Service Learning in Seville

It’s important to go beyond the typical study abroad experience by participating in cultural activities, interacting with the community and doing more than just attending classes and traveling. The CEA study abroad program in Seville offers an amazing opportunity to have a more in depth experience with the community of Seville through the Service Learning course. The course is based off the model of theory and practice and students spend time learning the theoretical aspects of volunteering and different skills required for certain placements. The practice component includes a 2.5-hour commitment per week at a local organization, but most students opt for more hours of commitment. These placements allow for a deep connection to the local community and provide students with an opportunity to see a side of Seville they would have otherwise not encountered. These placements allow for deeper immersion and highlight CEA Seville’s commitment to a true community engagement. This course is a unique opportunity for students to gain vital socio-cultural and research skills that are ever necessary in today’s globalizing world.

CEA Seville Service Learning Placements

Ana Bella Foundation - Fundación Ana Bella Para la Ayuda A Mujeres Maltratadas

This is a small foundation in the suburbs of Seville that focuses on providing women with productive outlets and activities to enjoy with their newfound freedom after escaping domestic violence or gender violence. Volunteers perform a range of activities: from listening to the stories of affected women, to designing English classes and other workshops.

Emily (Humanities Major) at the Ana Bella Foundation

Patricia at the Ana Bella Foundation

Once Foundation – Fundación Once

This foundation focuses on social inclusion of disabled populations in Spain. Currently volunteers spend time with blind individuals in Seville’s community, providing English classes and language exchange. Volunteers take individuals out for coffee or participate in cultural activities. The service-learning course provides special training for proper interaction and techniques with blind peoples to improve communication.

ONCE Foundation

Claire (Psych major) volunteering at ONCE with blind people during an English class.

Amanda (Education major) at ONCE taking part into an English class with blind people

ONCE foundation

Autism Seville – Autismo Sevilla

Autism Seville has a strong willingness to collaborate with CEA Seville volunteers. Twice a week volunteers spend time talking at a café and walking around Seville with adults diagnosed with autism. One day a week some volunteers help at swimming classes that are held for kids and teenagers with autism in the suburbs of Seville. This can be a difficult placement but has been very rewarding for the CEA students involved.

Autism Seville: Tori (Education major) helps with swimming classes for autistic children at Torreblanca Pool

Audrey (Sciences major) and Eileen (Marketing Major) during their volunteering with Autism Seville.

Audrey and Eileen during their volunteering with Autism Seville.

PRODEAN – Fundación Prodesarrollo Andalusía

This government sponsored foundation works with refugees throughout Spain and has a refugee center in Seville. Volunteers work specifically with refugee children, spending time playing and drawing allowing the kids to feel like kids. The CEA students involved have minors in migration studies and were happy to work in a placement that directly related to their coursework. PRODEAN also offers placements in local schools to help children who are living under social difficulties. Volunteers act as English teaching assistants in these placements.

PRODEAN: Paola y Marissabel (both International Studies majors) playing with and teaching kids at the Refugee Center

PRODEAN: Audrey (Sciences major) provides assistance in English classes with children under social difficulties at the SAFA Blanca Paloma School.

UCA

This is a consumer rights organization where volunteers perform mostly administrative work. This organization helps when citizens have issues with social services like electricity or phone.

Brandon (Sociology major) at UCA placement site

Oxfam International

This organization has a commitment to end poverty and injustice. In Seville the organization works with the Andalusian observatory of inequality and volunteers assist with research and perform administrative work.

Engineers Without Boarders

Volunteers worked at a social market that promoted free trade and practiced speaking Spanish with locals.

A special thanks to Professor Alvarez (shown here volunteering in Haiti with Spanish Red Cross in December, 2014) for all the help with this article and your work organizing these placements for students at CEA - She has been abroad several times in countries such as Haiti, El Salvador and Nicaragua with different organizations and is currently volunteering at ONCE, Spanish Red Cross and PRODEAN here in Seville.