Why JustJourneys?
By participating in UUSC JustJourneys, UUSC members and supporters can take part in firsthand experiential learning opportunities that will give them a deeper and more personal perspective on human rights issues. Our objectives include highlighting our partners’commitment to the defense of human rights and empowering JustJourney participants to support their efforts, and to become advocates for transforming the world.

What type of JustJourneys do you organize?
JustJourneys are educational issue-related trips related to issues of environmental and economic justice, civil liberties, and rights in humanitarian crises.

UUSC has a long history of organizing congressional delegations, fact-finding missions, and trips focused on particular events such as election monitoring. Usually these types of journeys target specific audiences.

We also encourage organizations – congregations, educational institutions, professional associations - to sponsor a JustJourney.

What do you mean by “experiential learning”?
Experiential education is one of the foundations of our JustJourneys program. For UUSC, the way in which a participant learns on our JustJourneys greatly influences her/his ability to integrate the experience upon returning to their hometown.

The work of Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, who understood education as a process involving “experience, reflection, and action,” is the philosophical basis for our JustJourneys program.

Experience on a JustJourney is defined as immersing ourselves in the reality of the lives of marginalized, often most vulnerable populations. By listening to them, engaging in dialogue with them, and by living with them, we will gain new awareness and insights about the issue at hand. We all have something to teach and to learn.

Together, we will reflect about the causes and consequences of injustice and our place in the existing power structure. This is a process where emotions and thoughts are intertwined and influence one another.

Through these journeys, we will build a community of advocates open to experiencing the world and taking action to transform it so that human rights can be fully realized.

What is a ‘typical’ daily schedule?
Every JustJourney begins with an orientation on the country as well as to the concept of human rights. Normally, we will have three activities in a day, including meetings with our partners, on-site visits and reflections.

We will meet with economists, government officials, policymakers, human right defenders, grassroots organizations, religious and spiritual leaders, environmentalists, and more. Visits to urban and rural communities, factories, historical sites, and coffee cooperatives are also some of the activities.

Time for reflection and personal time are scheduled on a regular basis.

Please remember that the schedule may be changed based on local events or health and safety concerns.

How is reflection conducted?
The purpose of group reflection is to analyze the issues and explore how these are connected to our own lives. It is intended to be a time for open discussion on the experience where we share candidly our thoughts and emotions. Reflections are scheduled at least three times during the journey.

How safe is it to travel where UUSC works?
Your safety is our first priority. Given our model of partnerships, we are able to monitor the situation in the countries where we take JustJourneys. However, UUSC will not hesitate to cancel a journey at any point if it considers participants’ safety is compromised.

Is there follow-up after the trip?
The travel component is only a part of the journey. After returning home, participants are invited to join UUSC’s Human Rights Defenders and will receive information on a regular basis of how to engage in our campaigns and initiatives. We also will provide you with links to other organizations engaged in similar issues.

How can I contribute to a cause that especially touches me?
UUSC encourages participants to stay involved in making a difference in the lives of the people you have met and talked with during your Journey with us. We welcome your financial support, and we invite you to sign up for our electronic newsletter, eWire, and other advocacy opportunities.