Closer to Home Volunteering in Australia

  Australia

• Queensland: 
Townsville
• Northern Territory: 
Darwin

Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Inquire for dates

Description: While closer to home, living and working in a remote Indigenous community offers a cultural experience that is worlds apart. It is a privilege that the communities offer to very few Australians, and you'll find it alters your values and beliefs, and challenges you in ways you never realized! Becoming immersed in the world's oldest living culture can be extremely gratifying and enriching, but requires real dedication, motivation, flexibility and a sense of humor. The communities are remote, so you'll need to be prepared to change your lifestyle in many ways: your diet, social life, climate - not to mention language, with English often being the second or third language spoken.

The placements we offer in Australia are very diverse - you could be helping indigenous pupils in a classroom, arranging activities at an outdoor camp or getting involved in conservation work in remote areas which need preserving. All our placements offer a challenging experience so volunteers need to be open-minded and able to adapt to new environments.

Projects:
            * Schools - traditional day and boarding (6 or 11 months)
            * Schools indigenous (6 months)
            * Conservation (5 months)
            * Outdoor Camps (6-11 months)
            * Community (12 months)

Highlights: Schools (Boarding) projects offer the chance for volunteers to live and work with young people from remote Indigenous communities. For many pupils it will be the first time they have attended formal education. Schools will be all Indigenous or have a mixture of white and Aboriginal students.

Volunteers will help to supervise pupils in the boarding house, before and after school and at weekends. Volunteers will assist in the classroom with one to one tutoring and group work, this is particularly important for pupils with low levels of grammar and literacy. Help will also be required in intensive English programs for children who do not have English as their native language.

Volunteers will learn a tremendous amount about Indigenous culture and their communities but will need to be patient, tolerant, flexible and resourceful.

Qualifications: All our placements require commitment to the volunteering ethos behind Lattitude - your project is number one priority and travel around Australia is a bonus feature.

Traditional Day and Boarding Schools:
Enjoys working with young people, interest in future career in teaching and education, skills in sport, music, art, drama. A willingness to get involved in all facets of school life, an understanding of taking a position that requires responsibility, maturity and professionalism.

Indigenous Schools:
Cultural sensitivity, willingness to deal with difficult and confronting children, open mindedness, patience, resilience, respect for aboriginal traditions and beliefs.

Conservation:
A love of the outdoors and in protecting the natural environment, a positive attitude, adaptable and able to work as part of a team. Volunteers must have a reasonable level of fitness and be prepared for fairly labor intensive work in sometimes very remote locations.

Outdoor Camps:
A love of the outdoors, enjoys working with children, some experience in camping, Duke of Edinburgh, scouts, guides etc, enthusiasm for sports and outdoor activities, willingness to help with cleaning and maintenance of facilities and equipment. First Aid Certificate and drivers license are helpful.

Community:
A desire to work with those who are on the margins of society, open mindedness towards differing cultures and attitudes, not fazed by working in a poor area, motivated to take on a challenge. Someone who takes the initiative and takes responsibility. A faith foundation would be helpful although not essential what is essential is that you are an open, caring person who is willing to give back to help others.

Cost in US$: visit web site for more details

Salary / Pay: basic stipend for necessities such as toiletries

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: These projects will suit patient, resourceful people who are accepting of the beliefs and values of Aboriginal people.

Age Range: 18 and above

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

Participants Travel to Australia Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Phone Interview

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Lattitude Global Volunteering Canada (formerly GAP)'s Mission Statement: Lattitude Global Volunteering Canada provides a distinctive, international experience for young volunteers, through a journey of discovery that fosters independence, helps others and promotes global understanding. Lattitude Canada places youth (ages 18 to 29) in volunteer placements overseas (3 to 12 month terms - depending on country).

Year Founded: 1970