About

 What is ASB?

ASB Ryerson is an entirely student-run and locally operated group. ASB can be simply described as traveling with a purpose.  Ryerson students volunteer their time and work in developing countries while they experience and learn from another culture.  The program is open to all faculties, giving students an opportunity to learn from other team members’ perspectives as well as their own experience on the project.  The ASB requires dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work, but is exciting and life changing: not only for you, but for those you will be helping overseas.  It inspires and challenges you every day, while altering your perceptions of this world and your place in it. ASB is simply an amazing experience.

Philosophy

 ASB believes that respecting and understanding other cultures can foster positive change both in our own community and abroad.  ASB is about changing the world in small steps by encouraging students to change themselves.  Our actions in our own community affect people all over the world.  ASB believes s journeys like ours will have a lifelong impact on students, and help shape them as the leaders of tomorrow by giving them their experiences today. 

History

ASB started in the fall of 2006, when Brianne Cole and Robyn Wisken were inspired to start an ASB project at Ryerson.  They teamed up with three others and Ryerson Professor Arne Kislenko.  Together they successfully implemented the first ASB project at Ryerson.  The team travelled to Guatemala and built a house with Habitat for Humanity.  This past academic year Lisa Howey-Louter, Breanna Purdie and Shari Nigli lead the ASB team. Ten students travelled to Silico Creek, Panama, where they built a hut for the community’s eco-tourism project. The team also taught English and helped with a waste disposal project. 

How ASB works

In the beginning of the academic year interested students are invited to attend an information event where they hear about past ASB experiences, details of new projects, and the general structure of our group. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions to see if ASB is for them, and to discover if they have what it takes to be part of this unique project.  Students must apply and go through an interview process.  Selections will then take place, with the team determined by a committee of ASB leaders and advisors. The group then meets every week to build the team’s structure and to participate in fundraising and workshops that explore a variety of issues. Team members will also get a chance to learn more about the community that we will be working in and to build a base vocabulary in a new language.  ASB is supported by faculty member Arne Kislenko, who is an integral part of the program and provides support in many ways.  Pre-departure sessions are given close to the project date and team members are kept informed about relevant information regarding the destination country.  Once on project the group has in country support from an affiliated NGO throughout their stay. Back home, the team continues to meet and organize events to share their experiences and reflections with the Ryerson community. Most importantly, team members will reflect personally on the experience of a lifetime that will no doubt continue to change and shape them on many different levels.

When we go

The 2008 and 2009 ASB projects were conducted over one week during the February Reading Weeks. Our plans are to extend the 2010 project to two weeks: one during Reading Week and the other just before or just after it. We are also in the beginning stages of planning an ASB project in Kenya for the spring/summer of 2010 (if we are lucky!) or 2011. 

 

 

 

 

 

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