Start Date
10-8-2010 3:30 PM
End Date
10-8-2010 5:00 PM
Description
The Bridge Year Program is a 9-month program that enables newly admitted undergraduate students from Princeton University to spend a year of public service in Serbia, with Princeton University support, before they begin their studies. The program in Serbia, implemented by SIT/WL, includes individualized community service placements in youth organizations in Novi Sad (September to December 2009) and Roma organizations in Niš (January to May 2010) as well as group activities including orientation, intensive language training, weekly debriefings, local educational excursions and enrichment programs. Students live with families in the community they are serving, and they receive on-site language training. Academic 2009-2010 was the first year of program implementation.
This presentation will be focused on the BY students’ lessons learned from their service placement experience in Serbia.
Each actor in this program had its own assumptions and expectations how service work would contribute to the local communities. On one hand BY program expected students to help the organizations in which they were placed. It is interesting to explore what is the meaning of help. On the other hand students had their own initial assumptions that they will change the world coming to some rural areas. These were their ideas before they actually came to Serbia when they didn’t know what the country looks like. It was interesting to observe the process of their adjustment and how their assumptions were changing.
The presentation will describe the type of placements and structure of the work, how organizations function in Serbia, whether they are donor driven, how students were becoming real members of their organizations, and how they were growing.
After experience in hosting students for their placements, NGOs in Serbia stressed importance of presence of the U.S. students in Serbia after so many years of isolation of Serbia. One of the Roma leaders in Nis, Mr. Osman Balic pointed out how these students were more influential and valuable than top diplomats in creation and re-creation of the public opinion towards Americans and the US in general, in breaking stereotypes. All organizations, both in Novi Sad and in Nis, agreed that students contributed a lot, even though they are only 18 years old, and lack professional experience or specific expertise. They all agree that these types of programs are important and benefits are multiple for all parties involved. Many organizations and homestay families had no prior experience in hosting International volunteers.
The manual for BY service placement will be presented, which was adapted from community youth work.
Service Placements and Reciprocity on the Bridge Year Program in Serbia
The Bridge Year Program is a 9-month program that enables newly admitted undergraduate students from Princeton University to spend a year of public service in Serbia, with Princeton University support, before they begin their studies. The program in Serbia, implemented by SIT/WL, includes individualized community service placements in youth organizations in Novi Sad (September to December 2009) and Roma organizations in Niš (January to May 2010) as well as group activities including orientation, intensive language training, weekly debriefings, local educational excursions and enrichment programs. Students live with families in the community they are serving, and they receive on-site language training. Academic 2009-2010 was the first year of program implementation.
This presentation will be focused on the BY students’ lessons learned from their service placement experience in Serbia.
Each actor in this program had its own assumptions and expectations how service work would contribute to the local communities. On one hand BY program expected students to help the organizations in which they were placed. It is interesting to explore what is the meaning of help. On the other hand students had their own initial assumptions that they will change the world coming to some rural areas. These were their ideas before they actually came to Serbia when they didn’t know what the country looks like. It was interesting to observe the process of their adjustment and how their assumptions were changing.
The presentation will describe the type of placements and structure of the work, how organizations function in Serbia, whether they are donor driven, how students were becoming real members of their organizations, and how they were growing.
After experience in hosting students for their placements, NGOs in Serbia stressed importance of presence of the U.S. students in Serbia after so many years of isolation of Serbia. One of the Roma leaders in Nis, Mr. Osman Balic pointed out how these students were more influential and valuable than top diplomats in creation and re-creation of the public opinion towards Americans and the US in general, in breaking stereotypes. All organizations, both in Novi Sad and in Nis, agreed that students contributed a lot, even though they are only 18 years old, and lack professional experience or specific expertise. They all agree that these types of programs are important and benefits are multiple for all parties involved. Many organizations and homestay families had no prior experience in hosting International volunteers.
The manual for BY service placement will be presented, which was adapted from community youth work.