Action at Home
The Action at Home is a central part of EIL Explore
As part of their programme, EIL Explorers must complete an Action at Home when they are back from their overseas placement. With the Action at Home, EIL Explorers take their experience and learning from abroad and share it with their community upon return. It is very flexible and open to a participant's interests, skills and capacity.
The aims of an Action at Home:
- Help Explorers to get the most out of their experience - enrich your life
- Provide a basis for participants to actively process their experience abroad - self reflect
- Encourage participants to give back - be a Global Citizen
The Action at Home progresses with the participant throughout their EIL Explore experience. It starts once they are selected in April and finishes in October when the Action at Home report is submitted to EIL.
There are three types of projects for you to choose from: Explore, Connect and Voice. Check out ideas below for each type of project.
The EXPLORE project looks at similarities and differences, and what we can learn from other cultures. Take part and talk with your community on topics such as; traditions, celebrations, food or a typical day. This type of project is popular with Vermont, Secondary School and Japan winners.
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"I’d love to combine my love for photography and my interest in people. I hope to do a photo journal about the people I meet and their stories. It would be a great way to show people at home my Travel Award experience..."
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"We all know how important the Sunday Roast is here at home. I want to discover the food traditions of the country I visit. I will try to take photos of the dishes I come across and maybe even share the recipes – it could be my very own cookbook..."
Check out a good example of an EXPLORE Action Project
The CONNECT project links people and communities. If you're interested in education, interview a teacher in your host community and a teacher in your own community in Ireland. You could do this with musicians, engineers, sports teams, grandparents, local politicians. This type of project is popular with Mexico, Access and Mature winners.
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"Music has always been a big part of my life. I play with a trad group here, it’s great craic and a great way to meet people. Using music, I’d love to work with a local musician and connect the musical cultures of both countries. I might be able to record a piece of music or even video it.."
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"What if you asked two different people the very same questions? I’d love to know what answers I’d get. I could ‘interview’ my grandmother before I leave and using the exact same questions, see what my host grandmother has to say! Side by side, these interviews could reveal how cultures vary..."
Check out a good example of a CONNECT Action Project
The VOICE project allows you to take a social issue and be a voice for the people you have met and, if you think it necessary, advocate for change on their behalf. This type of project is popular with GAP winners.
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"Global warming and climate change are increasingly a concern across the globe. Following my EIL Explore, I’d like to do my bit and take action by raising awareness of water conservation in Irish Secondary Schools, through an interactive environmental workshop..."
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"Being a member of Foroige, I’m interested in the challenges that young people face in Ireland today. I hope the leadership skills I develop on this programme will allow me to highlight the damaging effects of gender stereotypes on our society. I could use video and a social media campaign..."
Check out a good example of a VOICE Action Project
The Stages of your Action at home
- Design and plan your project
- Identify the type of project (Explore, Connect, or Voice)
- Research a topic to focus on when abroad (e.g. food & culture, young people & community, role of women in society etc.)
- Choose how you will share your experience (e.g. write, photograph, video, artwork, drama, music etc.)
Read 'Writing your outline' for more information about this Stage.
- Talk to members of your host community (family, teachers, leaders etc.)
- Gather photos, notes, videos and artifacts on your chosen topic
- Explore and develop your topic. Review your original plan, even change direction
- Use your experience and your gathered stories/photos etc. to share your learning with your local community
- Your audience can be your family, friends, school, place of work, local community, media or anybody you can convince to listen to the story you have to tell
