In his spare time ....
Teacher candidates at the Faculty of Education never fail to amaze us with their initiatives outside the Faculty - and Larry Shuttleworth is no exception. Together with his older brother Angus, Larry created Solidarity in Action (SIA), a charity which organises student excursions to South America, with the purpose of improving the lives of those living in impoverished areas.
Larry and Angus founded the charity four years ago after returning from a trip to Peru, organized by their alma mater, Brock University. During this trip, the brothers and their fellow travellers helped to build a school, an experience that changed their lives. When they returned to Canada, they were determined to do more and Solidarity in Action was born.
A SIA mission typically lasts two weeks and includes a broad spectrum of volunteer efforts, including building and renovating schools and community centres, teaching English and working in daycares, health care clinics and maternity wards. Participants fund their own travel and charitable donations and grants fund the organization’s costs.
Larry and Angus run SIA in the evenings and weekends, communicating with their South American partners via Skype. Larry would like to see an SIA trip, with a focus on ESL teaching, counting as a practicum placement for future teacher candidates.
