Community Development Projects
Careerbreaker brings you the opportunity to volunteer, as a part of a team, on one of our fantastic Community Development Projects, helping indigenous people to help themselves.
This kind of volunteer placement offers a really fantastic combination of working and living with an indigenous community, giving a sense of really developing together, coupled with the chance to meet and team up with other careerbreakers. We build schools, renovate clinics, establish clean drinking water supplies, operate tree planting programmes, assist with healthcare programmes, teach in schools and improve facilities at orphanages.
All projects are very much at a grassroots level, they are often brought to our attention by local communities and NGO’s that we know through our permanent staff within the region. Throughout our time with the community we ensure that they retain ownership and are able to sustain the facility once we have moved on. Only when appropriate to do so do we remain long-term with a single community. Careerbreaker projects are located ,within nominated regions, where they are needed most, and where and when volunteers are able to make the biggest difference.
Community Development Projects give you the chance to really ‘give something back’ and experience a whole new environment and way of life. You don’t need any special skills but you’re very likely to learn some new ones during your time as a volunteer. Most of our projects focus on building and teaching and sometimes conservation. For those volunteers who have healthcare experience there may also be opportunities to get involved in local healthcare initiatives. Most Careerbreakers whilst focusing on one key activity, usually building, tend to ‘try their hand’ at other new challenges, responding to the needs and inspiration of their host community.
Groups of Careerbreakers usually consist of no more than twelve people (although group size will be appropriate to the community and the project) and your Careerbreaker crew can help with any language barriers, help organise weekend excursions and advise on any query.
You will stay in the community usually in a communal Careerbreaker house, which we try to ensure is as comfortable as possible but please remember that you will be living in a developing country and many of the ‘luxuries’ we take for granted won’t be available to you; the majority of Careerbreakers find this ‘simple life’ refreshing and liberating. We employ local cooks during your stay, to make sure you can take full advantage of the new food experience on offer. Many of our volunteers swear that some of the best meals they’ve ever eaten were whilst volunteering on one of our development projects!
Building
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this activity is at the very core of the work that our Community Development Volunteers undertake; more often than not the project that you work on will be something that has been long desired by the community but they have not been able to fund.
You don’t need to be super-fit or skilled as there will be plenty of work for all, but if you have got construction experience do let us know. We often employ local skilled tradesman to help supervise the project and teach volunteers new skills. From digging foundations to painting walls you will be helping a community obtain a much needed and vital facility.
Teaching
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improving education standards is key to the progress of developing countries particularly in rural areas where most of our projects are based. Classes are often too large and under-resourced so you can play an important role in assisting the teacher and the pupils, and making a real difference to the future of the community.
No teaching experience is necessary. In destinations where English is widely spoken you will be able to assist with basic literacy, maths and other subjects; if you have experience in a relevant subject e.g. geography or music, you may get the opportunity to teach that too.
Where English is classed as a second language, as long as you have a basic grasp of the main language, you will be able to get involved with conversational English lessons which are often vital to the future of these children and their communities. Don’t forget we can arrange introductory language courses and the opportunity to gain a TEFL qualification prior to volunteering on a project. click here
We can provide you with a basic teaching pack prior to your departure, giving you plenty of advice and ideas. Teaching is a very rewarding and enjoyable experience in developing countries, the children are incredibly motivated to learn and truly delightful and fun to teach.
Don’t forget if you’re a qualified teacher and would like to use these skills fully you could look at our skilled work placements too. click here
Conservation
Environmental projects can play an important part in conserving vital resources for communities often dependent on subsistence farming, and we have been engaged in a number of tree planting and education projects at our rural community project sites.
Through wildlife, forestry departments and NGO’s we also get involved with eco-tourism and wildlife conservation programmes, including the protection and monitoring of some of the world’s most endangered species.
No special skills are required for our conservation projects as we work in conjunction with local experts, if you do have relevant experience let us know.
Healthcare
Working in the health sector in the developing world is a real challenge. Poor health, sanitary conditions and a lack of basic healthcare education combined with poverty, which often prevents seeking medical advice in timely fashion, means that simple illnesses and injuries can become fatal.
Facilities and care are under-resourced in every sense and doctors and nurses really value any help that can be given. Working in healthcare in a developing country presents a totally different set of conditions in which to work, and can be a truly rewarding experience.
You will need relevant experience to engage in this project activity and it’s worth talking to us if you’d like to include some healthcare activity during your community volunteer project, this element may not be situated within the community but more likely at a district clinic or hospital.
If you would like to fully utilise your expertise it may be worth considering one of our skilled Volunteer Work Placements click here
Community Development Projects are great fun and there is usually a lot of laughter and merriment to be found on our project sites, many new friendships are forged both with the locals and with your fellow careerbreakers. Crew are always on hand to ensure you get the most out of your project and direct you to the nearest shop, or in the direction of a cool beer at the end of a good day’s work!
The communities we work in are always incredibly hospitable and go out of their way to ensure every comfort and welcome they can, as part of a volunteer team working with a community you will be amazed at what you can experience and achieve, and how much difference you can make to a community’s life and future.
Don’t forget you can choose to complete two or more projects in the same or a completely different location, as well as organising an adventurous or sightseeing trip before or after your community volunteering with our in-house agents Gapclub (Click to visit).
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