ALTERNATIVE BREAKS SITE LEADERSHIP
Ready to become a '26-'27 Site Leader?
Accepting application through April 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm
2026-2027 Break Themes & Locations
Fall 2026:
Food & Hunger – Seattle, WA (October 11th - 17th)
River Conservation – Boise, ID (October 11th - 17th) NEW!
Disability Advocacy – Denver, CO (October 11th - 17th)
Mass Incarceration – Oakland, CA (October 11th - 17th)
Queer Advocacy – San Francisco, CA (October 11th - 17th)
Immigration – San Diego, CA (October 11th - 17th)
Community Land Stewardship – Moab, UT (October 12th - 16th)
Animal Advocacy – Park City, UT (October 9th - 11th)
Spring 2027:
Shelter & Housing Security – Seattle, WA (March 7th – 13th)
Urban Environmentalism – Portland, OR (March 7th – 13th)
Education Policy – Los Angeles, CA (March 7th – 13th)
Marine Conservation – San Diego, CA (March 7th – 13th)
Sex & Healthy Relationships – Las Vegas, NV (March 7th – 13th)
Boarders and Belonging- Albuquerque, NM (March 7th – 13th) NEW!
Community Health – St. George, UT (March 8th – 12th) NEW!
Refugee Rights & Resettlement – Salt Lake City, UT (March 5th – 7th)
What is the Role of a Site Leader?
As a Site Leader, you will spend 3-6 months planning an immersive community engagement experience for ten other students around a social issue you’re passionate about. Site Leaders are current undergraduate and graduate U of U students who are paired with a Staff/Faculty Partner to support them through their Alternative Break experience and learn skills such as asset-based community development and facilitation.
Site leaders reach out to community partners, create reflection & education pieces, and are ultimately responsible for the break itinerary.
Please note that all positions are volunteer (financially uncompensated), however, site leaders do not pay to go on the break (all transportation, meals, and lodging are covered).
What we look for in Site Leaders:
- Students who are interested and excited about social change and community engagement
- Willingness to learn
- We seek students who are enthusiastic about the break themes and creating exceptional educational and experiential opportunities in host communities.
- Motivated and self-driven students
- Willingness to faciltate education and reflection pieces to a group of 10 students
- Students with an eye for logistic details
- Strong communication and leadership skills or a strong desire/willingness to learn these skills
Requirements
- Must have prior Alternative Break participant experience
- Must be able to drive a 6-passenger University issued minivan throughout the duration of the break
- Must be able to attend all trainings and required events (see "Required Commitments" for details)
- Must be over the age of 18
- Must be a currently enrolled University of Utah undergraduate or graduate student
Required Commitments
- 2-3 hour training over Zoom (to be scheduled based on the leadership team's availability)
- Weekend Leadership Retreat on-campus and off-site
- Recurring Weekly Training (held each Tuesday from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm in the Union)
- Weekly 1:1 with Staff Partner and office hour in the Bennion Center
- Friday, October 9th - Sunday, October 11th: Weekend Breaks (only for weekend site leader)
- Sunday, October 11th - Saturday, October 17th: Weeklong Break (only for weeklong site leaders)
- ReOrientation Celebration Event
Spring 2026 Site Leaders:
- : 2-3 hour training over Zoom (to be scheduled based on the leadership team's availability)
- Weekend Leadership Retreat on-campus and off-site
- Recurring Weekly Training (held each Tuesday from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm in the Union)
- Weekly 1:1 with Staff Partner and office hour in the Bennion Center
- Friday, March 5th - Sunday, March 7th: Weekend Breaks (only for weekend site leader)
- Sunday, March 7th - Saturday, March 13th: Weeklong Break (only for weeklong site leaders)
- ReOrientation Celebration
Responsibilities of Site Leader
- Creation of vision for the experience and itinerary
- Primary contact for community partners
- Primary contact for participants
- Designing holistic education curriculumn (education and reflection activities)
- Creation of pre-departure packets
- Completion of transition document
- Social media support
- Recruitment of AB participants for all AB experiences (tabling for at least 2 events)
- Weekly office hours at the Bennion Center
Site Leaders Work in partnership with a staff partner. While staff partners are an amazing support to students, site leaders must understand that staff partners are volunteering their time and adding to their full-time workload to assist in the breaks. While there are responsibiliites specifically assigned to staff partners, site leaders should not expect them to take on site leader responsibilities unless a specific agreement has been made to do so. Site leaders should also strive to schedule all meetings (including predeparture meetings during work hours (M-F, 8 am - 5 pm).
Responsibilities of both Site Leader and Staff Partner
- Community Partner Research
- Education search/prep
- Logistics Prep
- ReOrientation Event
- Trainings
- 1:1 Meetings
Responsibilities of Staff Partners:
- Support and mentor student leader
- Risk management & policy enforcement
- Budget tracking
- Meal planning/meal prep & clean-up schedule
- Room/van assignments
- Can take on pieces of CP outreach, education, reflection, etc. if asked by site leader
- Report to AB Program Manager
- Optional responsibilities: social media support & recruitment