Boomers Abroad

Description

A wide range of volunteering placements are available throughout Cambodia's capital city. Volunteers can choose from teaching, orphanage work, and human rights work in Phnom Penh and surrounding rural villages, providing those in need with resources and assistance. Those interested are being asked to volunteer now through International Volunteer HQ's partner organization in Cambodia!

* Teaching Program

The education level in Cambodia still is very low causing large amounts of poverty and unemployment. English skills are required for most jobs in Cambodia, yet not everyone gets the opportunity to learn the language. Many young Cambodians looking for jobs get rejected because they speak very little or no English due to the fact that most parents simply cannot afford this type of education for their children. Our volunteers are placed in Phnom Penh and the surrounding communities. Many projects urgently need teachers who can help out with specific skills like English. Sometimes other skills (e.g. IT, mathematics or art) are also required. Volunteers will teach a whole class or small groups, working alone or alongside other teachers or volunteers. In some schools you will prepare tests and exams and even correct exams. The longer you stay the more responsibilities you receive. The volunteer should invest some time each day on preparing lessons carefully. A typical school year depends on the type of school. Orphanage and NGO schools run throughout the year and only have holidays during the public holidays. However, we work with a combination of schools (Orphanage and NGO) and for most of the year, volunteers will be able to work in the schools without being affected by any long holidays. NB Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or experienced teacher.

IVHQ Placement: CCH Orphanage School

CCH orphanage school is located in Phnom Penh. It has over 110 children aged between 6 and 17. The children have no adult guardians capable of looking after them. Some are orphans, others still have parents or other relatives who cannot take care of them due to illness or disability. Most of the children have previously worked as garbage pickers before coming to the centre. You may teach English, arts, mathematics or sports depending on the need at the time of volunteering. You will also play with the children and be there for them and you may also assist with other tasks inside the school. NB This is only an example placement which is one of many offered by IVHQ in Cambodia and not necessarily the one you will be working at.

* Orphanage Work

Cambodia has an incredibly high number of orphans comparative to population. Many children have lost their parents due to HIV, while other parents cannot provide food, accommodation and education for their children. However, many "orphans" still have parents or relatives they may visit sometimes. Orphanage work ranges from cooking, administration, cleaning, painting, singing and sports to assisting with homework, feeding, caring for children and teaching. Alongside teaching, volunteers help with general work and will normally work 4-8 hours a day depending on the placement. The 2 hour lunch break can be spent at the orphanage or at home gathering energy for the rest of the day. You may also work in an orphanage or Center for HIV infected or disabled children, where the focus is less on teaching and more on childcare. Volunteers help to dress, feed and wash the children who are always happy to simply get your attention as in Cambodian society, disabled people are often rejected. In all our placements the children are attending the relevant public schools. Most orphanages also have fixed weekly activities, focusing mainly on education such as Khmer literacy classes, English language classes or more general teaching. Topics such as morality, hygiene or Khmer traditions are also discussed with the children. Many orphanages support creative activities like painting, drawing, origami or Apsara dancing (Khmer Traditional dance), and some orphanages organize visits to the beach or to villages.

IVHQ Placement: House of Family

This is a Slovak Organization established in 2003 with the aim to provide medical and social care to HIV-positive orphans or semi-orphans living in Cambodia. One of the orphanages is situated in Phnom Penh. Currently there are around 80 "indoor" children and 30 "outdoor" children, i.e. staying with the family but coming regularly for medical checks. The children are aged from 2 to 18 years, and often abandoned and discriminated by their community because they are HIV-positive. They are helped with getting education in local public schools, vocational training on special skills and learning English at the centre. The centre also provides them with some "extra" skills in comparison to their HIV-negative Cambodian peers. NB This is only an example placement which is one of many offered by IVHQ in Cambodia and not necessarily the one you will be working at.

* Human Rights Program

IVHQ's local organization cooperates with a network organization including 41+ local NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in Phnom Penh and the provinces that focus on community and rural development, democracy development and gender issues. The organizations support the poorest of the poor and those who have become landless, offering capacity building opportunities and organizing advocacy for the reconstruction of the country. Local NGOs usually have very limited (if any) financial resources, and often struggle to run their programs and to raise funds from international donors. Many staff members are volunteers receiving no or a very small salary. All NGOs urgently need support in e.g. fundraising and proposal writing, organizational development, administration and research. For volunteers studying at a university it would be more of an internship experience as some professional development workers support some of our placements. Placements are offered in the following fields: Community development, Health/ HIV/Aids awareness, prevention and rehabilitation, Women and Child issues, Advocacy and Human Rights Issues, Environmental issues, and Education. The responsibility of the intern depends on his/her skills and interests and especially the length of the stay. The volunteer will work 3 to 8 hours a day also depending on the length of the stay. If you only stay a few weeks you will mainly help out with your English skills for a few hours (no less important and necessary) or write proposals for fundraising, case studies and reports. You may also help with IT skills, teach English to the staff or conduct research on the success of the programs or future plans. You would also visit the field and projects in the countryside to get a firsthand idea of the problems people are facing. If you stay longer than two months you will have the chance to work within the human rights programs. Volunteers with more specific skills, knowledge or experience may assist e.g. in arranging campaigns, meetings or public forums or implementing new projects as well as developing the internal structures and new initiatives within the human rights programs. Volunteers also might develop a newsletter or a website. NB In order to do this program volunteers must be staying for a minimum of 5 weeks. If you are staying for less than 5 weeks you can do the teaching or orphanage program.

IVHQ Placement: PADV

PADV is a local non-government organization established in 1995, with offices in Phnom Penh (head office) and Siem Reap. Its aim is to prevent, reduce and eliminate domestic violence and help its victims. PADV has 25 staff members and almost all of them speak English. The tasks of volunteers at PADV may include for example; proposal writing, and assistance in administrative duties as well as supporting the local staff by teaching English and joining field visits. NB This is only an example placement which is one of many offered by IVHQ in Cambodia and not necessarily the one you will be working at.

* Computer Support Program

Cambodian NGOs and orphanages rely on computer technology and the internet for communication, management of programs and to create a public presence. There is often a lack of resident and local expertise in this area and training opportunities are very limited and expensive. Computer support in orphanages and organizations is urgently needed to implement, maintain and improve these systems to maximize the effectiveness of the organization and to educate the local staff and children. Volunteers can use their passion for technology to bridge the cultural gap and train the local NGO staff in computer and application usage as well as assist them with problems. Experience with Microsoft Office products, website development or basic Windows System Administration are strongly recommended. Knowledge of LAN and Printer Administration, Web Development or Security Practices is also very useful in this environment. Some projects also require volunteers who can develop a website, train their staff about different programs or teachers who can teach classes of adults/children basic tools in excel, website design, word and access. Alongside these tasks there may be the need to assist in report or proposal writing. Finally, there is also the possibility to teach children or staff computer skills which are needed to get a good job in the future. The volunteer should have studied in a related field or must have knowledge in some of the above mentioned areas above average level. The majority of placements are in Phnom Penh, however we also have a number of placements throughout Cambodia (Pursat, Battambang, Kampong Speu and Siem Reap). Volunteers will work 4 8 hours a day and must bring their own laptops.

* Extra Activities in Cambodia

Occasionally, the permanent staff and long term volunteers will organize activities, such as boat trips or excursions to the province, activities during the human rights or women's rights day or sessions about globalization development work and Cambodia. You are always more than welcome to join these activities as part of your "extra curricular" volunteer experience.