Results the 19th International Service-learning Conference13th International Service-learning Week

More than 600 people from Argentina and different countries of Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia participated in the 13th International service-learning Week in Buenos Aires. Activities included the 19th International Service-learning Conference and the 18th meeting of REDIBAS (the Iberoamerican Service-learning Network), a meeting of Universities supported by CLAYSS, and visits to institutions that develop service-learning experiences.

Results the 19th International Service-learning Conference

The 19th International Service-learning Conference was held on August 25th and 26th 2016 in the Catholic University Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With more than 600 people, 145 came from 19 countries in Latin America, Europe (with significant participation of allies in Eastern Europe) Africa and Asia.
Seminar presentations (in Spanish) can be downloaded here. The videos of the presentations (in Spanish) are being uploaded to our youtube channel.

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Meeting with Universities participating of CLAYSS Support Program

Tuesday August 23rd at CLAYSS headquarters a meeting of presentation and exchange gathered 6 universities that are developing the “Service-Learning Support Program-Higher Education": the Catholic University of Colombia, Gran Colombia University, Silva Henriquez Catholic University of Chile, the University of Monterrey, Mexico, Matej Bel University and Catholic University of Ruzomberok; both from the Slovak Republic.

Eastern Europe Allies participation

Within the framework of the international Service-Learning week, we received 2 partner organizations working in promoting service-learning in Eastern Europe: MUIOS (Bosnia) and New Horizons (Romania). 
These organizations together with the Slovak universities allow us to project a joint effort for the dissemination of Service-Learning in Eastern European countries.

Visits Program to service-learning Experiences

As part of the XIII International Service-Learning Week,activities CLAYSS offered the opportunity to visit some experiences onsite. A group of 20 specialists and teachers from Latin America, Africa and Europe had the opportunity to meet directly some local experiences, which they experiences with interest and enthusiasm. We thank the principals, teachers and students who received our visitors for their valuable contribution to this shared learning space.

CLAYSS gave a course for the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic

CLAYSS was invited by the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic and our colleagues from Alianza NGO (a network of social organizations that promotes service- learning) to participate in the project "Promoting civic values in schools through service-learning”. September 6ht-8th, María Rosa Tapia was in Santo Domingo training Technicians of the Ministry of Education ath the national, regional and district levels, which act as trainers for 140 school counselors.

Advances in the program for Eastern Europe

As requested by several organizations and universities in the region interested in the Latin American service-learning model, as from April we have been helping with training, materials development and other activities for the establishment of a Service-Learning Network in Eastern Europe.
This project has three goals: help develop a critical mass interested in the subject, build capacity in the region and establish an exchange and horizontal cooperation between Central and Eastern European Network and CLAYSS. On September 28th and 29th in Vienna, Austria an Open Conference was held about the Latin American perspective on Service-Learning, which included a second meeting with potential partners for the creation of a regional network. 
CLAYSS participated in this meeting being represented by Prof. María Nieves Tapia and Lic. Luz Avruj.

CLAYSS Argentina joins the Argentine Network for International Cooperation (RACI)

In July CLAYSS was accepted as a new RACI member. CLAYSS Executive Director, Lic. Enrique Ochoa, attended the welcome meeting for new members that took place on Wednesday, July 27th at the headquarters of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA). The welcome was given by the Executive Director of the RACI, Mr. Guillermo Correa, and during the meeting the Charter of CLAYSS incorporation to the Network was signed.
RACI is an organization made up of more than 100 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Argentina that seeks to be a link between CSOs that work or want to do so with the support of International Cooperation and Agents International Cooperation investing on social development in the country. Its main objective is to create a space for exchange and dialogue between the two actors, to strengthen institutions’ access to international cooperation and thus contribute to the social transformation of Argentina.

CLAYSS at the CONSUDEC conference

CLAYSS was present at the 19th Course for Principals and Teachers of Kinder and Primary Education organized by CONSUDEC and the Archdiocesan Board of Catholic Education from Córdoba, carried out in that city on August 11th and 12th, with the participation of more than 500 managers and teachers.
Prof. Nieves Tapia participated in a panel at the opening session, linking the Service-Learning pedagogy with the "works of mercy" characteristic of Catholic schools. She also offered two workshops, with about 60 participants, who worked on the possible transitions between academic and pastoral activities being undertaken and the development of service-learning projects.

CLAYSS on Slovakia

On November 9th. CLAYSS is going to give an open conference on service-learning at Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. It will be in English language with simultaneous translation into Slovakian and is aimed at teachers of all levels (initial, primary, secondary and higher education) as well as leaders of youth organizations and individuals interested in issues related to education and promoting Young participation.
CLAYSS is going to be represented by Dr. Ma. Alejandra Herrero and Lic. Luz Avruj.
If you're interested to attend the conference please write to [email protected] [2]

Solidarity Education Contest 2016 was Launched

August 8th at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) in Montevideo Uruguay, the 3rd edition of the “Solidarity Education Contest 2016” was launched. It is jointly organized by CLAYSS Uruguay Headquarters, the National Administration  for Public Education (ANEP), the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) and the Civil Association "El Chajá".
The ceremony was attended by educational authorities of Uruguay, the Office of the OEI-Mercosur and "El Chajá" and Coordinators of CLAYSS Uruguay headquarters, Ana María Scala and Catalina THöLKE. Joining them were teachers, educators, solidarity students and representative officials from across the country.

Original environmental education project by Uruguayan students

Last year the Project on light pollution carried out by students of Liceo Rubino of Durazno, Uruguay, was one of the winners of the Solidarity Education contest (organized by CLAYSS Headquarters Uruguay together with the Department of Education MEC, ANEP, and The Chajá Association).
The project gathered in different locations of Durazno, information about the existence of pollution caused by excessive artificial lighting. This proved that, in no less than four public places, this phenomenon caused a significant decrease in the quality of the visible sky.
The students were supported by the teacher Carlos Fariello (head of the School Observatory) and they sought to raise awareness about the inadequate lighting applications and their negative consequences for the environment.

Convention for university social housing practices

The National Ministry of the Interior and the Council of Deans of the faculties of architecture from across Argentina signed an agreement aimed at experienced students to submit projects for urban housing and habitat to develop concepts of inclusion and city, solving inequalities from the architectural perspective, instead of generating them.
Many of these universities are developing solidarity educational practices in their faculties, some were awarded the Presidential Award “Solidarity Educational Practices in Higher Education" (Faculty of Architecture of the Catholic University of Córdoba, SIUS, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, Buenos Aires University, and many others).
The agreement included the presentation of the National Contest for the "Sustainable Social Housing Project". Applicants must be under 30 years and study or teach in the field of the organizing faculties. The closing date is December 7th.

Training in Latin American Universities

September 5th-7th Adriana Hernandez and Gabriela Malacrida represented CLAYSS, in a number of activities in Chile. The first day, there was a Discussion on the institutionalization of Service- Learning with 30 authorities (vice-rectors, deans, race, etc.) of the Silva Henríquez Catholic University (UCSH) of Santiago de Chile; the remaining days, there was a training for teachers at the same university.

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CLAYSS online courses began

Organized by CLAYSS, the second cohort of distance courses 2016 began. Under the topic of solidarity service-learning, they will take place until December. The courses "Development of service-learning projects" and "Service-learning in Higher Education" in Spanish, Portuguese and English, with 92 students from all over Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico) and various locations in Eastern Europe (Albania, Russia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Austria and Slovakia). 
For more information visit [4] or write to [email protected] [5]

REDIBAS Meeting

August 24th a new meeting of the Iberoamerican Service-learning Network in the City of Buenos Aires took place. It was developed to work and share joint projects and exchange views on activities, trajectories and remaining challenges. This year more than 50 representatives of member institutions from more than 10 countries of the region participated of the meeting that  took place in the Leopoldo Marechal Hall, Ministry of Education and Sports of the Argentina.

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Conclusions of the Talloires Network Steering Committee Meeting in NYC

Nieves Tapia, Director of CLAYSS, is part of the Steering Committee, but could not attend the meeting in New York because it overlapped with the realization of the International Service-Learning Week in Buenos Aires.
For further information please visit
http://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu/blog/2016/09/20/tn-steering-committee-renews-commitment-to-networks-growth/ [7]

Talloires Network Executive Director retires

Rob Hollister retired as Founding Executive Director of the Talloires Network on July 1.
Professor Hollister co-organized the convening of university heads at the Tufts European Center in September 2005 that launched TN.  He then oversaw the coalition’s secretariat and since 2011 has served as Executive Director.  Hollister played a lead role in designing core programs of the Network and raising funds to expand its operation.
For Hollister "It was a great privilege to support the dynamic leadership of colleagues around the world who are taking their universities beyond the ivory tower", which has gone hand in hand with a vision of Network growth and its member institutions focused on work and collective leadership of their organizations, strengthened by the strategic guidance of the Steering Committee of which CLAYSS is a member.
Lorlene Hoyt will replace Rob as Interim Executive Director of the Network. From CLAYSS we extend our best wishes to Lorlene, and we assure our collaboration.
To Rob Hollister, we can only warmly thank him for his inspiring and sharp leadership, his enormous capacity for work, openness and respect for the diversity of cultures in the Network and its warm and ongoing support to CLAYSS in our work in the service of the Latin American node of the network. Farewell, Rob!

2016:

• October 28: National Meeting "Senses and Voices for Change" (National Meeting on Secondary Education). Within the framework of the initiative "Transforming Secondary Education" and organized by VOZ Foundation it will take place in the Kirchner Cultural Centre. More information: http://www.transformarlasecundaria.org/ [8]

• November 20th -23th: 3rd Asia Engage Regional Conference titled "Universities in an Integrating Regional Community: Engagement with Government, Industries and Civil Societies" Manila, Philippines. More information: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/3rd-engage-regional-conference-manila-philippines-nov-20-23-2016/ [9]

• December 1-2: 2nd International Conference on Service-learning. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. More information:http://www.osl.polyu.edu.hk/ICSL2016/ [10]

2017:

• March 22nd – 25th 2017: Dare to Dream. The 28th Annual National Service-Learning Conference®, in Disneyland, Anaheim, California, EEUU. Organized by the NYLC (National Youth Leadership Council). More information: http://www.nylc.org/conference [11]

• June 16th: First Global Knowledge for Democracy, Cartagena, Colombia. Organized by ARNA (Action Research Network of the Americas). More information:
  https://sites.google.com/site/arnaconnect/announcements/arna2017plannersissueglobalassemblybriefandcalltoparticipate [12]