Teach and Care for Orphans and Underprivileged Children in Jamaica

  Jamaica

• Other Cities in Jamaica: 
Kingston

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks and 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Description: Think of Jamaica and you will usually dream of white sands and glorious blue seas but this island has a lot more to offer than you would think. Based in St Andrews you will be able to teach and help care for children from some of the poorest communities on the island. You'll soon find out that their infectious smiles and laughter will leave you wanting to return for many years to come.

What the project does and why it needs you:

This project was founded by Maureen Wright Evans who wanted to be able to give so much back to the people of her native island and make a difference in their lives. She has teamed up with various schools and orphanages in the area and aims to give extra help to the children of these poor communities with the help of our volunteers. The first images that spring to mind when you think "Jamaica" are glorious white beaches, crystal clear waters, amazing food and a wonderful place to holiday, but there is more to the island than meets the eye. It is easy to forget the communities that make the island their home and the amazing children in some of the poorest areas that receive no benefits from tourists.

Day 1: Arrival into Jamaica
Welcome to Jamaica! You will be met at the airport by a member of the in country team and taken to your accommodation on the hill top of Smokey Vale where you can relax for the evening and have dinner (included). You will also have an orientation meeting this evening.

Day 2: Orientation and start at the project
This morning you will have an orientation meeting at the project and will be introduced to the project teachers and students. Selecting the volunteer activities that you would like to get involved in and then off you go! You can teach your favoured subject within the school curriculum, teachers are needed for reading, maths, arts and crafts, sports, IT, counselling, drama and several other topics. You will have a break for lunch and will then continue on with your work at the school!

After you finish at the school in late afternoon you'll head off to the local orphanage. You'll spend time with the children in the evening helping them with their homework, reading, preparing dinner or maybe just being there.

It is possible to work shorter days by going to the school or orphanage only. This means that you can take advantage of short tours to see local attractions after school hours and take in the Bob Marley Museum tour, see Port Royal - Jamaica's first city to be sunk by an earthquake and Devon House an amazing estate owned by Jamaica's first millionaire and now boasts shopping, museums and parks. Take your pick! If you prefer you may just want to work in the orphanage after school hours from 2.30pm to 7.30pm being a help with homework and giving the children the care and attention that they need.

Please note that the afternoon and weekend tours are at a supplement and can be arranged with the in country team. Please ask us for more details if you're interested.

Days 3 to 5: Work at the project
Continue with your schedule at the school and orphanage, over the week you should be starting to get the hang of things and getting to know both the kids and project staff. It's a great opportunity to learn all about Jamaican life so get stuck in!

On Fridays you will be invited to participate in a cultural presentation by the students.

Day 6 to 7: Weekend!
The time is yours to see lots more of Jamaica or spend time on their glorious beaches! There are plenty of opportunities to climb the famous Dunn's River waterfalls, tour the awesome Blue Mountains, swim at Hellshire beach to name a few!

Weeks 2 to 3: Enjoy your time!
You'll get the chance to join in with more activities over the following weeks, including the school worship and address sessions. It's purely optional but we're sure you'll enjoy it! You'll carry on with your activities at the school before heading off to the orphanage to spend more time with the kids. On Fridays you will enjoy more presentations by the school and the weekends are yours to explore more!

Your Last Day
On the last day of your project you'll need to make arrangements for your transfer back to the airport, this is not included in your project fee. Maureen can help to arrange this for you so please ask her for advice. We're sure that some of you will have become so enchanted by the island that you have decided to stay for more!

Highlights:
* Working with children from poor communities
* See how the children's eyes light up when they see you!
* Learn all about Jamaica from a child's perspective
* Enjoy the breathtaking views of the island from the hilltop accommodation of Smokey Manor
* Experience all that Jamaica has to offer - the white sands and glorious blue seas.
* Have your first taste of proper Jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, and of course you can't go home without having tried the curry goat!

What you'll be doing:

You will have the opportunity to teach the subject of your choice within the curriculum at the local school (ages 6 to 14 years). Whether your favoured subject is maths, reading, drama or sports coaching, you will be able to pass on your skills and knowledge to the children. You will also be working in an orphanage after school hours helping to care and look after the children (ages 3 to 14 years); that means you'll be helping with reading and homework too. This is a great opportunity for you to bring out your creative side! In the process you will also be learning more about the Jamaican culture from the children too.

Qualifications: Would you like to work with kids that have the most infectious smiles? If you want to give something back to some of the poorest communities and have the experience of living on a beautiful Caribbean island in the process then this is the project for you! You will need to be flexible and able to adapt to differing levels of poverty as well as enjoying the laid back way of life and all that Jamaica has to offer!

Cost in US$: USD 1,195.00 for 1 week, USD 600.00 for every week

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994