WHAT WE DO
The mission of the A Broader View is to unite young people around the world’s most pressing problems and empower them to become leaders.
We believe that global problems such as climate change and poverty demand new and powerful forms of leadership. We believe great leadership can be taught. We also believe that extraordinary experiences can inspire young people to become driven and visionary leaders.
We work with schools and universities to create service land leadership programs with communities in Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal and India.
Our partner communities are making progress against global problems thanks to strong local leadership. Our 10-28 day trips allow students to experience these inspiring communities and learn about global issues by working to solve them.
Our goal is that each student begins the process of developing his or her own leadership style and vision. Students learn leadership by studying themselves and the local leaders around them.
Along the way, students embark on outdoor adventures such as trekking or rafting, immerse themselves in a foreign culture, and experience themselves and their world in a whole new way.
A Broader View Leaders School programs are tailored to the requirements of each school but include the following core elements:
Global Issues Each program focuses on a single global issue such as poor children, public health or conservation. Discussion sessions help students overcome the “barrier of complexity” in order to develop confidence and understand an issue.
Service Learning Students do volunteer work related to the global issue. This work provides hands-on learning and allows students to progress from understanding to action.
HOW A TRIP WORKS
We work closely with each school to design an itinerary and trip curriculum that conforms to the school’s needs and objectives.
We require that at least one faculty member participates in the trip alongside the students (one each 10 students). We want educators as involved as possible in each trip in order to impact the larger school community and ensure that learning continues after the trip ends.
There is one free teacher for every group of ten paying students. Other teacher and school incentives are available upon request.
The faculty will meet online the A Broader View instructor several months before the trip to begin the curriculum planning process.
Program fees vary according to country, itinerary and group size. As a general rule of thumb, a 10-day trip ranges from $1,400 – $1,900 per student, excluding airfare. A 21-day trip ranges from $2,500 – $2,900 per student, excluding airfare.
Our services include:
- Custom-designed itinerary and curriculum
- Custom designed T-shirts
- Three meals per day
- In-country transport
- Full choice of accommodations
- Adventure activities such as trekking, rafting, sea kayaking, snorkeling, wildlife viewing and hiking
- Dedicated A Broader View Coordinator
- Spanish Immersion (Latin-American countries only)
- Global issues presentations
- Tours Included (if requested)
- 24-hour support from in-country director
- Academic credit opportunities and Presidential Award for each Student and Teacher if they volunteer over
Our services do not include:
Airfare
Airport departure tax
Spending money for souvenirs, snacks, soft drinks, toiletries, medications, internet, phone calls and other personal items.
Donation for community project. We ask that each student and teacher raise between $100 and $250, which will be donated directly to the project they are working on. We believe that students and teachers feel a greater investment in a project when they have worked to raise money for it. A Broader View helps schools develop innovative fundraising ideas.
Language Immersion Living and working in a French – or Spanish – speaking community is a powerful way to learn a language. Language classes are not part of every trip but can be integrated into a trip curriculum upon request.
FOR STUDENTS
The globe will face huge and exciting challenges during your lifetime. Global problems such as climate change, species extinction and poverty are problems that must and can be reversed over the next few decades. The responsibility for finding solutions for many of these problems will fall on your generation. The pace of change – both for the problems and the solutions – is rapid. World population is exploding and will peak by 2050. There are new technologies, such as the internet, which create powerful opportunities for education and collaboration. The global economy is an increasingly powerful force that overrides even the most powerful nations. The world has become a smaller place and is shrinking every day.
These are incredibly exciting times. We want to help you understand the world and its problems. Our goal is to give you the confidence and the tools to be a leader and create change in the world.
Our Commitment. We will help you understand a global issue like Conservation or global poverty by breaking it into simple terms and taking you to global communities where you can see its effects firsthand.
In these communities you will meet locals who are making progress against these issues. You will be able to work alongside them and help create positive change.
Adventure. Outdoor adventures and cultural explorations are an important component of every A Broader View School trip. Options include trekking in the Andean highlands of Peru, snorkeling in Honduras or Safari in Tanzania. Through these experiences you will develop confidence, form a strong working relationship with other group members and travel off the beaten path.
You will also explore the culture and history around you. This also includes visiting mind-blowing places like Elqui Valley-Chile, the lost city of Machu Picchu-Peru and the incredible archeological sites in La Ceiba-Honduras.
Safety. The safety of our students is our number one priority. We build safety into every level of A Broader View School trip.
We begin with seasoned in-country directors who have a long record of safely handling students in their country. These directors personally select the communities we work with and screen host families. They are responsible for coordinating all logistics such as ground transportation and activities.
The final, and most important level of protection, is the community itself. We select communities that are small and closely knit, where neighbors take care of each other. Our host families take the safety of their students very seriously, we also can offer hostels or hotels as accommodations
For Parents
The people behind the A Broader View School have a long history of successfully managing student groups. We also are parents ourselves.
As a parent, here is what you can expect from us:
Safety. The safety of our students is our number one priority. We build safety into every level of A Broader View School trip.
We begin with seasoned in-country directors who have a long record of safely handling students in their country. These directors personally select the communities we work with and screen host families. They are responsible for coordinating all logistics such as ground transportation and activities.
The final, and most important level of protection, is the community itself. We select communities that are small and closely knit, where neighbors take care of each other. Our host families take the safety of their students very seriously.
Learning. Your child will come away from A Broader View School trip with a unique and eye-opening experience.
He or she will develop a meaningful connection with a culture very different from her own.
She or he will understand a global problem like climate change and witness its impacts with he or her own eyes.
He or She will work alongside inspiring locals and, in the process, view him or herself as a leader. She or he will ask the questions: “What is my leadership style? What do I stand for?”
Fun and Adventure. All learning at A Broader View School is experiential, hands-on and fun. We also take every opportunity to explore the country around us by rafting, hiking, camping and engaging in other safe adventure activities. We want to get kids out of the classroom and allow them to learn in new ways.
volunteers[at]abroaderview.org
- USA (1) 215 780 1845
- USA (1) 215 717 7075
- USA (1) 215 253 4512
- USA (866) 423 3258
- UK (44) 20 3289 9896
- AU (61) 2 8003 3474
A Broader View Headquarters
236 Glen Ln Elkins Park, PA 19027 US