We know that learning is never limited to what happens in the classroom! Many of our most transformative experiences come when we step off campus and encounter people and places that are new to us, different, and perhaps challenging for us to understand.
At Grebel, you are invited to participate in a variety of service and learning activities that will offer you the opportunity to build relationships with individuals and communities you may not have encountered otherwise.
Reading Week Trips
Reading Week is a great opportunity for students to take their learning outside of the classroom and spend some time serving the community beyond campus. Every year, Grebel students organize at least one Reading Week service trip. Students usually travel for a week-long service trip with with Mennonite Disaster Service to help communities rebuild after natural disasters. Often another group of students will stay local and focus more on learning about relevant social issues, community response, and topics related to social change in the community.
Learning Trips
Our Inter-term Learning trips are an opportunity for you to learn about a topic through travel and direct experience. An example of this type of trip was when a group of Grebelites traveled to Timmins, Ontario to learn about the intersections of Indigenous Justice issues and the mining industry. In a one-day trip, students biked around the Queen's Bush area to learn about the areas history as the location of a Black Settlement, beginning in the 1840s, before Mennonites acquired the land.
Local Service Opportunities
Many local organizations are looking for volunteers. While at university, consider volunteering in the Kitchener-Waterloo community! Volunteer alone or with other Grebelites – there are many great ways to get involved!
There are two regular volunteer activities that Grebel students organize:
- Ray of Hope Meals: Students cook and serve a meal once a month for a local drop in center serving people who are experiencing homelessness or who simply find themselves in need of a meal. Watch for sign up opportunities at Community Supper and on GrebeLife.
- Chandler-Mowat Community Centre Homework Club: Once a week, students participate in a homework club for elementary school-aged children. This means tutoring, playing games, and being mentors for children from a variety of backgrounds including many immigrant and refugee families.
You can also check out the links below for other volunteer opportunities, and speak with Gemma if you would like help finding a volunteer placement. The Volunteer Action Centre of KW is another great resource for connecting with service opportunities.