Intern/Volunteer - Sustainable Conservation, Engineering, Arts

  Ireland

Tullamore

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months

Description: Charleville Castle is Ireland's most important gothic masterpiece, its restoration as a cultural, education and community resource, is the central theme through which we are achieving our mission. It gives us all an important part to play together, enlightening the community while experiencing the challenges of cross-cultural engagement, hard work, reading and reflection. Our interns are placed in the police force, the hospitals, community work, schools and the booming software industry in Ireland.

Students attending Quest also do voluntary work by way of work experience or laboratory assignment. Action-learning calls for a high degree of hands-on activity both from the point of view of developing adaptability and confidence to move between theory-action-reflection in a group setting. But also the individual disciplines advance faster when inadequacies of knowledge are discovered through working in the area of study. Reading, discussion and mentoring take on higher levels of effectiveness and levels of relative alertness generally improve.

Highlights: Get together at the castle, Bar-B-Q's, bon-fires, music, festivals and travel to ancient sites - the castle itself - Ireland's leading academics, etc.

Qualifications: We work with a wide range of qualification levels. We feel that this is important to the experience. This is why that it is best that the organization with which you are affiliated make contact and establish an alliance agreement. This makes enrollment easier. We have under-graduates, graduates, post-graduates, work-breaks and life-long learners.

Minimum Education: Associates

Cost in US$: Varies with program

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Terri is from Canada, she has completed her undergraduate degree, her speciality is photography. She has recently returned from four months volunteering with the Ireland Midland's Community culminating in the Mor Festival. She enjoyed the company of other volunteers from USA, Australia, China, Poland, India, UK, France, Spain, Africa, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Finland, Sweden etc. (265 were involved). Jobs were delegated according to personal learning goals and aptitudes, very hands-on experiential. Terri was appointed to project management, but she used every spare moment to photograph and write about the evolution of the project. She was fed and housed, no pocket money (not on that project). Other volunteers working with her raised money from tours for upkeep etc. She wanted the experience and didn't follow a learning course for credit. She is one of the many examples of internship/volunteerhip at Quest.

Age Range: 19 - 58

This Program is open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Ireland Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 5

Scholarships are Available. varied

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Resume
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

Quest Campus's Mission Statement: Through action-learning, to empower our learners to appreciate and to reach out to a world of many cultures, traditions and opportunities, to enable our partner universities to provide first class, for credit, international experience and courses to their students, in search of the common goal of a better more sustainable World. In this regard to actively pursue the reduction of World Poverty through economic opportunity and social reform. Also our interns and volunteers gain valuable leadership experience and personal development pushing forward the Charlerville castle sustainable conservation Project, The International PeacZone Movement and the Micro Electricity Generation Association - along with extreme event management experience - Castle Palooza & ShakeFest 7 and much more -A Life changing Experience.

Year Founded: 1997