By volunteering at a community centre, individuals will get the opportunity to come into contact with a number of different local demographics, all of whom actively use the Volunteer for the Visayans Community Center on a weekly basis.
The Community Center in Bliss, Sagkahan is the heart of all Volunteer for the Visayans activities, acting as a staging area for its various welfare projects. It is from here that staff and volunteers coordinate the various social welfare projects for Child Sponsorship Program and Community Program.
These activities include coordinating an Empowerment Project for local women called the Mother’s Club that involves skills training, livelihood and micro-financing projects, and conducting activities with other community groups such as a skills training and peer bonding groups for local adolescents. Interactive Seminars are also conducted with other groups such as parents of the children enrolled in our Child Sponsorship Program.
Volunteers who have special talents or skill sets can easily transfer their knowledge onto the Community Center clients by liaising closely with Volunteer for the Visayans staff. Amongst all qualities needed for volunteers, a volunteer working in a community centre must be able to show initiative and undergo tasks without the need for constant supervision – this can often be difficult, but at the same time, the end results can be extremely rewarding. In recent years, volunteers participating at the Community Center have developed long-term livelihood projects as well as offered suggestions and advice to micro-financing projects.
Why We Need You
Volunteer for the Visayans has only three staff members dedicated to caring for the needs of 167 sponsored children and two other staff member to organize the various activities of the Community Program. To augment our limited staffing, we seek volunteers to assist our social worker with program operations.
Volunteers with experience in Child Welfare, especially social workers can be extremely useful in working closely with our VFV social worker to assist with day-to-day activities of the Child Sponsorship Program and to help strengthen and improve our operations.
Other skills and experiences that can be applied well to the Community Center volunteer project could be but are not limited to micro-financing, community development, photojournalism, marketing and media and event organizing.
Since 2004, a number of projects have emerged from the Volunteer for the Visayans Community Center, many of which were initiated by international volunteers. VFV appreciates and understands the importance of volunteers bringing in new ideas and strategies to not only develop new projects but to strengthen its existing ones.
What’s Included
What is included: Airport Reception, Accommodation with local host family, 2 meals a day (breakfast and dinner), program orientation, Waray Waray language lesson, 24 hour local staff support
What’s Not Included
What’s Not Included: International or Domestic Airfares, Insurance or Visa
Trip Itinerary
Training: Pre-Departure information sent during application process; in-depth local orientation conducted upon arrival.
Experience: No formal training required Working Hours: 08:00am – 12 noon, Monday to Friday (minimum)
Activities: Assist with activities on the VFV Child Sponsorship and Community Program. Conduct seminars with local community groups; assist with the daily running of the Child Sponsorship Program.
Program And Price
Project Duration: 2 weeks (minimum) – 6 months (maximum)
Cost: $800 US Dollars for 2 weeks, $80 for each week thereafter. Find out more about program fees.
Availability: All Year Round
Project Location: Tacloban City
Requirements: Minimum age 18
