Program Photos

Renovate Homes or Tutor Youth in Appalachia!

Location: United States

Program Duration: 1-2 weeks

Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Dates: Year-round

Global Volunteers

http://www.globalvolunteers.org

375 E. Little Canada Rd. St. Paul, MN 55117 United States

Call Us

Phone: 800-487-1074

Fax: 651-482-0915

Description

Experience Appalachia from the inside and help provide safe housing for low-income families in West Virginia! Tax-deductible service program cost includes food, lodging, local transportation, team leader, project materials, donation to the community and administrative costs. Volunteers work alongside 'Youth Build' participants -- young people working toward their GED and learning construction skills. Volunteers may also be asked to tutor schoolchildren. Global Volunteers team members work under the direction of The Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS), a private nonprofit organization, which promotes continued education and addresses local economic decline. Volunteers help to renovate former coal company houses, where low-income families can afford to live.

Highlights

Volunteers gain an excellent, first-hand understanding of life in Appalachia: the struggles and the tremendous cultural richness. The hosts strive to give everyone the chance to make a significant contribution to the work project and the long-term development of the community. The Fayette County region features a number of outdoor free-time activities including white-water rafting, mountain biking and hiking. Thousands of trails lead through the New River Gorge National River and the Monongahela National Forest, along the famed Appalachia Trail.

Qualifications

Everyone can offer an important service. This volunteer program is open to any English speaker who can assist with general light construction and building repair, painting, sanding and the like; volunteers must be willing to serve as a member of a team and take direction from local leaders.

Languages
  • English

Cost in US$:

USD 995

Cost Include Description:

The service program fee directly supports the partner community's on-going development program and covers your meals, lodging, transportation to and from the work site, project expenses, administrative costs, and the services of a team leader. The service program cost does not cover your airfare or other transportation to the host community. All costs, including airfare, are tax-deductible for U.S. tax-payers.

Credit Available

yes

Volunteer Types
  • Academic Reinforcement
  • Adult Education
  • Appropriate Technology
  • Building Maintenance
  • Building/construction Projects
  • Clerical And Office Work
  • Community Development
  • Culture
  • Cutting Wood
  • Digging
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Elderly
  • Grassroots Organization
  • Historic Preservation
  • Homelessness
  • Housing
  • Income-generation
  • Infrastructure Planning
  • Painting
  • Peace
  • Renovation
  • Repairs
  • Restoration
  • Self Help
  • Tutor
  • Youth
  • Youth Development
Typical Volunteer
USA volunteers are culturally curious and open-minded people looking to contribute to a community development project and to improve their understanding of different ways of life, and the social struggles in developing communities. They are all ages, from various ethnic backgrounds, and of all different professions, such as educators, students, laborers, medical professionals, full-time parents, computer professionals, artists, lawyers and the like.
Age Range
minors with parents through age 90.
This Program is open to

Worldwide Participant. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements
  • Dormitory

Participants Travel to United States

Independently

Application Process Involves
  • Letters of Reference
  • Phone/Video Interview
  • Written Application
Typically The Application Process Time is
12 hours
Post Services Include
  • Alumni Network
  • Exit Debriefing Abroad
  • Re-Entry Debriefing at Home
Global Volunteers's Mission Statement

Global Volunteers is a private, non-profit (501C-3) tax-exempt organization in consultative status with the United Nations working at the invitation and under the direction of local leaders to deliver the 12 Essential Services to partner communities worldwide. We engage short-term volunteers on long-term development projects to create, nurture and sustain the wellbeing of the world's children - so they can realize the full promise of their human potential. Each year, we mobilize up to 300 teams of volunteers to work alongside local people on work projects central to their advancement. We also raise funds to support our international and domestic partners and to provide sponsorships for educational, social and medical assistance.

Year Founded

1984

GoAbroad.com