Program Goals and Objectives

The expectations are that One World participants, after experiencing the world from the viewpoint of the economically poor in another cultural context, will begin to include this expanded vision in their life choices upon their return to Canada.

More specifically, the program objectives are:

• To develop in participants the principles, attitudes and skills needed to cross cultural barriers and help them understand the changes in their own lives and worldviews brought about by the experience;

• To provide participants with the opportunity to work in solidarity with people in developing nations on a variety of locally-inspired projects and learn through experience the effects of development and aid projects in an economically poor region;

• To provide the opportunity for experiential observation and study of the economic and political relationships between the so-called 'Third World' and North America, and to inspire participants to work for a more just global society

• To provide the opportunity for participants to communicate what they have learned in this immersion experience to other Canadians through a series of presentations and workshops

• To help participants to seriously examine their lifestyle and that of Canadians in general, in the light of their experience of living and working in developing nations, and to encourage them to live, speak and act with more global responsibility.

• To provide participants with the opportunity to grow spiritually through a process of spiritual reflection on an immersion experience among the economic poor.

Profound changes are often experienced by the participants of One World programs resulting in significant changes in their lifestyle and life choices. It is hoped that participants will continue to be involved with the One World community in the year following their trip.