Saturday, July 20, 2013
Visiting at Social Action For Women Organization 2013-2014 Academic Year
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| Visiting at Social Action For Women Organization |
Friday, July 19, 2013
Wide Horizons is a 2 -Year leadership development program
Wide Horizons is a 2 -Year leadership development program
dedicated to building the capacity of
young adults from Burma to work effectively in civil society organizations.
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| 2012-2013 ACADEMIC YEAR WH AND EIP STUDENT |
The concept: Wide Horizons was founded in
2006 by World Education (WE) as a school where young adults from Burma, working
in community-based organizations (CBO) could come to develop their English
language, computer and community development skills while cultivating the
thought process skills associated with effective leadership. By combining a
student-centered, experiential approach to education with a curriculum that
emphasizes group work, reflective practice, and critical thinking, WH offers a
program with impacts that reach beyond the classroom and into the communities
it was designed to serve.
How it works: Every year, a local network of community organizations along the Thailand-Burma
border nominates current employees for admittance into Wide Horizons. Ideal
candidates have intermediate English skills, at least one year of work in an
organization, and a dedication to developing their community. Out of these
applicants a multi-cultural cohort of 24 are selected to join the program
through a competitive application process. Once admitted, students enter into
an immersive residential learning environment in Mae Sot, Tak Province for 10 months.
At WH, students live, study and work together. English is spoken 24 hours a
day, and skills learned in the classroom are put to immediate use in community
life and work. Students practice leadership skills through rotating positions
in school governance and through a series of projects in nearby migrant communities,
ensuring that experience and reflection drive their learning as much as their
lessons. Following the 10-month residential phase, students return to their organizations,
where they consolidate their skills by participating in a one-year internship
with continued support from Wide Horizons staff.
Curriculum: The
curricular framework was designed for the academic component of the Wide
Horizons program in 2010 after a detailed needs assessment of the target
student population and their organizations was conducted. The curriculum is
housed on an online network, drawing upon multiple resources, which allows for
adaptation to the needs of communities in the ever-changing border context.
The
academic component of Wide Horizons emphasizes three core topic areas: English
Language, Community Development, and Computer Skills in an environment of full
English language immersion. During phase one of the program, students live on
campus with their teachers, two native English speakers. Computer classes take
place for three hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
English
classes equally emphasize speaking, reading, and writing, and utilize a wide
variety of formats designed to support critical thinking and students’ ability
to effectively formulate and communicate their points of view. Community
Development classes emphasize concrete project management skills relating to
the project cycle along with cross cutting community development topics. Community
Development classes are reinforced through supervised community projects in a
local community with the support of WH staff during the school year. Computer
classes emphasize advanced computer literacy and train students to use standard
software used by most CBOs working along the border (see course syllabus for
more information).
Staffing: A complete
team of specialists and support staff, currently managed and operated by World
Education, maintain the integrity and success of the program.
Wide Horizons On-Site Staff
Teachers: Two full-time
teachers work at Wide Horizons. These two teachers are fluent in English and
have a solid background in teaching, with one specializing in community
development projects. In addition, one part-time teacher focuses on training
participants in advanced computer skills.
On-Campus
Staff: One
Coordinator, who lives on the campus with the students, manages the daily operations
of the program and the well-being of the students.
World Education Support Staff
Higher
Education Team: One Higher Education Academic Support staff member
is responsible for curriculum development, teacher management and supporting
the interns during their second year of the program. One Program Coordinator who
manages the recruitment of students and liaises with other WE staff to provide
logistical support. This person is also the point of contact for the on-site Coordinator.
Finance Team:
One
part-time staff member supports the Coordinator to manage the budget.
Logistics
Team: This
team provides coordination for transporting the students to
the community project sites.
Thai
Government Liaisons: These
staff coordinate the acquisition of student ID cards for each student. They
also serve as the point of contact connecting with the Ministry of Education,
which plays an advisory role for WH.
Funding: Through 2015, funding for WH is
secured under the USAID Project for Local Empowerment (PLE) grant and Danish
Church Aid (DCA). World Education will continue to support the program up until
that point, and hopes to continue support in the future. In the meantime, World
Education is looking for a local partner organization to co-implement the
project and continue Wide Horizons’ success and sustainability in the future.
Recognition: Within
Thailand, the Ministry of Education has recognized WH as an effective higher
education opportunity for young people from Burma, and has expressed desire to
see the program replicated for Thai young people. Since WH’s founding with
support from USAID, WH has been recognized as a leader in capacity development,
attracting the attention of a wide variety of donors and academics, and
demonstrating positive results in an evaluation affiliated with Harvard
University.
Wide Horizons
Academic
Course
Syllabus
During the 10-month residential phase of
Wide Horizons, students study the following coursework as
part of their English, Community
Development, and Computer Literacy Classes. All course content is taught in
English:
1st Trimester – Confidence &
Fluency
Week
1
|
Getting to Know Each other
& Building Classroom Community
|
Week
2
|
Student orientation week
& Skills Pre-Assessments
Introduction
to critical thinking…
o
The experiential learning
cycle
o
Ways of understanding
Community
Development
o
CD Unit 1: What is Community
Development?
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 1: Introduction to
Computers
o
Downloading & Installing
Software
o
Basic Maintenance: Passwords,
Virus Scanning
|
Weeks
3-5
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit 1: Explain
o
Basic reading skills (simple novel
of Teacher’s choice: Holes, The
Circuit, The Giver, Sold)
o
Writing Process
o
Listening & Note taking
Community Development
o
CD Unit 2: Introduction to
the Project Cycle
o
Regular visits to and from representatives of a range of organizations
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 2: MS Word
o
CL Unit 3: MS PowerPoint
o
Google Tools: E-mail
|
Weeks
6
– 8
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit 2: Reflect
o
Critical reading of Short
Stories
o
Story writing
o
Storytelling
Community
Development
o
CD Unit 3: Understanding the
Community
o
Conduct group situational
analysis in possible project communities
& Select target project communities
o
Regular visits to and from representatives of a range of organizations
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 4: MS Excel
o
Google Tools: Google Calendar
& Google Drive
|
Weeks
9
– 12
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit 3: Connect
o
Critical reading of current
events
o
Paragraph & Essay writing
o
Basic discussion skills
o
Basic presentation skills
Community
Development
o
CD Unit 4: Needs Assessment and
Assets Based Approach to Community Development
Undertake a detailed needs
assessment in project communities
o
Regular visits to and from representatives of a range of organizations
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 5: MS Access
o
CL Unit 6 Part 1: MS
Publisher
o
Basic Maintenance
|
Week
13
|
Review and Cumulative
Assessments
o
Portfolio preparation
o
Student/teacher conferencing
|
Week 14
|
Trimester Break
|
Additional Training Topics & Activities for 1st
Trimester:
Cross-Cultural
Communication, Leading a Meeting, Time- Management, Cooperative
Problem-Solving, Visits to a Range of organizations & Guest Speakers on
various CD topics (Ex. Health, Women’s Empowerment, Trafficking, etc.)
2nd Trimester - Purpose
Weeks
15
– 17
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit
4: Empathize
o Identifying Main Ideas
o Summary Writing
o Facilitation
o Conflict Resolution: Stereotypes,
Discrimination, Prejudice
Community
Development
o
CD
Unit 5: Goals and objectives
o
CD
Unit 6: Assessment of resources and constraints (continue into Week 18)
o
Identify
a suitable project in consultation with project communities
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 6 Part 2: InDesign
|
Weeks
18
– 24
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit
5: Question
o Reading with Awareness
o Persuasive Writing
o Persuasive Speeches
o Animal
Farm & Democracy
Community
Development
o
CD
Unit 7: Planning, project design, monitoring and evaluation
o
Project
Specific Training or Guest Presentation
o
Proposal
Writing
o Complete proposals for community
projects
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 7: Photoshop
o
CL Unit 8: DVD Slideshow
o Basic
Maintenance & Repair
|
Weeks
25
– 28
|
English & Critical
Thinking Unit
6: Take Perspective
o Integrating Information (intro.)
o Debate
o Non-fiction books on global issues
English
& Critical Thinking - Unit
7: Adapt & Apply
o Professional E-mails
Community
Development
o
Identifying
& Contacting Potential Donors
o
Submitting
Proposals to Potential Donors
o
Translation
& Interpretation
o
TOT
& Content-Specific Training (ex. Financial Literacy)
o Prepare & conduct training
module to take into a community or school
Slide Shows & Video
Editing
o
CL Unit 9: Video Editing
o
CL Unit 10: Basic Website
Building - Blogs
o Basic
Repair Short Training
|
Week
29
|
Review and Cumulative
Assessments
o
Portfolio
preparation
o Student/teacher conferencing
|
Week 30
|
WH/ EIP Exchange Week in Mae
Sot
|
Week
31-32
|
Trimester Break
|
Additional Training Topics & Activities for 2nd
Trimester:
Conflict
Resolution, Translation & Interpretation, TOT, Leadership, Project-Specific
Training (ex. Financial Literacy, Water Filter, Construction, etc.), Forgotten
Birthday Party (October)
3rd Trimester – For Life
The focus of 3rd
trimester is for students apply their learning from Trimester 1 & 2 to real
life. Students complete multiple final
projects that give them beneficial experience that will prepare them for their
internship year as well as a portfolio of their best work to show to future
employers.
Weeks
33-34
|
English & Critical
Thinking - Unit
6: Take Perspective (cont’d)
o Integrating Information (cont’d)
o Report-Writing
o Human Rights
Community
Development
o
CD
Unit 8: Project implementation
o
Prepare
to Implement Community Projects
o Begin preparing an individual
proposal for host organization
Computer Literacy
o
CL Unit 10: Basic Website
Building - Basic html, Fireworks
|
Weeks
35
– 36
|
Community Development
o Implement Community Projects
|
Week
37-41
|
English, Critical
Thinking & Professional
Development - Unit
7: Adapt & Apply
o
Biographies
of Famous Leaders/Activists
o
Field/Internet
Research & Report Writing
o
Resumes
& Cover letters
o
Professional
Interviews
o Skills Post-Assessments
Community Development
o
CD
Unit 9: Documenting and reporting
o
CD
Unit 10: Organizational structure and design
o
Post-implementation
evaluations of projects & reporting to donors.
Computer Literacy
o CL
Unit 10: Basic Website Building - Basic html, Fireworks
|
Week 42
|
Review and Cumulative
Assessment
o Final Assessments & Projects
o
Final
portfolio preparation
|
Week 43
|
Re-Orientation Week
o Year reflection
o Transitioning back into the
community
o Student/teacher conferencing
o Internship contracts with CBOs
|
Week
44-45
|
Closing Ceremony
|
Additional Training Topics
& Activities for 3rd Trimester:
Project-Specific
Topics, Interpersonal Communication, Administrative-Focused Topics to prepare
for internships (ex. Accounting, Record-keeping), Interpersonal Communication,
World Children’s Day, Superkidz Camp
*For more information regarding the
curriculum, contact Higher Education Academic Support: highered.worlded@gmail.com.
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Wide Horizons
Internship Overview
After the 10-month residential phase at Wide Horizons, students return
to their host organization
to complete a yearlong commitment of service and continued
learning.
Rationale: Following the Experiential Learning Cycle introduced in the academic component,
the WH internship is a 1-year opportunity for students to build upon the skills
they learned at WH in the academic year by gaining practical experience,
knowledge and skills in the community work environment. Furthermore, students
contribute to the capacity development of Community Based Organizations along
the Thai-Burma border, by sharing their newly gained skills with colleagues at their
mother organization or school.
Previous interns have worked for their
organizations by:
·
writing
professional e-mails, reports, and proposals to donors
·
interpreting
and/or giving presentations to foreign visitors
·
translating
news articles, reports, and questionnaires
·
editing
advocacy videos and editing layout for newsletters
·
updating
websites/blogs and creating organization Facebook pages
·
coordinating
income generation projects or events
·
managing
boarding houses, student groups or teachers
·
training
staff members or communities in financial literacy, women’s rights, etc.
·
teaching
English and computer skills to students or colleagues
·
conducting
research in the community using data collection techniques
·
managing the
finances of the organization or a project
·
designing,
overseeing, monitoring & evaluating projects in communities
Support for
Interns: During the internship period, students receive
support from the Wide Horizons Program staff for the 1-year before they work
independently. This support includes the following:
·
Visiting
interns and their supervisors at their place of work
·
Being
available by e-mail and phone to assist interns with problem solving at work
·
Reading
quarterly intern reports and giving individual feedback and advice
·
Facilitating
workshops for interns to reflect and share their experiences with each other,
as well as attend refresher trainings
·
Providing
information on further study and career opportunities after graduation
·
Granting
a Thai Ministry of Education-recognized diploma upon completion of the
internship
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