Arts Global Experience

In Global Studies we have over 15 years of experience supporting international experiential learning. The AGX is at the heart of our program, but it is open to all Laurier Arts majors. It is also a core component of the Social Entrepreneurship Option. Alongside study abroad and field courses, it is one of the key opportunities to internationalize your degree at Laurier.

The AGX offers you the chance to connect academic inquiry with experiential activity by participating in volunteer placements, social enterprises or intercultural learning experiences around the globe. Living and working in different cultural contexts alongside community partners sets the stage for learning about yourself in relation to others, and broadens your awareness of the challenges of global justice and social equity. The AGX offers an experience you are not likely to forget.

In recent years, students have participated in community development projects, human rights research, wildlife conservation, marine restoration, and peace promotion in all corners of the globe, including places as diverse as South Africa, Pakistan, France, Palestine, Peru and Thailand.

The normal range of cost for students carrying out placements is $2,500-$5,000. In GS391, you will develop and implement a fundraising plan to help finance your journey. 

How Does the AGX Work?

The AGX has four components, which correspond to the following schedule:

1. Fall Term

• Attend an AGX information session; watch for announcements on email.
• Set up a meeting with the AGX coordinator (agxcoord@wlu.ca) and explore placement opportunities.
• Identify a proposed placement. You don't need to actually "lock-in" with a particular placement yet, but you must have identified a preferred option based on the best information available to you. See tips on selecting your placement below.
• Apply using the Application for Preliminary Approval Form. The form normally opens for applications in mid October and the deadline is usually in late November. You'll find the link here when it is active.
• In early December the AGX committee ⎯ comprised of the AGX coordinator, the Department Chair, and another GS faculty member ⎯ reviews your application and decides whether to approve your enrolment in GS391.

2. Winter Term

Take GS391: Global Experience Pre-Placement (0.25 credits). GS391 has three primary aims: (a) to help you think critically about the possibilities and limitations of your planned placement, (b) to give you practical strategies for a constructive learning experience, and (c) to help prepare you for travel logistics and safety.

Final approval of placements will take place after you have your placement confirmed in writing by the organization (usually during the winter term) and once you have completed the necessary forms: (a) Agreement to Participate, (b) Acknowledgement of Risk and Responsibility. Sometimes, on the advice of the AGX Coordinator, students may decide to reconsider their placements and/or switch placement organizations.

3. Spring/Summer Term

Between May and August, you will conduct your  placement and complete an online academic credit while abroad. The minimum duration is four weeks, but the longer your placement the more you will learn ⎯ both about the part of the world you are visiting, and about yourself. For placements up to seven weeks you will complete GS392 (0.5) Global Experience Placement. For placements of eight weeks or more, you have the option to complete GS393 (1.0) Global Experience Extended Placement. 

Your academic study in GS392 or GS393 will involve structured reflection on your experiences abroad, overseen by a faculty member at Laurier who will work with you across the duration of your placement. This kind of placement-embedded academic work has been demonstrated to maximize students' experiential learning outcomes. 

4. Fall Term

Take GS394: Global Experience Post-Placement (0.25 credits). GS394 has two primary aims: (a) to help you reflect on your experience and connect it with your broader academic learning and skill development; and (b) to give you opportunities to share your learning with your fellow students, the department, and the broader community.

Am I Eligible?

Any student within the Faculty of Arts can apply for the AGX (non-Arts students will also be considered in certain circumstances). In order to apply, you need to:

• be on track to have year 3 standing before going abroad, and
• have an average of B- (7.0) in your major.

There are many opportunities to volunteer abroad, and many kinds of organizations want to get your attention. While finding a placement can be both daunting and confusing, the AGX coordinator is there to provide guidance in choosing an opportunity that works for you.

Getting Information on Placement Opportunities

The Department of Global Studies seeks out relationships with organizations that can provide quality and affordable placements for its students. Keep an eye on your Laurier email to hear about opportunities. The AGX coordinator can also share information with you about placements that other students have completed in the past (see below for a list of organizations previous AGX students have volunteered with). Here are some other avenues to explore:

• My World Abroad is a useful resource to consult.
• Contacts with friends, family and fellow students can help you choose a placement.
• Identify and evaluate potential placements (see below) and bring your ideas and preliminary options to your initial meeting with the AGX coordinator.
• Make sure you research the costs of specific placement opportunities, including airfare, visas, vaccinations, fees paid to placement agencies, insurance, local food and accommodation.

Evaluating Potential GSE Placement Opportunities

Consider the following in relation to your chosen placement opportunity:

A. What You are Seeking in Terms of a Volunteer Placement

• Individual home-stay or group living?
• High degree of autonomy or facilitated program?
• Travelling/working with others or individually?
• An opportunity for language training/development?
• A rural or an urban location?
• A development, peace and conflict, or cultural experience?
• A particular region and/or development context?
• A networking or career building opportunity?

B. Answer These Questions About Potential Placements

• What are the goals of the organization and the placements they offer?
• What is expected of participants? 
• Do you have access to previous participants to learn about their experiences?
• What kind of relationships has the program built with local communities?
• Does the organization demonstrate accountability to you as a participant and to the communities you will be involved with?
• What are the training expectations before you embark on the program?
• What is the cost of the program?
• What are the visa requirements, and are there any other hidden expenses/issues?
• What are the Global Affairs Canada travel advice and advisories for the country where the placement will take place?
• How does the program fit with your personal values and ethics?
• If you have questions about the program, is there a means of addressing them?

Sample Placement Organizations

The list below includes some of the organizations through which Laurier students have completed AGX placements in the past. The Department of Global Studies does not endorse any of these organization or their programmes. We provide the list only as a starting point for students who are beginning to research opportunities for their own future AGX placements. Students are expected to exercise their own due diligence in the selection of their placements, including costs and risk factors.

• AIESEC
• Cross-Cultural Solutions
• Global Vision International
• Future of Africa
• CISV Waterloo
• Projects Abroad
• Canadian Crossroads International
• International Volunteer HQ
• Nexos Comunitarios