Program overview
The project is in Uganda, with our community partner, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO). TASO was founded in 1987 to contribute to the process of HIV prevention, education, support, and eradication. TASO supports people living with HIV/AIDS at the personal, family, community, national, and international levels. TASO currently has 11 regional offices across Uganda with its head office located in Kampala.
The overall objective for this project is to collect and write narratives of TASO clients in order to accurately represent the impacts of the organization. Your work will include working alongside TASO staff to interviewing identified TASO clients, writing, editing and contextualizing the narratives in a way that best meet TASO’s goals for the project. You will be based at the TASO Mbale regional centre and provide online support to other centres to facilitate the collection of narratives across the organization.
Program dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Rolling deadline until March 1st, 2015 | Application intake and interviews |
| ~ I week after receiving an offer letter | Acceptance and deposits are due |
| March – May 2015 | Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (multiple – approximately 35 hours in total) |
| June – August 2015 | 12 week international placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through |
| September – October 2015 | ISL post-placement reflection sessions and public engagement event |
Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed before you receive an offer of a placement.
This program will close when full. Please apply ASAP to avoid disappointment.
Leading up to your placement (Pre-departure)
Pre-departure learning sessions take place in the term before you leave for your placement; it prepares you for an intensive International Service Learning experience. During pre-departure you will:
- Create a learning & development plan and review with your ISL Advisor
- Explore learning topics at regular meetings with your placement team
Accommodations
You will be staying with host families that ISL will arrange through UBC local representatives that work in Uganda. You will live with a community host family in modest accommodations. You will be based in Mbale but may have some short term travel & stay in other towns that have TASO centres. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement.
After you’ve returned (Post-placement)
After you’ve returned, you’ll regroup, reflect and work at unpacking the intensive experience you’ve had. The schedule of post-placement activities includes:
- A full day to debrief with advisors and peers (September 2015)
- Presenting at an International Development Symposium (October 2015)
Program cost
We expect the program fee to be approximately $4,000. Fees may be adjusted prior to offer and include:
- Room and board
- Pre-departure learning sessions
- Transportation from the airport to your placement**
- Orientation in Uganda
- Debrief and workshop part way through your placement
- Community partner management fee
- ISL project management fee
Airfare, visas and vaccinations are not included in the program fee. A return ticket to Uganda costs approximately $2,000–$2,500. You will be required to bring your own laptop.
You will need to arrange your own transportation from the project site back to the airport at the end of the placement.
Application
To apply for a 2015 placement, please submit an online application. Contact an advisor if you have any questions about the program eligibility before applying. The application consists of basic demographic information and essay questions. Set aside at least two hours to complete the application.
Eligibility & Awards
ISL Award – $1,500
If accepted into the ISL program, your eligibility will be automatically assessed for the $1,500 International Service Learning Award. Please follow the link for more information. No separate application is required.