Faculty and Staff AB Information
Mandatory Staff Training Dates:
- Saturday, October 22nd, 2011 from 9am-2pm (joint training with student leaders)
- Thursday, November 3rd, 2011 convo
What is a staff / faculty person’s role on an Alternative Break? (please read before applying)
The nuances of your role on an Alternative Break can be difficult to navigate. Staff / faculty members are considered participants on the trip. You will not be responsible for preparing students, planning the trip, leading group discussions or facilitating reflection. For the most part, these are responsibilities of our student site leaders, of which there are two per trip. Your role is to learn from this experience as would any student participant, and to fully participate in all activities and group reflections.
Staff and faculty are asked to help and support student leaders behind the scenes, and to empower them to fulfill their responsibilies as peer leaders. This role is much like being on a leadership team, except the student leaders are the "public" leaders to the rest of the group. To ensure the safety of our students and quality of experience, we ask for staff and faculty to work with our student leaders to make team decisions when deemed necessary, and to respond to any emergencies. Staff and faculty are also responsible for all financial related responsibilities on the trips.
While we ask staff and faculty to act as participants on an AB trip, please keep in mind that you are also a role model to students at all times (24/7). We ask staff and faculty to model good behavior and good team work. Alternative Breaks is a group travel experience, and while as adults, we are used to traveling our own way, Alternative Breaks requires staff and faculty to often give up personal needs/comforts for the good of the group. For example, sleeping accomodations are often in group dorms/hostels/churches, which means that staff and faculty often have to share a room with multiple students. Please contact Jessica Viramontes at jessica.viramontes@lmu.edu if you have any questions or concerns regarding the role of a staff/faculty person on an Alternative Breaks trip.
What is the application process for staff / faculty to be placed on an Alternative Break?
After submitting your online application (see below) please call CSA at 310.338.2959 to schedule an interview time. Staff / faculty interviews will take place Oct 3rd-Oct 7th. All applicants will be interviewed by the AB Program Coordinator and AB Student Team. After confirming your participation in the program with your supervisor, staff / faculty will be notified of the AB Team's decisions by October 14th. Each year we have much staff / faculty interest in the AB program and because there are limited trips available, please understand that not all staff / faculty who apply will be placed on a trip. If you do not schedule an interview either in person or by phone, your application cannot be considered.
Financial Commitment
All faculty and staff: If you accept placement on an international trip, you are responsible for paying for any necessary immunizations and/or medications. Otherwise, the Alternative Breaks program will pay for room and board, transportation, and costs associated with volunteering with the host site for one staff member per trip (some trips already have staff assigned). Faculty participation (except immunizations and/or medications) is generally funded by departments, schools, and colleges. If selected to participate in the AB program, CSA will solicit funding from the appropriate sources.
- Faculty / Staff Application
