A Typical Day
On the first day of the program, we will begin by getting to know each other. We will use verbal and nonverbal icebreakers to loosen up and to get used to life in translation. Once you are warmed up, we will brainstorm problems confronting our communities – and categorize them. You will be amazed to discover that there’s not a serious problem that you confront in your community that doesn’t match someone else's and vice versa.
Collectively, you will then winnow down the issues that you have identified to select issues you want to devote yourselves.
Finally, we will divide you into the teams in which you will work for the rest of the program. There will teams of five teams or six – three Americans and three participants from our host community on each team – one team per issue.
Inside & Outside the Class
Small Groups
After breakfast, at 9:30 AM, you'll meet your group in class. They will be a multi-national team of 5-6 students from as many backgrounds as you can imagine, but about half will come from cross our host country and the other half from across the world.
Interactive Exercises
From the beginning of class you'll work with experienced trainers who will engage your group with highly interactive exercises.
Each twenty to thirty minute exercise will focus on a different organizing skill, which your team will apply own real-life project.
Sharing Progress
Many exercises will involve presenting your work. This process is both about learning from other teams' ideas in the program and discovering how to present yourself, your group and the complex work you have done. Generally, classes break for lunch around 12:30 PM and get going again at 1:30 PM. In the first week you'll have more class time than field work, but after that you're going out into the field to do action research.
Action Research
Creating real change is an active process. You have to figure out exactly what you need to know and where you might find it. Action research is research into new, developing, unresolved issues. It requires inventiveness and effort.
Most people assume that someone else already has the answer and all you need to do is "look it up." That approach might work for a school essay, but if the answer to your issue were on the internet, do you really think someone else wouldn’t have found it already? Action research is about engaging people, discovering their issues, thinking collaboratively about solutions and creating new knowledge.
Expert Speakers & Site Visits
Whether it is the executive director of Helsinki Watch, a member of Parliament, an investigative reporter, a leading environmentalist or the World Health Organization malaria eradication project director, Global PACT brings the key public policy players to the classroom. We will also make trips to observe individuals and organizations in action. You learn best when interacting in intimate settings with the men and women who make the news. Whether you're visiting organizations that alleviate poverty in South Africa or that conduct post-war reconciliation in Croatia, your first-hand experiences with major players is key to understanding how social change happens. Please see individual program pages for information on specific speakers and excursions.
Class usually ends about 5:30 PM.
After Class & Weekends
After class, you will be free to hang out and explore our location with your classmates, although some project work will require you to work with your team after classroom hours are over.
Cultural Excursions
On weekends, we visit historically and culturally important sites in the area on one day and give you one free day to explore your host city, shop or just sleep!
