REAL SOUTH EAST ASIA ENCOUNTER

As a childcare volunteer in Vietnam with PMGY, you will work to brighten up the lives of young children, making an important contribution to their daily lives. Our local team and volunteers work with a range of organisations in and around Hanoi. Our international volunteers provide vital support and care for children and young adults in care centres and kindergartens.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

As a participant on the childcare volunteer abroad project in Vietnam, you will be involved in one of two project types during your time. Our volunteers support a range of facilities in and around Hanoi. Not only do participants work with childcare centres, but also facilities caring for young adults and children with disabilities.

 

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 projects in Hanoi that provides vital assistance to these vulnerable groups. Volunteers on one of these programs work with local staff to complement their work and enhance the opportunities of both children and young adults that they help care for.

 

Volunteering with disabled people is a challenging but highly rewarding experience. These projects require you to use your creativity, emotional strength and resourcefulness to make a difference. Through your hard work, you will not only change their lives but yours as well. Although challenging, the project offers volunteers the opportunity to showcase their skills in supporting others.

 

In the childcare centres we also support, the aim of a volunteer in Vietnam is to provide daily support in caring for children. In addition, Vietnam childcare volunteers will work to nurture their English, confidence and communication skills. Roles may vary from teaching basic English to leading fun activities, and assisting with tasks such as mealtimes.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Friendship Village – This is a living, health, and educational centre for children and adults living with the effects of Agent Orange. The centre also provides healthcare to war veterans. Friendship Village was founded in 1992 by George Mizo. The American veteran wanted to help repair the damage caused by Agent Orange in the America-Vietnam War. The Friendship Village complex is primarily composed of: two living quarters, two classroom buildings and a health centre. 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 4-26 years of age. The residents come from all over Vietnam and suffer from a range of disabilities. This can include Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, physical deformity, and severe mental disability.

 

Volunteers help out in a number of different ways. This can include collaborating with the teaching staff as to new ideas and techniques to help the residents. You can share ideas on how to structure lessons, provide an independent evaluation of the students, and work on updating profiles. If appropriately qualified, volunteer in Vietnam participants can also help in giving individual assistance to the students. Sometimes volunteers will also teach English to the staff, teachers and residents.

 

Khanh Tam Day Care Centre – This project was established in 2006 for early detection and care of mentally impaired children. The centre cares for approximately 80-90 children, aged 1-12. Here, there are a total of 4 classes:

 

• Early Intervention – The target group is aged between 2-5 years. The program provides children with basic skills to develop (communication skills, playing with others and etc). Namely, this aims to help children integrate into society at an early age (kindergarten age).

 

• Primary/Elementary Program – The target group is aged between 6-12 years. The children in this class will learn how to read, write and calculate.

 

• School Function Program – The target group is aged between 6-12 years, with no ability to study standard primary school program.

 

• Living Skills Program – The target group is individuals between 10-16 years. These students have no ability to integrate into society or study a standard primary school program. Children will focus on learning living skills to help them prepare for when they grow up.

 

Volunteers will initially begin the project with an observational role. This will become more hands-on after generating a better understanding of the project and the individual abilities of the students. Vietnam childcare volunteers will start to provide a helping hand to run the class activities and lessons. In time, volunteers are encouraged to come up with and run their own ideas, bringing in new perspectives to the centre.

 

Please note that the minimum time commitment to join Khanh Tam Day Centre is 4 weeks.

 

Morning Star Centre (Sao Mai) – Founded in 1995, Morning Star centre 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 1-25 years. Morning Star’s mission is to provide opportunities for children and young adults with special needs. Local staff and volunteers work to ensure that individuals receive education and training. This aims to help them successfully play their part in the local community. 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 12-13 children. On average, there are 2-3 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.

 

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. This is unfortunate because government schools are by no means equipped to welcome special needs students.

 

In addition to their traditional classes, each pupil will also participate in one-on-one occupational and/or speech therapy classes. Volunteers with relevant experience may have the opportunity to sit on in these sessions to provide further guidance to staff members. However, participants with the appropriate experience will not be able to run these sessions independently.

 

Morning Star offers some vocational and pre-vocational courses for teenagers before sending them to outside vocational schools. The courses help increase the student’s independence and confidence, and their abilities to get enrolled in professional training centres outside. Having recently set up a coffee shop within the centre, some of the students help out here. Through this scheme, the students receive valuable experience in working and interacting with the public. Many students have also been participating in cooking lessons, with the eventual to sell these masterpieces within the shop.

 

Chich Bong Kindergarten – This centre is home to children aged from 12 months to 6 years old. The kindergarten’s mission is to explore and develop children’s abilities. This is done 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 to 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. Doing this allows the children to become more confident in their communication and mannerisms. This may include arranging drawing, painting and handicraft activities. There will also be a local teacher in the class to help the volunteers if needed.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

Each of our Vietnam volunteer programs mentioned will have different expectations and roles for their international volunteers. In general, you can expect to provide daily hands-on care, interaction and attention for those who need it most. We try our best to outline expected roles under the specific ‘Project Placement Placements’ above. However, it must be noted that these roles can still vary.

 

Whilst each project location is different, as a childcare volunteer in Vietnam you will typically volunteer for around 4 hours per day. Project hours each day will vary depending on the location. Typically, participants will volunteer abroad for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, although this can vary.

 

Volunteers will usually travel by public bus to and from the project each day. This fee is included in the Program Fee. Volunteers will either be provided with a bus pass in-country or reimbursed their travel fares on a weekly basis. The bus station is around a 10 minute walk from the Volunteer House. The local team will travel with you on the first day to introduce you to your placement.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN VIETNAM

Resources – On the childcare project in Vietnam, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in Vietnam. Some projects (such as Khanh Tam and Morning Star) can have a good amount of resources, but be lacking in human resources which is where the volunteer support is invaluable.

 

Project Commitment – It is important to note that many childcare projects require a minimum commitment of 3 or 4 weeks. Whilst we can accommodate 2 week volunteers, just note your project preferences may be limited to the project settings which accept 2 week volunteers.

 

Project Availability – A childcare volunteer in Vietnam is advised to note that we support a range of childcare projects in and around Hanoi. This is 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 for our volunteer projects across the summertime, where we have higher numbers of volunteers. With great volunteer numbers, we are able to further our contribution to the community and also prevent overcrowding at current establishments. This is also in line with school holiday periods in Vietnam. During this period, there is more need and availability for community programs and summer classes through the day.

 

Please note that although we do our best to place volunteers at their chosen project, this is not always possible. This can be requested under the ‘Special Requirements’ section of your application. Vietnam childcare volunteers should expect to be placed at either a childcare centre or facility for individuals with special needs. Participants must note that it is possible that participants may work with young adults and/or children.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Vietnam runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Vietnam Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam with PMGY, you will work to encourage students to develop skills that will help them to achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. This project provides the perfect opportunity for international volunteers to teach English in Vietnam, putting their leadership skills into practice across schools and communities in Hanoi.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

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 and Ho Chi Minh City. This economic shift has created a greater demand for skilled labour and a workforce that is multilingual. In such circumstances, English is frequently 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. This follows continued recognition from the government for the importance of the ability to speak English to young people.

 

PMGY supports a range of educational establishments and classes, from government high schools to universities and education classes for the local community. The aim of our teachers in Vietnam is to create an environment that encourages students to practice their English and improve their confidence. We encourage volunteers in Vietnam participants to keep the lessons fun. Being creative to make the lessons interesting will encourage the students to engage and improve their confidence.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Community & University Classes – Alongside our work with schools in Hanoi, our volunteers in Vietnam contribute to a number of community classes. These take place within the local community and nearby Universities. There are typically four different levels of classes per Community/University setting. Each class will attend two sessions per week. Every day, volunteers will engage in two classes: one morning, and one afternoon. The first hour of the lesson will typically focus on learning and understanding English vocabulary and phrases. The second hour tends to concentrate on putting this into practice.

 

The community classes are attended by high school and university students wishing to improve their English. Unfortunately, these individuals 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 class participants to practice their English. On average 5-20 people attend each class.

 

High Schools – The main school we support is Nguyen Tat Thanh (NTT) project. NTT is a secondary school (11-18 years of age), home to 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, rather than focussing on communication skills. This is often because this is an area they are limited in themselves.

 

NTT is fairly well-resourced, but the school cannot afford to hire enough native speaking English staff. Furthermore, with large class sizes, it is difficult for teachers to give students the individual attention they need. Therefore, English speaking volunteers make an invaluable contribution to the school’s ambition to improve the English of their students. There may also be the chance to help with sports classes: badminton, basketball, football and volleyball are the main sports taught. If willing, as a volunteer teaching English in Vietnam, you can also spend time helping improve the English of the teaching staff. This helps bring about long term development at the school.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

As a volunteers in Vietnam, you will be responsible for preparing and leading your own activities within the lessons. Depending on the volunteer project location you may be required to follow a curriculum. Communication with the local teachers and staff is therefore key, ensuring they can support you with the lessons and activities you prepare.

 

As an English teacher on this Vietnam volunteer program, you must be proactive in taking the lead around the topic. Our local team will be on hand to guide you as you plan your lessons. They will give you an idea of what former volunteers have taught and what students wish to learn. We will also give you ideas on what activities you can implement when teaching. To teach English in Vietnam, there is no requirement to have taught before. Where possible our local team aims to segment the group the students relative to their ability and level of English. This helps to improve the structure and productivity of the classes.

 

Whilst each project is different, the typical working hours for a volunteer teaching English abroad are 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday. In school settings, volunteers will be expected to teach up to four classes per day. Typically on the volunteer abroad programs, two classes will be taught in the morning and the same in the afternoon. Each class lasts approximately 45 minutes, with a 10 minute break between two consecutive classes. Lunch is taken between the morning and afternoon sessions. With up to 50 children in one class, experience and confidence are great skills to have and develop. Volunteers must also be flexible, creative and show determination to succeed!

 

The university and community classes both follow a similar structure. Volunteers who teach English in Vietnam will lead two classes per day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each class will last 2 hours (4 hours total per day). In general, volunteers will be at the project from 9am-4pm each day, with an extended lunch break. Volunteers will teach 4 different classes each week. For all teaching projects, Fridays are usually not spent at the project and are instead used to prepare lessons for the following week.

 

Local transport to and from the project each day is included in your Program Fee. Most placements are located within a 1 hour commute of the Volunteer House. Volunteers will either be provided with a bus pass in-country or be reimbursed their travel fares on a weekly basis. The bus station is around a 10 minute walk from the Volunteer House. The local team will travel with you on the first day to introduce you to your placement.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING IN VIETNAM

Experience – For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Vietnam project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Project Availability – When you participate in your volunteer work in Vietnam, your project location will be dictated based on the greatest need at the time. Where possible, the local team will place participants on their preferred project, when this has been noted within their application. However, this cannot be guaranteed in any case, and participants must be open to working in any location.

 

During June and July, most schools in Vietnam and universities will be on summer vacation. During this time, volunteers on Vietnam English teaching program will be placed within one of our community classes or a summer camp. Each summer camp lasts around 2 weeks within a relatively relaxed and casual setting. In these cases, there are usually three levels of students, with each level 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).

 

Weekends – Your project work in Vietnam runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Vietnam Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a childcare volunteer in Cambodia with PMGY, you will educate and work with children between the ages of 4-7 years at a time before they begin formal schooling. International volunteers with children in Cambodia help to brighten up the lives of young children in Takeo Province. As a childcare volunteer in Cambodia organise educational activities and games that will positively promote stimulation and productiveness in young ones.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

The first few years of a child’s life are fundamentally important. This time is critical for forming the foundation that helps shape their future health, happiness and learning achievement. As a childcare volunteer in Cambodia, you will have the opportunity to think and act creatively. As a consequence, you have the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of young ones within the local community.

 

Tourism in Cambodia contributes a tremendous amount to the economy. This means those who are able to converse in English with foreigners have far more prospects than those who do not. Exposure to the English language at a young age helps initiate the development of this life-long skill of multilingualism. Engagement with native English speakers, therefore, provides a great starting point for this. Our PMGY childcare project in Cambodia helps local children develop skills that they will benefit from for the rest of their lives. This includes an introduction to the fundamentals of the English language, assistance with social integration and the development of motor skills.

 

Each day as a childcare volunteer in Cambodia is different and you will get out of the project what you put in. It is a good idea to join the project well prepared with lots of ideas for activities so that you can get stuck in as soon as possible. Volunteers with children in Cambodia will have the opportunity to think and act creatively. As a consequence, they make a positive impact on the lives of young ones within the local community.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLE

Hope School – Our main program in Cambodia is based in Takeo Province, south of the country’s capital city, Phnom Penh. The kids attending the childcare program are from villages nearby. The childcare centre is located on the same campus as our team’s teaching English program for older children and teenagers. It is hoped that the younger children will continue their journey with our team in the future. The childcare project, therefore, aims to also help with this eventual transition and integration.

 

Our team’s community education program was established in 2010. The aim was to provide accessible English classes to children in underprivileged villages. The opportunity to learn and develop English is so low in this rural area that children are prepared to travel 7km each way for a one hour lesson each day. The school usually has over 150 children attending each day.

 

As a volunteer with children in Cambodia, you will be based within a classroom setting. This responsible volunteering project focuses on developing core English skills, promoting social interaction and routines from a young age. Our international volunteers will work to advocate all of these aspects through itineraries set by the local staff. For volunteer work in Cambodia, there is an office of resources and textbooks that you can use to assist you. A volunteer with children in Cambodia is encouraged to introduce creative and engaging ways to manage the class.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

As a childcare volunteer in Cambodia, you will be required to prepare, deliver and lead activities and basic English lessons to support local children. Volunteers with children in Cambodia can expect to spend 3-4 hours on the project each day. The typical hours of work as a childcare volunteer in Cambodia are 1-4pm. Time on the Cambodia volunteer work will include various roles and tasks for the volunteers.

 

Days will usually begin with a lively and energetic first hour of songs, games and basic hygiene tasks like teeth brushing. After burning off any excess energy, approximately 1 hour will be dedicated to learning. This may include activities such as learning and recognising the alphabet, understanding phonics and the coaching of basic greetings. Combined, these tasks help to familiarise the children with this foreign language. Furthermore, it advances their learning ability for other subjects in the future. The day will usually end with various activities that focus on practising fine motor skills and dexterity, perhaps through arts and crafts or group games.

 

Volunteers and coordinators have also introduced a Fun Friday aspect to the program. For this, fellow volunteers can come together to organise entertaining activities for the children. Sometimes volunteers will organise and fund an afternoon trip outside of the program for the children. Volunteers usually contribute a small expense to facilitate this, but contributing and participating in Fun Fridays are by no means compulsory.

 

When you volunteer in Cambodia, you should spend time planning for each day. This will allow them to get the most out of their project time. This also provides focussed learning activities for the children. As a childcare volunteer in Cambodia, you will also have the opportunity to assist or lead an older class on our English Teaching project. However, this is optional and not a mandatory requirement of the program.

 

The project is located on the same grounds as the house for participants on our volunteering programs in Cambodia. Participants therefore only have a short walk to project each day. Free time can be used to prepare sessions, chill in the Volunteer House or explore the nearby villages.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN CAMBODIA

Accommodation Setup – Our Cambodia volunteer programs are based in a rural setting in Takeo Province, approximately two hours south of Phnom Penh. The accommodation is very basic, based in a remote location and in a dormitory-like form. There is a sense of community on the program, with volunteers responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the living area. This includes completing morning chores. This can involve tasks such as gardening, cleaning and renovation work. Together, this contribution from volunteers helps to maintain a happy and clean living environment for everyone.

 

Resources – On the childcare project in Cambodia, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in Cambodia.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Cambodia runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Cambodia Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia with PMGY, you will encourage students to develop a skill that will help them achieve their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves their language skills, essential for future employment. This project, therefore, provides the perfect opportunity for a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia to put their leadership skills into practice and make a profound impact in a teaching position.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

The reign of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s devastated the education system in Cambodia. Since then, the Cambodian government has invested a lot of time and money into rebuilding its 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 negatively impact the country’s 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. This follows the drive of less educated and economically poorer members of society into lower-paid jobs, that rarely offer career development. The demand for skilled labour calls for a greater need for children to develop English language proficiency. This is particularly true within the service sector, to keep up with Cambodia’s growing tourism industry.

 

For many children living in rural villages, learning English is seen as the only way to progress in life. This is since it helps individuals achieve better jobs in Cambodia. Individuals often desire to source jobs in accounting and hotel work, to bring an overall higher standard of living for themselves. As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you will help to provide free English lessons to children from low-income families in the region. The children will still attend public school in the mornings. However, in the afternoon, they continue their education at our English education program. Our team’s project provides a key focus on English language development. During your time as a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, it is important to maintain energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Many of the students will benefit from having someone who is fluent in the English language teaching them in Cambodia.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLE

Hope School – As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you will be based at a community education program, established by our local team in 2010. The aim of the school was to provide accessible English classes to children in underprivileged villages. The opportunity to learn and develop English is so low in this rural area that children are prepared to travel 7km each way for a one hour lesson each day. The school usually has over 150 children attending each day.

 

Volunteers teaching English in Cambodia are required to prepare, deliver and lead lessons and learning activities for the children. Classes are divided based on ability and age range and the size can vary from 5-30 children. The children’s ages range from 7-18 years. Younger children tend to come at the start of the afternoon and the older children come late afternoon. There are ten classrooms in total across both school sites. You will usually be based at one of the school sites only during your time.

 

As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you will teach a variety of different classes throughout the day. When each class finishes, the children from that lesson will return to their nearby village. Your next class with different students will then begin. Typically, volunteer work in Cambodia involves leading four classes per day. Participants may also choose to work one-on-one with students during their 1.5 hour break.

 

Teaching the same classes daily within the same time slots allows you to ingrain structure and build rapport with the children. Furthermore, this enables you to witness the development of the children, from the start of your program to its end. Even after the lessons, you will find a lot of the students stay at the school, to socialise and play games. Some pupils will undertake one-to-one tuition with volunteers.

 

As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you are encouraged to make your lessons fun and engaging. This may include storytelling, singing songs and arts and crafts activities. There is plenty of outdoor space at the project. Here, volunteers can take the class out to enjoy some playtime at the end of a lesson. If you have a specific skill as a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you are welcome to teach this to students too. There is an office of resources and textbooks that you can use to assist you. A volunteer with children in Cambodia is encouraged to introduce creative and engaging ways to manage the class.

 

To successfully teach as a volunteer teaching in English in Cambodia, you should spend time planning for each day. This will allow you to get the most out of the project time and will provide focussed learning activity for the children. Ultimately, the more time spent planning, the easier classes will be to run. You can use the mornings before the project or your afternoon break as preparation time.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

As a teaching volunteer in Cambodia, you are required to prepare, deliver and lead lessons for students in Cambodia. The typical working hours are 1pm-6:30pm Monday to Friday. Volunteers will usually teach 1 hour lessons across this period with a 1.5 hour break in between to rest. As a volunteer teaching English in Cambodia, you will also need to dedicate time to plan your lessons in advance.

 

The village school is based on the same grounds as the Volunteer House. International volunteers here, therefore, have a short walk to the project. Free time can be used to prepare sessions, chill in the Volunteer House or explore the nearby villages.

 

Volunteers and coordinators have also introduced a Fun Friday aspect to the program. For this, fellow volunteers can come together to organise entertaining activities for the children. Sometimes volunteers will organise and fund an afternoon trip outside of the program for the children. Volunteers usually contribute a small expense to facilitate this, but contributing and participating in Fun Fridays are by no means compulsory.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING IN CAMBODIA

Experience – For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Cambodia project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Most volunteers lead their own classes. However, if requested, our team can buddy you up with a more experienced, long term volunteer to start with. Note, however, that this will be dependent on volunteer numbers at the time.

 

Accommodation Setup – Our Cambodia volunteer programs are based in a rural setting in Takeo Province, approximately two hours south of Phnom Penh. The accommodation is very basic, based in a remote location and in a dormitory-like form. There is a sense of community on the program, with volunteers responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the living area. This includes completing morning chores. This can involve tasks such as gardening, cleaning and renovation work. Together, this contribution from volunteers helps to maintain a happy and clean living environment for everyone.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Cambodia runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Cambodia Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

Want to share your time, energy and enthusiasm with children across the world? As a childcare volunteer in Bali, you can make a positive impact in the local community of Tabanan. From supporting daily care, organising crafts and creative activities, to teaching English through songs and music. You’ll have the opportunity to volunteer with children in Bali between 1-8 years old, giving them an amazing head start before they begin formal schooling.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

In Bali, it can be difficult to afford a high standard of care or education for their children, particularly for families in the relentless farming and fishing industries. Therefore as a childcare volunteer in Bali, you can support struggling families and childcare centres. By complementing the work of local staff members we can ensure that these children receive the attention and support that they deserve.

 

Increased tourism in Bali has meant that local people who are able to converse in English with foreigners have far more prospects than those that can’t. As a result, education at this level will allow them to improve their future and that of their families.

 

It has been suggested that pre-school years are the most important years of a child’s life and an ideal time for learning a foreign language. Above all, this makes time with international volunteers invaluable. Subsequently, as a childcare volunteer in Bali, you can focus on educating the children with very basic English skills. For example speaking and vocabulary, such as colours, shapes and animals.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Cornellia Foundation – Cornellia Foundation was founded in 2009 by a Christian church. Each day, the centre can receive up to 60 children and the care provided here is free of charge. With up to 20 children in each class, the children can sometimes be a handful to manage alone! Consequently, as a childcare volunteer in Bali, you can provide invaluable assistance to the quality of care that the facility can offer.

 

Children attending this centre range from the ages of 6 months to 6 years. In the morning, the facility cares for children up to the age of 4. During this time, your volunteer work in Bali will involve helping to run basic English lessons for the toddlers, in preparation for starting school in the future. You can also expect to help with feeding and playing with the children, naptime and anything else the local team may ask for assistance with.

 

In the afternoon, children aged 4-8 visit the centre after school whilst their parents remain at work. Meanwhile, volunteers will usually lend a helping hand with the youngest of the children, aiding the staff with bath-time, and entertainment. There is however the opportunity on your Bali volunteer program to spend time with the older children, especially those who may need some additional help with their studies.

 

Mutiara Ibu Daycare – Mutiara Ibu Daycare Centre was also founded by a local Balinese couple aiming to provide affordable childcare, hosting up to 40 children per day. In the morning, volunteers will run basic English classes for the children who are due to begin primary school within the next year or two.

 

In the afternoons, our volunteer’s work in Bali will often be spent with the children aged anywhere from as young as 6 months to 13 years. Volunteers will usually lend a hand during meal times, to encourage the fussy eaters and clean up the messy ones!

 

In addition, assistance is also often required during bath times. However, help is appreciated in all aspects of the centre. As a result, each childcare volunteer in Bali may be asked to spend time with the older children, or even assist staff members in daily chores.

 

Akasa Bali Foundation Daycare – In September 2011 Ketut from our local team, developed her own Community Learning Centre in Tabanan called the ‘Akasa Foundation’ to provide underprivileged children in the area with free after school education and activities. This program has been Ketut’s devotion and passion to this day and with the support of PMGY volunteers she looks forward to developing the Akasa Foundation further into the future. The Akasa day care center hosts up to 55 children between the ages or 4-6 who are full of energy and ready to share this with our volunteers!

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

As a childcare volunteer in Bali, your main role will be sharing your time, enthusiasm and skills to help encourage and care for these children. By exposing them to the English language you are providing them with an early opportunity for social interaction and educational development.

 

You will be volunteering from Monday-Thursday, usually starting around 8am-12pm, with the afternoon session from 1pm-4pm. You will be transported to the project via minivan, which takes about 10 minutes.

 

The childcare program is a hugely rewarding experience and very enjoyable. As a volunteer in Bali, you are encouraged to structure the day to ensure you get the balance right between keeping it fun with play activities, whilst keeping it controlled and routined with some basic learning activities.

 

Above all, lesson planning is essential. Get creative with different enrichment activities to foster positive social development. You can use songs, music, puzzles, interactive props and educational resources to get the kids engaged. Local coordinators will be on hand to support you 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. In other words, their language can be improved simply through play and interaction. As a result, just a few words or phrases will stand them in good stead for learning English in the future. If you volunteer with children in Bali, you’ll 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 childcare volunteers in Bali at the time, the children will be divided into smaller class sizes. In addition, you will have local coordinators/teachers at the project to assist.

 

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. What activities you choose when you volunteer in Bali is completely up to you.

 

You can find resources and inspiration at the office and there may be some materials and props available at the childcare centres. The local team also run weekly lesson planning sessions, providing volunteers with a fantastic opportunity to both share and discuss ideas, as well as plan for the upcoming week.

 

PMGY’s volunteer work in Bali focuses on making learning a fun and enjoyable experience so be creative, there are so many ways to educate these children in a way that will make a huge impact. Our childcare program 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!

 

As a childcare volunteer in Bali, you 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!

 

With the heat and high temperatures that exist when you volunteer with children 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.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN BALI

Major Holiday Destination – With Bali being our most touristy destination we often find that volunteers would like to travel as part of their trip to Indonesia. Being in a more affluent and holiday destination means that our volunteers often do not feel as engaged in the project work as much as they can in more developing locations such as Ghana, Tanzania and India where they feel a clearer need for international volunteers. Therefore we recommend participants to potentially sign up to volunteer for a shorter period to allow the chance to potentially travel as part of their experience and if the volunteer project is of particular importance then to perhaps consider a more high impact location.

 

Resources – On the childcare project in Bali, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in Bali.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Bali runs from Monday-Thursday and weekends are free (Friday-Sunday). You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Bali Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Bali. We offer the Gili Paradise Island Trip along with the Ubud Trip with opportunities running every month.

Volunteer teaching English in Bali to encourage students by developing skills and achieving their future goals. Conversing with fluent, native speakers greatly improves student’s English language skills, a tool essential for future employment. The ability to speak English has become essential as a language to learn for Balinese people to move forward in life. As a result, it enables them to have direct contact with tourists, enhancing the country’s recognition and visibility on a global stage.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

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

 

PMGY’s English teaching program 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 a 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 local community, the staff you work with and the children you teach to welcome you into their community with open arms. They will be excited to speak with you and hear all about your life! Your volunteer work in Bali 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.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Your schedule will be mixed when you volunteer to teach English in Bali. You’ll spend your time across the different projects where we provide free English lessons in Tabanan, with the main placement being at the Akasa Foundation. Moreover, the PMGY Bali volunteer program runs additional English teaching projects across the year. As a consequence, we can help to maximise the positive impact you have throughout the local community when you volunteer in Bali. These run on an ad-hoc basis and your timetable may be varied throughout the week. Here are some examples of where you could be teaching:

 

Akasa Foundation Program – Akasa Foundation is a Community Learning Centre, founded by Ketut in 2011. Until recent years, Ketut ran this within her family home. However, the centre now has a permanent location only a 5 minute walk from the Volunteer House. Having lived within the Tabanan community her whole life, Ketut had noticed a lack of opportunity for children from less well-off families to thrive within the educational system. Consequently, this drove her to set up the Foundation and to seek the help of international volunteers. As a volunteer teaching English in Bali, you can support the quality and diversity of the knowledge that could be shared with these children. First of all, a major goal of the centre is to provide basic education to preschoolers from low-income backgrounds, in preparation for primary education. Another goal is to offer additional learning for students already attending school.

 

Junior High School Summer Program – The PMGY Bali volunteer program offers Junior High School students, the opportunity to participate in a 12 week program during summer. These sessions are hosted 4 times a day to accommodate as many students as possible, aged between 13-15 years. Volunteers in Bali work together with the students through a 12 week structured course to fully prepare the students for senior high school. However, when you teach English in Bali you are also welcome to introduce additional subjects. The course is mainly focused on improving the students’ conversation and grammar skills, as well as giving them a confidence boost and head start before they are off to senior high school. Subsequently, each student that completes the course gets a certificate at the end of the 12 week course to reward them for their hard work and dedication.

 

Senior High School After-School Program – As a volunteer teaching English in Bali, you can often team up with a local Senior High School. Above all, this gives volunteers a chance to interact with older and more advanced English students. Once a week, the high school hosts a free after school English club and as a PMGY volunteer in Bali you are invited to help students with their pronunciation and conversation skills. The students are typically aged between 16-17 years old. Most of the English that these students have learned comes from textbooks, with little opportunity to practice English in day to day conservation. As a result, this is a unique opportunity for students to interact with other English speakers. This is particularly important since Tabanan remains a traditional town, meaning inhabitants don’t often encounter English speakers in their daily lives. This project is open for volunteers to create their own activities and subjects, as there is no set curriculum.

 

Summer Village Program – From around late May to early July, during the school summer holidays, participants may be required to teach English in local farming villages. Lessons are hosted within community halls or schools. Volunteers will spend one morning per week in each of these locations. Consequently, this means volunteers will need to prepare lessons and activities accordingly. Most importantly, be ready to learn lots of names and faces in your time on the teaching program. The schools are located within a 20-30 minute drive away from the Volunteer House.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

Your main role as a volunteer teaching English in Bali will be sharing your time, knowledge and skills to the local communities. Moreover, by boosting their confidence in spoken and conversational English you can help to maximise their potential. The projects run from Monday-Thursday, with class times varying from 8am-4pm. Your timings will be based on your individual schedule. You may have a 5 minute walk to your placement, or for further distances like the Summer Village Program, you will be transported by minivan.

 

When teaching English in Indonesia you may be leading the class alone, working in pairs, or part of a small group. Volunteers are usually scheduled to teach two or three classes per day. These factors depend on the current project need, availability and volunteer numbers. Timetables tend to be split between two of the placement locations for each volunteer across the week. The Akasa Foundation program tends to be the main teaching project.

 

The Akasa Foundation runs 3 classes: Kindergarten (3-4 years) and Beginners (5-7 years) classes are usually in the morning and Advanced (8-14 years) classes in the afternoon. Depending on the number of volunteers at one time, each volunteer in Bali may be required to teach each class.

 

It has been suggested that pre-school years are the most important years of a child’s life and an ideal time for learning a foreign language. This makes these Kindergarten classes invaluable, with a focus on educating the children with very basic English vocabulary, such as colours, shapes and animals. As a volunteer teaching English in Bali, you are required to be creative and very patient, although a local teacher will act as a guide. The difficulty of the content is taken up a level within the Beginner’s class, focusing on similar topics to Kindergarten, but introducing the basic concept of sentence formation.

 

PMGY’s advanced community classes aim to make the learning of English an 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 usually work with another volunteer and teach as a team.

 

We expect there to be at least 60-100 children across these classes at this program each day, aged from 3 to lower teens. 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 coordinators/teachers at the project to assist.

 

In all cases, 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 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.

 

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. As a volunteer teaching English in Bali, we encourage you to make lessons as engaging and interactive as possible by being creative and proactive in your preparation.

 
Use fun educational games like interactive word searches or Hangman, or a bit of class competition in Hot Seat or team quizzes. Games, songs, art, sport and music are all great tools. The presence of volunteers gives the children an insight into different cultures; a global perspective they greatly benefit from. Use your creativity and knowledge to help these eager young minds reach their true potential.

 

What you teach when you volunteer in Bali is completely up to you, though there may be a topic or curriculum materials that you can follow if you need some inspiration and guidance, from a general syllabus or past volunteer examples. We have a library of resources located in the PMGY office at the accommodation for volunteers to use and the children are provided with exercise books and learning books to help facilitate their learning. The local team also run weekly lesson planning sessions, providing volunteers with a fantastic opportunity to both share and discuss ideas, as well as plan for the upcoming week.

 

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

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN BALI

Major Holiday Destination – With Bali being our most touristy destination we often find that volunteers would like to travel as part of their trip to Indonesia. Being in a more affluent and holiday destination means that our volunteers often do not feel as engaged in the project work as much as they can in more developing locations such as Ghana, Tanzania and India where they feel a clearer need for international volunteers. Therefore we recommend participants to potentially sign up to volunteer for a shorter period to allow the chance to potentially travel as part of their experience and if the volunteer project is of particular importance then to perhaps consider a more high impact location.

 

Experience – For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Bali project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Bali runs from Monday-Thursday and weekends are free (Friday-Sunday). You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Bali Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Bali. We offer the Gili Paradise Island Trip along with the Ubud Trip with opportunities running every month.

Bali wildlife rescue volunteers help to care for a variety of different species of animals as well as working to restore key environments in Bali such as beaches and mangrove forests. Volunteers help enrich and improve the wellbeing of animals at the wildlife rehabilitation centre, get involved in opportunities focusing on environmental sustainability, plastic pollution and increasing awareness in the local communities.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE WILDLIFE PROGRAM

Indonesia is home to hundreds of different species of animals, many of which find themselves dispersed by deforestation whilst the country expands its exporting of goods, such as palm oil and rubber. As a result, there are now seven centres in the whole of the country that rehabilitate and care for these displaced animals.

 

PMGY Bali volunteers will gain great insight and opportunity to join in on the care of these animals at the wildlife centre. In addition, they will also work alongside people who are passionate about teaching and sharing local practices whilst taking care of some of Bali’s vital ecosystems.

 

As a volunteer in Bali you will gain experience across all of our project networks in wildlife and conservation. During your time you will participate in several of the many projects we work in and learn about a wide variety of topics.

 

WILDLIFE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Wildlife Rescue Centre – Within the centre, you will find a range of animals that were victims of poachers and traffickers. The primates and birds looked after have usually been rescued from markets, private homes and businesses where they were kept as pets or for entertainment purposes. This is a huge problem in Indonesia, displacing wild animals from their natural habitats and separating them from their families. Most importantly, these animals need extra care, attention and enrichment in order to improve their well-being and daily lives.

 

The focus here is on the daily care, well-being and rehabilitation of many different species, with the goal to release them back into the wild if they are healthy and equipped with the necessary skills to survive. It is important to note that many of these animals will not make it back into the wild due to the trauma they have experienced and consequently their lack of survival skills. In these cases, we work to maintain the highest quality of life possible for the animal creating enrichment.

 

This wildlife centre is the only one of its kind in the area, therefore the range of animals can be quite wide depending on rescue needs at the time. Animals can be brought to the centre without warning and therefore you will see how they must adapt to provide the best enclosure and space possible for that specific animal. Within the centre you may see Saltwater Crocodile, Sea Eagles, Sun Bear, Starling Birds, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle, Asian Palm Civet, Bear Cat, Palm Cockatoo and more. The Program Fee involved helps provide upkeep and care for these beautiful creatures.

 

Beach Cleans – Did you know a plastic straw takes one minute to manufacture, will be used for ten, before being disregarded and taking hundreds of years to decompose? Millions of plastic straws are found on the beaches of Bali every year and they are just one of the many items that are littered and washed ashore on this island and across national parks every single day.

 

Plastic pollution is becoming a huge problem worldwide and our Bali volunteers aim to fight the battle against this environmental catastrophe. Our team promotes this by hosting regular beach and forest cleans with our volunteers and the local community. Every day, our volunteers visit different areas to collect disregarded items, before correctly disposing and recycling these.

 

The processing of litter and waste in Bali is a developing system. Education on how to dispose of different materials in an efficient and eco friendly way is in the early stages of development in Bali and having volunteers to collect and recycle waste is a great way of leading by example; helping to promote a permanent change in the way they dispose of household waste in their daily lives. In addition, we also work with local people to create an even bigger impact, by educating them about environmental conservation and recycling. Above all, education and awareness is a crucial factor in encouraging a sustainable lifestyle to tackle this global issue.

 

Mangrove Conservation – Mangrove forests are an essential part of our worlds eco system. Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to the rising sea levels linked to global warming. These vital plants stabilizes Bali’s coastlines and plays a large role in protecting the island from storm surges.

 

Volunteers work to restore existing mangroves, which have been affected by deforestation, climate change and littering. Our conservation volunteers work directly with the locals to educate the villagers about maintaining ecosystems and environmental conservation. As a result, the knowledge will pass on from generation to generation. Such activities include planting mangroves, cultivating new plants and picking up litter to keep them thriving. This is another important way to raise awareness and support sustainable development across the world during your Bali volunteer program.

 

AREC Centre – This is a developing project which houses some domestic animals in the hope to have them adopted in the future. The land here is also used to grow different types of fruits and vegetables to support the local community and help to educate them on healthier eating and lifestyles. Here you will help to train dogs and ensure they have the means to live a healthy life, create enriching and safe spaces for other animals and learn how to farm numerous plants and natural areas.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

As a wildlife volunteer in Bali, you will rotate across several of the projects and locations we work in, gaining a wide range of insight into the many ways volunteers can make an impact during their time on the program. The daily shifts will vary depending on each project. While on the project you will work alongside other staff members who have years of experience on each project.

 

Transport to and from the projects are included in your Program Fee. The beach cleans are about 20 minutes away by bemo, the mangrove restoration is about an hour away so you will be transported by private car and the wildlife centre is 5 minutes away by bemo.

 

In general, Bali wildlife rescue volunteers are expected to work for around 3-5 hours per day from Monday-Thursday. The activities you will get involved in during your time on the volunteer in Bali projects include:

 

Feeding – These animals are fed based on the species and time of year. For instance, the crocodiles are fed two times a week with things like 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 them to have poor eating habits or behaviour. Your time interacting with them and coaching them on things such as eating, foraging, play or social interaction 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 who are irritable and find it more comfortable to be in smaller spaces. 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 cutting the brush back, while the staff keep the crocodile occupied. 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 rescue 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 can include fixing the hinges on enclosure doors, relining the fencing, adding new gating on the enclosure, repairing the habitats or cleaning the grounds of rubbish and weeds. Beach cleans are an integral part of keeping Bali’s coastlines pristine, you will be collecting and properly disposing trash that litters Bali’s beaches and forests.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING WITH WILDLIFE IN BALI

Major Holiday Destination – With Bali being our most touristy destination we often find that volunteers would like to travel as part of their trip to Indonesia. Being in a more affluent and holiday destination means that our volunteers often do not feel as engaged in the project work as much as they can in more developing locations such as Ghana, Tanzania and India where they feel a clearer need for international volunteers. Therefore we recommend participants to potentially sign up to volunteer for a shorter period to allow the chance to potentially travel as part of their experience and if the volunteer project is of particular importance then to perhaps consider a more high impact location.

 

Alternative Wildlife Programs – The Bali wildlife and environmental program provides an entry level role into conservation activities and an introductory volunteer experience. If you are looking for a short program with a high travel element and a more diluted volunteer role then this project works well for the majority of participants. However, if you are looking for a more focused-volunteer role and want to get more involved in conservation efforts then we would recommend you look at alternative PMGY wildlife projects such as Thailand, Greece or South Africa. We find participants in these locations are able to contribute more, get a lot more from the overall volunteer experience and are still able to travel over the weekends.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Bali runs from Monday-Thursday and weekends are free (Friday-Sunday). You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Bali Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Bali. We offer the Gili Paradise Island Trip along with the Ubud Trip with opportunities running every month.