'Volunteering' is often associated with giving back, personal satisfaction and doing something in your free time. The right volunteer work though, also requires hard work, planning and effective time management.
What I do
I work with a local organization to provide education, training, medical and social support for Cambodian children that would otherwise find themselves out on the street. The Sangkheum Center for Children (SCC) extends its care to both resident and non-resident children.
I have 3 distinct tasks:
1) Find new ways to revise the curriculum and provide training on effective teaching methods, including bringing 'creativity to the classroom' and moving beyond the top down model of instruction. I'll meet with the staff (2 from the center, 3 from neighbouring villages) and put together a workshop, first presenting it to the group of 5, then spending time with each individual teacher to ensure proper instruction and implementation.
2) Work with the resident young adults who have left SCC and moved into a transitional home to find jobs and re-integrate into society. This is a crucial stage since they have been 'institutionalized' from a young age and are sort of being pushed over the cliff, assuming they know how to fly. A lot of them speak basic English and have good manners but lack confidence and leadership qualities. I'll be conducting another workshop to provide life skills training on such things as motivation, communication, problem solving, self-realization and good citizenry.
3) Work with a graphic designer to re-vamp the website, re-writing the text and incorporating elements of social media. We are the chosen NGO for a unique MBA project led by a professor who has made frequent trips to Cambodia, the focus of which to develop promotional materials which will be circulated to donors/visitors/volunteers etc. I'll be working in tandem with this group.
1) Find new ways to revise the curriculum and provide training on effective teaching methods, including bringing 'creativity to the classroom' and moving beyond the top down model of instruction. I'll meet with the staff (2 from the center, 3 from neighbouring villages) and put together a workshop, first presenting it to the group of 5, then spending time with each individual teacher to ensure proper instruction and implementation.
2) Work with the resident young adults who have left SCC and moved into a transitional home to find jobs and re-integrate into society. This is a crucial stage since they have been 'institutionalized' from a young age and are sort of being pushed over the cliff, assuming they know how to fly. A lot of them speak basic English and have good manners but lack confidence and leadership qualities. I'll be conducting another workshop to provide life skills training on such things as motivation, communication, problem solving, self-realization and good citizenry.
3) Work with a graphic designer to re-vamp the website, re-writing the text and incorporating elements of social media. We are the chosen NGO for a unique MBA project led by a professor who has made frequent trips to Cambodia, the focus of which to develop promotional materials which will be circulated to donors/visitors/volunteers etc. I'll be working in tandem with this group.
Cost Operations
The way most of these organizations operate is that any money secured is spent on a) local salaries, b) child care and c) resources toward running the center. Volunteers are asked and expected to cover their expenses, including:
- flight over
- accommodation
- transportation to and from the center
- meals
- insurance
- specific work materials (books etc)
I stay in a $6/night room, booked a R/T flight for $300 and am on a $10/day budget, including transportation, meals and other necessities. (US dollars)
And all this for the single purpose of exploring a different area of work where I hope to find myself connected to the bottom line/end goal.
Lets see how it goes ..
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