What is ASB?
ASB is a completely student run, cross faculty group on the Toronto Metropolitan (formerly known as Ryerson) University campus that researches, fundraises for and executes sustainable development initiatives on a grassroots scale annually. ASB does extensive research into various NGOs based in small communities in foreign countries and then partners with them to assist with construction or manual labour volunteer work on a chosen project.
The team spends all year fundraising through grant applications, bake sales, silent auctions, and more. The money raised goes towards local labour wages, locally sourced tools and materials, NGO administration fees and other expenses needed to make these projects a success.
The Leadership Team runs weekly night meetings for the new members to go over lessons such as sustainability, the political, social and economic history of the country we are going to, cultural sensitivity and adaptation, mental health while abroad and MUCH more!
After necessary preparatory meetings with the Leadership Team, Dr. Kislenko, and Toronto Metropolitan International, the team embarks on a trip to the respective country and spends the month of May helping out on site of the project along the hired skilled labourers, teachers, and NGO staff to see the project come to light. The Team also spends the month learning about the culture they are immersed in, as well as sharing bits of their culture with the new people they meet.
ASB requires an intense level of time and dedication from Team Members and Team Leaders alike, but the experience is invaluable and has become a foundational memory of university life for our alumni.
Our Mission and Philosophy
ASB believes that respecting and understanding other cultures can foster positive change both in our own community and abroad. ASB is about changing the world in small steps by encouraging students to change themselves. Our actions in our own community affect people all over the world. ASB believes journeys like ours will have a lifelong impact on students, and help shape them as the leaders of tomorrow by giving them their experiences today.
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Our History
ASB started in the fall of 2006, when Bria Cole and Robyn Wisken were inspired to start an ASB project at TMU (previously Ryerson). They teamed up with three others and Toronto Metropolitan Professor Dr. Arne Kislenko. Together they successfully implemented the first ASB project at TMU. The team traveled to Guatemala and built a house with Habitat for Humanity. Since then, ASB has completed 10 projects abroad where we have also travelled to Panama, Peru, Kenya, Colombia, Vientam, Ghana, Uganda and India. Check out our Past Projects page to learn more!
Our Programming and Schedule
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In the beginning of the academic year interested students are invited to attend an information event where they hear about past ASB experiences, details of new projects, and the general structure of our group. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions to see if ASB is for them, and to discover if they have what it takes to be part of this unique project. Students must apply and go through an interview process and the team is determined by a committee of ASB leaders and advisers. The group then meets every week to build the team’s structure and to participate in fundraising and workshops that explore a variety of issues. Team members will also get a chance to learn more about the community that we will be working in and to build a base vocabulary in a new language. Pre-departure sessions are given close to the project date and team members are kept informed about relevant information regarding the destination country.
Once in the country where the project takes place, the group has in country support from an affiliated NGO throughout their stay. Upon return, team members will reflect personally on the experience of a lifetime that will no doubt continue to change and shape them on many different levels.
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ASB started as projects that took place on the spring reading week. However, ASB realized that one week was not a sufficient amount of time to assist our partner NGOs with their projects. Now, ASB trips are one month long and and depart during the month of May.
