About the Philippines
The Philippines are situated in the Easternmost area of Southeast Asia and are made up of well 7,000 islands. Here, nature offers extraordinary experiences, and local Filipinos are incredibly hospitable. However, there is a dark side to what at first appears to be the perfect holiday paradise:
12% of the population live in extreme poverty
The richest 10% owns 80% of the country’s wealth
250,000 children live on the street.
As an Impact volunteer or intern, you will not only experience the good side of the Philippines, but will spend time behind the scenes with the local experts who work on many of these issues, along with plenty of opportunities to spread joy among vulnerable children and young people.
WE FEEL REALLY LUCKY TO BE SURROUNDED BY BOTH FANTASTIC HARD-WORKING PEOPLE AND FABULOUS NATURE. WITH BEAUTIFUL SUNRISES AND SUNSETS, AN OVERWHELMINGLY STARRY SKY, EXOTIC PALMS AND ENDLESS RICE paddies: THIS PLACE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!
Emma & Mathilde, former volunteers
Being a volunteer
When you wake up in the morning, children will be quick to begin pulling your sleeves to play hide and seek or to help them with their English homework. As a volunteer, you become an extra playmate, and to the staff you are a much-appreciated extra hand.
Your daily life depends on which project you choose to work with. In some places, you will live next door to the children, while elsewhere you will be living with a host family and short walk from work. In either case, all of your main meals ans accommodation will be provided.
WE CAN FEEL HOW THE CHILDREN ENJOY BEING PART OF THE ACTIVITIES WE ARRANGE FOR THEM, AND THAT GIVES US ENERGY - WE MUST ADMIT THEY MANAGE TO MELT OUR HEARTS EVERY DAY.
Maria & Lærke, former volunteers
Being a trainee
When you are in this new and exciting context, you will find plenty of opportunities to develop your skill set and employability no matter what your current interests and ambitions. For example, if you are studying social work and chose an internship in the Philippines, you will be given the chance to experience eye-opening and professionally challenging situations in the lives of vulnerable children and young people alongside Filipino professionals.
You will be given a local supervisor who signs your internship agreement and is in constant communication with you about your role and responsibilities, which are planned according to your pre-arranged curriculum.
If you are a university student, we have a limited number of internships at our partner offices for social science students. Hear more about their work here and send your application form to v.price@viva.org.
Some of the best moments as a trainee are the moments when you realise that you are teaching the children something and it is going in.
Michelle, trainee
How to guide!
1, 2, 3, travel!
We are happy to help you plan your trip. In case you’re worried about how to manage all the details before departure, the overview below will help with the most important details of your travel and placement.
First step
Send your applicationform
We require you to submit a completed application form in order to get started.
It’s great if you to submit a completed application form in order to get started. However, you don’t have to have this figured out upon application and can easily be decided later in the process.
Please submit your completed application form by Friday 28th July 2019 at the very latest. It is essential that we have at least one month between application and departure in order to get all the details in place before you travel.
CLARIFICATION PROCESS
CONVERSATION
Upon submitting your application, you will be invited to a face-to-face or Skype interview with Viva staff based in Oxford. During this informal interview, we’ll have the opportunity to get to know you, your passions and interests a little better, and you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about possible opportunities in the Philippines for you to get involved with. During the conversation we hope to gauge an idea of what opportunities might best suit your interest and time commitments.
DECISION-MAKING
MATCH FOR PROJECT AND TRAVELMATE
After the interview, it’s up to you to decide if what we are able to offer excites you and suits your expectations. If it is, we will require you to pay a £500 deposit and then we will begin to plan your placement in detail: which project you will go to, who to travel with, and airline tickets, etc.
To get all this right is a big jigsaw puzzle, but we will keep you updated on all your travel plans by phone and email.
Learn, Give, Share
Academy Module 1
Your learning experience will begin before you even get on the plane. A few days before your departure, all Academy volunteers and trainees will meet at our office in Oxford to get an insight into Filipino culture. You will also learn about social issues, and we will prepare you to make a real difference for the children and youngsters you will be sharing everyday life with during your stay.
DEPARTURE
GOODBYE UK! HELLO UNKNOWN!
Once you have said farewell to friends and family at the airport and flown across several time zones, you will arrive in the Philippines. Here, you will be received by our local partners who will get you settled in near the office that will be the base during the first days of learning in the capital, Manila.
Once we have made sure that you are ready to manage on your own, you will be sent out to your project.
LEARN, GIVE, SHARE
EVERYDAY LIFE
From dawn till dusk, you will be surrounded by children and young people who want to spend time with you doing all sorts of things. Perhaps there will be children who will want to draw, play or learn a new language. You will also be popular with the staff should you decide to help with homework, give a hand in the kitchen or support the children with a smile.
In other words, even in your spare time, you will not be bored!
LEARN, GIVE, SHARE
ACADEMY MODULE AT THE DESTINATION
Toward the end of your placement, you will attend the Academy module at our partner office. Here you will put the daily responsibilities aside and get the opportunity to have your stay put in perspective. You will visit other Viva and partner projects in order to gain a better understanding of local children and young people’s situations and learn how Viva and our partner network supports them.
This academy module is your opportunity to begin to become an ambassador for vulnerable children and young people, and for making a difference to them in the long-term, so that your stay will extend beyond simply the months spent in their world.
LEARN, GIVE, SHARE
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Once you finished your time with your project, you can choose to either continue to travel further on your own, or head home. Either way, on your return to the UK, you will be invited to a party where all the volunteers from your team will meet and celebrate the many experiences and relationships their placements have afforded them. This party is also the first invitation to the Viva volunteer network at home, giving you a chance to hear about all the ways you can continue to make a difference for vulnerable children and young people long after your return home.