PMGY REAL SOUTH EAST ASIA ENCOUNTER

PMGY’s Childcare volunteers programme in Vietnam brightens up the lives of young children making an important contribution to their daily lives. We work with a range of organisations in and around Hanoi, providing vital support and care for children and young adults in NGO care centres, kindergartens and hospitals.

Important Note: Volunteers are advised to note that we support a range of childcare facilities in and around Hanoi in addition to the examples provided across this overview. Thus volunteers may be located at such placements not listed in the overview. This can be particularly true across the summer time where we have higher numbers of volunteers and we may support additional childcare and teaching projects to prevent overcrowding at projects. This is also in line with the holiday periods in Vietnam where there is more need and availability for community programmes and summer classes through the day.

Therefore please bear in mind that whilst we will always do our best to place volunteers at their chosen project that can be highlighted as a preference in the ‘Special Requirements’ section of the application form, it is not always possible and project availability and needs are fluid.

DISABLED PROJECTS

As in most developing countries, disabled people in Vietnam do not receive the level of support they need. It is estimated that nearly seven million people in Vietnam are disabled (8% of the population). We support NGOs in Hanoi that provide vital assistance to these vulnerable groups.

Volunteering with disabled people is a challenging but highly rewarding experience. Using your creativity, emotional strength and resourcefulness to help such vulnerable people will not only change their life but yours as well.

PMGY support a variety of projects that provide care for children and young adults with special needs. Below is examples of some of the projects that we support and example of some of the placements you could be working on when in Vietnam with us.

Phuc Tue Centre – Established in June 2001, Phuc Tue Centre provides support to around 75 children and young adults. The students range from 2 to 30 years of age and suffer from a variety of physical and mental disabilities. These include the effects of Agent Orange, Autism, Down Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis. The aim of the centre is to provide the children with the level of support needed to empower the students to be able to be as independent as possible and integrate into mainstream society.

There are 4 classes at Phuc Tue and 12 teachers work at the centre. All of the teachers graduated from Hanoi National University of Education. Volunteers assist the staff in their daily activities and sessions. These include early grade academic learning, life skills training and physical education/therapy. During the lessons, volunteers assist the teaching staff by providing individual attention to the students with tasks such as drawing and painting. The students really enjoy dancing and singing, so any type of musical activity is always popular. A few of the children can speak a little English so volunteers can teach English to a few of the more capable children.

At lunchtime, you can help to feed the children who require special assistance. Phuc Tue Centre extends their support to raising awareness in the community about disability and the human rights of the disabled people.

It is around a 45-minute journey to reach Phuc Tue Centre from the Volunteer House.

Morning Star Centre – Founded in 1995, Morning Star Centre (locally known as Sao Mai) is a subsidiary of the Vietnam Relief Association for Children with Disabilities. The centre has nearly 70 staff members caring for approximately 150 children ranging in age from 1 to 25 years. Morning Star’s mission is to provide opportunities for children and young adults with special needs to receive the education and training to help them successfully play their part in the local community. In particular, the centre strives to provide assistance for those children suffering from developmental disabilities including Down’s Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy.

The children are grouped in smaller classes of around 12 to 13 children with on average 2 to 3 teachers per class. The classes are tailored to the needs of the children. Volunteers can get involved in a range of activities from basic education, motor skill development, play therapy and physical education sessions. Morning Star offers some vocational and pre-vocational courses for teenagers before sending them to outside vocational schools. The courses help increase the children’s independence and confidence, and their abilities to get enrolled in professional training centres outside. Having recently set up a coffee shop at the entrance of the centre, some of the children help out and in the process receive valuable experience in working and interacting with the public.

Where possible, Morning Star strives to prepare the children to enter mainstream education. However, it is quite common for former pupils who have entered mainstream education to return to Morning Star as government schools are by no means equipped to welcome special needs students.

Morning Star Centre is around a 45-minute journey from the Volunteer House.

Friendship Village – We also place volunteers at Friendship Village, which is a living, health, and educational centre for children living with the effects of dioxins from the herbicide “Agent Orange”. The centre also provides healthcare to war veterans.

Friendship Village was founded in 1992 by George Mizo, an American veteran who strived to repair the damage done as a result of the use of Agent Orange in the America-Vietnam War. The Friendship Village complex is composed of two living quarters, two classroom buildings, a health centre, and a few other buildings used by the staff for cooking and general administration. There is also a vegetable garden, as much of the food is grown on-site.

The centre provides a home to 120 residents, aged from 4 to 26 years of age. The residents come from all over Vietnam and suffer from a range of disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, physical deformity, and severe mental disability.

Volunteers help out in a number of different ways. These include collaborating with the teaching staff as to new ideas and techniques to help the residents. In addition, you can share ideas on how to structure lessons, providing an independent evaluation of the students and updating their student profiles. Volunteer in Vietnam participants can also help in giving individual assistance to the students during the lessons or undergo personal therapy sessions (if appropriately qualified). Help is also needed organising structured activities for the children during their free time, helping with feeding the children and teaching English to the staff, teachers and residents.

The Friendship Village is located around a one-hour bus journey/walk from the Volunteer House.

Please note that the minimum time commitment to join Friendship Village is 4 weeks, and volunteers here are advised to have experience (whether professionally or through education) of working with people with physical and/or mental disabilities.

Khanh Tam Day Care Centre – Khanh Tam Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 2006 for early detection and care of mentally impaired children. The centre has nearly 20 staff members caring for approximately 50 children ranging in age from 1 to 12 and is located in Nam Dong, Dong Da, Hanoi.

After 10 years, the centre is developing and fulfilling services to help children in the centre. To be specific:

– Early intervention: target group 2-5 years old. The programme provides children basic skills to develop (communication skills, playing with others and etc), which aims to help children integrate the society in their early age (kindergarten age).
– Primary/elementary programme: target group: 6-12 years old. The programme equips reading- writing- calculation, providing basically necessary knowledge about the life. The children will learn how to do read, write and calculate by approaching direction or replacing direction which aims to applicable purposes in their life.
– School function programme: target group 6-12 years old and have no ability to study standard primary school programme.
– Living skills programme: target group 10-16 years old and have no abilities to integrate the society and study standard primary school programme. Children will focus on learning living skills. Primary working skill and career orientation are taught for children preparing when they grow up.

The Khanh Tam Centre is located around a one-hour bus journey/walk from the Volunteer House.

CHILDCARE PROJECTS

The aim of the childcare projects we work with is to provide daily support in caring for children as well as nurturing their English, confidence and communication skills. Below are some examples of the childcare settings where we place volunteers.

Smile Kindergarten – Smile Kindergarten is home to children aged from 12 months to 6 years old. The kindergarten’s mission is to explore and develop children’s abilities through teaching art subjects, languages and various methods of communication. It also has different clubs in the school where the kids can nurture their talents and cater for their hobbies.

Generally, one class will hold 15 – 20 kids. The volunteers are expected to help the children improve their English through songs, dance and informal education. They should be creative in generating fun basic educational materials so that the children become more confident in their communication and mannerisms. This will include arranging drawing, painting and handcraft activities as well as participating in outdoor activities that the kindergarten runs when needed.

There will also be a local teacher in the class to help the volunteers if needed.

Smile kindergarten is quite near CSDS office, situated in Mai Dich, Cau Giay district, Hanoi. There is easy access to the internet and other services that the volunteers may need in the area.

Cozy House Kindergarten – Founded in 2008, Cozy house kindergarten now has 8 classes for kids ageing from 18 months to 5 years old. The kindergarten aims at teaching art subjects, sports, some basic writing (for 5 years old kids) and English. Besides this, there are also extracurricular activities which are often conducted to better the children’s understanding and enhance their communication skills.

In each class, there are normally around 15 kids. The volunteers are expected to help the children by teaching basic English, taking care of the kids through play and interaction, organising games, leading arts and crafts activities, singing songs and dance and also helping feed the children at meal times. There will also be a local teacher in the class to help the volunteers if needed.

Cozy house kindergarten is 9 km away from the Volunteer House, located in the city center, Dong Da district, Hanoi. There is easy access to the internet and other services that the volunteers may need in the area.

The Little Seeds Project – The Little Seeds Project is based at the National Hospital of Paediatrics in Hanoi. Aside from the medical treatment provided at the hospital, the children have very little social interaction and are heavily reliant on their families. Quite a few of the children come from rural communities. Therefore, a family member, usually the child’s mother, will stay with their child 24/7.

The family member will sleep in the same bed as the child and, for all intents and purposes, basically live at the hospital! You can therefore imagine how stressful the whole experience is for not only the child but their family as well.

The time the children spend at the hospital varies from a week to several months. As a result, PMGY have identified a placement whereby we can create regular activities and engagement for the children in order to improve their psychological well-being. When hospitalised, the children face huge changes to their life and daily routine, which has numerous psychological effects. Infants, toddlers, school-aged children and teenagers all respond differently to illness in regards to their individual development.

Without the right stimulation and routine, long-term hospitalisation will result in a higher susceptibility to long-term psychological damage. The aim of this programme is to not only bring entertainment to the children, but also to pay attention to the specific needs that young patients develop during long-term hospitalisation. Responsive activities will be strategically developed to support the various needs of the children. We aim to introduce a concept called ‘Play Therapy’.

From childhood to adulthood, play is fundamental in our lives. For children, play has an even more important role, as they haven’t yet developed the abstract reasoning abilities and verbal skills to articulate their feelings. Kids use toys as adults use words. They play as we build conversations.

By playing with the children, the aim is to give them the space to develop strategies for them to cope with the difficulties they experience. When playing the children’s defences are reduced and it becomes natural for them to express their feelings. Play releases stress, connects people to one another in a positive way, stimulates creativity and curiosity, and helps to regulate emotions.

The overall purpose of bringing volunteers to the hospital is to create an environment where the children can grow, play and learn with adults who are respectful and understanding of their needs. Furthermore, the sessions give family members a much-needed break. A mother may use this time to take a shower, buy groceries, or just take some time for herself. The mothers and families take great joy in seeing their child being happy and interacting with other kids. It is difficult to express how relieving the pressures on the parents, even just for a few hours, can really help them cope with the situation as a whole.

The project generally takes place across mornings and afternoons. Three days a week the project runs only in the morning meaning volunteers will get two afternoons off a week as well. PMGY volunteers will work alongside local volunteers who will help with translation and general support. We expect volunteers to spend an additional 1 to 2 hours each day preparing activities for their sessions at the hospital. The number of children who turn up each day varies, as it depends on how the children are feeling and if they have any treatments scheduled for the afternoon.

The average group size is 5 to 10. The children can also vary on a daily basis given the nature of volunteering at a hospital. The children vary in age, so volunteers will need to prepare a range of activities. At the hospital there is a small classroom where the sessions take place and there are some limited resources available for you to use such as board games and play-doh. Our Volunteer House also has resources you can take to the hospital and there are also plenty of places you can purchase additional materials should you require them.

The hospital is around a 45-minute journey from the Volunteer House.

PMGY’s English Teaching volunteers programme in Vietnam encourages students to develop a skill that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. Education is becoming an increasingly important issue in Vietnam. Traditionally, agriculture has provided jobs for the masses, but this sector’s growth has plummeted. Nowadays, international commercial trade governs the Vietnamese economy, especially in major cities such as Hanoi. This economic shift has created a greater demand for skilled labour and particularly a workforce that is multilingual with English being the main language required.

In recent years, access to primary and secondary education has risen significantly and schools have received increased levels of funding. Furthermore, there is a greater focus on physical, psychological, social and emotional growth, alongside general educational achievement. English language training was introduced into the national curriculum in 2010 as the government continues to recognise the importance of the ability to speak English to young people.

PMGY support government high schools as well as community education classes for the local community. The main school we support is a secondary school (11-18 years of age) that has over 2,500 students. English language skills are of growing importance at the school. However, the local teachers tend to focus on teaching listening, reading and writing skills and do not focus on speaking and communicational skills, as this is an area they are often limited in themselves.

Our aim is to create an environment within the classrooms that encourages the pupils to practice their English and improve their confidence. We encourage volunteer in Vietnam participants to keep the lessons fun. Adding games, songs, music etc to the lessons will encourage the students to engage and improve their confidence. If willing, volunteers can also spend time helping improve the English of the teaching staff. This helps bring about long development at the school.

Volunteers usually prepare and lead their own activities within the lessons, but a local teacher is never to far away for support. Co-operation and communication with the local teachers is key to ensure they can support with the lessons and activities you prepare and that it fits in with the curriculum.

With up to 50 children in one class, experience and confidence are great skills to have and develop along with being flexible, creative and having determination to succeed!

The school is fairly well-resourced but the schools cannot afford to hire enough native speaking English staff. Furthermore, with large class sizes, it is difficult for teachers to give the pupils the individual attention they need. Therefore, volunteers make an invaluable contribution to the schools ambition to improve the English of their students. There may also the chance to help with sports classes: badminton, basketball, football and volleyball are the main sports taught.

Alongside our work with schools in Hanoi, our volunteers extend their contribution to a number of community classes. The community classes take place only a short walk from the Volunteer House within a rented classroom space. The classes are attended by high school and university students who wish to improve their English but cannot afford private tuition. Most of the students come from rural areas and move to the city to attend university. The aim of the classes is to create a fun and interactive environment for the students to practice their English.

There are two lessons at the community class project each day. Each class lasts for two hours with a 10-minute break in between. On average 5 to 20 people attend each class. Volunteers lead their own lessons. You are usually given a topic in advance to teach around and are then encouraged to make the activities and lesson around this topic as fun, engaging and interactive as possible. You do not need to follow a formal lesson plan and volunteers have the freedom to be pro-active in taking lead around the topic.

Our local team will also be on hand to guide you as to what former volunteers have taught and what the students wish to learn, so you have a regular idea of what to put in your lesson plans. We will also give you ideas on what activities you can implement when teaching the topics, so there is no need to worry if you haven’t taught before. Where possible our local team aim to segment the group the students relative to their ability and level of English to improve the structure and productivity of the classes.

On an ad hoc basis and dependent on volunteer numbers, we may also run holiday camps during the school vacation period in the summer months. Each camp lasts around 2 weeks within a relatively relaxed and casual setting. There are three levels of students, each level is taught separately: Primary, Middle School and High School. Every group receives ten lessons, one each day over a period of two weeks (Monday to Friday).

Each student will have a workbook and curriculum to follow so you will have a clear idea of what you’re expected to teach. Volunteers are encouraged to be creative with how they organise the lessons. Our local team are on hand to advise you on how to do this, so there is no need to worry if you do not have any teaching experience. We encourage volunteers to incorporate lots of games and songs into the classes, as these are always a favourite with the students.

We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching programme overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60-hour Online TEFL Course for just £99.

Volunteer at a local NGO in Vietnam tackling issues such as health and human rights utilising your skills within a very stimulating environment. In recent years, there has been a drive to promote grassroots civil development and reform in urban and rural areas across Vietnam. The number of local NGOs has risen significantly as the movement has gained strength. These NGOs address various issues such as supporting underprivileged communities, environmental conservation and children’s rights. However due to a lack of funding and trained staff these NGOs potential for advancement has been limited.

Volunteers are needed to bring a new energy and perspective to help NGOs continue to make a difference to Vietnamese society. Your role will be dependent on the needs of the organisation and your experience. The opportunities are office-based and offer a great opportunity for university students and graduates to develop invaluable work experience. PMGY’s volunteer in Vietnam programme is a great way to gain insight and make an impact on social development on a more strategic level.

PMGY’s Vietnam NGO programme is a fantastic way to get involved in development work within a more holistic environment. University students and graduates will find these placements an exciting way to gain work experience and learn about core economic, educational, environmental and social issues in the developing world. Working alongside professionals within these various fields is an amazing opportunity to develop your skill set, gain experience and learn about the world.

Your role is dependent on you as a person and you experience/skill set. Each volunteer is different and brings a unique set of skills to the placement. Volunteers work closely with the staff to help strengthen the operations of the organisation. You will find the NGOs open to ideas and willing to create a role to suit your interests. Here is an idea of what you could be doing:

Content Writing – Each NGO we support has a website that is displayed in English. Volunteers with strong writing skills can review the current website content – proof reading and developing the content.

Design – Whether its designing websites, leaflets or presentational material, volunteers with graphic design skills can help the NGOs in promotional activities.

English – The local staff really appreciate if volunteers can help improve their level of English.

Finance – Volunteers with accounting and finance backgrounds can assist with bookkeeping and developing cash management systems.

Fundraising – International volunteers have the communication skills to create and edit fundraising proposals and foster national and international alliances. Fundraising is the key to the future of the NGOs. Whether it’s compiling a list of prospective donors and creating concept notes. In the past PMGY volunteers have been involved in creating fundraising proposals that have brought in five figure dollar donations!

Report Editing – The NGOs have to provide regular reports to their sponsors, partner NGOs and various committees, which need to be produced in Vietnamese and English. Volunteers can help editing the reports produced in English.

Research – University students/graduates have the analytical and research skills to design and support research drives and fieldwork.

Social Media – The NGOs we support are becoming increasingly aware of the power social media has in raising awareness and building support. Training the local staff about effectively using social media is a great way volunteers can add value.

Website Support – For those with relevant skills, assistance can be provided through updating and improving the NGOs website. Better still creating or introducing new software/systems that improve the efficiency of the NGO.

Projects that the NGOs are involved in will naturally come and go as time moves forward. Therefore it is difficult to label exactly what the focus of your work will be until you arrive in-country. As such we can never really offer specific work roles pre-departure.

Volunteers who join us for a shorter time frame or with limited experience on the NGO programme are advised to note that there is naturally not as much opportunity for long term developments and input to be made and instead the main purpose of the programme in these situations is for insights, learnings and sharing of information.

Volunteers are advised to note the minimum age and time frame for most NGOs that we work with is 20 years of age and 4 weeks. Volunteers at these NGOs should have completed a bachelor degree or be working within a relevant profession. Anyone outside this category will usually be assigned to the CSDS placement, but this again is dependent on a variety of factors and ultimately NGO placement is decided by our local team. You will need to bring a laptop for this programme.

PMGY’s English Teaching volunteers programme in Cambodia encourages students to develop a skill that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. The reign of the Khmer Rouge devastated the education system in Cambodia and destroyed its very foundation. Since then, the Cambodian government has invested a lot of time and money into rebuilding their education system. However, change is slow and Cambodia still has one of the poorest literacy rates in Asia, especially amongst women. High dropout rates, lack of qualified teachers and classroom overcrowding are all significant factors that continue to have a negative impact on the countries education system.

Cambodia’s economy is shifting from that of traditional sustenance farming to an economy driven by industry and service. This economic change has further enhanced social inequality within the country as the less educated and economically poorer members of society are driven into low-paid jobs with no career development. The demand for skilled labour, especially within the service sector to keep up with Cambodia’s growing tourism industry, calls for a greater need for children to get more engaged in their education, in particular with developing English language proficiency.

PMGY place volunteers at a community education programme. The school was established in 2010 with the aim of providing accessible education and English development to children in the surrounding villages.

The opportunity to learn and develop English is so high in this rural area that children are prepared to travel 7km each way daily for a one hour English lesson. The school usually has over 250 children attending each day. The project has grown so much that the programme is now expanding into nearby village schools to provide even more opportunities to the local community.

For many of the children from the rural villages, learning English is seen as the only way to get on in life and achieve the better jobs in Cambodia such as accounting and hotel work to bring an overall higher standard of living for themselves.

The school provides free English lessons to children from low-income families in the Takeo province. The children still attend public school in the mornings and in the afternoon attend the community English education programme that provides a key focus on English language development. Volunteers will usually spend the morning times preparing for their afternoon classes.

Most volunteers lead their own classes, although if requested our team can place you to buddy up with a more experience volunteer to start with although this is dependent on volunteer numbers at the time. Classes are divided based on ability and age range. The children’s ages range from 3 to 18 years. You will find that the younger children come at the start of the afternoon and the older children come late afternoon.

Even after the lessons you will find that alot of the students will hang around the school to socialise, play games and even engage in a more one to one tuition focus with some of the volunteers to further their English even more.

There are seven classrooms in total at the project where teaching takes place. Volunteers are expected to teach at least four one hour lessons daily. Although English is the main subject you will teach, volunteers do have the opportunity to teach Computer Studies, Maths, as well as creative activities such as Art, Dance and Sports.

There is an office of resources and textbooks usually managed by longer term volunteers on site from which to base your lessons. Volunteers are encouraged to introduce creative and engaging ways of covering the lesson materials. Class sizes vary from 5 to 30 children.

Volunteers will teach children across all ages through the day as when one lesson is finished and this class returns to their nearby village; the next class comes to the project for their one hour lesson and so the sequence continues until the evening time when lessons finish.

As you teach the same classes daily within the same time slots, it allows for you to ingrain structure and build rapport with the children. This is in addition to seeing first hand the development of the children from the start of your programme to the end of your programme.

Volunteers are more than welcome and encouraged to make their lessons fun and engaging and this may include storytelling, singing songs and arts and crafts activities. There is plenty of outdoor space where volunteers can take the class out to play sports, educational games or enjoy some play time at the end of an intense lesson on the slides and swings!

When volunteer numbers are higher usually across the summer months our team expand the programme at other local school bases. The programme structure is similar in terms of the focus remaining volunteers planning and leading lessons and developing the English, engagement and confidence of the student. This allows for more of the community to benefit from free English education.

We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching programme overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60-hour Online TEFL Course for just £99.

PMGY’s Orphanage volunteers programme in Cambodia makes a real difference to the lives of some of the most needy children in this beautiful developing country. Approximately 1 in 10 young people in Cambodia under the age of 18 are orphans. Many orphans are forced to beg, collect rubbish or enter the Cambodian child sex trade. This is a serious issue in Cambodia that the government and local NGOs are desperately trying to address. Although the number of orphans is in decline; the lack of resources and funding available to the orphanages result in many children not receiving the sufficient level of care and support they need.

The volunteer in Cambodia orphanage placement is based in the centre of the Takeo province. It is known as the ‘Provincial Centre Orphanage’ around 8km from our volunteer accommodation. It is important to note that not all of the children at the orphanage we support have lost both of their parents. Some have been taken into care as they arrive from abusive backgrounds, families that cannot afford to look after them or they have been rescued from human trafficking or the sex trade.

67 children that range from 4 to 20 years old stay at the orphanage. The orphanage is owned by the government and was founded in 1979 after the war with Khmer Rouge which left many children without parents. The war naturally left many children without a place to live, no one to care for them and without education opportunities. The aim of the Provincial Centre Orphanage remains to provide care, education, training and accommodation to enhance the children’s progress and opportunity.

The director of the orphanage himself was originally an orphan at the Provincial Centre Orphanage before returning in 2002. 10 local staff make up the team at the orphanage in total and they maintain the daily operations from the cooking and cleaning to the teaching and empowerment. Many of the staff at the orphanage do not speak English and it is likely you will find the older children who have a greater level of basic English easier to communicate with and understand.

Your primary role at the orphanage is to interact and engage with the children. This can be anything from helping with hygiene, teaching English, doing arts and crafts, playing games and sports or helping the local staff with maintenance (for example washing clothes or helping prepare food). At the orphanage you will find there is a library class facility, a big outdoor space and classroom space to support any activities you wish to do each day.

Volunteers are advised to note It is a mandatory requirement for you to sign in and sign out in the log book when arriving and leaving the orphanage premises. Whilst there is no rule preventing volunteers from taking photos at the orphanage, volunteers are reminded to do this with caution and respect due to the vulnerability of some of the children and that the local staff may not be to approving of this either.

As the children attend government school in the early morning and afternoon volunteers will spend only a couple hours at the orphanage across each day. Volunteers are therefore encouraged to return to our community education programme next to where our volunteer accommodation is based. Here you can interact and prepare activities for the younger children aged 3-10 years old who otherwise are often left to their own devices and can sometimes become disengaged. There is lots of outdoor space and resources to facilitate with this.

Alternatively, you are more than welcome to join one of the classes taking place and buddy up with one of the teaching volunteers. In general the younger children come to the school in the early afternoon with the older children coming late afternoon.

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PMGY’s Childcare volunteers Programme in Bali gives volunteers the opportunity to work with and teach 4-9 year olds and give them an amazing head start before they begin formal schooling. Increased tourism in Bali has meant that those able to converse in English with foreigners have far more prospects than those that can’t. Education at this level will allow them to improve their future and that of their families.

The childcare programme is a hugely rewarding experience and very enjoyable. We work with a local kindergarten/childcare centre founded by our local team that we support each morning locally referred to as the ‘Akasa Kindergarten’. Naturally, the creation of the childcare project by our local team within the heart of the Tabanan community means the project is very close to our local teams hearts. There are currently around 20 children who are sponsored to attend the kindergarten and our team have ambitious plans to keep increasing the numbers of children that can come to project month by month. Volunteers play a crucial role in interacting with the children, keeping them entertained, building their confidence and teaching them basic English, life and social skills.

The project here usually runs for 3 hours a couple mornings of the week and shorter periods of time of more 1.5 to 2 hours on other mornings of the week. Children generally age from the younger age brackets of 3-4 years of age to the upper ages of 6 years old. This project specifically is only around a 5 minute walk from the accommodation. We also have close links with other kindergartens in the Tabanan area, but support here can be on a more ad hoc basis dependent on volunteer numbers and contact time with the children is more limited as well.

Volunteers are encouraged to structure the day to ensure they get the balance right between keeping it fun with play activities, but keeping it controlled and routined with some basic learning activities. Local co-ordinators will be on hand to support at the project as well.

Balinese children are an absolute joy to teach and work with, their enthusiasm for learning is guaranteed to make you smile! Working with this age group is not as structured as teaching older children, their language can be improved simply through play, just a few words or phrases will stand them in good stead for learning English in the future.

The most important thing is that you engage the children, get them excited about coming to kindergarten and learning new things. Your role is not limited to just teaching and volunteers are actively encouraged to get involved in other areas such as arts & crafts, physical education and helping local staff in their day-to-day role.

In the afternoon volunteers will have the chance to work at our after school government approved community programme with the younger children of the Tabanan community. This programme runs from 14:00-16:00 and volunteers will be expected to plan and prepare activities to engage in with the children.

We expect there to be at least 20 children at this programme each day aged from 6 to lower teens. Childcare volunteers will be working with the younger bracket of this age group and need to prepare activities for this accordingly. We generally find that the more volunteers prepare for their day then the more they and the children get from the whole experience. Depending on the number of volunteers at the time, will depend on how we segment the group into smaller class sizes if applicable. We will have local co-ordinators/teachers at the project to assist.

Volunteers should have a genuine passion for working with children. Working with such friendly and excitable children can get overwhelming so it is important to be happy and completely immerse yourself in this once in a lifetime experience!

PMGY’s volunteer in Bali programme focuses on making learning a fun and enjoyable experience so get creative, there are so many ways to educate these children in a way that will make a huge impact. Our childcare programme is an empowering and rewarding one to really make a difference to those less fortunate. Balinese people are warm and friendly, you can expect the children you teach to welcome you into their community with open arms. They will be excited to get to know you!

With the heat and high temperatures that exist in Bali, shorter sessions split throughout the day are seen as beneficial all round and allows for volunteer energy levels to remain high with positive intensity in each morning and afternoon session. Volunteers are encouraged to use the lunch break in between to relax, refresh or plan future activities to maximise time at the project.

PMGY’s English Teaching Volunteers programme in Bali encourages students to develop a skill that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. Bali is a destination that has become not only a hub for tourists from across the globe with its beautiful scenery and traditional authenticity, but is also recognised as an ideal location to hold international conferences and seminars. Therefore the ability to speak English has become essential as a language to learn for Balinese people to move forward in life and enable them to have direct contact with tourists and enhance the countries recognition and visibility on a global stage.

English is a key component in both the formal and informal industries that exist in Bali and the communication mediums that underpin them. This ranges from the schools, offices and banks to the shops and restaurants that makes up much of the booming tourist industry that exists in Bali today.

PMGY’s English Teaching Programme gives volunteers the chance to really make a difference by opening up possibilities of developing English for local children in Tabanan. The explosion of tourism in Bali means the need to speak English has never been greater. Though English is taught in school by the local Balinese teacher, the opportunity to converse with a native, fluent English speaker is invaluable.

Balinese people are warm and friendly. You can expect the staff you work with, the local community and the children you teach to welcome you into their community with open arms. They will be excited to speak to you and hear all about your life! This programme can benefit your future prospects as much as it does the people you teach. You will come away with skills that are easily transferred into the workplace such as leadership, time management and organisational skills.

We support a variety of elementary schools in Tabanan of children usually aged between 7 and 13 years old. The usual school day in Bali runs from 07:00-13:30 and volunteers are expected to lead lessons and activities in between this time period for a couple hours each morning.

Generally speaking and depending on the holiday timetables, we tend to spend one morning per week in each of the schools we support. This ensures we keep a regular commitment to each school we have ties with and ensure we maintain the strong support network across the whole year regardless of the numbers of volunteers. This means volunteers will need to prepare lessons and activities in accordance with this and be ready to learn lots of names and faces in your time on the teaching programme. The schools are located within a 20 minute drive away from the Volunteer House.

The schools that we work with can be overcrowded and staff are usually poorly paid so volunteers are expected to be flexible and creative. Depending on how many volunteers are in-country, you may get the chance to teach alongside fellow volunteers.

The presence of an English speaker really benefits the children’s pronunciation and can also help empower local teachers who may be looking for additional assistance with their own education. Volunteers are encouraged to be creative in their approach and use games, songs, art, sport and music to teach the children when applicable.

In the afternoon volunteers will have the chance to work at our after school government approved community programme with the older children of the Tabanan community. This programme runs from 14:00-16:00 and volunteers will be expected to plan and prepare lessons to teach and engage in with the children.

We expect there to be at least 20 children at this programme each day aged from 6 to lower teens. English teaching volunteers will be working with the older bracket of this age group and need to prepare activities for this accordingly. We generally find that the more volunteers prepare for their day then the more they and the children get from the whole experience. Depending on the number of volunteers at the time, will depend on how we segment the group into smaller class sizes if applicable. We will have local co-ordinators / teachers at the project to assist.

What you teach when you volunteer in Bali is completely up to you, though you will be given guidance from a general syllabus and past volunteer examples. We have a library of resources on site for volunteers to use and the children are provided with exercise books and learning books to help facilitate their learning.

PMGY’s afternoon community programme focuses on making the learning of English a fun and enjoyable experience especially after the children have had a long day at school already! Get creative and teach English through songs, art and sport. You will work with another volunteer and teach as a team. Balinese children are eager to learn, this thirst for knowledge can sometimes turn into extreme excitement so it is important to be able to control the class to maintain focus.

This is an empowering and rewarding project which really makes a difference to those less fortunate in providing free afternoon English education to the children of Tabanan. Inspire through your methods and give these children the confidence to converse with tourists. This in turn will improve their future and that of their families.

With the heat and high temperatures that exist in Bali, shorter sessions split throughout the day are seen as beneficial all round and allows for volunteer energy levels to remain high with positive intensity in each morning and afternoon session. Volunteers are encouraged to use the lunch break in between to relax, refresh or plan future activities to maximise time at the project.

We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching programme overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60-hour Online TEFL Course for just £99.

PMGY’s medical volunteer programme in Indonesia offers a fantastic opportunity to gain experience and insight into the Indonesian health care system. This programme allows you to learn from local staff and get involved in supporting them.

The healthcare of Indonesia must be prefaced by the physical layout of the country consisting of more than 13000 lands which house 240 million people. This makes it the fourth largest country in the world. The population offers a wide diversity of cultural, social and economic background. Indonesia’s healthcare system consisted of mostly private care for the wealthy or for those in severe poverty leaving the majority to fall in between without proper medical provisions. In 2016 Indonesia adopted a national health care system which now has called for new methods of care because for so long people were left without any ability to have affordable medical assistance.

Bali is the home of PMGY in Indonesia. This land is one that still revolves very much around culture and religion. Though healthcare has developed tremendously over the last decade, Balinese people are still deeply rooted in their customs and religious beliefs; especially regarding healthcare. Joining on the medical project in Bali will open your eyes to the traditional beliefs of healing along with the evolving care of Western medicine within this region.

We place volunteers at Rumah Sakit Umum Tabanan which is a local government hospital based in the middle of Bali. This facility admits nearly 500 new patients each day providing a vast opportunity for volunteers that join this medical programme. The departments that the hospital is home to include:

General Surgery, Intensive-Care, Emergency, Maternity & Midwifery, Neonatal, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Antenatal, Prenatal, Ultrasound, General Medicine, Out-Patient and Public Health.

The medical programme in Bali will usually include a seminar to explain how culture plays a key role in the care of each patient; furthermore, how the medical professionals apply care to cater to these beliefs. Aside from this, you will be welcome to participate in any weekly staff meetings as and when they occur. Examples of things discussed in these meetings include talking about the logistics of the hospital and care-plans for individual departments.

Please be aware that while you are on this programme you will be placed in a specific department for a set duration of time. The departments you are placed within will be done either to cater to your interests or decided by the hospital at the time dependent on what and who is available. Across your time on the programme, you will have the opportunity to spend time across many of the departments that the hospital is home too.

As you are expanding your knowledge of the medical field please note that those you are interacting with may also be interested in communicating with you to build their comfort of speaking English. As Tabanan is a very traditional area of Bali, you will find the local staff are not as confident or accomplished in conversing in English as perhaps other people are across Bali. Therefore volunteers will have to be dynamic and creative when interacting with the staff in asking your questions, showcasing which departments you want to prioritise your time and learning about the general day to day goings on at the hospital.

The local staff at the hospital will also be intrigued in understanding the care provided in your healthcare system so be encouraged to communicate around this where possible. While the Balinese people are welcoming you into their place of work please be open to their beliefs and culture as they will be open to yours.

As the role is purely observational and feedback has suggested the project can be quite stagnant at times, we recommend that applicants sign up for no more than 2 weeks on the medical programme. In our experience, whilst you will gain medical insight and knowledge at the hospital, after a while most people are eager for greater exposure and engagement that the project can be limited in providing. In such situations, volunteers may be able to split or extend their time across onto our community childcare and teaching programmes.

For volunteers who are looking for maximum exposure, opportunities and perhaps a more interactive nature to the programme we would strongly advise to consider an alternate medical placement to Bali. India is generally seen as our strongest medical programme due to the exposure our participants get and the range of projects involved. Ghana and Tanzania are also popular where participants can get involved in a number of high impact projects.

Volunteers are advised to note that the hospital will not permit applicants who are NOT studying medicine or nursing at university. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule.

Your level of involvement at the project is dictated by medical experience, duration of programme and willingness to get involved. The medical staff are accountable for you whilst you’re under their supervision, so it is completely up to them if you are permitted and want to get involved in hands-on procedures. Whilst previous PMGY volunteers have been given the chance to administer IV injections, dress wounds etc, we can never guarantee or promote hands-on involvement for participants regardless of their medical experience or background.

Generally speaking those with little or no medical experience assume a largely observational role. If you are studying medically related degree, then you should have more opportunity to undertake some more basic hands-on involvement. However, to reiterate we can never guarantee or endorse hands-on experience should you choose to get hands-on, as the decision ultimately lies with the medical staff.

Indonesia is home to 100’s of different species of animals, many of which find themselves dispersed by deforestation while the country expands it’s exporting of goods like palm oil and rubber. There are seven centres in the whole of the country that rehabilitate and release endangered animals into their native habitat in the wild. Plan My Gap Year provides great insight and opportunity for volunteers to join in on the care of these animals at the Bali Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Within the centre you will find a range of animals that were victims to poachers and traffickers. The primates and birds looked after have been rescued from markets, private homes and businesses where they were kept as pets or for entertainment purposes. There are currently over 40 endangered primates and birds including Javan Lutung, Southern Pig-tailed Macague, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Southern Cassowary, Palm Cockatoo and more.

PMGY has created a programme that allows you to work directly with endangered animals, giving them daily support and enrich their lives. The Programme Fee involved helps provide upkeep and care for these beautiful creatures!

While on the project you will work alongside the animal keeper and other staff members who have years of experience interacting with animals. The activities you will get involved in during your time on the project include:

FEEDING – These animals are fed based on the species and time of year. Animals like the crocodiles are fed two times a week with things such as chicken or duck while monkeys are fed daily with fruits. You will be able to cut and prepare meals based on the species you are working with and learn about the types of food that are best.

ENRICHMENT – Many of these animals are endangered and have come from the loss of their native habitat or poor treatment in the black market. Their displacement often leaves these animals irritable and at times depressed causing for them to have poor eating habits or behaviour. Your time interacting with them and coaching them on things such as eating or interacting with other animals is imperative! Over time these animals may just learn to trust you and in turn you could find one of those pretty Parakeets on your forearm.

ENCLOSURE CLEANING – These enclosures are made for each animal based on the feedback of the veterinarian during the first assessment. You may find the enclosures to be small, but some animals being irritable find it more comfortable to be in smaller spaces and over time the enclosures will be expanded and eventually they will be released back into the wild. The crocodiles tend to need the brush cleared back to keep them from being confined to one area so an example of this upkeep would be while the staff keep the crocodile occupied you are able to cut the brush back. In the bird enclosures the branches and chains may need to be replaced and cleaned as they begin to rot, if you are comfortable they will let you clean and make repairs in the enclosure with these beauties flying all around you!

MAINTENANCE – The centre is a great place, but with limited funding it could do with some tender loving care! Volunteers will be asked to help with creating a better atmosphere for the animals by clearing up the grounds. While you are doing a bit of upkeep this will include fixing the hinges on enclosure doors, relining the fencing, adding new gating on the enclosure, repairing the habit and or cleaning the grounds of rubbish and weeds.

On the Bali Wildlife Programme you occasionally will have the chance to assist the veterinarian participating in treatment or medical procedures. Volunteers can expect to assist for 3-4 hours per day getting involved with the activities mentioned above such as enclosure feeding, enrichment, enclosure cleaning and maintenance.

All that is required of volunteers is to be fit enough to participate in tropical climates, ability to handle animals and interact with the centre’s staff.