History

Since its founding in 2002, Global PACT has supported or participated in a wide variety of programs and projects in the United States and abroad. Here is a small sample:

Advancement Via Individual Determination
Much like the Citizen Schools partnership, in our partnership with AVID, Global PACT trainers teamed up with Piscataway Township High School to lead a Global PACT training. A Global PACT class was created as part of the AVID program, which is a nationally recognized research-based program designed to help students in the “academic middle” prepare for and gain acceptance to four-year colleges. Students from the high school visited Rutgers once a week for ten weeks and participated in the Global PACT class, becoming experts in local student-based organizing. They designed projects to improve their school and community, and they developed personal skills to help them with their goals. This first partnership with Piscataway Township High School has paved the way for a continuing relationship and additional Global PACT trainings. Visit our partner Piscataway High School

Citizenship and Service Education

When President Clinton came to Rutgers in 1993 to announce his national service plan, he publicly recognized CASE as a service learning model for colleges and universities across America. He came to recognize Rutgers’ efforts to train students to be competent, participatory democratic citizens possessing the knowledge, skills and attitudes to flourish in today’s complex world. In the years since, CASE has grown to become the largest, single provider of volunteers in New Jersey, and a key direct service provider as the operator of www.njserves.org, the Internet portal to the New Jersey civic sector. (It's now unfortunately no longer in service due to changes in leadership at CASE.) To date, 13,000 students have taken CASE courses, and CASE volunteers have rendered 750,000 hours of service valued conservatively at almost $4,000,000. Today, CASE counts almost 600 New Jersey nonprofits, faith-based organizations, schools and government offices among its Community Partners. Annually, students in some 85 CASE courses provide 50,000-75,000 hours of service worth more than $350,000.

CASE is also among the most international service-learning program in the US, as CASE staff have provided on-campus and overseas training to teams from countries around the world. In newly democratic countries, CASE offers a simple means to transform curriculum and classroom practice from authority- and theory-heavy to hands-on, active-learning. This transformation is critical to the training of a new elite possessing the knowledge, skills and a democratic ethic to carry these countries into the 21st century. With direct or sub-contracted funding from the Department of State, the European Union and USAID, as well as foundations and client universities, CASE has worked with university senates, rectors, deans of faculties, department chairs, professors, students, NGOs, small businesses, and local, provincial and national governments to assist with: mission redesign; curriculum, course, and faculty development; CEO creation; and NGO and small business support programs.

Citizen Schools

For two years, Global PACT teamed up with Citizen Schools at McKinley Community School in New Brunswick to train middle school students in the Global PACT curriculum. Our trainers became “Citizen Teachers” for ten weeks each semester and had a lot of fun with their students developing and executing community projects. At the end of each semester program, our trainers got to watch their students’ “WOW” presentations at the McKinley Community School, and saw how the students had benefited from developing their own skills to create change. At the end of Global PACT's second year at the McKinley School, the Citizen Schools team invited Global PACT to accompany them to Boston for the 10th anniversary of the Citizen Schools movement. Global PACT was just one of ten partners so honored. McKinley Community School.

IDIA

The Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc. (IDIA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing innovative educational opportunities to students of all ages, so that they may better understand their role in global and domestic society. Founded in 1992, IDIA has developed a variety of programs to not only promote a better understanding of international and domestic affairs, but also to empower people to make a difference in their own communities. IDIA sponsors Rutgers Model United Nations and Rutgers Model Congress, two educational conferences that provide students with the opportunity to be immersed in the democratic and diplomatic processes, while at the same time, challenges them to enhance their negotiation, public speaking, and research skills. IDIA has also developed the TEACH program, offering professional development programs for teachers, along with tangible lesson plans and simulation exercises for use in the classroom. IDIA supported the initial Mongolia program and subsequently Global PACT and IDIA have continued to work together.

New Jersey Youth Leadership and Activism Conference (NJYLAC)

NJYLAC was Global PACT’s first regional training conference. Thirty students from across New Jersey came to the Rutgers College Avenue campus for a week of intense activism workshops. Rutgers students, in partnership with the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, organized the conference and Global PACT trainers took the lead in spreading inspiration about the ordinary student’s power to enact change. The five-day program was a huge success, with all 30 students becoming better speakers, planners, and team players, and all with a plan to make their communities better for the future. There was no shortage of fun at the conference either, and many of the trainers and students became lasting friends.
Visit our partner American Red Cross of Central New Jersey.

World Youth Leadership and Activism Conference (WYLAC)
WYLAC was “take-two” of the successful NJYLAC project. Now “World” Youth Leadership and Activism Conference, this one-week intense training project took a world-view of activism with speakers on international topics and issues of world concern. In continued partnership with the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, Global PACT provided the opportunity for 50 students to develop their local organizing abilities while learning about successful change initiatives led by other young people. The conference was extended to a residential program, with students staying in Rutgers dorms and exploring campus in addition to participating in the daily program and evening entertainment activities.

Visit our partners American Red Cross, Ford Motor Company, Prudential Foundation, PSE&G