Over the past five weeks, we have shared how ISA students, service-learning participants, and staff spent their ISA volunteer days during the fall semester. In Europe, students partnered with soup kitchens and food pantries, cleaned graffiti, and took part in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In Latin America, participants partnered with NGOs in hospitals, dining halls, and with the homeless. In Asia, ISA students gave back through assisting low-income families safely heat their homes. In North Africa and the Middle East, ISA students and participants supported refugees in their abroad communities. This week, we highlight ISA volunteer day events in the Pacific.
While ISA students can study gender, communities and belonging, pacific population and urban issues, and comparative animal biology in the classroom, there is so much to give, share, and learn when volunteering in your local community.
Pacific
Sydney, Australia
On November 21st, ISA students in Sydney spent their ISA volunteer day visiting a nursing home in their community. The students were able to get in the spirit of the holiday season by making and distributing holiday cards to the residents. The students brightened the residents’ day by singing carols with them.
Suva, Fiji
On September 19th, ISA students in Suva visited Pearce’s Old People’s Home. Students had the opportunity to give back to the home by cleaning up the grounds and washing windows. Once the ISA students were finished, they were able to spend time with the residents. The students were able to leave as lasting impression at the home by donating books and magazines for the residents to enjoy.
Auckland, New Zealand
On October 16th, ISA students in Auckland assisted in a cleaning project in the lorikeet aviary of the Auckland Zoo. The Auckland zoo has the largest collection of native and exotic animals in New Zealand, and is home to 138 different species and over 875 animals. ISA students were able to provide vital support for the zoo staff by cleaning the lorikeet aviary.
In addition to ISA volunteer days in the Pacific, ISA Service-Learning offers full-time and Study + Service-Learning programs. ISA Service-Learning connects dedicated people with over 100 local non-profit organizations, schools and clinics that have identified needs and projects to which participants can contribute their time and strengths. Through guided reflection, ISA Service-Learning programs will allow participants to understand how communities across the globe grapple with the complexities of real-world issues.
