Alternative Break Specialists (Site Leaders) develop and lead week-long Alternative Break community engaged learning experiences. They develop service projects and learning opportunities, meet with their program participants to orient them on expectations, transport the participants to the trip sites, lead projects during the program, and hold reflections throughout the experience to foster learning and growth.

Student Experiences & Engagement (SEE) centers transformational and experiential learning by providing meaningful involvement and personal development for students. We challenge students to lead with care, align to their purpose, and build leadership skills. As a dynamic campus resource, we co-create opportunities for students to integrate the knowledge, skills, and wisdom gained inside and outside of the classroom to transform themselves and their communities. We envision a community of skilled and empowered student leaders who are changemakers for positive social impact.

Community Engagement & Leadership (CEL) creates space for students to craft and progress their collective visions of social, economic, and environmental justice by facilitating community-engaged learning experiences. CEL builds community capacity, enhances students' leadership skills, and inspires positive change through connecting students’ interests and talents with community needs.

The Alternative Break (AB) program creates transformative, learning opportunities for students. Alternative break trips aim to develop the capacity for students to lead for social change. Alternative breaks enable students to immerse themselves in a community to learn its historical, cultural and political background. The Alternative Break experience encourages students to analyze their assumptions through learning about the complexity of social problems. The immersive community environments enables participants to experience and discuss social issues in a significant way.

Requirements

  • Implement the Alternative Break curriculum with a co-leader/facilitator
  • Meet with Community Engagement & Leadership staff bi-weekly or weekly during the terms prior to the trip for check-ins and support in trip planning
  • Participate in a pre-trip site visit to your location (Ashland and Yakima leaders only)
  • Develop the trip itinerary, working with community members to schedule service projects and learning experiences
  • Attend AB leader training workshops to better prepare for the trip leader role (approximately two four hour trainings in areas of civic engagement frameworks, facilitation and reflection, sustainability and fair trade learning, budget, and risk management)
  • Build community among team before, during, and after the trip
  • Facilitate pre-trip meetings and post-trip reunion/reflection meeting to provide necessary orientation and context for successful trip (identity-based, social issue, and service-learning reflection and education)
  • Plan daily reflection, dialogic, and/or processing activities for trip
  • Lead or facilitate daily service projects and educational/reflective sessions
  • Drive the van on the trip
  • Work collaboratively as a team member and with your co-lead; maintain consistent and clear communication with your co-lead
  • Lead group through daily agenda and address issues and logistics concerns that may arise
  • Facilitate group decision making about logistics, meal times, sustainability practices, free time activities, etc.Take the lead in case of an emergency to ensure safety and wellbeing of participants to maximum extent possible (SLI staff will be on-call to support and provide counsel/advice as needed)
  • Respond to any medical of health emergency or crisis and support the wellbeing of all program participants
  • Consult with program advisors regularly during the trip, especially around any risk or wellbeing concerns
  • Create and implement assessment and evaluation of the trip
  • Take care of oneself and the well-being of team members
  • Host a post-trip gathering/reflective meeting
  • Create an executive summary and planning transition notes for your Alternative Break
  • Complete wrap up and evaluation tasks including compiling photos, forms, assessment and evaluation data, etc. to report the story and impact of your Alternative Break

In addition to the responsibilities and duties required of a trip leader, there are expectations we have for leads and participants alike to ensure the Alternative Break experience is centered on teambuilding, learning, and community. In order for all team members to get the most of the program, everyone needs to be committed to the experience.

  • Participate in ALL pre- and post-trip meetings, all group educational and team building activities to the best of one's ability, and co-lead orientation and trainings (see “Time Commitment” section for required dates).
  • Support the mission of Alternative Break as a program that is focused on immersive community-engaged learning experiences centered on personal growth and leadership development through community projects, education sessions, reflection, and teambuilding; this experience is not a vacation or site seeing experience.
  • Lead by example and be a role model for participants.
  • Sign an Alternative Break Learning agreement.
  • Be open to processing (at your own comfort level) the Alternative Break experience individually and as a group through organized reflection, journaling, and other activities.
  • Serve as a positive role model and representative of Oregon State University while on and off campus.
  • Be respectful of diverse community and cultural norms and values (cultural humility) that you may experience in community and/or with members of the Alternative Break team; expect to learn and be challenged.
  • Be willing to explore diverse perspectives, opinions and to advance cultural competency and sensitivity.
  • Commit to being an active contributor to your team and show respect for fellow team members, community partners, and populations with whom you are completing projects.
  • Embrace experiences working independently as well as with a team or group.
  • Be organized, self-motivated, adaptable, and flexible.
  • Take responsibility for personal needs and wellbeing including communicating those needs.
  • Adhere to OSU Student Conduct Code on trip.
  • Refrain from the use or possession of alcohol or any controlled substance/drugs for the duration of the experience

Participating on an Alternative Break is a significant time commitment. You must be available for the following dates and times. In addition, Trip Leaders are expected to be in the Community Engagement & Leadership office (SEC 250) for 2 hours every week to work on trip logistics, and meeting either weekly or bi-weekly with CEL staff for support and check in about trip planning and management.

  • Sunday, November 17 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm for Alternative Break Trip Leader Training #1
  • Sunday, January 12 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm for Alternative Break Trip Leader Training #2
  • Saturday/Sunday, February 1/2 or 15/16 for Yakima and Ashland Site Visits
  • Friday, February 7 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for Alternative Break Trip Meeting #1
  • Friday, February 21 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for Alternative Break Trip Meeting #2
  • Friday, February 28 From 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm For Alternative Break Trip Leader Training #3
  • Friday, March 6 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for Alternative Break Trip Meeting #3
  • Friday, March 22 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for Alternative Break Send Off
  • Saturday, March 21 to Saturday, March 28* for Alternative Break Trip *Ashland, Returns Friday, March 27
  • Friday, April 3 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for Alternative Break Reorientation
  • Demonstrated interest in and passion for community engagement, leadership, sustainability, and/or social justice
  • Knowledge of and sensitivity to issues experienced by historically underrepresented students (including, but not limited to, students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, students from low income backgrounds, veterans, first generation students, transfer students, students with various spiritual/religious beliefs and political affiliations, etc.)
  • Demonstrated ability in effective verbal and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated interpersonal communication, relationship building, and collaboration skills
  • Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated and take initiative in following through on tasks
  • Evident reliability, punctuality, and dependability  Demonstrated ability to manage time and organize work with attention to detail
  • Demonstrated knowledge of standard computer programs, specifically Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and Google (G Suite)
  • Must be a currently enrolled at OSU for at least 6 academic credits (undergraduates) or 3 credits (graduates) per term
  • Must be in good academic standing, which means a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (undergraduates) or 3.0 (graduates)
  • Interest or experience in public speaking or facilitation
  • Experience in social justice or diversity work and/or working with diverse populations
  • Knowledge of or experience with event and program planning
  • Demonstrated ability to work individually and collaboratively as part of a team
  • Knowledge of or experience with the community and population(s) your team will work with on the trip
  • Experience working with community agencies and nonprofit organizations
  • Experience with partnership development and collaborative programs
  • Work study eligible
  • Willingness and ability to drive a Motorpool 12-passenger van
  • Appointment is dependent on a satisfactory FERPA training completion and the OSU Motorpool 12-passenger van training
  • Hired for the 2020 spring break or zero week trips with the expectation of employment during the fall, winter, and spring terms, with the bulk of work taking place during the winter term for spring break trips and during the spring term for the zero week trip.
  • Work will be office based and field/community based
  • During trip, expected to facilitate Alternative Break curriculum and be on call for the duration of the week
  • Plan and complete a site visit for your trip with your co-lead early in the term prior to your trip (Exception: San Francisco)
  • During the winter term, expected to work an average of 2-6 hours each week
  • Work evening and weekend hours, as required, to support trainings, trip planning, and team meetings
  • Required to attend leader trainings, supervisory meetings, and trip team meetings
  • If physically able to do so, employees may be asked to lift or carry event supplies, equipment, or materials weighing up to 25 pounds and push or pull carts weighing up to 50 pounds
  • Work stations are located in a shared work area and may include regular distractions and interruptions
  • The week of the Alternative Break will be spent off site. Alternative Breaks can be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging as a result of the immersive nature of the trips and completing service projects, often requiring physical labor and reflection activities over the course of a 5 to 6 day period.
  • Alternative break leaders can participate in either an internship (credit bearing) or student employment pathway
  • For employment pathway, pay rate starts at $11.75 per hour and field/community based work will be unit based pay or stipend.
  • Required to fully participate in site leader trainings, trip orientations, sendoff event, and reorientation
  • Strongly encouraged to attend other leadership and social justice training opportunities whenever possible

OSU commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.