VAP News

Upcoming Training in 2012

Following our recent Executive Committee meeting we are happy to annouce the dates of this year’s training weekend. The training for UK project co-ordinators and North-South volunteers will happen on 15-17 June 2012. The venue is yet to be confirmed. Put the date in your diary!

In the meantime here is a video introducing you to this event:

posted on: 29 January 2012

2011 VAP’s Training for UK Project Coordinators

One of the possibilities of being active with VAP is by leading a project with us in the UK. For that reason we are writing you to invite you to attend VAP’s Training for UK Project Coordinators, which will take place at the Clow Beck Eco Centre, close to Darlington. The event will start at 7pm of Friday, June 10th and finish at about 1pm on Sunday 12th.

The training prepares volunteers in how to manage two weeks international volunteer projects, also known as “workcamps”, that are organised in the UK by VAP each year, in cooperation with our local project partners. The participants learn how to prepare the project with the local community, organisation, hosting and sponsoring the project. This involves practical questions like accommodation, logistics and planning. They also learn the practical interpersonal skills of group dynamics, intercultural learning, motivation, collective decision making and active delegation.

The project co-ordinators share the daily life and work of the international volunteers for two weeks supported by the local community, the VAP staff and an assigned mentor to assist with problems. The co-ordinators participate in the project for free and travel expenses to and from the project are paid by VAP. Co-ordinators who submit the completed written report are given the option of a free placement on a VAP project overseas with one of our European partners. To help you having an idea on what sort of projects we are expecting you to lead, we will send to those attending the training, VAP’s provisional workcamp programme for 2011.

This year, the training team will mostly be composed of a group of returned VAP volunteers that have a large experience of projects of this type. One of them will be coming from Germany to facilitate a workshop about VAP’s UN Millennium Development Goals Toolkit, which is an educational tool developed last summer by two international volunteers who were hosted by VAP in the UK for 5 months.

In line with the United Nations “International Year of Volunteers +10”, this year’s UK Project Coordinators Training will share the premises with the participants of our traditional North-South Preparation weekend for VAP volunteers going to participate in projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

This is a free training, including board and lodging. The travel expenses are covered by the participants therefore we advise you to start booking your train/bus fares asap so that they can still be affordable.

If you see yourself taking this exciting opportunity, please send us an email with a brief introduction about yourself, your experience and your motivation (no CVs please) – the latest by May 30th.

posted on: 7 May 2011

Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Workcamps

It’s been a bit more than 3 weeks since the giant earthquake hit Japan on March 11th. Our partner organisation in Japan, NICE, has repeatedly expressed its appreciation for all the support received from all over the world and for the messages of encouragement. According to Kaizawa Shinichiro from NICE, the situation in the affected areas is still very hard and therefore the organisation has arranged for special volunteer projects in three different areas. Japanese volunteers are being recruited at the moment and many applications have been received already! The first group of volunteers started its activities last Monday.

NICE would like to include international volunteers as well, but due to the nature of the activities it is not possible to recruit too many for the moment. In later stages it is foreseen that more and more international volunteers are needed for rehabilitation work which will probably take at least ten years. In Rukuzen-Takada for example, where almost the entire city was destroyed, NICE will start recruiting international volunteers in mid-April.

NICE believes that this disaster can bring the opportunity to reconsider and redesign life, society and the economy of their country and even of the whole modern world civilization, with special emphasis on the energy issue. What happened in Japan was of course a terrible disaster, however it is possible to learn from this experience to improve the world, as much as possible!

If you are interested to apply for the earthquake/tsunami relief workcamps in Japan please contact VAP by email.

posted on: 7 April 2011

2011 VAP Spring News

After a long harsh winter, milder winds and bluer skies are finally gracing the shores of our little island. As the first buds begin to show, VAP’s online database is also growing with wonderful opportunities and stimulating projects for 2011. Soon there will be almost 2000 projects all over the world with new and long established partner organisations. So stop looking at facebook and start browsing our database.

This year, VAP has decided to combine its Co-ordinator Training and North South Training on 10-12 June at the beautiful location of the Clow Beck Eco Centre in North Yorkshire. Although at the same time and in the same place, the trainings will be conducted seperately during working hours. The Co-ordinator Training concentrates on developing skills and the confidence of participants, with the opportunity to lead a workcamp during the coming summer. The North South Training provides a non formal education in volunteering outside of Europe, helping you adapt more easily to places where life may be a little different. Our expanding VAP training team, made up of previous volunteers, has years of experience and professional expertise, making this a fun and highly stimulating weekend. The event is also free, with accommodation provided and the food cooked between us, in the spirit of true volunteering, leaving participants to just pay for travel expenses. After the great demand and success of last year’s course, we recommend you book a limited place early!

VAP is also pleased to annouce that its UK hosting programme has expanded to include two new partners this summer. Groups of international volunteers will take part in workcamps at the Taraloka Centre in Cheshire and the Buddhafield Festival in Devon. As developing our volunteering programme in the UK is a core aim for VAP, we hope these new contacts will develop into long lasting partnerships.

2011 is also the United Nations ’International year of Volunteers +10’, so what better a time to get yourself involved and volunteer on a project yourself! VAP is a very springy charity who specialise in grass roots volunteering which won’t break your bank account. We have again voted to sustain our competitive fee of £150-£190 to cover administration and organisational costs. This leaves you with only travel expenses, and in some of the more remote locations, an affordable participation fee to be paid to the hosting organisation for their admin costs as well as to provide allowance for accommodation, food, tools etc. So get on it!

Did you know your government has made 8 promises to end world poverty? If you are not aware, don’t worry – you’re not alone! In the summer of 2010, VAP successfully hosted two European Voluntary Service volunteers in pricey old London, through funding from EU Youth in Action programme via the British Council. The resulting toolkit, which aims to raise awareness on the United Nations’ Millenieum Development Goals, far exceeded our expectations. We are now pleased to now offer this toolkit for free online here

For those interested, we are also a registered sending organisation for European Voluntary Service projects. These offer 6-12 months placements in Europe completely free, including food, accommodation and even a bit of pocket money! You must be aged between 18-30 to take part and the placement process can take at least 3 months.

The VAP squirrel, Nigel Watt, our treasurer and long standing human rights activist, has been very busy hoarding information this winter. A new publication called ’The Power of Action’ has been published by our global association the Co-ordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service. It details the history of human rights, CCIVS and the UN. For more details contact secretariat@ccivs.org

We are also pleased to anounce that VAP is now an elected member of the Executive Committee of CCIVS and the VAP badger, Nuno Doria, our Programme Manager, was appointed to the new role of General Secretary.

Mellow regards from the VAP team

posted on: 25 March 2011

VAP’s Executive Commitee met in January 2011

On 22 January, the Executive Commitee of Volunteer Action for Peace gathered at Berkeley in Gloucestershire. The members came together to plan the year ahead, following a productive evaluation of 2010 - a year marked by the hosting of the first two EVS volunteers in London, the management of multiple workcamps in the UK, the development of a creative UN Millennium Development Goals Toolkit, new international partnerships and the active participation in the exciting International Congress of Voluntary Service which took place in Barcelona in early December.

In 2011, VAP’s initiatives will be in line with the International Year of Volunteers+10. As a first announcement, the VAP team is organising a joint weekend of activities, including the well-known North-South training and the UK Project Co-ordinator training, to be held in 10-12 June at the Clow Beck Centre, one of our project partners in the UK. More news will be posted soon!

posted on: 11 February 2011

Work on gender in Africa with VAP through EVS

Gender sensitivity at (voluntary) work : Centralised EVS Africa-Europe

At the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the celebration of the 1st International Women Day in 1911, as well as of the celebration of 2011 as both the European Year of Voluteering and the UN International year of Volunteers +10, the Coordinating Committee of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) will run a centralized group EVS project addressing gender issues in International Voluntary Service (IVS) and youth programmes: “Gender sensitivity at (voluntary) work”.

The project, which takes into account the importance given by the European Commission and the UN to Gender Equality as a prerequisite to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and build sustainable societies, as well as the priority given to the African continent in terms of development cooperation, is the first concrete outcome of the ongoing Africa-Europe project “Culture meets Concepts”, which took place during the year 2009.

The project aims at exploring gender roles in different societies and linking the general reflections on gender sensitivity to the participation of young women and men in IVS projects and their interaction in diverse cultural contexts. The wide range of field projects, while practically addressing key development issues and national priorities – from education to climate change, from HIV prevention to youth and women employement – will thus see a progressive introduction of the gender perspective, and generate productive exchanges and learning processes on this topic for both the volunteers and the hosting communities.

Eighteen volunteers from CCIVS member organisations in Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK (VAP) will be hosted for a 6-months period in the African continent, where CCIVS member organisations in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. After a first period of research, the volunteers will organise targeted actions to promote culturally appropriate gender sensitivity activities in IVS projects and with the hosting communities, using and developing specific non-formal education tools. An EVS volunteer in CCIVS office will follow the programme, working in particular on the development of a gender sensitivity tool-kit and promoting gender as a key cultural issue in international voluntary service projects, at the occasion of the celebration of 2011 as both the European Year of Voluteering and the UN International year of Volunteers +10.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 16 July 2010

For more information please contact VAP.

posted on: 5 July 2010

Teach in Zambia

My Home Town is a charitable organisation with its HQ in Choma, Zambia and it is also registered in the UK. It is recruiting volunteer teachers for government and private schools in and around the town of Choma, in the Southern province of Zambia, to teach at Primary, Secondary and Technical levels. The subjects to be taught are Sciences, IT, Maths , English, Domestic Science, Electronics, Motor Mechanics.

The period of service is either medium term (6 months) or long term (one year).

Choma is a small but lively town on the main road and rail route half way between Lusaka and Livingstone. It has a pleasant climate and all basic services.

My Home Town will provide:
 Return air ticket to Zambia.
 Accommodation for the period of contract (either in shared accommodation with other volunteers or in family homes).
 Pocket money for food and basic needs.
 Orientation Training in the UK before leaving for Zambia.

The volunteers will need to take out personal health insurance in the UK before leaving for Zambia and to pay to VAP an initial registration fee of £190. Volunteers will pay travel costs to the orientation.

If you are interested to apply please contact VAP.

posted on: 17 May 2010

VAP’s Spring News - Time to go!

Well, what a difference a bit of sunshine makes eh? Time to hang up those winter jackets and work off that Easter chocolate. For those blossoming adventurers, VAP’s online database is now brimming, full with amazing opportunities and interesting projects for 2010. We have been busy entering almost 2000 projects covering over 80 countries, through our network of established partner organisations. Our new revised database is now even easier to surf & search. So why are you still reading this?

VAP is a not-for-profit charity committed to affordable, grass-roots volunteering. For this reason, our committee have voted to sustain our competitive fee of £150-£190 to cover administration and organisational costs. This leaves you with only travel expenses, and in some of the more remote locations, an affordable participation fee to be paid to the hosting organisation for their admin costs as well as to provide allowance for accommodation, food, tools etc.

Recently, VAP swallows have been swooping through international and local partnership meetings in places as different as Berlin and Leicester, diving on droves of potential new partners. This swarm of multi-lateral activity has woken us up to the current increasing trend for Medium and Long Term Volunteering, which may be caused by the global economic crisis. These projects are open to people of all ages and are an excellent opportunity for those going through a career break or simply wanting to share old skills or gain new ones.

It is worth noting that we are also entitled to send UK volunteers on a EU funded scheme called EVS - European Voluntary Service, which offers 6-12 months placements in Europe completely free, including food, accommodation and pocket money, offering the participant an invaluable experience. If you are aged between 18-30 just have a look and see for yourself!

VAP now has a Facebook group established, letting you contact other volunteers to share experiences. We also plan to use this group to organise regular London events, such as attending workshops, demonstrations, training activities and cultural events. Come along and join!

And finally...VAP North South Training takes place on 4-6 June, at the beautiful location of the Clow Beck Eco Centre in North Yorkshire. It’s the perfect way to gain non formal education in volunteering outside of Europe, helping you adapt easily to life in other cultures. Our VAP training team has years of experience and professional expertise, making this a fun and stimulating weekend. The event is also free, with accommodation provided and the food cooked between us (in the spirit of true volunteering), leaving participants to just pay for travel expenses. After the great demand and success of last year’s course, we recommend you book a limited place early!

Sunny regards from the VAP team

posted on: 16 April 2010

VAP’s Winter News - Calling all early birds!

Calling all early birds! For those who wish to take flight before the summer, VAP has already begun filling its database with new projects for volunteering worldwide in 2010. Get online and start pecking!

If you are interested in developing new skills, why not take part in our Volunteer Project Co-ordinator training in London on the 27-28th March? This is a free event with specialist trainers, putting an emphasis on fun and education using a broad range of non-formal techniques. You may be offered the opportunity to represent and help organise a UK based VAP project! For more information contact the resident VAP badger by clicking here.

Are you part of, or aware of a UK based organisation, that could benefit from hosting a VAP project during the summer? VAP is on the hunt for new partners within the UK. The benefits are social exchange and free non-professional labour provided by a group of young travelling adults, who wish to gain a positive experience of UK culture. In return for their work, food and accommodation must be provided. Please get in touch!

Deep below the ground frosts and icy winds, VAP has been busy, tunnelling for new ventures. We have applied to host 2 European Voluntary Service participants this summer. Their main aim will be to educate and bring awareness to UK communities of the Millennium Development Goals to end poverty and ill health, set out by the UN.

And finally...we have also had a small success regarding the unfair classification of volunteers within the new points based system for immigration visa applications in the UK. VAP has managed to lobby a document onto the table of the almighty Home Affairs Select Committee down at Westminster. We will keep you posted as to whether this bears fruit for the coming summer.

All the best from the VAP team

posted on: 16 February 2010

VAP’s Autumn News

Hello to all of VAP’s members and friends!

After a wonderful long summer of volunteering, the falling leaves signal the close of the main busy season for Volunteer Action for Peace. However for those winter beavers, there are still many international opportunities out there. Just check our projects database.

VAP enjoyed a very successful year, sending and hosting more volunteers than we had forecast. We would like to thank all those who have participated or supported, especially those who returned evaluations of their projects. This is critical in sustaining successful partnerships, insuring a positive experience for all, and providing more information for future experiences.

As we look forward, a VAP priority is to develop our UK programme to include more volunteer camps next summer. If you are aware of a UK based project, that would benefit from the social interaction and solidarity generated from a group of international volunteers - please let us know! Please check out the website to see our current broad range of home projects.

Oh Politics! New immigration controls, mean that volunteering in the UK is now defined as ’work’. Participants from non-visa countries such as South Korea, Japan and the USA (28% in 2009), will now have to apply for such a visa. This in turn, causes massive cost implications and time delays, and we are already witnessing a decline in applicants from such countries. In the end, the largest impact is on our own communities across the UK, who were the intended beneficiaries of our work. If you have the time, please write to your local MP, to bring awareness and hopefully changes to this legislation.

And finally...VAP’s Camp Co-ordinator training takes place in London on the 27th-28th March next year. Just like our North-South training in the summer, it’s a fun weekend using discussions and games, to develop participants skills and confidence in coordinating a group. It’s real life education, that is invaluable to those looking to the horizon.

So - Don your Jumpers!

All the best from the VAP team

posted on: 29 October 2009