PWST: Pangea World Service Team
Mission
The mission of PWST is to promote student learning and service with communities abroad through sustainable, collaborative and locally-identified service-learning experiences.
Mass Meetings
Thursday, October 8th, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday, October 12th, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
at the Ginsberg Center
1024 Hill St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Program Description
The University of Michigan Pangea World Service Team (PWST) is a SERVE-sponsored student organization committed to organizing service initiatives in developing countries across the globe. We focus on providing services while also giving our participants opportunities to develop a deep cultural understanding of their host communities. Projects are designed to combat specific social issues chosen by the local population.
PWST was formed in 2003 to fill a need for socially conscious, service-based international opportunities in the University community. PWST hopes to help enact permanent social change through service, learning, and active citizenship.
PWST organizes an annual service expedition to a developing country for approximately four weeks during the summer break in the month of May. We aim to organize projects that fill a need in a community while addressing a vital social issue. PWST recruits dedicated participants early in the Fall semester, and begins fundraising and education after a brief selection process. Because many of our projects require building materials and contractor fees in addition to extensive travel costs, we spend considerable amounts of time fundraising. Also, in order to enact change and prepare participants for an immersed experience, PWST holds education and training meetings twice a month during the year. During the expedition, we hold reflection meetings to ensure a complex learning experience for our participants. We are committed to having every participant involved in both the planning and execution of every trip.
The eight components that contribute to a quality summer alternative break program are strong direct service, alcohol and other drug-free environment, diversity, orientation, education, training, reflection, and reorientation. PWST program will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in direct or "hands on" projects and activities that address unmet social needs, as determined by the host community. Our organization supports an alcohol and other drug-free environment because issues of legality, liability, personal safety and group cohesion are of concern when these substances are used.
PWST benefits from creating diversity among our participants and chose members that represent the range of students that are present in the University of Michigan campus community. Prior to our departure, PWST participants will be informed on the mission and objectives of our trip and the host agency or organizations with which we collaborate. PWST is dedicated to educating participants before and during our trip in order to provided a sense of the history of both the region we are working in and the social problems we will be encountering during our stay. Our participants will participate in training for the skills that are necessary to carry out tasks and projects during our trip.
During our trip, time will be set aside for participants to reflect upon the direct service, education, and community interaction components as well as the experiences they are having.
Upon returning to the University of Michigan campus our group will participate in reorientation activities in which we will discuss our experiences and translate them into a lifelong commitment to active citizenship. We will further discuss local volunteer opportunities and resources for continued education on social issues and means for continued community involvement.
