TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Learning Service: Increasing numbers of young people are looking for outlets for “doing good in the world”, but in traditional service-learning experiences, who is serving who? This course dives deep into the philosophy of “learning service” that Dragons has as a core component in all its programs, exploring how successful service to others rests on how open you are to learning prior to and during any time spent volunteering. Course instructor Claire has recently published a widely-acclaimed book exploring the topic and she is excited to share her findings with you.

• Sustainable Development: Visiting sites known for achievement and ignominy, and meeting with forward thinking intellectuals, grassroots aid workers, and local community leaders, we develop an understanding of the historical, cultural, and philosophical underpinnings that contextualize Cambodia’s sustainable development efforts, while exploring the complexities surrounding the mechanics of global aid.

• Democracy in Action: From the bustling streets of Phnom Penh, lined with historical monuments, Buddhist Pagodas and peaceful cafes, to the tranquil countryside dotted with ancient temples, the Dragons professional educator program meets with warm and generous people who are devoting their lives to constructive change from the bottom up instead of a top down approach.

• Global Citizenship & Leadership: We have designed a global leadership curriculum and a toolkit of activities to develop the best in our students as informed, courageous, and empathetic leaders. We are excited to share what we have learned about creating excellent global programming that lasts beyond a single service experience and beyond the tenure of a single, energetic teacher.

LOCAL PARTNERS INCLUDE:

• PEPY: The organization’s founder, Daniela Papi, is a veteran Dragons instructor and the co-founder of Learning Service along with Claire. PEPY’s goal is to empower the next generation of Cambodians by connecting them to the skills, systems, and inspiration necessary to achieve their goals, raise standards of living, and improve the quality of education in their communities.

• Friends International: A social enterprise building a future for the most marginalized youth and their families. A strong advocate on the dangers of “voluntourism”, they have spoken out against the harm caused by unskilled volunteering working with vulnerable children.

• Epic Arts: This is an international, inclusive education and arts organization that uses the arts as a form of expression and empowerment to bring people with and without disabilities together.

• Trapeang Sankae: A community project founded by a group of fishermen looking to protect their coastline from corporate land-grabbing, they have now reforested hundreds of hectares of mangroves and are leading the fight against climate change.

• Chambok Community Ecotourism: In the heart of Kirirom National Park, this community protects their forests through offering sustainable tourism.