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A
typical YSOP Weeklong Workcamps begins on Monday morning with
breakfast and orientation at YSOP. The Workcamp begins with a
discussion about volunteering and preparation for serving.
Each participant, youth and adult, shares what he or she will
bring to the service work for the day. We also emphasize
measures to assure the safety of all participants. Then the
Workcamp group is divided into smaller teams, each with an
adult mentor. The teams travel on foot or public
transportation to service sites in neighborhoods throughout the
city.
YSOP volunteers prepare and serve meals at soup kitchens; they
help at clothing and furniture banks; they provide recreational
activities and companionship to young children; they distribute
food and supplies at food pantries; they socialize and bring
snacks to people in drop-in centers. YSOP carefully and
regularly monitors all worksites to ensure that the sites are
organized and safe, that YSOP volunteers are utilized
efficiently and that everyone is treated with respect.
Everyone returns to YSOP to share impressions of the day. Each
team describes its work and challenges faced. Team members
answer questions from the group and make comments. The evening
is free to explore the city.
On
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the team goes to a different
service site each day so that, by the end of the week, the team
has seen a variety of different services provided in the city
and different neighborhoods in that city.
On
Tuesday evening, the YSOP Workcampers prepare a meal for
homeless people who sleep in a shelter nearby. The shelter
guests and YSOP'ers come together for a relaxing dinner and
social time. This relatively brief service project gives all
Workcampers a common experience and begins to break down
stereotypes about homeless people.
After spending the day working at a site on Wednesday, the
students meet with a resource person, someone involved in
direct service to homeless and hungry people or advocacy. In
sharing frontline experiences and reflections, the speaker
draws the YSOP'ers into a discussion on the causes of
homelessness and hunger, society's response to homelessness,
and the students own feelings about these issues.
For the final day, the Workcampers return to YSOP after working
at their site for a final gathering. In that gathering, each
Workcamper, student and adult, is encouraged to reflect upon
and then share with the group their impressions of the Workcamp
experience. Participants are encouraged to think of ways in
which they can connect the YSOP Workcamp experience to their
daily lives.
Sample
Weeklong Schedule
One day and several evenings are free to
explore New York City and Washington, DC. The YSOP staff
is happy to suggest and help
arrange recreational activities for groups.
Groups usually arrive over the weekend and
begin their time with YSOP early Monday morning; however, we are
flexible and try to accommodate the special circumstances and
interests of each group.
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YSOP Workcamps
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