Community Engagement & Leadership

Explore the complex, multi-faceted factors at play impacting food and housing security in San Francisco, CA. Learn about houselessness issues in major urban areas including relevant short-term relief and potential long-term solutions, and gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of the community organizations addressing these issues. Participants will complete service projects centered on addressing food and housing insecurity, while meeting and working alongside local visionaries who actively address these issues in their communities. The trip will include hands-on direct service work such as preparing and serving meals, and assembling wellness kits that may include toiletry, hygiene, and/or harm reduction materials. We will also engage in educational sessions with local community leaders, deeply reflective street retreats, and team dialogue and activities. On our community immersion day, we will explore San Francisco by electing group outings that may include visiting Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Pier 39, Chinatown, shops, and/or other options.

Please note: Participants will do a fair amount of walking (1-2 miles on some days) and take public transportation around the city to travel between projects and sessions. Additionally, some food packing projects may ask participants to work with common allergens (e.g. peanuts). We will work to find suitable accommodations to the best of our ability.

Lodging: Hostel

Uncover the human face, cost, and impact of land acquisition, settler colonialism, and immigration by exploring the influx and interplay of different cultural groups in the Yakima Valley, WA.  This program offers a wide variety of experiences and narratives. We focus on the experiences of: Native Americans from the Yakama Nation, Filipino-Americans, the Latino/a/x community, undocumented migrant workers and their families, those experiencing housing insecurity, children, economic disparities, food insecurity, influences of agriculture, environmental justice, and more. Each day is filled with vitally important information that assists in the understanding of the systemic roots of oppression and marginalization in the Yakima Valley, while recognizing the resilience of communities co-existing together. Through direct service work, educational sessions with community leaders, and team reflective activities, we will examine the buried roots of communities’ historical relationship to the land and explore implications for the present and future of different cultural groups in the region. During our community immersion day, the group will elect outings that may include a group hike or park visit, a community festival or fair, a visit to Yakama Nation Cultural Center or Yakima Valley Museum, or exploring historical art murals.

Lodging: Retreat center or Air Bnb

Discover the pressing environmental conservation and restoration issues in the Ashland, OR area. Participants will complete direct service projects that may include creek restoration, planting native species, mulching, invasive species removal, garden-based projects, trail building/maintenance, and other environmental restoration/conservation projects with a variety of community organizations. We will meet with local environmental leaders to learn about threats to the natural environment, local factors impacting natural habitats and ecosystems, renewable energy, waste reduction, and various sustainability topics. Participants will explore power and privilege in the environmental movement, and examine connections between environmental, social, economic justice. This trip will include many physical, hands-on direct service projects, educational sessions, and team reflective activities. On our community immersion day, we will explore Ashland by electing group outings that may include hiking, attend the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, visit shops, and/or other options.

Please note: participants will need to bring outdoor clothing that they don’t mind getting wet/dirty including rain jackets, hiking/outdoor boots, hat, gloves/mittens, and extra layers. Ashland can have unpredictable weather at this time of year including cold temperatures, rain, and even snow, so participants should be prepared to do outdoor service projects in these conditions. If you do not have access to any of the outdoor gear listed above, let us know and we will share resources. This program is more physically laborious than the other programs due to the nature of the service projects. Participants will be encouraged to take breaks and rests as needed throughout the experience.

Lodging: Willow-Witt Ranch Meadow House (local net zero energy ranch focused on sustainable farming)

Participating in Alt. Break is a significant time commitment. Participants must be available for all of the program dates and times listed below.

• Team Meeting #1: Monday, February 27 | 5:00-7:00 pm

• Team Meeting #2: Monday, March 6 | 5:00-7:00 pm

• Team Meeting #3: Monday, March 13 | 5:00-7:00 pm

• Send-Off: Friday, March 24 | 5:00-7:00 pm

• Program Dates: Saturday, March 25th-Saturday, April 1st

• Reorientation: Friday, April 7 | 5:00-7:00 pm

During Team Meetings, you'll get to know the other 8-10 students on your team and the two student staff co-leaders for your group. You'll learn about the community you'll be traveling to, the program itinerary, and other logistics! The Team Meetings also cover teambuilding and leadership topics such as values and leveraging your strengths and other's strengths in collaborative work. 

The Send-Off is an exciting dinner event where all 3 teams come together the night before leaving! And at Reorientation, everyone will come back together after the traveling program to reconnect, reflect, and take what they've learned from the experience into their lives at OSU and beyond!

Additionally, you will be asked to commit 3-4 hours total outside the times listed above to review materials and resources (articles, videos, etc.) that include background information about the history and social issues in the host community.

Please let us know if you have any extenuating circumstances that might cause you to be unavailable for certain dates, as exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Program Fee: $200

We strive to set a program fee that accurately reflects the value that the Alt. Break program offers to student participants. We charge a program fee to recover some of the cost for offering the Alt. Break program, and as an added layer of commitment from participants.

The $200 program fee covers the following:

• Transportation from the OSU Corvallis campus to the program location and back
• Lodging in shared/communal housing (ex. Air BnB, hostel, ranch house etc.)
• Food:
  • 7 dinners: 6 prepared by the team and 1 dinner out together
  • Food staples for preparing breakfast, lunch, and travel meals.
  • Note: If participants would like travel meals or want to supplement the staple groceries provided for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they are responsible for purchasing any additional groceries they may want
• Full week-long (7-day) itinerary of engaging service projects, educational sessions, and reflective activities with community organizations and fellow program participants. The co-leaders work extremely hard to plan and facilitate an engaging, educational, valuable, and fun experience for program participants!
• 3 pre-trip team meetings that give you the opportunity to build connections and learn about the program
• 2 dinners provided outside the 7-day traveling program at the Send-Off and Reorientation

Program Fee Waivers

Program fee waivers are available to cover a portion or all of the program fee on a sliding scale based on a "contribute what you can, take what you need" policy.

We are committed to equity and access. We hope the program fee does not create undue stress due to your personal circumstances. We believe that no student should be excluded from participating due to financial barriers. What's most important is that the students who are selected to participate are fully committed to the Alt. Break program.

At the end of the application, you will be able to indicate the amount of the program fee you are able to pay, and we will waive the rest, no questions asked.

Please note, if you are in a position to contribute the majority or all of the fee, it will allow us to ensure we can offer program fee waivers for students who need it most into the future. 

No payment is due at the time of application. Final payment due dates will be communicated to students who are selected to participate.

Expectations

The Alt. Break experience is centered on team building, learning, relational leadership development, inclusivity, and community building. To create the most meaningful experience for yourself, your teammates, and our community partners, we ask that you be engaged to the fullest extent possible throughout the entire program by upholding the following commitments.

• Participate in ALL elements of the Alt. Break program to the best of one's ability. This includes pre and post-program meetings (Team Meetings, Send-off, & Reorientation), and the service projects, educational sessions, and activities during the traveling portion of the program (see “Time Commitment” section for required dates & times).
• Support the mission of Alternative Break as a program that is focused on immersive community-engaged learning experiences centered on personal growth, relational leadership development, community building, and creating social change through service projects, educational sessions, reflection, and team building. This experience is not a vacation or sightseeing experience.
• 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 communities, identities, lived experiences, cultural norms, and values (practice cultural humility) that you may experience in communities and/or with members of the Alt. Break team.
• Be willing to explore diverse perspectives, opinions, and experiences. Practice empathy, deep listening, and vulnerability. Advance and center inclusivity, social consciousness, and mindfulness of others. Ultimately, expect to learn and be challenged.
• Assume best intent, attend to impact: We all make mistakes and this is part of our learning and growing. Be committed to taking accountability for our actions and addressing any impact on others.
• Be 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 the team or group.
• Be organized, self-motivated, adaptable, and flexible.
• Practice self-care by taking responsibility for personal needs and wellbeing including communicating those needs to Alt. Break Leaders.
• Adhere to OSU Code of Student Conduct before, during, and after the program.
• Refrain from the use or possession of alcohol or any non-prescription controlled substance/drugs for the duration of the experience.
• Sign an Alternative Break Learning Agreement.

A note on personal wellbeing:

Alternative Breaks are often physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging as a result of the immersive nature of the program. The experience is both challenging and rewarding due to long days spent completing service projects and educational sessions, which often require physical labor, dialogues, and reflection activities on social issues over the course of a 5 to 6 day period. Participants are asked and encouraged to take responsibility for their wellbeing during the trip by planning ahead to prepare themselves as best as possible for the experience and making needs known to the team and Alt. Break Leaders so accommodations and plans can be made that account for the needs of all team members. Participants will complete a self-care planning activity to support this process.

⚠️ Required Protocols for Spring Break 2023 

To participate in the Alt. Break program, you will be asked to do ALL of the following:

1. Be in compliance with OSU’s Vaccination Program before program departure.
   • Students with a medical or non-medical exemption to OSU’s Vaccination Program will be provided accommodations to participate and should contact CEL ([email protected] or 541-737-3041) to discuss accommodations specific to the Alternative Break program further.
2. Adhere to OSU’s current COVID-19 Safety & Success Policy to prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants, staff members, and community partners.
   • Certain parts of the Alt. Break program may involve adhering to additional local COVID-19 policies and protocols in the communities that students visit that may be different than OSU's COVID-19 Safety & Success Policy. Local policies and protocols may include masking and showing proof of vaccination. Therefore, to participate, students will be expected to uphold any additional requirements in effect at the time of the program. We will share any updates on additional policies and protocols as soon as they are available and work with students needing program specific accommodations to participate
3. Take a free COVID-19 test and receive the result before program departure on Saturday, March 25, 2023. 
   • If you receive a positive test result before program departure, we ask that you not travel with  the program, and follow OSU's positive case notification protocols and current isolation & quarantine guidance, or the most current protocols and guidance in effect at the time of the program.
   • If you receive a positive test result and remove yourself from the program prior to departure, you will receive a reimbursement for the full Alt. Break program fee ($200).

Recommended Protocols:

In addition to the required protocols above, it is highly recommended that you do the following to prioritize the health of all program participants and to reduce the likelihood of a positive COVID-19 case(s) during the program.

1. Some community partners may require showing proof of both being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and being “up to date” with COVID-19 vaccination or having a COVID-19 booster. For this reason, we strongly encourage all participants to be up to date with their COVID-19 boosters by program departure in order to be able to participate in all of the program’s activities and the full itinerary.
2. If you are symptomatic or have a known exposure on the program, take a COVID-19 test within 48 hours after returning from the program.
   • If you receive a positive test result before program departure, we ask that you remove yourself from the program, and follow OSU's positive case notification protocols and current isolation & quarantine guidance, or the most current protocols and guidance in effect at the time of the program.
3. During the program: Continue adhering to OSU’s current COVID-19 Safety & Success Policy including:
   • Self-screen for symptoms daily and report any symptoms of COVID-19 to an Alt. Break Leader as soon as you become aware of the symptoms.

Protocols for handling potential positive COVID-19 cases during the program will be shared with students who are accepted into the program.

If you have any questions about these required protocols, please contact us at [email protected] or 541-737-3041.

• Must be a currently enrolled OSU student at the Corvallis campus
• Must be in good university standing (academic and student conduct)

If you have extenuating, unexpected medical, academic, or family/personal circumstances that are out of your control and need to cancel your participation, you may be reimbursed for any expenses that Community Engagement & Leadership can recover. The emergency must arise before the program starts to receive any refund. Students will be asked to provide a signed request for any partial refund that summarizes the extenuating circumstances.

Please communicate any need to cancel as soon as possible so we can work with you. If you or Community Engagement & Leadership is able to identify a replacement participant that meets trip criteria, a full refund may be possible.

If accessibility accommodations are needed in order to participate in the program, please contact us at [email protected] or 541-737-3041.

Please contact us as soon as possible and preferably no less than one month in advance of the program dates due to the immersive nature of the experience.

The Alternative Break program at Oregon State University dates back to 2010. Site locations largely developed out of personal connections and student leader interests in the early years to establish programs in Yakima, Washington (established 2010) and San Francisco, California (established 2012). Additional program locations including Ashland/southern Oregon and Warm Springs, Oregon (established 2013) were developed with a desire to cultivate deeper connections within the state of Oregon, meet known community need, and maintain sites within driving distance of the OSU Corvallis campus. The Warm Springs program was created with the specific intent to maximize the community knowledge and connections within OSU Extension Services across the state and facilitate student exposure to the impact and work of Extension Services. Program expansion is a goal moving forward. Additional program sites may be selected and developed in ways that balance diversifying the social issues/causes examined within the program and existing relationships between the community and OSU.