Program Highlights:
Have you ever dreamed of volunteering in Poland? Well here is your chance to do it and earn college credit in the process! Study Abroad Poland is pleased to offer summer volunteer opportunities. Knowledge of Polish is not required. College credit is awarded through Seattle Central Community College.
Volunteer placements are organized by our partner institution FIYE Poland (Stowarzyszenie Promocji Wolontariatu). FIYE is a vibrant Polish non-governmental and non-profit organization. Ever since it was established in 1989, FIYE has been active in the field of voluntary service and particularly committed to international youth exchange programs. Throughout the years, FIYE has developed and successfully carried out a considerable number of volunteer projects with special regard to short-term summer projects. Each year about 200 foreign volunteers participate in FIYE’s summer programs. FIYE’s summer programs are usually organized in towns or villages, and hosted by small communities and their local authorities. The program themes vary, and can range from social projects for physically and mentally disabled people, to language teaching camps for children, or projects that require simple manual work. The work which the volunteers undertake is particularly useful and valuable to the local people, because it would not be otherwise possible. Moreover, the volunteers have the opportunity to interact with the genuine local people, which guarantees true insight into the community, its daily life and customs.
For a sample list of volunteer placements, visit our Placement Description page.
Don’t need college credit? Contact us and we’ll send you the price without the credit.
Have only 2 weeks to volunteer? Two-week programs are available without college credit. Contact us for more details.
The University:
Seattle Central Community College (SCCC) is an American college that is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institution accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. It is also a member of the League for Innovation, a prestigious group of community colleges nationwide who have been selected for membership based on education excellence. Since 1966, the college has served the higher education training needs of more than 500,000 students.
Your courses will be organized by the Office of Cooperative Education and Service-Learning. The mission of our office is to provide students with resources to obtain internship, volunteer, and service-learning experiences that will enhance their academic, professional, and personal growth as well as their leadership development and sense of civic responsibility.
The City:
There is a wide variety of volunteer programs in the cities all around Poland. Generally they are small towns or villages where the communities need volunteers the most. Some towns include Michalin, Borowno, Glaz, Sol, Swinoujscie, Wieliszew, Galewice, and Zagorze. This is a great way to experience life outside of the cities in Poland and immerse yourself in the Polish language and culture, all while volunteering for the common good.
Courses & Descriptions:
Most volunteer programs are 2-weeks in length, so our students will participate in 2 projects, back-to-back, for a total of 4 weeks. For a sample list of volunteer placements, visit our Placement Description page.
While completing the volunteer program students are also simultaneously enrolled in Seattle Central Community College’s on-line social science course ILT 197: International Cooperative Education. This course is an independent study that allows students to earn credit for work experience in an international setting. It is designed to help students reflect on their volunteer experience and to gain necessary skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. This course meets by e-mail, phone, or fax with a professor from Seattle Central Community College. There is no physical site or classroom. As part of the requirements, students submit a daily journal, research paper, and two critical thinking papers.
Transfer Credit:
You’ll receive an official transcript from Seattle Central Community College. This allows you to transfer credit back to your home university.
The credits listed are estimated credits for the courses. You should speak with the study abroad advisor at your home university to determine the number of transfer credits and obtain pre-approval for your courses.
After completing the program, we’ll send your registrar or study abroad advisor an official transcript with the course titles, course hours, and grades. Your university will need this transcript to transfer credit. You can earn 3 semester credits.
Financial Aid:
It is possible to transfer your financial aid to pay for some or all of the program costs. The first step is to check with your home institution’s financial aid advisor before applying. Since every home institution has different rules, only your advisor can tell you what kind of aid can transfer. Study Abroad Poland is happy to provide you with a certificate of enrollment or any other documents that your university might require.
Scholarships are available on our scholarships page.
Application Deadline(s):
April 02, 2012 - Summer
May 07, 2012 - Summer 2
June 04, 2012 - Summer 3
Late applications will be considered on an individual basis.
Applying for our programs is simple! Fill out the on-line application form and wait for more information from us.
