1. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFORMATION SESSION MONTH DAY, YEAR

2. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - ABOUT GLOBAL BRIGADES GLOBAL BRIGADES MISSION To empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourced communities GLOBAL BRIGADES VISION To improve equality of life, by igniting the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the planet.

3. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - PROGRAMS To empower volunteers, Global Brigades offers 10 skill-based programs

4. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHERE WE WORK COUNTRIES SELECTED BASED ON: Large need in rural areas Strong community partnerships Logistically feasible Safe for volunteers NEEDS THAT GLOBAL BRIGADES ADDRESSES: Basic services Healthcare Economic Programs are offered in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana

5. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES Ghan a Panama Dental Medical Microfinance Water Business Dental Environmental Human Rights Medical Microfinance Medical Public Health Nicaragua Honduras Business Architecture Dental Engineering Medical Microfinance Public Health Water Programs offered in each country

6. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES Ghan a Panama Dental Medical Microfinance Water Business Dental Environmental Human Rights Medical Microfinance Medical Public Health Nicaragua Honduras Business Architecture Dental Engineering Medical Microfinance Public Health Water Programs offered in each country

7. WHY PANAMA?

8. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RURAL PANAMA STATISTICS Typical family lives on less than $2 per day Average level of education is approximately 5 th grade 80% have no secure land title for their property Typically no lawyers within a 120-mile radius Community members have no access to legal services Communities in remote areas have little awareness of legal rights or concepts HONDURA S NICARAG UA COSTA RICA GUATEMA LA BELIZ E EL SALVADOR HONDURA S PANAM A

9. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES FOR EVERY FIVE HUMAN RIGHTS VOLUNTEERS = ONE FAMILY CAN RECEIVE LEGAL ASSISTANCE

10. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – HUMAN RIGHTS NEEDS LAW IS CONNECTED TO Education Human rights Economic potential LEGAL AID Empowers community members with legal knowledge Helps bridge the gap between cultural practices and legal procedure WHAT ARE THE LEGAL ISSUES? Family law - Child support, formalizing civil unions, divorce, domestic violence Business rights Women’s rights Criminal cases

11. HOW DOES HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES HELP?

12. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHAT IS HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES? HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES The mission of Human Rights Brigades is to empower rural communities in Panama to overcome the obstacles that often impede the fundamental human right of access to justice through legal counsel and educational workshops Volunteers shadow and assist lawyers as they take on cases with individual families and provide legal consulting to community members Human Rights Brigades also work to educate school-aged children about their fundamental human rights The Brigade project has 4 main components: legal clinics, family law cases, education workshops, and civic engagement & empowerment

13. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY SELECTION Based on - Access to lawyers - Community commitment SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS Building civic engagement and empowerment - Creating community action groups with adults and children - Educate community members with basic legal concepts In-country staff - Follow up with community action groups on all workshop materials so they can be a source of information for community members - Encourage deeper relationships between the families and students - In between brigades, work to secure legal outcomes

14. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES TEAM Leads your brigade Performs community follow-up Trains community leaders Updates the website and sends out newsletters to past and future volunteers Builds community relations - Works with community in preparation for brigade arrival - Works with community post-brigade to do follow up work

15. HOW CAN YOU HELP?

16. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHY WE WANT YOU YOUR BENEFITS Contribute to sustainable change - Provide communities access to legal aid and services Education application - Hands-on legal experience - International development exposure - Help create micro-community solutions while respecting and learning about local culture - Spanish language immersion COMMUNITY BENEFITS Students empower community members Students provide access to legal resources Students contribute to the education of community members

17. WHAT DOES A BRIGADE LOOK LIKE?

18. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 1: ARRIVAL & INTRODUCTION Transportation to lodging facility - Electricity - Showers and bathrooms - Beds and bed linens Panama and Law introduction - Rural communities - What are human rights? - Needs you will be addressing - Why legal assistance makes a difference

19. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 2: COMMUNITY INTRODUCTION & WORKSHOP PREPARATION COMMUNITY INTRODUCTION Provide cultural exchange and context for brigade workweek Community leaders meeting - Question and answer - Leaders’ perspectives Plan for the week and prepare for educational workshops Break the ice and develop trust among community members

20. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAYS 3, 4, 5: LEGAL CLINICS, FAMILY CASES, WORKSHOPS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT LEGAL CLINICS Access to knowledge of one’s legal rights is often a luxury that escapes many in rural communities, despite its universality as a human right Students shadow Panamanian lawyers Students walk the clients through their case - Follow step-by-step guide - Help client fill out paperwork By providing free legal clinics, volunteers, with the help of Panamanian lawyers, offer legal advice to communities, families, and individuals with unresolved disputes or questions

21. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAYS 3, 4, 5: LEGAL CLINICS, FAMILY CASES, WORKSHOPS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FAMILY CASES Institutional inefficiencies and complications in the Panamanian legal system can result in cases going unresolved for years at a time This results in a highly expensive and time- consuming process, that leaves low- resourced families unable to cover the costs of a lawyer Global Brigades’ lawyers find and select family law cases to present to volunteers, including child custody, alimony, divorce, domestic violence, and criminal cases Volunteers perform intake procedures and interviews that can be used by GB lawyers to help resolve cases that would have gone unattended to or unresolved for years

22. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAYS 3, 4, 5: LEGAL CLINICS, FAMILY CASES, WORKSHOPS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS Education is a crucial resource that drives empowerment Volunteers will develop educational materials and deliver workshops on a variety of topics, including: - What are human rights? - Work contracts - Research tools and methods - Children’s rights - Bullying - Civic duty and responsibility

23. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 6: CULTURAL CELEBRATION Morning can be used as time to wrap up any additional lessons or follow up that volunteers feel is necessary Volunteers meet with community members to thank them Volunteers have the opportunity to experience the local culture with shows of: - Traditional song and dance - Artisan hand-made crafts - Educational exchange

24. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 7: NEXT STEPS AND DEPARTURE Start planning for next brigade - Set goals - Leadership positions Share experiences with donors, friends, & family Get connected via GB networks - Updates on your community and project Learn and share about legal issues around the world Access membership benefits

25. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PRE-DEPARTURE PREPARATION PRE-BRIGADE CURRICULUM 6 pre-Brigade lesson plans Includes program- and country-specific education resources and group discussions to fully prepare for your Brigade To preview lessons, go to the Volunteer Resources Site (https://www.globalbrigades.org/ volunteer-tools-home)https://www.globalbrigades.org/ volunteer-tools-home Ask the Chapter Education Chair or Chapter President to find out when lesson plans will occur

26. HOW DO I SIGN UP?

27. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – TOTAL CONTRIBUTION HOW IS YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADE FUNDED? Volunteers’ Program Contribution: - $890 (Panama) - Brigade expenses - Program sustainability - Project Fund - Airfare: Variable PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION DETAILS 7 day program Accommodations & meals (vegetarian options available) Clean drinking water Airport pick-up and drop-off In-country transportation Spanish translators and coordinators, and security Program sustainability and follow-up between brigades Project Fund: $100

28. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RESOURCES FOR YOU FUNDRAISING TOOL www.empowered.org Send links of brigade project information to donors Create personalized profile to share with your donors Track donation progress on individual and group level STUDENT RESOURCE SITE https://www.globalbrigades.org/volunteer-tools-home Brigade planning materials Collection of reports from past brigades Community profiles Frequently asked questions IN-COUNTRY ADVISING TEAM Team of trained staff in Panama Share best practices for all aspects of brigade preparation Answer questions about brigade and community

29. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – CONTACT INFORMATION Contact your advisor for information about Human Rights Brigades in Panama Don’t know who your advisor is? admin@globalbrigades.org

30. HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – JOIN THE NEXT BRIGADE NAME LAST NAME President Email Phone Number NAME LAST NAME President Email Phone Number

31. QUESTIONS? Don’t Hesitate to Ask