Volunteer Programs in Vanuatu

Volunteering abroad has never been as culturally rewarding or visually stunning as it is in Vanuatu. Become a volunteer in Vanuatu and discover the island paradise for altruistic travelers with a love of languages, where a record breaking density of 113 tribal languages are still actively spoken. Volunteering in Vanuatu, a cluster of 83 tropical islands off the coast of Australia, will give you unrivalled access to shorelines otherwise only encountered in glossy, travel magazines. Grab your swimsuit, pick a volunteer program in Vanuatu that suits your expertise, and dive into one of the most incredible destinations on Earth.

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1 Volunteer Programs in Vanuatu

Involvement Volunteers International

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Public Health & Nutrition Volunteer in Vanuatu

IVI’s nutrition and public health outreach cater to students and graduates in nutrition, dietetics, holistic healthcare, nursing, naturopathy, physiotherapy, and medicine. Working alongside a qualified practitioner from Australia, the aim of the outreach project is health promotion and free assessments in villages, corporate businesses, schools, and community centers to increase knowledge about nutrition and the effect of physical activity in preventing obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In teams of 4 to 8, you will have endorsement from the Ministry of Health Vanuatu to perform free health checks for villagers and/or corporate staff. Monday will be orientation day in Port Villa, which involves walking around town with the team who show you the local market, supermarket, and banks. They also teach basic Bislama phrases. During the program, you may also be involved in preparing educational talks on various topics such as the dangers of sugar and other disease-causing issues. You will have the opportunity to conduct in-depth health screenings like blood pressure checks, blood glucose level tests, and waist-to-hip ratio measurements. NEXT INTAKE: 13th Oct 2024

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A Guide to Volunteering Abroad in Vanuatu

Locations

Vanuatu is a barely-known set of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, located 1750 kilometers off the north coast of Australia. For those seeking volunteer opportunities in the depths of unspoiled nature, or a place where they can be welcomed deep into the hearts of the local people, volunteering in Vanuatu is for you. Once judged to be the happiest place on Earth, Vanuatu’s traditional culture and way of life, which has barely changed in the past 4,000 years, makes it an archipelago where volunteers can relearn the simplicity of life and the beauty of just living.

Enjoy balmy climes volunteering in Vanuatu’s second largest city, Luganville; with around 13,000 inhabitants, you’ll be guaranteed a greater level of home comforts than in a rural placement, but without any feelings of urban claustrophobia. Located directly on the seafront of the island of Espiritu Santo, Luganville offers crystal clear waters and some of the finest things for you to do as a volunteer in Vanuatu, including diving into the wreck of the SS President Coolidge and taking an expedition into the depths of Millennium Cave to meet the local bat community.

You’ll also find opportunities to volunteer in Vanuatu in small, rural communities, where well-preserved customs, trailblazing activities, and some rather interesting beliefs hold fort. Absorb community life and enjoy a break from technology on the volcanic island of Ambae; but be prepared, as the volcano at the center of this island remains active. Thrill-seekers will delight in living on Pentecost Island; the birthplace of the bungee jump or Naghol, this activity originated as a ceremony to ensure a good yam harvest and still continues between April and June of each year.

Wherever you wind up volunteering in Vanuatu, you’ll be warmly received by communities who have very little interaction with foreign visitors, and be astounded by nature’s finery in the lush, tropical jungle dominating this archipelago.

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Latest Program Reviews

One of the most rewarding and exciting experiences of my life.

July 24, 2024by: BenProgram: Public Health & Nutrition Volunteer in Vanuatu

It was a fulfilling experiences to help such beautiful people that are facing very serious but preventable health issues. The services, accommation etc. provided by IVI were far better than I could of ask for. The other volunteers were all wonderful, friendly people, with a shared desire to give their time to help others and work as a team.’ The biggest highlight for me was the connections and time spent with Fijian people in the village. The people were without reason so genuinely friendly and beautiful even though by ‘our standards’ they have little in terms of everyday living. It was a real privilege to stay in the remote villages and see how the people live, eat there food most of which was grown in the village and stay in there homes. Health checks was also a great experience and I really enjoyed the face to face time with the villages gathering information on the lifestyle and health. It was an extremely rewarding feeling at the end of the day after doing health checks, especially when we would find people with dangerous reading and send them away to hospital as simply as presences there may have saved that persons life. I really did love every minute of the trip to be honest. Jules our program manager was amazing I feel she was perfect for the role as she really knew how to keep things in order, get things done and had confidence to deal with serious and confronting situations in terms of some of the medical emergency BSL and BP reading that we got. The food was great as we got to have lots of traditional Fijian food which was just what I wanted. Accommodation was better than I would have asked for even when we stayed in the village homes on the floor this was exactly the experienced I wanted. It is hard to think of any improvements as any inconveniences on the trip were more to do with the economic status of the country and availability of the everyday resources rather than anything IVI could have done better. Sometimes it was hard to get sufficient food I needed for the day but this is because I am vegetarian and in the remote places there was not always many options. Thanks heaps, Ben ?

Amazing experience that I will never forget

July 13, 2024by: EmmyProgram: Public Health & Nutrition Volunteer in Vanuatu

Visiting pele island and interacting with the community there. Seeing the local champions be so interested in nutrition and want to learn how to help their community. Experiencing the culture of vanuatu, even island time and understanding their circumstances and culture more the provide better advice e.g. using their healthy plate model Lynne and Marysan were amazing, super welcoming and friendly and willing to help with anything and everything. Carrun was great in making sure we were comfortable and open to all suggestions. She knew when to give space and when to step in and make sure we were safe. They all were super loving and we couldn’t have done it without any of them. The accommodation had a very good breeze but a bit difficult with the amount of power points, could suggest to bring a power board but definitely a good place for volunteers to stay at. The manager was super clean and always making sure to keep everything neat. The food provided was slightly repetitive over time and would have loved to taste more local traditional food. The traditional dishes provided were amazing but only few were provided. Thank you so much and kind regards, Emmy