Description

Volunteer through a local Organization to benefit from our knowledge and connections.
During the last 20 years, committed Cambodians have set up Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to aid the rebuilding and development of Cambodian society. The VAC program is part of a network organization including 41+ local organizations in Phnom Penh and the provinces that focuses on community and rural development, democracy development and gender issues. The organizations does a great job by supporting the poorest of the poor and those who have become landless, offering capacity building opportunities, financial support and organizing advocacy for the reconstruction of the country.

The local rural NGOs which receive support by Star Kampuchea and VAC usually have only limited (if any) financial resources. They often struggle to run their programs and to raise funds from international donors. Often the organizations lack skills and resources to become powerful players at the local level. They urgently need support, for example, in fund-raising and proposal writing, organizational development, administration and with community development activities. Also, Star Kampuchea/VAC is working with international and big local Organizations. You and our partners can benefit from this network and work in many different areas.

Volunteer Placements and Internships are offered in the following fields:
* Community development
* Health, HIV/Aids awareness
* Prevention and rehabilitation
* Conservation
* Women and Child issues
* Advocacy and Human Rights Issues.
* microfinance
* education
* disability projects
* capacity building with your skills (hair dressing, dancing, music)
* and a lot more
* media and journalism

Highlights

For all organizations, especially on the countryside, it is a great honor to host a foreign volunteer. He/she is warmly welcomed and will be included in all daily activities of the organization and the staff.

The idea is to bring foreign interns to Cambodia to exchange cultural and work experience and to contribute new impulses and fresh ideas to both Cambodian and the interns' home society. The responsibility of the intern depends on his/her skills and interests. For example:

* A law student supports a community to apply for their land rights.
* An intern with skills in development work supports an organization to write proposals for fund-raising and reports.
* Another intern supports an organization to organize a program to generate income for the poorest of the poor and a saving program for a community.
* An art student supports an organization to develop handicraft products made from recycled paper.
* An English teacher developed a curriculum for the English classes of a child organization.
* A psychology student advised a child center about how to improve psychological support for the children.
* A graphic designer drafted and edited brochures and posters for an organization working with disabled persons.

You can apply and support us with any skills you have! We are one of the biggest Network Organizations in Cambodia and have connections to Organizations Cambodia wide.

To be involved in these projects, a minimum stay of 4 weeks is required. We will carefully select your placement with you. You have varies choices. At the beginning, the intern/Volunteer gets an overview of the organization and its activities. Then the Volunteer can select one project he/she is interested in. Afterwards we will contact the Orhganization and foward the CV of the potential Volunteer.

Before the Volunteer arrives, he/she studies the specific Cambodian background and conditions of the project before he/she starts the activities. The Volunteer/Intern is supervised by the director of the organization, the coordinator of the specific program and the local Mentor from VAC.

Qualifications

The intern should be genuinely interested in and committed to the Cambodian country and culture. He/she should have basic skills in the field he/she wants to be placed. A special qualification is not necessary. The volunteer should be at least 19 years old and fluent in English.

Intern Types

Languages

• English
• German

Cost in US$:

starting from USD 490 for 4 weeks. We stop charging for long term Volunteers. Contact us for more information. All funds are used for our development Programs, Volunteer activities and capacity buliding.

Cost Includes:

• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure
• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction

Program Fees Include:

The volunteer will be supported in finding a good and reasonable accommodation in a volunteer house, apartment or with a host family.

Responsibilities of the VAC program are:

* 2 day Orientation
* Helping to find a host family or a Guesthouse
* Pick up at the airport
* Welcome dinner
* Organization of the transfer to the NGO
* a presentation about the volunteer program Introduction to the partner organization
* To provide a contact, in case of problems
* pre depature informations
* educational activities (visiting the Trial, eco tourism projects, protests...)
* Evaluation
* Certificate
* Travel advise

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

We need volunteers for many different fields as there are so many different organizations. Just tell us a little bit about your interest and your educational background and we will find an interesting place for you.

Age Range

19-70 years

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat
• Guest House
• Home-stays
• Independent living

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2

Application Process Involves

• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

minimum 2 weeks

Volunteer Action for Cambodia's Mission Statement

To achieve its objectives, STAR Kampuchea currently runs three programs: the Advocacy Action Program (AAP), the Advocacy Capacity Action Program (ACP) and the Program Volunteer Action for Cambodia (VAC).

Year Founded

1997