Alternative BreakAway program conducts meaningful volunteer service with our local and national communities.
BreakAway is a program offering students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to take a meaningful break from school to volunteer and serve others. It is a real example of the CSL and University mission to "expand the boundaries of knowledge and discovery to create positive personal and social change." Each year, UW Tacoma students will graciously donate their spring break and other school vacations in order to embark on a journey that breaks away from the comforts of everyday living, challenges our privilege ands, perceptions, and assists nonprofits that make a difference in our communities.
The goal of UW Tacoma’s BreakAway program is to have students identify social justice issues relevant to them and seek out nonprofit partnerships working to address them. The Center for Service and Leadership assists with training for site leaders, coordination of site locations and fundraising efforts, and implements reflective practices based on the National Breakaway model for alternative break programming.
To learn more about BreakAway, contact the BreakAway Coordinator at altbrk1@uw.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The required application fee for BreakAway is $50. This helps to cover training expenses. This is the only fee charged directly to participants. However, trips can cost up to $500 per student. To cover this, BreakAway participants are each expected to fundraise the remaining cost of the trip with the support of the BreakAway Coordinator and their BreakAway team. This can be done through personal outreach, fundraising events, and personal donation. We encourage creativity and collaboration to successfully raise this amount. Any funds raised that are not used will be available for future BreakAway funding. If you need assistance with the required deposit, contact the BreakAway Coordinator.
Short answer: Yes.
One of the reasons we do BreakAway is to connect with each other. The time we spend as a group outside of the volunteer service hours is essential to having the full BreakAway experience. You may be surprised about how fun it can be! We also commit a certain number of volunteers to our service site, so having students leave early could negatively impact the amount of work we're able to accomplish. Individual circumstances may be discussed with the BreakAway coordinator.
BreakAway trips entail spending our days and overnights at or nearby our partner organization. We will be working with community partner staff, clients, and possibly with youth. Daily schedules vary, and may include different physical labor tasks, client interactions, and reflective activities. This experience requires students eager to listen, learn and get outside their comfort zones. All students attending BreakAway are representing UW Tacoma, and are expected to follow UW safety policies and guidelines.