Rising Minds’ Mission:

Rising Minds’ mission is to bridge cultural, economic and developmental gaps through the integration of education, awareness, and action. We aim to inspire locally committed and globally active leaders through our empowering immersion experiences, proactive international partnerships, and personalized educational outreach.

Rising Minds Core Beliefs:

We Believe:

….that the world is in need of passionate, proactive and educated leaders

…that one person does make a difference

…that relationships change mentalities, lives and communities

…that education is the single most effective means of creating change

Rising Minds’ Goals:

•   To develop and maintain progressive international partnerships that are mutually beneficial and emotionally powerful.

•   To support and facilitate educational programs aimed at community involvement and the formation of locally committed and globally active leaders.

•   To nurture cross-cultural relationships within local communities, joining people from all races, beliefs, and backgrounds.

•   To collaborate with local organizations and entrepreneurs so as to support sustainable and equitable development.

•   To encourage personal growth and empowerment through hand-on, experiential learning programs.

•   To contextualize learning, cultivate awareness, and personalize global issues in an engaging and active setting for students, volunteers and travelers.

Rising Minds Core Practices:

1. Rising Minds is not a hand-out charity

Rising Minds forms international partnerships based on exchange, not charity. Our partnerships illuminate the fact that we all have as much to learn from one another as we do to offer. Through our efforts we are cultivating resource exchanges, not hand-outs. Any and all material or monetary support involves a form of checks and balances, accountability, and sustainable planning so as to not perpetuate dependency.

2. Our international partner programs are locally-founded and locally-run.

Our international partnerships are based upon empowerment and sustainability. We believe that it is absolutely crucial for programs to be locally-initiated and locally-run in order to best address needs within a community.

3. Rising Minds’ budget is 100% transparent

We are a small, grassroots organization that gives volunteers and donors a personal connection to what they are supporting. We can account for every dollar donated. We keep our overhead as low as possible to ensure that donations are being put to appropriate use. If you are interested in how our budget is distributed or have questions please feel free to contact Courtney at risingminds@gmail.com.

4. Rising Minds facilitates international involvement for partner programs

With the belief that the most sustainable and effective programs are started by local initiatives, we recognize that it is not our place to spearhead change in international communities. Where it is, is on an interpersonal level. Rising Minds aims to transform the way that international relations happen so as to better support proactive, sustainable development. Our involvement is empowering, respectful, personal, and conscious so as to not overstep cultural boundaries, nor underestimate our abilities to have positive impacts. Our programs interweave cultural immersion, service, and transference, so as to make lasting connections and meaningful change in both local and international communities.