Alternative Breaks

Alternative Breaks offers service-learning trips for students to explore a social justice issue through hands-on service supplemented with education and reflection. Trips run during winter and spring breaks and explore issues like immigration, environmental justice, public health, or poverty. Participants take a DeCal class before their trip to learn about the issue and the community partners they will be working with and to get to know each other.

“I never imagined a space like the PSC. I participated in Alternative Breaks, which gave me experience in local community building. It taught me that community wisdom is perhaps the most important type of wisdom. There’s only so much we can learn from books. It’s given me an alternative way of learning.”

ALEJANDRA LOPEZ, Class of 2015, Double Major in Sociology and Social Welfare

At-A-Glance

Volunteer
Units available
Stipend or scholarship
Time commitment: 2–4 hours per week
Long term (1 semester)
Student Organizations

Spring 2019 Trips

More Information

Read the Alternative Breaks Resource Manual.

Watch our video.

Urban Pathways project, 2016

Supporters

Alternative Breaks (Alt Breaks) has benefited from the generous support of the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), and the benevolent support of individual alumni donors.

Important Dates

Selection Timeline

Application Deadline: September 30, 2018
Offers/Decisions: October 19, 2018
Accept Decisions: October 26, 2018

Info Session Dates & Times
All info sessions will be held at the Public Service Center in 218 Eshleman Hall.

September 5, 2018 (3:30 - 4:30pm)
September 10, 2018 (3:00 - 4:00pm)
September 17, 2018 (4:00 - 5:00pm)
September 25, 2018 (4:00 - 5:00pm)
September 27, 2018 (3:00 - 4:00pm)

Online Application

Apply to participate in a Spring trip by September 30 at 11:59pm.
Apply to lead a Spring trip (rolling deadline)
Apply to be a 2018-2019 Alternative Breaks Program Director (rolling deadline)

Contact Information

Office hours are all held at the Public Service Center (218 Eshleman). Feel free to visit or contact:

Edith Martinez Soto, Community Partnerships Director
Office Hours: Thursdays, 3:00-5:00pm
partnerships.altbreaks@gmail.com

Finance Director
Office Hours: TBA
finance.altbreaks@gmail.com

Joel Sedano, Communications Director
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 10:00am-12:00pm in 597 Barrows Hall
berkeleyaltbreaks@gmail.com

Fatima Casas, Training & Sustainability Director
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00am & Tuesdays, 5:00-6:00pm by appointment
train.sustain.altbreaks@gmail.com

Cassy Huang, Program Manager
cassy@berkeley.edu

2016 Alternative Break leaders at leader retreat