I am interested in volunteering overseas, what are some organizations that offer overseas volunteer opportunities?

Volunteer travel means two things: giving your time to good causes, and gaining good experience for yourself at the same time. Volunteering overseas is a way of gaining a new perspective about the world, connecting with people of other cultures and putting your sense of social responsibility into action. You may not be able to save the world, but you can have a positive effect on a piece of it. I've listed below a list of organizations that will be able to offer you more information on volunteering overseas.

Uniterra, Canada's biggest international voluntary program, is jointly operated by CECI and WUSC and is present in 13 countries . Uniterra offers citizens and organizations the possibility of making a contribution towards reaching Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With Uniterra, you can volunteer for a posting of two weeks to two years, depending on the needs of local cooperation initiatives. Uniterra also offers the possibility for local resources from different program countries to participate in the initiatives and cooperation projects of partner organizations. These volunteers ensure long term follow-up and the maintenance of knowledge and skills acquired via the Uniterra Program.
www.uniterra.org/uniterra/en/volunteers/uniterra_volunteers.html

Students Without BordersT (SWB) is a new WUSC initiative that offers university and college students exciting volunteer learning opportunities in a developing country during an academic term. SWB offers you the chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of people living in disadvantaged communities in Africa, Asia or South America. It can be a life-altering experience!
www.wusc.ca/en/volunteer/swb

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) expects to send a substantial number of volunteer cooperants to Haiti until 2008. If you are an expert in the management and administration of educational institutions, the pedagogy of teaching, and the different techniques used in vocational training, they are looking for Canadians to fill short-term (2 weeks to 4 months) and long-term (12 months) volunteer positions.
www.wusc.ca/en/overseas/latin_america/haiti

Being an overseas volunteer with Engineers without Borders is a life changing experience. In addition to the opportunity to combat extreme poverty in developing communities, EWB's overseas placements have a growing reputation as a phenomenal personal development and leadership experience. Patrick Pichette, President of Operations at Bell Canada has called EWB's overseas program "a unique training ground for Canada's future leaders." Overseas EWB volunteers work alongside EWB's local partners in a dynamic environment where they are able to use their extensive training to create change.
www.ewb.ca/en/whatyoucando/volunteer/index.html

Canadian Crossroads International (CCI) volunteer positions are focused on micro credit, gender equality and community economic development and aim to build the capacity of our partners to carry out their work. Fair trade,
e-learning, social research, information technology, e-commerce and risk analysis are some of the specific placements featured this year. Overseas participants are experienced Canadian professionals with either general or specialized skills.
www.ccic.ca/e/006/cci_2007-07-16_volunteer_bolivia.shtml

CUSO volunteer cooperants are skilled professionals who donate their expertise for up to two years to participate in a CUSO program overseas. Cooperants provide strategic, technical and professional support to CUSO's development partners in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. They facilitate social justice work with organizations and networks in Canada and overseas.
www.cuso.org/take_action/volunteer_overseas/index_e.php

The International Health Young Professionals Placement Program (YPPP) assists young Canadian graduates and others interested in international health to obtain overseas work experience and/or contribute as a volunteer to health and development initiatives abroad.
www.csih.org/what/Internships/index.html

VSO Canada is the Canadian partner of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). VSO is an international development agency that works through volunteers. We promote volunteering to fight global poverty, by supporting people to share skills, creativity and learning with communities around the world. Through personal commitment and practical action, volunteers help build a fairer world.
www.vsocanada.org/display.aspx?pid=519&cid=519

Global Vision International (GVI) was formed in 1998 to provide support and services to international charities, non profits and governmental agencies. Through our international network of 40 personnel in over 20 countries GVI continues to support many of the most critical conservation and humanitarian projects around the globe GVI is a non-political, non-religious organisation, which through its alliance with aid-reliant organisations throughout the world provides opportunities to YOU to fill a critical void in the fields of environmental research, conservation, education and community development.
www.gviusa.com

I want to get involved in my community. What are some organizations that need volunteers?

A great place to start for a long listing of organizations needing volunteers is to start with your local volunteer bureau. Volunteer Centres are non-profit organizations or groups dedicated to fostering and developing volunteerism in the community as a whole. A volunteer bureau is a central listing agency for other local organizations requiring volunteers. Volunteer Centres reach across the non-profit and public sectors to include organizations working in human and social services, health care, education, the arts and recreation - regardless of their source of funding. I`ve listed some volunteer agencies for major Canadian cities, other volunteer centres are available at:

If you are passionate about an issue in particular, look for organizations that work on those issues. Below I`ve listed some of the organizations that I`m familiar with, that do great work, and are often looking for the energy and creativity that you can bring to their group. If you are truly interested in working on a particular issue, do some research on it, as it`s likely that there is an organization already working on the issue. If not, start one!

Serve Canada

Serve! works with youth ages 13-24 in inner-city communities in experiential education that connects youth and the community-and positively impacts both.
www.servecanada.org/about

TakingITGlobal

TakingITGlobal is an international organization - led by youth and empowered by technology. TakingITGlobal connects youth around the world to find inspiration, information and get involved in improving their local and global communities.
www.takingitglobal.org

Sketch

Create opportunities for street involved and homeless people ages 15-29, to engage in the arts in a cross-discipline studio environment or in the community.
www.sketch.ca

Engineers Without Borders

Engineers Without Borders helps people in developing communities gain access to technologies that will improve their lives.
www.ewb.ca

Framework Foundation

Framework Foundation focuses on engaging our peer group in volunteer activities by viewing all stakeholders - front-line volunteer organiztions, coalition groups, philantropic corporations and levels of government - as enablers in providing relevant and meaningful volunteer opportunities to people our age.
www.frameworkfoundation.ca

Beatz to da Streetz

Beatz to da Streetz is youth-driven non-profit arts program based in Toronto, Canada that aims to empower youth ages 16 to 24 through urban music.
www.b2ds.ca

Supporting Our Youth

Supporting Our Youth (SOY) is an exciting, dynamic community development project designed to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgendered youth in Toronto through the active involvement of youth and adult communities.
www.soytoronto.org

For Youth Initiative

For Youth Initiative (FYI) is a by youth for youth agency that uses pop culture to bring critical theory and social systemic change to the streets of the former City of York, North Etobicoke and West Toronto areas.
www.foryouth.ca

School Without Borders

Schools Without Borders (SWB) is a youth-run, Canadian charity that is responding to the need to make learning more accessible for today's youth.
www.schoolswithoutborders.com

Youth Action Network

Youth Action Network (YAN) is dedicated to helping youth become more informed and actively involved in order to move towards a just and sustainable society.
www.youthactionnetwork.org

Free the Children

Free The Children is the world's largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million youth involved in their innovative education and development programs in 45 countries
www.freethechildren.com

Youth Environmental Network

The Youth Environmental Network (YEN) is a non-advocacy, non-partisan, National YOUTH DRIVEN organization. They address the need for capacity building in the Canadian youth environmental movement.
www.yen-rej.org

Evergreen

Evergreen is a registered national charity founded in 1991. They are a national non-profit environmental organization with a mandate to bring nature to our cities through naturalization projects. Evergreen motivates people to create and sustain healthy, natural outdoor spaces and gives them the practical tools to be successful through its three core programs.
www.evergreen.ca

Sierra Club of Canada

Sierra Club of Canada is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected environmental organizations. They have active chapters in every region of Canada, with offices in Ottawa, Victoria, Sydney, Corner Brook, Halifax, Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto.
www.sierraclub.ca

What are some examples of positive hip hop artists/albums?

Hip hop has long been a forum for raising social awareness and creating opportunity for change. Although ‘positive hip hop’ artists don’t always get the radio play they deserve, they are definitely out there, creating great music, with fantastic beats. Some of my favourites:

De La Soul (Try out: Three Feet High and Rising)
Jungle Brothers (Try out: Straight Out the Jungle)
Mos Def (Try out: Black on Both Sides)
Guru, Jazzmatazz
Massive Attack (Try out: Blue Lines)
Blackalicious
Jurassic Five
Arrested Development
Mobb Deep
Tribe Called Quest (Try out: The Low End Theory)
Talib Kweli
The Roots (Try out: Things Fall Apart)
Dead Prez
Nas
Lupe Fiasco
Gang Starr (Try out: No More Mr. Nice Guy)
Common (Listen to the song “I Used to Love H.E.R”. One of the best hip hop songs ever!)

I’m an educator/ youth worker and I would like to learn more about hip hop.
What are some good online resources?

A lesson plan for using jazz and hip hop in the classroom.
www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/transcend.htm

A non-profit organization dedicating to preserving hip hop culture
www.hiphopassociation.org

A lesson plan that teaches poetic techniques using Shakespeare, Nicki Giovanni and positive hip-hop acts Blackalicious and Jurassic Five. Comprehensive, but lengthy (four 45 minute sessions).
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3656/

Flipping the Script offers a few different lesson plans on various topics from media literacy and social studies to hip-hop and body image.
www.justthink.org/flippingthescript/lesson_plan.html

A playful list that links famous Shakesperian characters with their modern-day Hip-Hop equivalents. For example: “Hamlet – Eminem. Done in by the women around them, they respond in kind with pure misogyny.”
www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/staff_top_10/top-ten-shakespeare-hip-hop-analogues.htm

A great article about high-school teachers connecting to students using hip-hop and poetry. The article quotes from teacher and author Alan Sitomer who notes,“I had to fight the students to embrace classic poetry, and had to fight the [school] administration to embrace contemporary
poetry. It was uphill on both fronts."
www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1334&%3bissue=sep_05

NPR broadcast on teachers in Los Angeles who use rap music to engage their students.
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1174887

The Hiphop Archive's mission is to facilitate and encourage the pursuit of knowledge, art, culture and responsible leadership through Hiphop
www.hiphoparchive.org

What are some good books on hip hop?

I’ve read all the books below, they are all excellent. Jeff Chang’s stands out above the rest though, if you are looking for an insightful, fascinating read about hip hop start with his book.

"Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation" by Jeff Chang

Amazing book, by a engaging, articulate author, who ties in issues of social justice, cultural history while weaving an amazing story about hip hop. My favourite book on the subject.

"Hip Hop America" by Nelson George

Hip Hop America is filled with George's memories of the scene's nascent years, and it tells the story of rap both as an art form and a cultural and economic force--from the old Bronx nightclub the Fever to the age of Puffy. Highlighting both the major players and some of the forces behind the scenes, George gives rap a historical perspective without coming off as too intellectual.
From Amazon.com

"Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America" by Tricia Rose

This ethnographic study is the first detailed exploration of rap music within its social, cultural, and artistic contexts. Rose (history/Africana studies, NYU) carefully analyzes each defining element of the genre. For example, her study of the cultural and technological implications of sampling-a pillar of rap-is both impressive and unprecedented. Further, Rose's hermeneutics extend beyond the music itself to such corollary expressions of hiphop style as rap music videos and breakdancing. Rose constructs a solid bridge between hiphop and academe: she explains the former in the language of the latter and does so splendidly.
From Amazon.com

"That's the Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader" by Mark Anthony Neal

That's the Joint brings together the best-known and most influential writings on rap and hip-hop from its beginnings to today. Spanning nearly 25 years of scholarship, criticism, and journalism, this unprecedented anthology showcases the evolution and continuing influence of one of the most creative and contested elements of global popular culture since its advent in the late 1970s. Think of it as "Hip-Hop 101."
From Amazon.com

“Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement” by S. Craig Watkins

Watkins considers hip-hop a "vital source of creativity and industry for youth," one that has developed a "reputation as a spectacular cultural movement committed to defying the cultural and political mainstream" while representing "the voices and experiences of a generation of marginal youths." He assesses the social and political aspects of the movement and the music, duly noting the irony of how hip-hop's "livelihood . . . [depends] almost entirely on its ability to sell black death" and requires its performers to "immerse themselves into a world of urban villainy."
From Amazon.com

“Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop” by Imani Perry

"In this magnificent book, Prophets of the Hood, Imani Perry gives voice to hip hop's aesthetic with seven remarkable essays written with the inventiveness, style, and eclecticism personified by the genre's most prominent artists. Each piece brilliantly explores different dimensions of hip hop music, ranging from its cultural origins, to its ethics of love and authenticity, to its problematic constructions of masculinities and femininities, to its mass production and widespread consumption by the 'popular' mainstream."
– James Bryant, Journal of Popular Culture

I would like to work for the UN one day. How do I know where to start?

As we enter the new millennium, the UN could be considered the world’s principal actor
for international peace and security and for mobilising international efforts to deal with global
problems. To be able to work at the UN is a tremendous opportunity, but also a challenging one. If you are interested in working for the United Nations, you have to be pro-active in your search for positions that suit your skills and abilities. Although it is very competitive, it is not impossible. Remember - nothing risked, nothing gained! A good place to start is with the helpful manual called “A Guide to a Career at the United Nations” available at: www.unvienna.org/documents/unpan000153.pdf

I’ve also listed below the job opportunities links to many major UN agencies:

United Nations Human Resources – General Website

jobs.un.org/Galaxy/Release3/vacancy/vacancy.aspx

Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Opportunities

The JPO Programme is a donor-funded programme that provides professionals from donor countries an opportunity to gain experience in an international organization.
www.jposc.org/content/programme/presentation-en.html

United Nations Development Programme

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. They are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
jobs.undp.org

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded on 16 November 1945. For this specialized United Nations agency, it is not enough to build classrooms in devastated countries or to publish scientific breakthroughs. Education, Social and Natural Science, Culture and Communication are the means to a far more ambitious goal : to build peace in the minds of men.
portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=11707&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

UNOPS provides operations management, contracting, and procurement services that help clients implement their projects and programmes.
www.unops.org/UNOPS/Employment/Overview

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.
www.unfpa.org/about/employment

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized.
www.unicef.org/about/employ

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.
www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/admin?id=3ba1d4794

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) helps developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their fight against marginalization in today's globalized world. It mobilizes knowledge, skills, information and technology to promote productive employment, a competitive economy and a sound environment.
www.unido.org/doc/3611

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, was established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950. In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA's mandate, most recently extending it until 30 June 2008.
www.un.org/unrwa/employment

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information.
www.fao.org/VA/Employ.htm

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

The IAEA is the world´s center of cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the world´s "Atoms for Peace" organization in 1957 within the United Nations family. The Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
www.iaea.org/About/Jobs

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (ICDDR,B)

ICDDR,B, the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh - better known locally as the Cholera Hospital - is an international health research institution located in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. With the changing trend in the world scenario in health and population over the years, ICDDR,B has expanded its activities to address some of the most critical global health needs. In collaboration with partners from academic and research institutions throughout the world, the Centre conducts research, training and extension activities as well as programme-based activities.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

The International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN Specialized Agency, is the global forum for civil aviation. ICAO works to achieve its vision of safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation through cooperation amongst its member States.
www.icao.int/icao/en/va

The International Court of Justice (ICJ)

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). It began work in 1946, when it replaced the Permanent Court of International Justice which had functioned in the Peace Palace since 1922. It operates under a Statute largely similar to that of its predecessor, which is an integral
part of the Charter of the United Nations.
www.icc-cpi.int/recruitment/opportunities/vacancies.html

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference.
www.ifad.org/job

International Labour Organization (ILO)

The International Labour Organization is the UN specialized agency which seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights. It was founded in 1919 and is the only surviving major creation of the Treaty of Versailles which brought the League of Nations into being and it became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946.
www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/pers/

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

The Convention establishing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was adopted in Geneva in 1948 and IMO first met in 1959. IMO's main task has been to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. A specialized agency of the United Nations with 167 Member States and three Associate Members, IMO is based in the United Kingdom with around 300 international staff. www.imo.org/About/index.asp?topic_id=322

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Authority is the organization through which States Parties to the Convention shall, in accordance with the regime for the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (the Area) established in Part XI and the Agreement, organize and control activities in the Area, particularly with a view to administering the resources of the Area.
www.isa.org.jm/en/vacancy/default.asp

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

ITU, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland is an international organization within the United Nations System where governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom networks and services.
www.itu.int/employment