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Queen’s Cares, the university’s alternative reading week program, continues to grow and this year it’s moving beyond the Kingston community.

Queen’s Cares is a community-engaged learning initiative, run by the Student Experience Office (SEO) in the Division of Student Affairs. This year, for the first time, students will have opportunities to connect with and learn from communities outside of Kingston. In addition to the local program, experiences will be offered in London, Ont., and internationally in New Orleans and in Ecuador. The program expansion is partially funded by the provincial Career Ready Fund.

“Queen’s Cares is about partnerships, collaboration, leadership, personal growth and skill development,” says Kevin Collins, Coordinator, Community-Engaged Learning. “Students are encouraged to make connections between what they are bringing to the project and what they learn, and think about how they can apply their new skills and community experience to their studies and to their career path or journey.” 

In partnership with Western University, some Queen’s Cares participants will work with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans and Operation Groundswell in Ecuador. There is also a new opportunity for students from both universities to participate in a group exchange and experience local programs in Kingston and London.

Informed by Fair Trade Learning Principles, Queen’s Cares aims to support communities by ensuring they are involved in every step of the project planning process. Community-identified initiatives are the main focus of these experiential learning opportunities.

Applications for leaders and participants are now open. For more information, go to /studentexperience/queens-cares