CSA Team Member Guide Table of Contents: S T On the ground guide ………………………………….page 1-6 A bit about CSA………………………………………………Page 7 Our Staff………………………………………………………..Pages 8-9 Welcome to DR……………………….…………………..Pages 10-11 What to expect……………………………………………..Pages 12-13 DR Map…………………………………………………………Page 14 Important contacts……………………………………..Page 15 TABLE OF CONTEN I) PROGRAM SUMMARY: The program will be broken up into two parts: the first consisting of small group Spanish immersion, cultural field activities and academic presentations from local professionals to provide a context to the Dominican Republic and an introduction to social issues in the developing-world context. These activities are aimed at preparing II) OVERALL ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES: participants for the service component during the second part of the At the close of this 9 day Academic Service Learning Experiences, program. The second portion of the program will be concentrated in participants should: the field with a service-learning experience in the rural community of El Be familiar with Dominican history, language, culture and customs Cerrito, El Seybo where you will support the community outreach and understand how these elements have played a key role in the program in the rural community of El Cerrito, aiding in the Mi Vida en behavior and culture of Dominicans today. Juego program along with installation of filters as part of a large-scale Be able to conduct critical analysis of present social issues and community health project. training of a core of health promoters and systemic responses in the Dominican Republic. youth leaders on health prevention topics, aid in the painting, data Compare and contrast urban and rural life in the Dominican analysis and mapping at the local primary care clinic and conduct Republic. outreach in the community together with promoters. This schedule will Apply knowledge, skills in support of a grassroots development allow the group to experience a wide variety of experiences in the initiative through CSA’s projects. Dominican Republic and make contrasts between rural and urban life while contributing to one of CSA’s local projects. 1 2 In the morning, we’ll have a field visit to the markets and colmados to DETAILED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES discuss the economy of a Dominican household. We’ll have lunch followed SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2015 by a merengue class at Ecos Dance studio. CSA will meet you at the airport and we’ll travel to Santo Domingo to Hotel Maison Gautraeux, which will be your home for the first few days. We will SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 have a welcome dinner and orientation to your program. We’ll be heading to the rural town of San Francisco de Macoris for an exchange and tour of a farm where Cacao is produced. You’ll get an SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015 After breakfast, we’ll pick you up and will have a full introduction to the overview of the economy of rural areas and get an introduction to all of the program followed Spanish evaluations. After lunch at CSA, we’ll have an locally grown products that are exported, including a chance to sample opportunity to exchange money to get settled. cacao. SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2015 MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 In the morning, you’ll have an initial lecture by Atenas Carmona focused on Early in the morning, we will depart for Hato Mayor where our service work Culture and Sub-culture. Lunch will be at CSA. will begin. Upon arrival, we’ll get settled and have a short orientation to After lunch, you’ll have Spanish class followed by an interactive discussion our rural service experience. Mid morning, we’ll visit El Cerrito and get to about Dominican History. know the community and individuals you will be supporting. MONDAY JANUARY 12-THURSDAY JANUARY 15, 2014 TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015 We will have a lecture focused on the Platform for Social Services in the DR, Each day we’ll divide up into work groups, one group working with the led by local health professionals. Case study analysis will complement this youth program to finalize the baseball field, the other working in the exercise. Lunch will be at CSA. In the afternoon, we’ll visit a local community to install water filters and begin the community vegetable organization to engage in a discussion about the role of non profits in public garden. Lunch will be on site each day and we’ll return at about 4:30pm to health activities, hearing the experience of COIN, an NGO that works with the hotel for some rest and relaxation. Dinner will be at 6:30-7:00pm. Each HIV/AIDS, youth and other social programming. evening, we’ll have a session to process the day and journal after dinner. FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 We’ll depart early in the morning for a field trip to Santiago to visit the We will spend the last day full of adventure, where we will travel to second largest city in the DR to see the historical sites and tour the Centro Bayahibe for a boat cruise to Saona island. We spend the day relaxing at the Leon museum. beach, swimming and soaking in the sun. Lunch will be at the beach and after you will have a chance to pick up last minute souvenirs and then THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015 As part of your Spanish class, we’ll take tour of the historical Colonial Zone, return to our hotel in Hato Mayor. stopping at key spots to take in the history and culture of the Old City. In the evening, we’ll have our program wrap-up and evaluations. We’ll have lunch and have a chance to visit the local Mercado Modelo. SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2014 We will have an early breakfast, pack and depart for the airport. FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2015 3 4 LODGING AND OTHER LOGISTICS SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT- EL During the first portion of the trip in Santo Domingo, the group will be CERRITO lodged in double and triple rooms in a modest hotel called Maison El Cerrito is a community that lacks water and electricity and site for Gautraux, located in Gazcue. You will have breakfast and dinner at the CSA’s youth at risk sports and education program (Mi Vida en Juego). hotel and lunch at CSA´s center. During the second half of the trip the We have decided to expand many of our efforts to this community given group will stay at Hotel Las Colinas in Hato Mayor. The site provides a the needs that it presents as well as the active participation of pool, recreation spaces and a beautiful terrain. Internet access will be community members. Your efforts will help to both finalize the baseball limited and can be accessed via a computer. Participants will share field for the youth program as well as kick off our public health rooms with other members from your group and you will have breakfast interventions with installation of water filters and breaking ground to and dinner at the Hotel. Each day, you will be transported by CSA staff begin the community vegetable garden. This support is part of ongoing at 8:30 a.m. to your project site. Presentations and fieldtrips will support to the El Cerrito community, together with local community typically end around 4:30 or 5:00p.m., when you will return to the hotel organizations, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education. and have dinner in the evening. TRAVEL 6 The group will travel in a mini-bus while in the country. Transportation to and from the airport, to Hato Mayor, and within Hato Mayor, El Seibo and Santo Domingo will take place on these mini-bus driven by a professional driver. SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT DETAILSCONSTRUCTION OF VEGETABLE GARDENS During your time in the community, you will be working to support CSA’s health initiatives in the rural community of El Cerrrito in the El Seibo province. 5 6 A bit about Our staff is a dynamic team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to bringing life Our changing experiences Staff through cross -cultural programs. The Community Service Alliance (CSA) Here at CSA, we believe in the power of bringing together people who dare to Rigil-kent Ballester is the co-founder and Director of CSA. He has a B.A challenge the status quo – international volunteers and students who are passionate in Education and is a certified instructor of Spanish as a second language. Rigil brings to CSA over 18 years of experience in the design about making a difference and local leaders who can envision a better future for their families and their communities – will result in lives that are changed and communities 8 and implementation of service learning programs with foreign that are transformed. Universities, and has provided language and technical training for international volunteer corps and embassies. Each of our International Exchange Programs are designed to take the energy, abilities, and passion of our Elizabeth Conklin the co-founder and Management Advisor of CSA. international volunteers and students, and partner them After graduating from Ithaca College in Health Education, Elizabeth with a local community where they will come together, first and adults living in a Haitian-Dominican batey (impoverished sharing in knowledge, hard work, and triumphs. community). In addition to founding CSA, she has collaborated on a variety of public development projects with USAID, United Nations and We work directly with local communities and grassroots organizations to identify Global Fund, with a particular focus on HIV and Maternal/Child Health. needs. Then, we develop our volunteer projects and internships to respond to these Elizabeth received her Master's in Public Health from the University of specific community-identified needs.