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Notes from the Road

UPDATE: You can now view Ashley's video from Sierra Leone by clicking here.

An Invitation: You are invited to journey with YAP's three Monmouth University International Social Work interns as they traverse three countries doing field work. Ashley Terleski, Rachel A. Forbes and Bree Meduna joined the YAP team in September working in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to support our sister agencies in Sierra Leone and Guatemala, the International Youth Advocacy Federation and general YAP international endeavors. This dynamic group developed a research project that they are about to launch. This month, Ashley, Rachel and Bree are beginning orientation in their field sites of Sierra Leone, Guatemala, and New Jersey. In March, the venturesome researchers will be conducting focus groups simultaneously, pioneering an entirely new track of international internships with YAP.

Coupling travel with an eye on social justice and making the VOICES of vulnerable youth heard, the field study joins the YAP and Monmouth mutual missions nicely. Via the "Travelogue Project," Ashley, Rachel and Bree will write blogs about their experience as North Americans traveling abroad, their cross-cultural exchanges and opportunities, a first-hand account of the political and social climates the youth they work with contend with and simply the adventure that travel promises. You are invited to participate in the adventure by subscribing to Notes from the Road. Join Ashley in Freetown and Mile 91 for "Notes from Sierra Leone," Rachel in Guatemala City and Antigua for "Notes from Guatemala" and Bree in Camden and Essex for "Notes from New Jersey." Invite the youth in your YAP program to read along and post comments and questions for the audacious interns and for the young people they are working with on-site. Whatever corner of the globe this finds you in, click on the links below to travel along on this YAP/Monmouth venture.

Now you can download the collected Notes from the Road booklet! The booklet contains every post from Ashley, Rachel and Bree, spanning their respective journeys in Sierra Leone, Guatemala and New Jersey in one easy-to-read format.

Notes from the Road: The Book
download

Our Travel Bloggers

Notes From Sierra Leone

My name is Ashley Terleski, I am a graduate student at Monmouth University in the International and Community Development track in the School of Social Work. I just turned 23 years old, grew up in Salem, Oregon, and recently finished my BSW at Azusa Pacific University near Los Angeles. I started interning for Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. in September. Want to read my blog? Click on my picture.
Notes From Guatemala

My name is Rachel Forbes. I am 23-years-old and graduate student at Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey. I received my undergraduate degrees from Loyola University in Baltimore City, Maryland in psychology and Spanish. I grew up in Belmar, New Jersey. I am currently studying international and community development (M.S.W.) and interning at Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. The following travelouge is a documentation of a field site visit to Guatemala City, Guatemala where I worked with at-risk youth who live in the streets and face extreme violence. Want to read my blog? Click on my picture.
Notes From New Jersey

Hi, my name is Bree. I'm a Senior Graduate Student at Monmouth University in New Jersey. My program is International and Community Development in Social Work. I have been interning with Youth Advocate Program, Inc. (YAP) since September, 2009. Through YAP, I have been given a great opportunity to experience different cultural beliefs about youth and varying degrees of action in response to the at-risk youth population. Want to read my blog? Click on my picture.

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