April 2, 2010

For the past three years, Heartland Alliance has welcomed students from Florida International University's (FIU) Alternative Spring Break program. Instead of indulging in the sun-soaked frolicking generally associated with spring break, these students dedicate themselves to a week of volunteer work helping others.

From March 15-19, 13 FIU students aided staff and participants of several Refugee and Immigrant Community Services programs, including vocational English training, youth and family services, job training, and resettlement.

The week started with a crash course in Heartland Alliance programs, mission and philosophy of care. The days that followed included the intense and rewarding hands-on work helping refugee participants get to their appointments, polish their job-hunting skills, tutoring refugee youth in after-school program, and teaching English and vocational hospitality skills. At the end of their tenure, each volunteer described how the experience affected him or her.

"I came here because I wanted to explore outside my bubble," said one student who worked with the employment services team. "I felt like my eyes were half-closed before I got here."

Another student working with recently arrived families noted, "They completely destroyed my expectations of what refugees would be like—they weren't sad; they were grateful to be here and eager to learn. They made me feel thankful for the opportunities I have."

The students admired how Heartland Alliance employees often wear many hats, combining their passion for helping their participants with the day-to-day practice of the job. One student noted that the employment team had to prepare for a big audit during the week, and still managed to serve every participant that needed help.

All of the students expressed their respect for the strength and determination of the refugee participants, particularly one individual who tried 16 times to flee Vietnam before he made it to the United States.

"For our staff, this week serves many purposes: it helps us to identify the important parts of our jobs, so we can teach them quickly; it gives us the opportunity to mentor the next generation of passionate non-profit workers, and most importantly, it allows us to give participants much more of that one-on-one attention that they need and deserve," says Lauren Perez, coordination and compliance supervisor with Refugee & Immigrant Community Services. "Every year, we are amazed at how quickly the students learn new skills and put them into action. We are always so grateful for the time they give us, and it's a pleasure to watch them grow."

Photo: Florida International University students took their Alternative Spring Break in Chicago to help with Heartland Alliance's refugee programs. Front row: Priscilla Marcias, Miryam Rodriguez, Shannonlee Rodriguez, Irina Hechavarria, Mileydis Aguila, Stephanie Gonzalez, Jamillah Stewart. Back row: Cory Robinson, Blas Pulgar-Vidal, Javier Nunez, Lorena Colina, Rodney Torres, Ana Forero

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