Want to use your talents for good?

In Africa, poverty and beauty seem to be different sides of the same coin; the climate that sustains diverse wildlife, golden sandy beaches and wild savannah also impedes the continent’s efforts to develop and feed itself. You’ll experience this for yourself on this project as you’ll be working in the amazing city of Accra on the beautiful southern coastline with some of the city’s most underprivileged children. The project exists to help orphaned and street children develop English and vocational skills through activities such as art and drama but it also aims to put a smile on their faces and show them a little fun. You’ll go fully armed with our TEFL certification to make sure you don’t run out of ideas to keep them busy.

 

Project details:
i-to-i works with several projects based in Accra, which provide support, basic education and social welfare to street kids and children who have been orphaned, neglected or are otherwise in need of care. The projects work with children of various ages from babies to teens. Examples of projects include a centre comprising a nursery, créche and primary school, which cares for the children of street girls so that they continue working or attend vocational training. Other projects involve working with older children supporting teenage girls and boys who have been detained for involvement in crime, frequently as a consequence of poverty. With the support and training from volunteers they can be helped to turn their futures around.

Why the project needs volunteers:
In 1996 a survey found that there were 10,400 street children in Accra, of which half were boys and half were girls. Compared to other African cities this may not sound like a large amount, but what is concerning is the speed at which the number is increasing. In 2003, another survey was conducted which discovered 20,000 children and 6,000 babies on the streets.

Volunteers are desperately needed to support the staff running the centres, and to provide some basic skills and companionship. Children with little formal education in Ghana do not tend to speak English or have only a basic knowledge. As English is the national language in Ghana, English teachers are a permanent necessity and by helping in these areas you can bring an invaluable skill to the children you work with.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Volunteers must have, above all, a love of children and commitment to the projects. You will need to be flexible, and have initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will inevitably encounter within your role. To ensure that you get the most out of and contribute fully to your project, a pro-active attitude is essential. Any skills that you have in sports, music, drama, art or fundraising will be more than welcome.

Your role as a volunteer:
Due to the nature of the centres, work will be varied. Teaching English will be a major part of both projects but in addition to this you can get involved in various activities such as sports, music, drama or art (depending on the skills you have). With the younger children you will spend time reading stories or singing songs and generally assisting them. Volunteers will also find they become a role model figure, and offer friendship and confidence to such disadvantaged children.

Where the project is based:
All the projects are based in the capital city, Accra, with shops, banks and internet cafes nearby. Volunteers stay in shared self-catering accommodation. Based on the coast, this vibrant city is renowned for its friendly atmosphere where visitors are always welcomed. It's full of contrasts: from traditional culture and history to modern infrastructure.

Please book your flight to arrive into Accra (airport code ACC) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

You will arrive on the Arrival Date ?Friday and will be met at the airport on that day by i-to-i staff (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night). You will be taken to Nicky?s Guesthouse (see details below) in the Osu region of Accra (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The accommodation is located within walking distance of the main shops if you wish to have a wander ? just ask the accommodation owner or volunteers in country for directions. You will be shown to your permanent accommodation straight away so you can start to get settled. Note: If you?re arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date: Nicky?s Guesthouse F106A/4 Osu Ako-Adjei (opposite Labone Girls Vocational School on the Osu Ako-Adjei Park, Methodist Church Road, Osu, Ghana) Tel +233 (0)244 813888 or +233 (0)287 106609 Volunteers will be collected on Saturday morning from their respective accommodation and taken to Paloma Hotel and Restaurant (www.palomahotel.com) where orientation will be held over lunch. You will be introduced to life in Ghana as well as important information about projects, accommodation, food, health and safety. You?ll also learn a bit of Twi! From there you?ll be taken to an internet caf? to write back home before an afternoon of drumming and dancing! Sunday is a free day and you?ll start working as a volunteer on Monday after registering at your respective consulate, embassy or High Commission. From here on you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation (approx 20 USD per night).

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 35.00