Alternative Spring Breaks; the New In Thing?

Spring Break usually conjures up images of sun kissed, bikini clad co-eds on over crowed beaches engaging in games and often engaging in considerable amounts of drinking. However Spring Break is getting a face-lift, as Service Breaks are growing in considerable popularity among undergrads seeking to get away from the cold drab of winter and take a much needed reprieve from the books. Service Breaks are no longer becoming the unique experience, and while many are taken to impoverished and developing areas few are in disaster zones. However the aftermath of the quake in Haiti has led a great many students to seek opportunities to help, such as 11 students from Pennsylvania State University who look to take a week to assist with the relief efforts.

“We know we’re a tiny Band-Aid on a huge wound, but we’re still doing what we can to help.” said junior, David Adewumi. (Inside Higher Ed)

Will service breaks soon replace the party infused images of partying co-eds that has graced our minds since the end of WWII? While Florida doesn’t need to hit the panic button as students will surely continue to flock to the coast for decades to come, more and more students will surely be looking for an alternative that will not only boost their University experience, but resumes as well. With more and more areas in need, such as now seen in the wake of the earthquake in Chile, many more may decide that Service Breaks are the way to go. However this increase in desire to “help” brings students motivation into question and has many worried;

A large part of the students’ motivation is altruism, said Lou Manza, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College, in Pennsylvania. But he worries that “some students aren’t necessarily getting involved because they want to help — they see this as something that will look good on a resume or be a great story to tell.” (Inside Higher Ed)

While true many students intentions are good, often their efforts are misconstrued and misguided. As the executive director of a non-profit supporting survivors of human trafficking, we receive many inquires about volunteering from students and what we have found is most are only interested in working with survivors. However students are often disappointed when approaching organizations like ours to learn that they cannot engage in direct or unsupervised, work with clients as there are a number of trainings and confidentiality issues that cannot logistically be addressed for such a short period of time or the students simply are not qualified to engage in the work the are seeking. The experience for many organizations to take Service Break students is sadly often more trouble than it’s worth. It has often left me questioning whether students truly understand the scope of what they are asking to engage in when seeking projects.

That said Service Breaks are not a bad idea at all, on the contrary they can be highly beneficial for both the students and the organizations or causes in which they serve. However students need to look for viable projects where they can truly commit their time in a way that sustainably benefits the project or organization they are seeking to work with, and be open that often the real need lies in projects that have a less glamorous image. Another aspect students should consider when looking to make a lasting impact over their Spring Break is weather the cost and time of a trip really makes sustainable sense, thus examining if flying to Haiti for 7 days to hand out water will be more beneficial than ongoing a week of events in their hometown to raise funds, collect donations or support a local organization running programs and relief efforts overseas.

Alternative Spring Breaks may seem like the new in thing to do, but they are here to stay and can ultimately have a positive impact on both students and communities if done right.