18th International Service Learning Conference

More than 550 people from around the country, Latin America, United States, Europe and Africa participated in the XII International service-learning Week in Buenos Aires. Activities included the XVIII International Service Learning Conference, the seventeenth meeting of the Iberoamerican Service Learning Network, the III Service-Learning Symposium and The Visits Program to institutions that develop service learning experiences

18th International Service Learning Conference

The 18th International Conference took place on August 27-28, 2015. With the presence of over 550 attendees, 151 of which came from 14 countries in Latin America, North America Europe and Africa the conference was held at the Faculty of Economics of the Buenos Aires University.
As in recent years, along with teachers and students coming from schools that have already developed solidary educational projects,  and the Presidential Award winning institutions, the seminar was also attended by teachers who came for the first time. Among the most applauded papers there were “Service-learning and educational inclusion”. Prof. Italo Fiorin, Director EIS, LUMSA University, Rome and “Narrative and communication of solidary service-learning experiences” Micaela Urdínez, La Nación Fundation, Mariana Maggio, Director of the Masters Program in Educational Technology (UBA) and Lic. Laura Serra, Executive Secretary of the Latin American Network of Education Portals (RELPE).
Seminar presentations are available to be downloaded in Spanish here. Videos of the presentations are currently being uploaded to our YouTube channel.

3rd Service-Learning Research Symposium 

Having received 71 presentations among which 64 were approved for oral or poster presentation, this new edition of the III Service-Learning researchers Symposium was organized by CLAYSS with the support of the Ibero-American Service-Learning Network and IARSLCE, The International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement.
The inaugural session was attended by Dr. Andrew Furco, one of the IARSLCE funders and member of its executive committee, who gave an introductory presentation and spoke about IARSLCE activities.

Visits Program for foreign participants to service-learning experiences 

One of the XII International Service-Learning Week activities CLAYSS offered to foreign participants was the chance to visit some service-learning experiences. The Visits Program consisted of a group of 17 specialists and teachers from Latin America, Africa and Europe (accompanied by Lic. Enrique Ochoa and Dr. Ma. Alejandra Herrero CLAYSS) that visited service-learning experiences . Visitors had the chance to see field work currently being undertaken in some local experiences of the University of Buenos Aires and the actions of the National Solidary Education program in the Ministry of Education.

New options to collaborate with CLAYSS

With the purpose of promoting solidary service-learning (SL) CLAYSS was founded as a civil association in 2002, after the 2001 Argentinean Economic crisis. It accompanies SL projects, provides training and advice in many schools, universities, civil society organizations and governments throughout Argentina, its Uruguayan headquarters and in the rest of Latin America, North America, Europe and Africa. Also, it develops research activities and participates in several international networks. As a non-profit organization, it is funded through on-site and distance courses and projects being undertaken with major national and international donors.

To continue supporting more and better solidary projects in institutions, we have incorporated in our website a section called "Como colaborar"( "How to help") On the one hand you can work with CLAYSS helping us make contact with people, companies and donor foundations interested in supporting us. We think it is very important to continue building networks among those who move forward together.
And on the other hand, it is possible to contribute through online donations with credit and debit cards. Simply enter CLAYSS website, click on the "Donar""Donate"section and complete a short, secure and transparent form. Donations can be done once every month by simply completing your card information.
We invite you to help us continue to educate in solidarity!

CLAYSS has been accredited as a Service-learning Training Institute

CLAYSS, a civil nonprofit Association, has just been accredited as a Training, Upgrading and Teacher Training Institute (C-579) by the Ministry of Education of the City of Buenos Aires. It will aim to provide opportunities for continuous training to allow principals, teachers and other education professionals to incorporate and improve the design, implementation and institutionalization of community service-learning projects in educational environments. This accreditation will enable our regular on-site and distance courses to provide credits for the teaching career as from next year. We will soon inform you of the range of courses available for 2016.

CLAYSS in Cuba

Lic. Alejandro Gimelli issued a service-learning course for teachers of secondary and higher education, as part of the Summer School organized by the Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba in El Cobre, Santiago de Cuba province. This course, thanks to an agreement between the Archbishop and the Ministry of Education in Cuba, invites teachers from the state system and offers official recognition for the teaching profession. The training was conducted between Monday 27th and Friday July 31th at the facilities of San Basilio Magno Seminary, within the complex of the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity in El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba Province. To CLAYSS, it proved a rewarding challenge to adapt our approach to the social and political context of an island, an effort that was received with great interest and enthusiasm from the participants in the course.

Formal presentation of the service-learning program in Uruguay

On August 21st the official launch of the Program of service learning Promotion in Uruguay  was held in Montevideo. This Program will be implemented until 2017.
The opening panel and presentation of the Program included the participation of Maria Julia Muñoz Minister of Education and Culture of Uruguay, Dr. Paulo Speller General  Secretary of the OEI, the General Director of Secondary Education Council Prof. Insp. Celsa Puente, Dr. the Director of the Board of Education Teacher Training Luis Garibaldi and the Executive Program Coordinator for Uruguay, Lic. Alejandro Gimelli. 
After the opening, solidary students and teachers from three of the nine winners of the "Solidarity Education Contest 2014" presented their service learning experiences.

Training Activities

In August in-site and distance training activities were carried out.  The 12th International service learning Week also had the participation of the CLAYSS Uruguay team.

In site Training: During August, trainings were conducted in seven of all eight schools that make up the 2015 program.

Distance Learning: August 13th at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education and Culture MEC the closing workshop of the 3rd cohort of the virtual course “Pedagogy Approach to SL” took place. 47 teachers and educators from MEC as well as teachers and inspectors CIEP (Primary) and CES (Secondary) participated in the course.

CLAYSS Uruguay in the 12th International Service Learning Week August 26th-29th, 2015: over 30 Uruguayan representatives, technicians, teachers, professors, educators and inspectors participated in the various activities of the International SL Week which had its epicenter in the international seminar in Buenos Aires.

New release of the Presidential Award "Solidary Schools" 2015

In a new edition of the Presidential Award for Solidary Learning Experiences of Argentina new schools were selected. The complete list is available here (in Spanish).
Congratulations to all solidary participants!

Volunteer English Learners in Mendoza

Students within the scholarship system of the Access Program performed recreational together with kids with disabilities in a local organization of volunteers. The Access Program is implemented in SURICANA, English Language Institute in San Rafael, Mendoza.
One of the objectives of the institute is to coordinate the work of teachers, solidary students and social organizations in the area. This time the choice was Tremo Kawell (Beautiful Horse, in the Mapuche language), a group of specialized professionals who help children with disabilities in their rehabilitation.
The micro grants of the Access Program intend to reach outstanding students to access qualified English language training.

Important Prize for technical school pioneer in service-learning

 The team of Argentine students Cristian David Polizzi and Agustín Rodríguez Álvarez, and their teacher Enrique Daniel Garcés Olsen, from the Provincial Technical Education School No. 4 “Gendarmería Nacional” in Junin de los Andes, Neuquen province was one of those who participated in The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF)2015 May 10-15, 2015. Argentines took second place with its hydraulic microturbine project "Efficient use of renewable energy in the Huiliches Department, Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina" within the six best works in the category of "Energy Physics" at the fair, which is internationally recognized by OAS. The institution from Junin de los Andes has a long history of solidary learning experiences, having received numerous awards over the years, including a mention in the "Solidarity Schools" 2000 Presidential Award.

Training from the University Support Program

Under the Solidary Universities Support Program, CLAYSS completed the second on-site training at the Central University of Chile. The activity took place in Santiago de Chile on July 23rd-24th organized by the University Academic Vice-Rector, Social Development Program. CLAYSS trainers were Lic. Enrique Ochoa and Lic. Maria Gabriela Malacrida, and the conference gathered more than 40 teachers, students and authorities of the different careers that are developing service-learning projects. Also on the first day a project fair was carried out where teachers and students shared their experiences with other colleagues. 

Training and onsite technical assistance offered

As part of our institutional proposal CLAYSS offers training in the pedagogy of service learning to educational institutions and civil society organizations interested in the design, implementation and institutionalization of community service-learning projects. We provide distance and on-site training of varying length about Service-learning to institutions of all levels of education (preschool, primary, secondary and tertiary) and youth and community organizations. On the other hand we offer a wide-ranging program of technical support for educational institutions to contribute to the development of a team of teachers and school leaders in planning, developing and evaluating institutional educational projects that integrate learning activities with service practices in the community. It aims at managers and teachers at all levels of the institution as well as the educational guidance team. For more information contact Lic. Luz Avruj, Training Coordinator, luzavruj@clayss.org.ar

The Ibero-American Service-Learning Network celebrated its first 10th anniversary

The Seventeenth Meeting of the Ibero-American Service-Learning Network took place on August 29th, in the City of Buenos Aires. It was attended by over 50 representatives from member institutions of over 10 countries of the region. This was a very special meeting as the first ten years of the Network were celebrated.
The agenda included many topics: updates on the Chilean Service-Learning Network (REase), the Spanish SL Network and ZERBIKAS Promotion Center for SL, the National Network of Community Service of Venezuela, updates of service-learning in Brazil and the launch of CLAYSS SL program with headquarters in Uruguay, as well as future projects to be implemented in 2016.

New call for the RIDAS Magazine  

The call to publish articles in the second issue of the Service Learning academic journal (RIDAS) will be open until December 23rd, 2015. Articles on theoretical, conceptual and historical reflections; on in progress or conducted research; analyzed good practices, case studies; literature reviews; short and experimental evidence will be received.
The publication guidelines can be downloaded here. (Spanish only)

NYLC announces the "27th Annual National Service-Learning Conference"

Under the slogan "Educate. Ignite. Transform " NYLC organizes March 30th- April 2nd , 2016 the traditional Service-learning National Conference of  the United States in Minneapolis, Minessotta. As in previous years, the first annual meeting of the Ibero-American Service-Learning Network will take place during those days. The call to present workshops at the conference is now open. More informationhttp://servicelearningconference.org/2016/

The report of the Talloires Conference in Cape Town, 2014 is now available.

A summary of the Third International Conference of the Talloires Network leaders, held in Cape Town, South Africa, December2-4 2014, can be downloaded here: http://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu/blog/2015/04/01/cape-town-conference-charts-future-direction/

Meeting of the Steering Committee and 10th year anniversary celebration of the Talloires Network in New York

The Secretariat of the Talloires Network met with Dr. Angie Yuen, Vice President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to receive her regional “University Social Responsibility Network” as a Talloires Network member. This network is focusing its efforts in involving universities in China and Hong Kong through interdisciplinary service-learning programs (23 programs in six Chinese universities), a Global Youth Leadership Institute, and its first international symposium in 2016. More information here: http://www.osl.polyu.edu.hk/usrsl2014/

2015:

November 9 - 11: International Service-Learning Symposium 2015 at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Cusco, Peru. “Who’s Developing Whom? Achieving Millennium Development Goals through International Service-Learning worldwide” More information: http://www.ipsl.org/symposium/

November 16 - 18: The 15th annual conference of International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) will take place and it will be hosted by Northeastern University in Boston, MA. More information:  www.researchslce.org/conferences

November 18 - 20: World Congress "Educating Today and Tomorrow. A renewing passion”  Rome. Organized by the Vatican, the Congress is open to teachers of all educational levels without distinction of creed or thought. It will feature the participation of Rectors and international specialists from around the world, including Prof. Nieves Tapia, who has been invited to speak at the closing panel. The conference's conclusions will be headed by His Holiness Pope Francis.
Registration is now open at: http://ceceventi.glauco.it/#/Preiscrizione/en
More information: http://www.educatio.va/content/cec/it/eventi/congresso-educare-oggi-e-domani/educating-congress.html or at congresseducat2015@gmail.com

2016:

June 22-24 2016: 7th Living Knowledge Conference – Dublin, Ireland. Living Knowledge 2016 will be hosted by Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.