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VolunteerInternational News - August 2000
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Christine Victorino
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Aug 02, 2000 16:32 PDT
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V O L U N T E E R INTERNATIONAL N E W S
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Bimonthly Newsletter on International Volunteer Opportunities
http://www.volunteerinternational.org
August 2000
1. Program Highlight: Latitudes International, Botswana
2. Volunteer Voice: International Partnership for Service-Learning, Mexico
3. News and Events: Study Abroad Fairs
4. Announcements: Job Openings with Visions in Action
5. Questions and Answers: Are there any scholarships for International
Volunteers?
6. Links: Global Routes
7. How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe
8. Contact us at iv-@lafetra.org
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1. Program Highlight: Latitudes International-Botswana
Latitudes International is a non-profit, community service travel program
for high school, college students and adults. In addition to the Botswana
project, there are other programs in South Dakota and Nepal.
Botswana lies immediately to the north of South Africa and consists almost
entirely of a broad, flat, arid subtropical plateau. It is one of the few
remaining locations in Africa where one can still experience the adventure
of safari. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), the largest in the
world, consists of vast, undeveloped landscapes and an abundance of
wildlife that has remained untamed.
Botswana's democratic government, stable and independent since 1966, has
seen only three different presidents. The black and white stripes on the
flag of Botswana stand for racial harmony. The light blue color represents
rain, life and fertility.
Work Project:
In central Botswana, the Kalahari Desert is encroaching upon the remote
village of Rakops. The disappearance of grazing land for cattle and the
discomfort of unimpeded desert winds are concerns for local residents.
Latitudes International participants will join a tree-planting initiative
begun by the Kalahari Conservation Society and the community of Rakops to
help stop the erosion of valuable land.
In addition, participants may volunteer at the Nata Sanctuary, the home of
a large flamingo population and hundreds of bird species. Work projects
include renovating bird-hides, mapping areas of the land and fixing signs
which animals have destroyed.
Lodging and Free Time:
Large tents will be the home for a Latitudes group for 4 weeks in Rakops.
Campfires will be the source for cooking and nighttime socializing. Bathing
facilities and potable, running water will be available.
A visit to the Orapa Diamond mine is a special weekend excursion. Permits
will be obtained for the group to tour this highly protected region that
helps make Botswana a world leader in diamond exports. Other ventures
include a weekend in the capital city, Gaborone, and a culminating trip to
Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
For more information: www.latitudesinternational.com
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2. Volunteer Voice: International Partnership for Service-Learning
Sarah Brewster wanted to help others while learning about other cultures,
so she decided to spend a full year serving and learning on three different
International Partnership for Service-Learning programs. In South Dakota,
she worked closely with families and staff to identify the educational
needs and gaps within the community. Then she spent the winter in
Calcutta, India, serving the dying and destitute at Khali Ghat, one of
Mother Teresa's homes. In the spring, Sarah went to Mexico, where she
worked in a developing community on the outskirts of Guadalajara, which was
building itself up brick by brick.
Sarah Brewster, Mexico
One day we organized a trash treasure hunt. There was litter strewn all
about the community, so we made lists of things for the children to find—4
socks, 10 bottles, 8cans, 3 straws. There were five kids that morning, but
an hour and a half later some 35 children returned laden with bags and
sacks of treasured trash. We spent the afternoon making posters for the
community with our trash—about not littering. The streets were
unrecognizable. They were almost spotless, free from litter. Little Julio
had been the inspiration for this. We were talking about wishes and dreams
one afternoon. He had three wishes. These were wishes of a child, wishes
that continue to humble me. He wished for food, a real house and home, and
a place where he and his family and community could play soccer without
tripping and stumbling over litter. Julio and the other children showed me
that where there was determination, persistence and commitment, there was
change.
For more information, please go to www.ipsl.org
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3. News and Events: Study Abroad Fairs
Throughout the upcoming fall, IVPA and its members will be tabling at
colleges and universities across North America.
September
9/27-St. Mary's College
9/28-San Jose State University
October
10/2-University of California, Davis
10/3-Sonoma State University
10/4-San Francisco State University
10/5-University of California, Berkeley
10/9-University of California, Santa Barbara
10/10-University of California, Los Angeles
10/11-California State University, Northridge
10/12-California State University, Los Angeles
10/13-California State University, San Bernardino
10/16-Orange Coast College
10/17-California State University, Fullerton
10/18-California State University, Long Beach
10/19-University of California, Irvine
10/20-University of California, San Diego
For more information on upcoming fairs, see
http://www.internationaleducator.com.
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4. Announcements: Job Openings with Visions in Action
All the following listed overseas openings are not salaried, though they
provide airfare, group housing, insurance and a modest stipend to cover
basic expenses. For all openings, send cover letter, resume and three
references to Director, Visions in Action- by email: visi-@igc.org Or by
post at: 2710 Ontario Road NW, Washington DC 20009.
South Africa: Youth Program Coordinator
Johannesburg, South Africa Coordinate new youth corps program for
urban-based youth. Teach life skills, group cohesion, entrepeneurship and
small business basics. Coordinate with construction project and safety
team coordinators. Emphasize interviewing skills and manage job placement
process upon program completion. Requires experience managing and working
with youth in developing countries. Masters degree in social work/
psychology or related field and South Africa experience preferred.
Includes housing, insurance and living stipend. Two year commitment
required.
South Africa: Construction Program Manager
Johannesburg, South Africa. Create and manage a light construction team
made up of at-risk urban youth. Hire, discipline, train and supervise
local staff and youth volunteers. Negotiate and manage new subcontracts
in basic community construction projects (parks, markets, health clinics,
water pumps, etc). Requires construction experience (basic carpentry,
masonry, plumbing) and small business knowledge. Construction experience
in Africa preferred, one year commitment required.
South Africa: Security Coordinator
Johannesburg, South Africa. Coordinate, train and equip an unarmed urban
safety corps and escort service in a crime-ridden area of Johannesburg.
Follow up with authorities on lighting, refuse, phones, minor crimes,
business and residential concerns. Requires significant work experience
in a military, police, or security organization. Experience in Africa
and/or dangerous urban environments preferred. Short term and long term
positions available (2-12 months)
Burkina Faso: NGO Capacity Building Coordinator
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Manage a center which builds the capacity of
indigenous nonprofit development organizations. Lead seminars and
training sessions in nonprofit management, donor liaison, proposal writing,
fundraising, basic accounting and participatory appraisal. Develop center
operating procedures, manuals, training courses and library. Manage staff
of five, approve all expenditures and assure that center targets are
reached. Requires: Masters degree, 2 years of African development
experience, Fluent French. Two year commitment required.
Washington DC: Program Coordinator
Recruit and interview overseas volunteers, edit and publish volunteer
manuals and guides, recruit and manage U.S. office interns, update website,
coordinate advertising, visit East Coast campuses, liaise with offices in
Africa and Mexico, publish newsletter, and manage office. Attend activist
rallies and meetings regarding human rights issues. Requires: Masters
degree, nonprofit management experience, at least one year of international
development work experience in Africa or Latin America, and fluent Spanish
and/or French. Strong personnel skills and commitment to grassroots
social justice movements required. Must be willing to work long hours in a
broad range of jobs for a modest salary.
Visions in Action
2710 Ontario Road NW
Washington DC 20009
ph: (202) 625-7402
fax: (202) 625-2353
http://www.visionsinaction.org
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5. Questions and Answers: Are there any scholarships for international
volunteers?
About one half of IVPA's 50 member programs have some kinds of scholarship.
Most of the scholarships are given out based on financial need.
Here are some examples:
World PULSE-itself is a scholarship program for low-income young adults
from the Bay Area in California.
Vision in Action-$400 discount for nationals of developing countries and
$800 discount for former Visions in Action volunteers.
Volunteers for Peace-a waiver of the registration fee to volunteers from
minority backgrounds
Volunteers in Asia, Peacework-offer scholarships on a need basis.
WorldTeach, Inc.-offers some need-based grants. Also offer fundraising
advice and support.
For more information, please go to www.volunteerinternational.org and click
"go" to see a list of international volunteer programs.
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6. Links: Global Routes
Global Routes, a non-profit organization, offers
community-service/cross-cultural exchange programs for North American high
school and college students throughout the world. Students immerse
themselves in the life of a small, rural community as they live with a
local family and teach in the village school, build a community meeting
house or clinic or participate in other service projects.
In this article, we highlight Global Routes' College Programs
Throughout the world thousands of children lack the basic necessities of
education: books, pencils, desks and teachers. Global Routes Interns are
assigned in pairs to remote villages where they teach in local schools and
take on the responsibility of completing at least one community service
project. All interns are placed in schools within a 10-mile radius of one
another.
Each intern lives separately with a family of the community in a simple,
traditional home and in so doing delves into the natural rhythm and flow of
daily village life. These interns are people who have passion for
adventure, contribution, cross-cultural immersion and personal growth.
There are no formal requirements for Interns, except those going to Costa
Rica or Ecuador must have a working knowledge of Spanish. Currently
Internships are offered in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya, Thailand,
Dharmasala, and on the Navajo Reservation.
For more information on Global Routes: www.globalroutes.org
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7. How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe
To subscribe to the newsletter, send a blank email to:
volintnews-@igc.topica.com
To unsubscribe to the newsletter, send a blank email to:
volintnews--@igc.topica.com
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8. Contact us at iv-@lafetra.org
Be sure to send us your stories, contributions and questions. Our email
address is iv-@lafetra.org.
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