Description

As part of Dream Shelter's social support programs, and the desire to make impact in the lives of children with disabilities, we are inviting volunteers from all over the world to come and help us put a smile on the faces of these sweet angels. The children are delighted to see new and smiling faces, and love the games, songs, and rhymes that volunteers help to organize. Simply holding infants, sharing your affection, and providing individual attention is important to their future well-being.

Working with People affected by HIV/AIDS:
Dream Shelter Ghana has also been helping individuals living with HIV/AIDS, giving them support, as well as helping to spread information about HIV/AIDS, and how to avoid infection. In Africa many people have been directly and indirectly affected by the epidemic, some through no fault of theirs and ignorance. With the help of the Ghana National AIDS Commissions and community support groups that act as lifelines in hard-hit regions, we have expanded our work across the region to help people living with HIV/AIDS, and to educate the public on AIDS prevention.

Working with people affected by HIV/AIDS helps provide treatment and prevention services to people in disadvantaged communities. Most people with HIV/AIDS live in communities where the level of involvement is at its lowest and discrimination is at its highest.

There are many ways to get involved based on your skills and the needs of the specific community. You may be coordinating recreational activities for children whose families are affected by the disease, you may be supporting medical professionals who are caring for patients directly, you may be assisting with in-home care and counseling; and you may be assisting staff with training seminars and conferences.

You can also play an important role in community outreach and prevention efforts, spreading awareness, and educating the community about HIV/AIDS. The presence of volunteers also helps to break down stereotypes, and reduce the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. Anyone with energy and interest in this issue can make a meaningful contribution, and all are welcome.

Teaching Abroad:
You don't have to be a teacher to take part in and enjoy our Teaching placements. Open to all volunteers, you really benefit the students you work with, while gaining valuable skills yourself. Placements are in primary or secondary schools and special schools. All our placements have one thing in common - a genuine need for conversational English or Math's practice. Most of our schools welcome volunteers who want to get involved in other aspects of school life, or run extra-curricular activities and after-school clubs. Alongside your conversational classes you could help with the following: Sports, Drama, and Music.

Aside from the normal placement in teaching in "normal" schools, we could also arrange for you to teach in "special" schools. For instance you could opt to teach the blind, deaf and dumb, amongst others that you may prefer. Volunteers with experience in "Special" Education can also bring their skills and initiative to help create lesson plans and activities. Your ideas, your energy, and your presence are exciting for students and invigorating for the teachers and parents.

Also volunteers can opt to be assistant teachers in the various teaching field. As an assistant teacher you may aide in subjects such as science, music, sports, and drama. You may also be involved in creative projects and non-classroom based activities which help create a stimulating learning environment. On the other hand, assisting teachers of Special Education offers help students with mental and physical disabilities that require extra attention and support. Your presence and support helps students build confidence in themselves and gain energy for new accomplishments. Volunteers are warmly welcomed by teachers who appreciate the exchange of ideas, and an extra pair of hands to work one-on-one with students.

Journalism:
If you are contemplating a career or university course in journalism, a Dream Shelter Ghana abroad placement can set you on the right track. On our Print Journalism placements you not only get an insider's view of how publications are run, you get the chance to put together a portfolio.

Alternatively, a Radio,TV or News Paper journalism placement will provide you with an array of tapes and a host of broadcasting or production experience.

If you are already a working journalist, a Dream Shelter Ghana abroad placement can broaden your horizons - and enhance your CV - with work experience in a different culture and society, or maybe a different medium.

Whatever placement you choose, you will get an insight into the workings of the media in a new cultural and political setting. This can mean working with local journalists for whom being a member of the Press is not just a job, but a commitment that places them at the cutting edge.

SOS Support Programs:
As a Care & Community volunteer working with children, you would be helping the kids to learn life-skills that parents would normally teach. By getting involved in the day-to-day running of a care centre - making sure children are fed, washed and dressed, and paying them personal attention - you are helping to shape the lives of young people, preparing them better for life.

You might like to be part of a team working on community projects such as building classrooms, community centre's, or playgrounds, painting and decorating children's wards or orphanage dining rooms, and generally lending a hand where it's needed. Community projects are typically under-funded and under-resourced, so volunteers, and our resources, are always welcome.

Care & Community volunteers don't need to be qualified or have previous experience - enthusiasm, a willingness to get involved and patience are the vital ingredients. Let us know if you'd like to work with children or on a practical placement. You could even do a bit of both!

Veterinary Placement:
Are you an animal lover, do you love working around animals tending and caring for them or do you just love to save the lives of animals in peril! Then this is the perfect opportunity to show your true worth. Working with veterinarians in private practice or in a clinic, or venturing out with vets who specialize in farm animals may just be the best opportunity and experience of a life time. You will have opportunities to work with the treatment of many diseases associated with the tropics. This may just be an eye opener giving you practical knowledge and experience. Whether you love to work with house animals, domestic farm animals or wildlife, this is just the right placement for you.

Summer Fundraiser:
As part of Dream Shelters fundraising projects, we are inviting individuals and groups interested in community development and the desire to help alleviate the poverty levels of people living in underprivileged communities. One would note that most of the schools in Rural Ghana do not have basic physical infrastructures like toilets, proper classrooms, playgrounds, libraries, and even drinking water and as such are facing various hardships and often find it difficult to continue their studies. Dream Shelter Ghana has been working very hard with our local partners to provide interested schools with volunteers who are ready to help construct basic infrastructures, stationeries and other desperately needed improvements.

In this program interested individuals, organizations, and other groups can give support by contributing funds and materials or by getting involved themselves in construction program, whilst simultaneously touring different areas of Ghana.

Coaching:
I believe most of us have heard the expression "a healthy mind is in a healthy body". Dream Shelter is recruiting volunteers from all walks of life to help children develop through sports. We are inviting individuals with coaching experiences in various fields (soccer, baseball, basketball, cricket, etc.) who want to help the youth develop their skills and to acquire new ones.

Ghana Health Project:
If your interest is in health care, this is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in your field in a different culture where practices may differ considerably from what you're used to in your home country. There are a number of institutions who would appreciate your help. You could work in a hospital, clinic or teaching hospital, in any one of a number of departments. You can work in a variety of medical departments, where you can assist the staff. The type of work you will be allocated will depend to an extent on your own abilities and capabilities, which is understandable given that you will be dealing with patient health and safety.

You can help out in simple but practical ways, vastly increasing your own knowledge and understanding of medical practice, while on the other hand you will get a good general feel of the Centre by working and/or observing in most departments and you will be exposed to hands-on nursing work.

If you plan on specializing in a particular field of medicine such as Nursing, Optometry, Dentistry, or any related field which is available, we can arrange to place you in a relevant department, to ensure that you receive maximum experience in your chosen field.

* To do a medical work placement, you will need to be either planning to study medicine or a medical-related subject, currently studying medicine or related subject, or working in a medical field.

Sharing your Professional Skills/Experience:
Custom placements are offered at a variety of other types of organizations not listed here. If you have a particular skill that you would like to share, we try to match it with a need in the community.

We have matched meaningful volunteer work for business professionals, fire-fighters, writers, news reporters, engineers, artists, photographers, and more who want to share their professional proficiency or knowledge with others.

Highlights

Whether you have a background in childcare or simply enjoy caring for young children, a smile or hug can be a meaningful and long-term contribution. The most important attributes needed for these placements are an open heart and a love of spending time with children.

Qualifications

The most important attributes needed for these placements are an open heart and a love of spending time with children.

Intern Types

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

550

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Pre-departure orientation/Training

Program Fees Include:

Volunteers generously contribute their time and skills and pay a reasonable fee to help cover the costs of ongoing projects.

The Volunteer Program Fee covers the following items:
* Orientation Packet
* Lodging in Ghana
* In-country volunteer support
* Project-related expenses

To keep the overall cost down, volunteers are responsible for obtaining various items before departure. Dream Shelter Ghana will provide assistance as needed to help the volunteer in obtaining the following items:
* Travel medical insurance (including emergency evacuation coverage)
* Visa to Ghana
* Required vaccinations
* Airline ticket

In a cognizant effort to keep the volunteer program flexible enough to cover the needs and wants of all types of participants, volunteers are responsible for covering the cost of in-country ground transportation during their stay. Depending on one's level of required comfort, food and transport can be either pennies a day, or dollars a day. That is up to the volunteer to decide.

Credit Available

yes

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Age Range

16 and above

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2-5

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

one week

Dream Shelter Ghana's Mission Statement

Dream Shelter Ghana (Ghana) seeks to eradicate poverty and gender inequality, by initiating various community development programs aimed at alleviating poverty levels in selected underprivileged communities irrespective of sex and religion, but more into girl child education. Agricultural production is literally under threat, that is why at Dream Shelter Ghana, we seek improvement in the agricultural sector as one of its main strategy in empowering the rural folk aside from education. Also apart from agric projects dream shelter also provides volunteer opportunities in other areas of interest to the volunteer ranging from teaching to fashion and football coaching. It must however be noted that dream shelter volunteer program is also aimed at students abroad who would want to enrich their resume with overseas work experience.

Year Founded

2007