Learning Life Launches Fundays 2.0

Learning Life is pleased to announce the launch of our “Fundays 2.0.”  These Fundays bring Learning Life’s Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI) to a new level by blending project-based world learning, foreign food tastings and fitness challenges, with prizes for children who score the most project points.

Seeking Volunteers

For our Fundays, we are looking for volunteers in metro Washington DC who (1) are interested in world affairs, (2) like working with children, (3) speak Spanish, French or Arabic at an advanced to fluent level, and/or (4) have professional or amateur interest in fitness, food, nutrition, or health.  Having a car is a plus, but not required.

Depending on their skills, interests and our needs, volunteers help with guiding families abroad (via Facebook) or in DC (face-to-face) through world learning or fitness challenges, world food tastings, and/or social media communications.

Context

Since August 2016, Learning Life’s CDI has engaged lower-income families on three continents in internet dialogues and projects to help open the world to more people, democratize diplomacy, and nurture more caring, capable citizens.  CDI now engages families in Washington DC, USA, San Salvador, El Salvador, Dakar, Senegal, and Jerash, Jordan.

In 2017 and 2018, Learning Life carried out ten Fundays.  These Fundays 1.0 engaged CDI children in Washington DC in international learning (e.g., geography, globalization, world health) through presentations and games.  The Fundays 1.0 were a supplement to our CDI family projects, which included a photo project in 2017, a food project in 2018, to be completed in April this year, and a storytelling project in 2019, which will run from May to November.

Funday Details

This year, Fundays 2.0 combine our fundays and family projects, and add a fitness challenge. During each Funday 2.0, all families will move back and forth through two “Move your Mind” (MM) world learning activities, and two “Move Your Body” (MB) physical fitness activities, with twenty minutes devoted to each MM and MB.  CDI families abroad (in San Salvador, Dakar, Jerash and elsewhere) connect via our CDI Facebook Group from their home, the office of a Learning Life partner organization or association, or wherever they are comfortable and have the best internet access.  Learning Life volunteers communicate directly with families abroad via Facebook usually in the families’ native tongue to guide them through the day’s project steps, including the families’ cross-national interactions via Facebook.

In DC, volunteers and families will meet at the Arbor View Community Center at 1212 Southern Ave SE on the following Sundays at 1:30-4:30pm:

February 10, 24
March 10, 24
April 7, 28
May 5, 19
June 2, 23
July 14, 28
August 11, 25
September 8, 22
October 6, 20
November 3, 17 

Those volunteers coming by car can meet us directly at the Center by 1:30pm.  As you enter the Arbor View Apartments driveway, the Center is the second building on your left.  It is on the ground floor of the building right after the playground.  There is free parking right outside the building.  For those volunteers coming by metro, volunteers with cars will pick you up at the Southern Ave Station on the Green Line at 1:15pm.