UNC Chapel Hill: APPLES Service-Learning Program: For Students

Namibia and South Africa
FAQ's

What is Global Service-Learning?
Global service-Learning provides an opportunity for students to unite rigorous academic learning with substantive volunteer service to the community. By integrating formal study with service to the local community in an international setting, students find their learning takes on greater depth and meaning. Working among the community brings classroom learning to life, while the formal study broadens the students’ understanding of their cultural surroundings.

This program offers UNC undergraduate students a unique opportunity to work with global and local immigrant communities. Students travel to, study in and work with sending communities where social, economic, or political conditions are pushing residents to immigrate to North Carolina and other regions in the United States.

Who sponsors this program?
This program is offered by APPLES in collaboration with UNC Study Abroad and the Center for Global Education (CGE) at Augsburg College.

How many students are selected for the program?
Typically groups range in size from 15-20 students selected from campuses across the country.

Are language skills required to participate?
There is no language requirement for the program in Namibia and South Africa.

Do participants receive academic credit for this program?
Yes, students receive academic credit for their participation in this program. This credit may be used to satisfy elective, perspective, and major/minor requirements. The way in which the credit is assigned for a particular course depends on the course content as well as remaining degree requirements. Students will receive 16 academic credit hours for work successfully completed while abroad in the fall semester, and one credit hour for participation in the APPLES Reflection Seminar taken in the spring semester following the abroad experience.

Where do participants live?
The home base is the CGE Student Center in Windhoek, but there are two family stays in Namibia (urban and rural), and also a short family stay in a Soweto township in South Africa. For most of the duration in Johannesburg, and in Cape Town, students stay together in a guest house.

What types of service/internship opportunities exist for students? See our list of direct and indirect service opportunities with Namibia Service Agencies.

How am I placed in my service or internship experience?
Participants are placed based on an application form that assesses a student’s interests and skills, and for programs in Mexico, language proficiency. The particular needs of the organization and/or community are considered as well.

Is credit awarded for the service experience?
You will not receive credit for the service, but rather the course your service is grounded in and the learning you demonstrate as a result of the experience.

Are there program staff available in-country?
Yes, permanent staff are on-site who teach the courses, coordinate the programming and family stays, and maintain the facilities.

Are there additional APPLES requirements for this program?
This program has three integral components: a Pre-Departure Workshop in the spring, the global experience in the fall semester, and the spring Reflection Seminar. In the spring, APPLES prepares students for their experience through a full-day Orientation focusing on issues related to cultural awareness, cross-cultural service, travel logistics, teamwork and communication. The Orientation highlights the importance of linking the global experience with local service-learning, application and reflection after returning to North Carolina. In addition to the Orientation, students participate in a half-day Ropes Course and reflection experience prior to departure.

On returning to Carolina, students enroll in “Connections”, a 1-credit reflection seminar that compares the lives of new immigrants in their origin countries with those in North Carolina. The seminar explores concerns for health, education and social justice through selected readings, class discussion and reflection. Returning students engage in local service-learning with newly arrived immigrants. As mentors, they provide assistance with activities supporting school achievement and facilitation of bilingual fluency for middle or high school immigrant youth.

May I contact someone who has completed this program?
Yes. Please contact the APPLES Office at 962-0902 to request contact information for past participants.

To obtain contact information for the current GSL Chair, please refer to the APPLES' Organizers directory.


	Namibia and South Africa FAQ's Program Destinations \| Application Process \| Funding Photos \| Reflection Seminar \| Local Service Global Service-Learning Homepage What is Global Service-Learning? Who sponsors this program? How long is the program? How many students are selected for the program? Are language skills required to participate? Do participants receive academic credit for this program? Where do participants live? What types of service/internship opportunities exist for students? How am I placed in my service or internship experience? Is credit awarded for the service experience? Are there program staff available in-country? Are there additional APPLES requirements for this program? May I contact someone who has completed this program? What is Global Service-Learning? Global service-Learning provides an opportunity for students to unite rigorous academic learning with substantive volunteer service to the community. By integrating formal study with service to the local community in an international setting, students find their learning takes on greater depth and meaning. Working among the community brings classroom learning to life, while the formal study broadens the students’ understanding of their cultural surroundings. This program offers UNC undergraduate students a unique opportunity to work with global and local immigrant communities. Students travel to, study in and work with sending communities where social, economic, or political conditions are pushing residents to immigrate to North Carolina and other regions in the United States. Who sponsors this program? This program is offered by APPLES in collaboration with UNC Study Abroad and the Center for Global Education (CGE) at Augsburg College. How long is the program? One semester (15-16 weeks) How many students are selected for the program? Typically groups range in size from 15-20 students selected from campuses across the country. Are language skills required to participate? There is no language requirement for the program in Namibia and South Africa. Do participants receive academic credit for this program? Yes, students receive academic credit for their participation in this program. This credit may be used to satisfy elective, perspective, and major/minor requirements. The way in which the credit is assigned for a particular course depends on the course content as well as remaining degree requirements. Students will receive 16 academic credit hours for work successfully completed while abroad in the fall semester, and one credit hour for participation in the APPLES Reflection Seminar taken in the spring semester following the abroad experience. Where do participants live? The home base is the CGE Student Center in Windhoek, but there are two family stays in Namibia (urban and rural), and also a short family stay in a Soweto township in South Africa. For most of the duration in Johannesburg, and in Cape Town, students stay together in a guest house. What types of service/internship opportunities exist for students? See our list of direct and indirect service opportunities with Namibia Service Agencies. How am I placed in my service or internship experience? Participants are placed based on an application form that assesses a student’s interests and skills, and for programs in Mexico, language proficiency. The particular needs of the organization and/or community are considered as well. Is credit awarded for the service experience? You will not receive credit for the service, but rather the course your service is grounded in and the learning you demonstrate as a result of the experience. Are there program staff available in-country? Yes, permanent staff are on-site who teach the courses, coordinate the programming and family stays, and maintain the facilities. Are there additional APPLES requirements for this program? This program has three integral components: a Pre-Departure Workshop in the spring, the global experience in the fall semester, and the spring Reflection Seminar. In the spring, APPLES prepares students for their experience through a full-day Orientation focusing on issues related to cultural awareness, cross-cultural service, travel logistics, teamwork and communication. The Orientation highlights the importance of linking the global experience with local service-learning, application and reflection after returning to North Carolina. In addition to the Orientation, students participate in a half-day Ropes Course and reflection experience prior to departure. On returning to Carolina, students enroll in “Connections”, a 1-credit reflection seminar that compares the lives of new immigrants in their origin countries with those in North Carolina. The seminar explores concerns for health, education and social justice through selected readings, class discussion and reflection. Returning students engage in local service-learning with newly arrived immigrants. As mentors, they provide assistance with activities supporting school achievement and facilitation of bilingual fluency for middle or high school immigrant youth. May I contact someone who has completed this program? Yes. Please contact the APPLES Office at 962-0902 to request contact information for past participants. To obtain contact information for the current GSL Chair, please refer to the APPLES' Organizers directory.