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Philippines Study and Leadership Experience
December 2011 - January 2012

Rationale

Service Learning
A unique and distinguishing component of this program is the concept of “service learning”.  Service learning can be identified as experiential education when the learner adopts a life role that provides meaningful service to a community in order to learn about oneself and others.  The pedagogical value of the service increases when the following are added to the learning:  an academic component designed to prepare the learner in terms of content and competencies relevant to the service; an opportunity to reflect upon and think critically about the experience; an element of adventure and challenge; an international and cross-cultural context; and an alignment of individual, placement, and system goals. 

Affiliation
This program will be delivered with the cooperation and support of ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor). ANCOP is a worldwide network of charities rooted in Catholic Values.

Mission: Working Together for the Integral Human Development of the Poor by building shared commitments and mobilizing resources through values formation, shelter, education, productivity, health and environment stewardship.

www.ancopcanada.com

Participants

Youth
Approximately 20 young people will be selected for admission to this program and will include primarily high school students.  There will also be approximately 6 adults accompanying the students and participating in this program. This number has been governed by the practical exigencies of traveling to this area of the world.  Participants will be selected according to the following criteria:
 
            1.        Trustworthiness and reliability
            2.        Respectfulness of other people and cultures
            3.        Adaptability to new experiences
            4.        Fitness
            5.        Pleasant disposition
           
Interested students will be invited to submit an application and two letters of reference attesting to their suitability according to the criteria cited above. 

Leader
The leader for Adventure Learning Experiences for this trip is Michael Consul - Student Leadership/Staff Development Resource Teacher for the TCDSB.

Code of Conduct
Each student will be expected to pledge commitment to a Code of Conduct,  which will be designed to ensure that respect for each participant, his/her property, and well-being is safeguarded.  This code will preclude harassment and abusiveness and will prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs.  Above all, the rights and responsibilities of all participants will be clearly defined so that the objectives of this program may be achieved within a healthy and safe environment. 

Interviews
Each applicant will be invited to a private interview with the Directors to assess his/her suitability for the program. This will also give the applicant the opportunity to determine if the program serves his/her needs and interests. Students will be asked to bring their letters of reference to this meeting.

Program Design
The authors propose that this learning program be offered as a one credit education model using the Interdisciplinary Studies curriculum document.  The course will be designated IDC 3O or IDC4U (with the necessary requirements) and will derive learning expectations from a variety of courses described in Part 4. 

In-Class Component

The in-class component will begin in October 2011 and will conclude in January 2012.  All students in this program will meet as a single group for this component. 

These meetings will take place on the following dates:

There will be 9 additional meetings arranged during the experiential component (45 hours). 

There will be one formal examination that has been scheduled for the following class: 
Saturday January 15, 2012

The assignments in this program are designed to provide background to the course themes and to stimulate relevant learning and personal reflection.  To this end required readings will be assigned and considerable options with respect to written assignments will be offered.  There will be two types of written assignments: 

            1.            Discovery Paper:  This is primarily intended for learning new information                            about a topic. 

            2.            Reaction Paper:  This is primarily intended for reflecting about a course                            theme that was previously reviewed in class, was part of one’s experiences                            on the trip, or contained in a reading. 

Experiential Component

Michael Consul will be assisted by other senior supervisors in leading the group to the Philippines (December 27, 2011 - January 10, 2012)..  This excursion will serve as the Service Learning component of the program.  

There will be a variety of service learning opportunities distributed across a few locations.  Formal classes will be conducted whereby teachers and students will be given opportunities to discuss their reactions to the learning experiences and which will offer support for their adjustment to the new environments.  Upon returning to Canada, the students will meet to reflect and process their experiences, and will be given an opportunity to formally present their learning to corporations, institutions, family and friends.  

Reading List
A short reading list will be provided at a later date.


Journaling
Daily journal writing will be an essential component of the program. A composite journal with volunteer submissions from all participants will be compiled and offered to all participants at the end of the experience as a memory of our shared experience.

Service and Leadership Opportunities

1. Community appreciation: Learn about ANCOP and their relief effors to develop communties in the Philippines.
   
   
2. Issues education: Hands-on exploration of issues like poverty and the environment.
   
   
3. Cultural education: Connect with local youth by sharing educational opportunities.
   
   
4. Wilderness Adventures: Experience the beauty of Tagaytay, Philippines including a donkey trek up the Taal Volcano.
   
   
   

Tentative Travel dates 
December 27, 2011 until January 10, 2012

Itinerary:  

Travel Arrangements

Transportation
Local transportation will be organized and provided by the ANCOP Chaperones.   This is the organization that we have partnered with and is affiliated with the Catholic Archdiocese in Toronto and Philippines. International air travel will be provided by Cathay Pacific.
                                              
Accommodation
In Philippines, the accommodations will be Legend Villas Hotel in Manila.  Appropriate separation between genders will always be ensured in these residences.  Adult supervisors will always be staying in the same facility in close proximity to student rooms.

Finances
Participants will be charged a single fee of approximately $3995, which will cover return airfare from Toronto to Manila, all travel expenses within the country, meals, accommodations, training materials and donations to the local communities.

Payment will be made by regular installments according to the following schedule:
            $150                Deposit accompanying application
            $545                October 15, 2011
            $1,100             October 29, 2011
            $1,100             November 19, 2011
            $1,100             December 10, 2011   
       
Note: Participants are asked to submit a series of postdated cheques according to this schedule. Cheques should be made payable to Adventure Learning Experiences Inc.

Fundraising

Fundraising activities will be supported by the authors.  In particular, the principal endeavour will be a booklet which will describe the features and participants of the program.  The sale of advertisements in the booklet will be directly subtracted from the fee charged to individual participants, with a nominal charge for the cost of printing the booklets. 

Refund Policy
For withdrawal between October 1st and October 20th, a full refund minus $200 will be provided.

For withdrawal between October 20th and November 19th,, a full refund minus $500 will be provided.

Other Costs

The only other costs that are not included in the above price are the following:

            Passport (this must not expire within 6 months of departure)
            Out-of-country health insurance                                              
            Private expenses

Health and Safety
Careful attention to sound health and safety practices will be an important part in the preparation of the program.  This will involve mandatory immunizations, learning  healthy eating and drinking habits, and understanding effective illness prevention practices.  An attempt will be made to have a registered nurse accompany each group.  For maximum benefit it is recommended that participants, in general, be in good health and achieve a sufficient level of fitness prior to the trip.  Physical and dental check-ups are highly recommended prior to the departure date. 

Immunization
Please see your family doctor 2 months prior to departure for a general check-up and advise him/her that you will be travelling to the Philippines.

Precautions

As indicated above, careful preparation prior to departure about safe eating and drinking habits and illness prevention practices will be undertaken.  Participants will be expected to purchase “The Travel Doctor” by Dr. Mark Wise (Firefly Books, 2002) as part of this preparation.  A close working relationship has been developed by the authors with Dr. Mark Wise.  Dr. Wise is a family physician in Thornhill whose medical practice includes a travel clinic. He  is considered a leading authority in tropical and parasitic diseases.  Dr. Wise will conduct a 90 minute training workshop about preventative health practices for our students prior to departure and will make recommendations about appropriate inoculations.

It is expected that our groups will greatly benefit from the local contacts which the authors have established in the Philippines through ANCOP in the event that medical care in required. Each participant will be expected to purchase out-of-country health insurance. In addition, Dr. Lato and Mr. Rogers (who are helping coordinate the program in Toronto) are both members of the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT). 

It is most strongly recommended that each participant seek proper medical advice for all potential health concerns at a travel health clinic prior to departure. 

It is expected that each participant complete the Consent to Medical Treatment Form in the event that urgent and emergency care is required.

• A one credit High School course
• Hands-on exploration of issues like poverty and the environment
• Learn about ANCOP and their relief efforts
• Experience the beauty of Tagaytay, including a donkey trek up the Taal Volcano