For students who are interested in giving back to the local community while they study abroad in Milan, we’re excited to now offer a Service Learning course on our study abroad in Milan semester programs.
The course includes volunteer placement in the Immigration Service of the Comune di Milano, where you learn about the refugee crisis and how the city of Milan is handling it, from both an administrative and human perspective.
You volunteer five hours a week with migrants at an urban refugee camp in Milan. In this placement, you help social workers, lawyers, and other specialists provide a wide range of services, such as family unification programs, political asylum case preparations, and job skill training. There is also a weekly seminar component to discuss readings and share your experiences with others who are also participating in service learning.
Our Spring 2017 Milan students who are currently enrolled in the course recently visited an urban refugee camp, where newly-arrived migrants receive food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. During their visit, the students received a tour from an official in the City of Milan’s Department of Immigration.
Because the majority of migrants who arrive in Italy choose to come to Milan, the city faces staggering logistical challenges. Students were given an inside look at these challenges, and learned about the complexities of running the largest refugee camp in Italy. The experience provided them with an interdisciplinary overview of subjects like human rights, political asylum, and multiculturalism.
Get involved with your local host community when you participate in service learning on our study abroad in Milan programs.
