Casa Alumni Volunteer ProgramStarting Fall 2007 On April 13, 2005 Santa Clara University and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) entered into a partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. The hope of the Understanding is that both CRS and SCU may draw upon each others strengths and find ways of collaborating together. The Casa de la Solidaridad Volunteer Program is fruit of this agreement. History Casa de la Solidaridad is a unique community-based learning program where students spend a semester studying in the cultural context of El Salvador. Based on academic background, personal interests, and professional goals students are paired up with a fellow classmate and assigned a praxis site in a local Salvadoran marginal / poor community. Students learn from that community two full days a week for the entire semester. This learning environment cultivates an awareness of and sensitivity to the realities of those who are struggling to end social injustices while working to promote human dignity. This community-based education is intentionally linked to their other courses such as political science, sociology, theology, Salvadoran literature, anthropology, Spanish, and history. The program draws inspiration from the lives of the six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter who were murdered at the University of Central America (UCA) on November 16, 1989 and from all the people of El Salvador who suffered during the civil war, especially those who were killed in their struggle for solidarity and social justice. In recent years, the Casa has experienced a high demand from alumni for opportunities to return to El Salvador. Many alumni have expressed the desire for a longer experience of learning from and with the poor. The Casa Volunteer Program has been created to help students fulfill this desire. Description of Volunteer Program and Responsibilities Casa Responsibilities: The Casa provides overall support for volunteers. This includes (but is not limited to) orientation upon arrival; disorientation upon departure; formation opportunities in the form of retreats, workshops, trips to other volunteer programs and resources to encourage ongoing development; and overall supervision, support and accompaniment of the volunteers. The Casa staff assists volunteers with loan deferrals and other logistical pre-departure issues. A full time Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for the overall support of the volunteers and coordination of the program. CRS Responsibilities: CRS is in a unique position to assist in the creation of this program. CRS in El Salvador provides volunteers with placement sites in marginal communities. In addition, they share with volunteers their expertise of doing local development work in El Salvador Volunteer Responsibilities: Volunteers understand and strive to embrace the mission and tenets of the Casa Volunteer Program by working full time in a marginal Salvadoran community in either Suchitoto or Bajo Lempa. The work of the volunteers should evolve from a process of sharing, dialogue, and analysis amongst volunteers and local actors over the initial period of 3-6 months. The needs, capacities and interests of volunteers should be assessed and matched up with the needs, capacities and interests of Salvadorans and Salvadoran grassroots organizations. Also, volunteers are expected to participate in the various aspects of the Casa Volunteer Program such as community and spirituality nights, as well as retreats and activities for personal growth and development. In addition, volunteers agree to assist in the formation of Casa students by participating in activities such as orientation, community nights, the campo experience, etc. Volunteers are also expected to assist in the welcome and orientation of new volunteers as well as in program evaluations. Mission Statement Solidarity Throughout the 12 year civil war, many people risked their lives to accompany the people of El Salvador. One of the goals for the volunteer program is to draw strength, wisdom, and inspiration from the Salvadorans themselves as well as from the many people around the world who chose to walk with them (el pueblo) during a very difficult and oppressive time. The Casa Volunteer Program strives to carry on the legacy of this rich international solidarity history by providing volunteers with an opportunity to accompany Salvadorans and Salvadoran grassroots organizations working to bring about true democracy and social justice. Through mutual learning, sharing and empowerment, we seek to fortify ourselves and others as actors and agents in the global struggle for justice, peace, and diversity. Community Concretely, volunteers live together in houses that provide a way to give and receive support. By sharing dinner, discussions, prayer, and hanging out, they renew and encourage one other to continue their work and to reflect on their vocation in the future. Volunteers challenge each other to form honest and open relationships. This means respectfully confronting tensions and addressing and celebrating differences. Through participation in the household, jobs, and local communities and churches, volunteers learn valuable skills in communication and interdependence that prove useful throughout life. Integrating Faith The Casa Volunteer Program promotes the development and exploration of a faith which does justice. The Casa Volunteer Programs draws inspiration from the legacy of liberation theology and specifically from Monseñor Oscar Romero who took seriously the realities of the poor and incorporated their realities in theological exploration (God, Jesus, Reign of God). Although the Casa Volunteer Program is open to alumni from various faith traditions, reflecting on the meaning of one’s faith is highly valued. Taking time to reflect communally and individually on our faith journey is a central component to the program. Casa staff provide retreats, resources and visits to support and encourage the volunteers’ faith lives. Volunteers also commit to weekly communal prayer as a way to deepen faith, support ministry, and grow in their relationships with one another and with God. Living Simply This is especially critical given the influence of consumerism in El Salvador at this time. By choosing to embrace a simple lifestyle, Casa Volunteers denounce the growing trend that consumption and wealth are paths to wholeness and happiness. On the contrary, it is through relationships, dialogue, and community that one finds true joy. In community, volunteers define their common lifestyle by making consensus decisions about food purchases, recycling, appliance, recreational activities, etc. Social Justice Living and working as a Casa Volunteer means exposure to the complexities of the systemic injustices faced by the disenfranchised in a way that is impossible to experience simply through statistics and stories. A connection to the local community will allow for deeper exploration into some of the systemic issues of injustice and the tools for working with them. During structured retreats and activities, volunteers are encouraged to examine the causes of injustice and to search for creative, long-term solutions and faith-filled responses. Integrating Academics with Immersion
Compensation: MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAM NOTES: |
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