |
| Grove City College | Humber College |
| Huntington University | Illinois State University |
| Indiana University | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
| IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis) | James Madison University |
| Johnson Bible College | Johnson State College |
| Kansas State University | Kentucky Christian University |
| Kuyper College | Lafayette College |
| Manchester Community College | Marquette University |
| Michigan State University | Millikin University |
| New York University | North Carolina State University |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Northeastern University |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Ohio State University |
| Penn State Altoona | Penn State University |
| Pepperdine University | Pittsburg State University |
| Plymouth State University | Providence College |
| Purdue University Calumet | Rhodes College |
| Rice University | Rutgers University |
| Saginaw Valley State University | Savannah State University |
| Seattle Pacific University | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Southern Utah University | Spelman College |
| St. Francis University | Suffolk County Community College |
| SUNY Oswego | Temple University |
| Trinity University | University of Akron |
| University of California - Santa Barbara Hillel | University of California, San Diego |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | University of Connecticut |
| University of Florida | University of Kansas |
| University of Kentucky | University of Maryland |
| University of Maryland Hillel | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| University of Michigan | University of Minnesota |
| University of New England | University of New Hampshire |
| University of North Alabama | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| University of Northern Colorado | University of Oregon |
| University of Ottawa | University of Pennsylvania |
| University of South Carolina, Upstate | University of Southern California |
| University of Tampa | University of the Pacific |
| University of Vermont | University of Virginia |
| University of Western Ontario | University of Wisconsin-River Falls |
| University of Wyoming | Villanova University |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Virginia Wesleyan College |
| West Virginia Wesleyan College | Western Michigan University |
| Western New England College | Westminster College of Utah |
| Wilkes University | Xavier University |
| York College of Pennsylvania |