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International Volunteers Project Philippines

Page history last edited by Arianna Carranza 8 years, 11 months ago

 

Partner institution: International Volunteers Project Philippines

Website: 

 

Contributors (2015):

Arianna Carranza 

 

 

Instructions:

Contributors: for details on what is required in each section, please look at the Guidance Notes

Contents: 

Placement Information

Accomodation

Transport

Social life

Things to do, things not to do

Useful Contacts

Before you go

Placement Information

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) Philippines is in partnership with an organisation called Green Lion. The volunteer project is in a city called Davao, a two hour flight away from the capital city of Philippines. Davao is very different compared to England. It looks a lot like like a countryside because it is in a rural area surrounded by fields. Green Lion also works in partnership with a school in Netherlands so many student from Netherlands also undertakes their internship there. Green Lion is the organisation in Philippines that manages the project.

 

IVHQ Philippines provides teaching, childcare and special needs placements. The teaching placement involves going in a primary/elementary school or a high school, observing classes and teaching an hour of English and other activities everyday. Elementary children are aged 5-11 years old, while high school children are aged 12-16 years old. Volunteers can work in the schools for more than 3 hours a day. Unfortunately schools break up in the middle of March for end of the academic year. However, Green Lion will get you a placement at a community setting that cares for children or in the local orphanage to teach. Volunteers can request to teach at different areas so that they can get experience with children of different ages and backgrounds. Everyday before going into the placement's volunteers need to plan and prepare activities for the children their going to teach. Sometimes staff will help and provide ideas. Green Lion doesn't provide many resources, so volunteers will need to buy some themselves. At the end of the placement, the setting will give a certificate.

 

Volunteers can also teach other children things, but will have to speak to the placement. For example, previous volunteers has taught footballs, PE, and yoga. Volunteers can teach children anything they have confidence in doing. 

 

The accommodation is located near a hospital in Davao. To find the accommodation volunteers have to say the name of the hospital. There are staff Green Lion staff that will advice and support you when you arrive.

 

The first week with Green Lion is orientation week. A staff will give some paperwork to sign, talk about the policies of Green Lion, the Philippines culture, and the history and demographics of Davao. In the first week volunteers are given a language lesson, a cooking lesson, and tours around Davao to get to know its history and culture. During orientation week, volunteers will have the opportunity to communication with locals, try different kinds of food and see lots of different sights. 

 

 

Sights volunteers will see during orientation:

The hospital near the accommodation:

 

Filipino's knows how to speak and understand some English, so volunteers will be able to communicate with them. However, children in elementary school have difficulties understanding English. Volunteers are always accompanied by a staff when they go to their placement. They help with translating words that some children can't understand and getting to the placement. 

 

Accommodation

Volunteers are provided a house with two rooms. A room for girls and a room for boys. A volunteer will be living with up to 7 other people. The volunteer house includes a living room, a dining room, a sink, a fridge, a shelf, and one toilet with a shower. In the volunteer room there is an air conditioner, a cupboard, 2 bunk beds, bed linen's, pillow and a blanket. Bed covers are changed weekly. WiFi not available in the accommodation but you can access it in the hospital or in internet shops. The WiFi area in the hospital is regularly used by all volunteers. Accommodation is regularly cleaned by a staff from the hospital. 


 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is prepared for you in the nearby hospital. It is only a minute away. Food served with rice and a Filipino dish. Volunteers are also provided with mineral water because tap water is not advised to drink. 


 

If volunteers want to spend a weekend away from Green Lion, they can look just look for a hotel and check in. Most hotels does not need to be pre-booked. The prices are affordable.

 

 

 

Transport

To get to Davao, volunteers need to get a flight to Manila and then a domestic flight to Davao. 

 

There are different ways of going to places.

This is a pedicab and is used to go around close distances. Different distance requires different prices. The cheapest price is 7php.

 

This is a jeepney that takes people to further distances.  Different distance requires different prices. The cheapest price is 8PHP.

 

Another way is through a taxi. Its the fastest way to get to the destination but they are normally expensive. Taxi's has a taxi meter, so if it is going to be used say to use a taxi meter and pay according to what the meter says. 

 

 

Social life

A volunteer can encounter more than 8 volunteers at a time. A new volunteer arrives and a volunteer leaves every week. There are volunteers from all around the world. Orientation week is used as a time to bond with volunteers who arrived at the same weekend.

Volunteers go touring, shopping, drinking and resting in their free time. 

The accommodation and hospital is near the houses where many locals live. There are all really friendly. There are also a lot of local children who plays around the hospital and near the accommodation. Volunteers can talk to them and play games with them. Talking with the locals is a great way to find out about their culture. 

 

There are many things to do in Davao because everything is cheap 1GBP is 70PHP. I would reccomend going to:

  • Abreeza Mall
  • SM mall
  • Eden. An nature park and resort. A place that offers activities like where you can sky cycle,  swim, and sky ride.

 

  • Local Market where people buy food and items for a cheaper price 
  • Malagos Garden Resort 
  • Go to the nearby coffee shop. They serve nice milkshakes, frappe, hot drinks, pizza and pasta. 
  • Go to the fast food restaurant called Jollibee. Its a famous fast food restaurant in the Philippines.  
  • Visit Samal island. It takes a ferry to get to the island. Its a nice place with lots of beaches. 

 

 

Things to do, things not to do

  • Bring some games, resources, paper, crayons or anything else to use with children because Green Lion does not provide any resources apart from those previous volunteers left behind. 
  • Greet locals and make friends with them because locals likes volunteers who are friendly. 
  • Respect the respect the culture and traditions of Philippines. One of their traditions is that children have to get the hands of their elders to touch their forehead. It  is a sign of respect but it is not done by all children. Other traditions that is done a lot is shaking hands and hugging.
  • Try all the local foods you can see. They are all delicious.
  • Bring some items to give as donations to the locals and placement.
  • Leave some of your clothes and offer it as donations before you leave. It prevents excess baggage.    
  • Don't drink alcohol in the accommodation. Volunteers can drink in the local store.  
  • Cover you knees when going to the placement.
  • Always have mosquito repellent on in the night. 
  • Bring an itch reducing cream like eurax because it is impossible to completely avoid mosquito's. These creams will prevent scratching.  

 

 

 

 

 

Useful Contacts

 

 

 

Before you go

  • Book flights as early as possible so you can get the cheapest fare.
  • Book travel insurance.
  • Buy the donations you may need. 
  • Get a criminal disclosure check. I got mine through https://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/.  The criminal disclosure they do is valid in England as well. The criminal disclosure costs £25. 

 

 

 

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