Global Studies Experience

The GSE is the experiential learning heart of Global Studies, but it is also open to all Laurier students. The GSE 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 GSE offers you the opportunity 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 GSE 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 GS398, you will develop and implement a fundraising proposal. Global Studies majors are eligible for financial support from the Global Studies Education Abroad Fund.

If you are considering the GSE, the first step is to attend GSE information sessions, which take place during the fall semester (watch for announcements on email). Come and meet the GSE coordinator, get answers to your questions, and meet students who have recently returned from their placements. After that (or if you can't attend an info session) you will need to make an appointment with the GSE coordinator by emailing Vanessa McMackin in the Global Studies office: vmcmackin@wlu.ca. 

How Does the GSE Work?

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

1. Fall Term

• If you are interested in the GSE, you meet with the GSE coordinator, explore placement opportunities, and apply for preliminary approval.
• 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. Note the application deadline for this year is Dec. 3, 2017.
• The GSE committee ⎯ comprised of the GSE coordinator, the Department Chair, and another GS faculty member ⎯ reviews your application and decides whether to approve your enrolment in GS398.

2. Winter Term

Take GS398: Global Studies in Practice (0.5 credits). GS398 has three primary aims: (a) to help you think critically about the possibilities and limitations of your planned GSE, (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 GSE Coordinator, students may decide to reconsider their placements and/or switch placement organizations.

3. Spring/Summer Term

Between May and August, you conduct your  placement. 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.

4. Fall Term

Take GS399: Post-Field Placement (0.5 credits). GS399 has two primary aims: (a) to help you reflect on your experience and reconnect it with your academic learning; (b) to give you opportunities to share your learning with your fellow students, the department, and the broader community.

Am I Eligible?

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

• be on track to complete 2.0 credits at the 200 level by the end of fall semester (ideally, you should have year 3 standing before going abroad), and
• have an average of B- (7.0) in the courses of 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 GSE 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 your eye on your Laurier email to hear about opportunities. The GSE 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 GSE students 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 meeting with the GSE 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 program?
• Are the goals and expectations clearly laid out?
• What kind of connections has the program made with local communities?
• What are the expectations in terms of your commitment?
• Does the organization demonstrate accountability to you as a participant and to the communities you will be involved with?
• What is the cost of the program?
• What are the visa requirements, and are there any other hidden expenses/issues?
• Do you have access to previous participants to learn about their experiences?
• What are the training expectations before you embark on the program?
• 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 GSE 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 GSE placements. Students are expected to exercise their own due diligence in the selection of their placements, including costs and risk factors.

• Ark Foundation
• Cross-Cultural Solutions
• Global Vision International
• Global Youth Network
• Human Rights Advocacy Centre
• Intercordia Canada
• Projects Abroad
• Youth Challenge International
• Canadian Crossroads International
• EntreMundos