Service-Learning Placements

Each student in the Program is assigned to work two days per week in a community organization devoted to some aspect of the peace process, including conflict resolution, reconciliation, and the like. This work makes up the service-learning component of the Program, and is the major activity associated with PSYC 330: Conflict and Peace in Northern Ireland. The students are expected both to learn about the work of their organizations, and to do work that is of some benefit to the organization. These projects can take many forms, including the production of public artworks, consultation about organizational aims, projects, and technical needs, and multimedia productions, just to name a few.

Every effort is made to assign students to organizations that fit with their backgrounds, interests, and learning objectives. At the time you turn in your application materials, we also ask you to fill out a copy of the Placement Survey, and return it with your other application materials to Prof. Flack.

Some examples of the community organizations in which students have been placed include:

• The Bogside Artists (muralists)

• The Nerve Centre (multimedia)

• Holywell Trust (cross-community peace-building)

• Peace and Reconciliation Group (cross-community peace-building)

• Oakgrove Integrated Primary School (integrated elementary school)

• WAVE (trauma treatment center)

• The Verbal Arts Centre (literature)

• Derry Journal (newspaper)

• Derry Mayor's Office

• Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

• Sinn Fein (republican political party)

• Social and Democratic Labour Party (SDLP; nationalist political party)

• Derry Playhouse (drama theatre)

• Gasyard (nationalist community center)

• Tullyally Community Centre (unionist)