I think one of the most prominent aspects of the program in Vermont was the focus on social and political issues from all around the world. The issue group I chose to work with was ‘Education for Social Change’.
At first, I was a bit sceptical. This group hadn’t been my first choice and I wasn’t all too sure what to expect. I knew that education was a major part of social change in the world, but it was never something I had given too much thought. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, within a day or two of discussing the topic, I not only thought it was interesting to learn about but it was something I found myself feeling very passionate about by the end of the program.
The topics we discussed, from children without parental support who were conditioned to have low self-esteem, to children in third world countries where parents often choose to send their sons to school instead of their daughters, moved me and really made me think about different cultures and social situations around the world.
The experience was priceless in the sense that it has opened my eyes and made me want to get involved and help in ways I didn’t know I could. I’d even go so far as to say that what I learned in these workshops would make me consider pursuing careers I hadn’t previously considered in order to work with children who have been disadvantaged by their circumstances.
