Who Volunteers?
We proudly represent a diverse spectrum of volunteers from all walks of life. We also welcome all Volunteers World wide.
Adults
Are you a working professional looking for an exciting vacation that will let you do something really important? An empty nester who is tired of Western Europe and ready to discover a fascinating region of the world? A retiree who is looking for an inexpensive way to live abroad, whilst at the same time making a meaningful contribution? Or perhaps you are between jobs or on a gap year?
If you fit any of these descriptions, you've come to the right place. PVNOG will have a program that will be meaningful and exciting to you.
If you are only able to spare a month or two (or more) you should check out our Volunteer program. This exciting program has the same design elements as our longer programs, but is created specifically for three kinds of adult travelers:
• Those who are traveling on precious vacation time and only have some weeks.
• Those who are interested in volunteering for a long period of time, but who first want to try a month of volunteering to see if it is what they want.
If you are an adult student, or an adult looking for work experience abroad, take the time to check out our programs. Although designed primarily for college-age students, there is absolutely no reason why an older adult can't fully take advantage of the truly great features this program offers.
If you are a student, you may well be able to obtain academic credit for your enrolment. And if you're not, then the work experience will be great for your resume. If you're unsure, then stick with PVNOG.
No matter which program you choose, we've created a unique PVNOG Experience with our volunteers' diverse needs in mind. The framework of: volunteer work, cultural activities and free time means that each volunteer can create a distinct volunteer experience that meets their specific interests and motivations. If you fall into any of this category, we recommend that you do try to volunteer in order to get a true feel for how exciting long-term volunteering can be. You won't be sorry! Students
Praise Volunteering Network of Ghana is a perfect fit for students, whether they are of college age, or teenagers. This program offers the greatest flexibility. However, we always recommend that you research the available options to select what is best for you.
Our abroad program provides the perfect opportunity to gain international work experience or earn college credit for your volunteer experience. Many volunteers receive college credit, either as an internship, field research, or an independent study abroad. You’ll work with your academic advisor to create your own curriculum and unique plan for learning. This experiential education includes volunteering in a different culture, learning a new language and participating in planned cultural activities.
Your adviser will ensure that your program has depth, breadth, and coherence, and that it is consistent with your career and educational goals.
You can spend your spring or winter break in a volunteer vacation by enrolling in any of our programs. Interested in organizing an Alternative Break group? Contact us today.
Short-term international volunteering provides a rich learning experience for teenagers, whether travelling independently, with their families, or with a High School group. The Group Experience provides a safe and secure structure for teenage participants so they can focus on the experience of volunteering instead of the logistics of overseas travel. Program Managers provide a thorough overview of what to expect prior to beginning the program, and parents can contact us at any time with questions or concerns.
Not sure which option is right for you? An experienced Program Enrolment Director
(Ec-lumor Prince) can provide more information and guide you in your decision.
Upon arrival, our staff will welcome participants at the Airport and ensure a comfortable and productive learning environment throughout the program. At the Home-Base, Staff prepare healthy and safe local cuisine and an orientation.
Families
For many volunteers, the desire to learn about and be a part of another culture is closely tied to their own connection with family and friends. A number of people have chosen to volunteer with those close to them at home — friends, classmates, colleagues, or other members of local volunteer organizations, and found great satisfaction in sharing their experiences.
Our Volunteer program option provides the greatest and personalized volunteer work placements that match each individual’s interests and skills. For those with limited vacation time, our one to two months program is an opportunity for the whole family to travel deep into the heart of a community and immediately step into the rhythm of its daily life.
We believe that volunteering abroad can be life-changing for all who experience it, but perhaps this is even truer for volunteer families with young family members who are just starting to form their views of the world. We welcome the opportunity to help children and teenagers experience other cultures and participate in meaningful volunteer work.
Groups
Volunteer abroad with a group of your friends, colleagues, or peers for a rewarding and fun experience. Embrace a new culture together and share in the experience of a
lifetime. Make new friends volunteering abroad, develop leadership skills, and learn a lot about yourself in the process.
All types of groups volunteer abroad with PVNOG – faculty-led, service-learning, alternative spring break, professional colleagues, team-building, clubs, etc.
Your group may even be eligible for a discount on the program fee.
Contact us today about volunteering as a group at:
praise002gh@yahoo.com
About Volunteering Overseas
Volunteering overseas is the chance for you to make a personal contribution at the global level, to experience hands-on learning about another country and culture, and to exchange ideas with people you might not otherwise meet. As a volunteer, you will learn from the communities where you work, and from the experience of travelling in the country and interacting with new people.
Volunteering overseas is a life-changing experience. You are sharing your enthusiasm, time, skills, and energy and giving "yourself" in a way that allows you to effect positive change. Making a difference can be as simple as spending time with orphans, sharing love and affection, sharing stories and photos with the elderly in a community, or practicing Basic English or Mathematics with students of all ages and also teach computer.
Similar basic volunteering needs in your home community exist overseas, and anyone with an interest in filling those needs can make a difference.
The life-changing experience does not end when you return home. Another important part of overseas volunteering is getting involved in your own community back home.
For some, this will mean remaining aware of, or active in, global issues; for others it may mean educating friends and family about the realities of the country where they were a volunteer. For everyone, returning home is an opportunity to share the enthusiasm and inspiration of your experience and be a voice for greater social involvement.
By sharing your international volunteer experience with those in your home community and finding ways to incorporate what you learned into your daily life, you play an important role in fostering cultural understanding between people.
Free Time
During your volunteer experience, you’ll enjoy plenty of free time to relax, reflect, and explore the community. Free time is available some afternoons, most evenings, and every weekend. This time is yours to get to know the community and people in your own way. You’ll enjoy the local markets, historic places of interest, Internet cafes and more.
Our local staff can give you suggestions for places to visit, or you can create your own agenda. During your weekends, you can take excursions to other parts of the country.
Volunteer Work
You can make a difference by supporting and contributing to a sustainable solution designed by the community and sensitive to its needs. You will learn what challenges the community faces and see how your work furthers the community's goals. You will also create valuable connections with the people that you work with each day.
Working with our Partner Programs effectively is a top priority. We operate year-round, providing volunteers or staff support to our Partner Programs. We invest a lot of time and effort into ensuring that the volunteer work is welcomed by the local organizations, and supporting their efforts toward progress.
Volunteers have a great impact on kids in terms of confidence building. They have improved spoken English or grammar, Mathematics, and overall personality development. There’s a lot of difference between how the kids were before and after the volunteers stay.
People in the community are pleasantly surprised to see that the volunteers visit the seniors in their homes. Also, the elderly feel very special because someone who they consider being in a position of power and authority cares for them - that has a very positive effect on their self-esteem and their ability to cope with their often harsh living conditions.
PVNOG volunteers provide companionship and one-to-one contact which is not always possible. Volunteers help the teachers with all kinds of hands-on rehabilitation exercises; this offers opportunities for the children to get to know the world better by spending time with people of different cultures.
The staff gets to know that there are so many people who care for the education of challenged kids, and this makes them feel confident and positive about their own work. They are also able to get to know, communicate, and work with foreign volunteers, who make their lives more colorful and interesting.
There is no doubt that PVNOG volunteers offer assistance to school's English or Mathematics education (programmed) and improvement in IT education.
More importantly, they give opportunity to communicate with the outside world.
More people have access to care now, and when volunteers go to homes on visits, the patients are quick to learn and change from them.
Residents, feel that there are other people in the world who care about them, ot even their relatives or family are as close to them as the international volunteers.
Volunteers assist in rural development programmed designed to empower the underprivileged in society. The presences of our volunteers in the various communities create a very conducive atmosphere.
Communities are especially eager to listen when volunteers are present. They are so delighted to be visited by volunteers and therefore react to teachings and other developmental programmers aimed at improving their living conditions.
Each classroom in schools should have a teacher's aid in order to provide more individual attention to the students with special needs. The presence of volunteers allows the teacher to spend more time with the students who most need their attention.
The local authorities and other members of the community are surprised and impressed by the presence of volunteers from abroad.
Lectures are giving to the students on life and culture in the West, and how to learn a foreign language effectively. This broadens their vision and gives them confidence... They enjoy their lectures. The volunteers' lectures make the students realize that language learning is pleasant and enjoyable. Also, their work here arouses the students' interest in the English or Mathematics l and the people who speak it, as well as the countries where it is spoken.
By sharing their professional and life experience, volunteers motivate local staff working with differently-able children. Also, by providing direct support to the activities and services carried out by ARIE, volunteers enhance the day-to-day work.
Sharing your Professional Skills/Experience
Custom placements are available at a variety of other types of organizations not listed here. If you have a particular skill that you would like to share, we try to match it with a need in the community.
We have coordinated meaningful volunteer work for business professionals, fire-fighters, writers, news reporters, journalists, engineers, artists, teachers, photographers, and more who want to share their professional expertise or experience with others.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Question)
Why Pay To Volunteer
Prospective volunteers are surprised to learn that many programs charge their volunteers a fee to participate. At first, this can seem ridiculous. Why should you pay money to work for free? Aren't you already forgoing income you could be making?
Here are a few things to keep in mind while trying to understand why the vast majority of programs charge international volunteers a fee:
The local organizations and projects with which you volunteer overseas have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidize your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. (These costs include housing, feeding, among numerous other things.)
If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer, it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture and is likely to stick around.
Identifying appropriate host organizations overseas and working with them is time-consuming, takes resources, and requires an experienced and professional staff.
The processes of preparing housing, feeding, and supervising volunteers are not cheap.
The costs of recruiting volunteers, producing literature, sending mailings, developing a website, and interviewing potential volunteers are significant.
Like all not-for-profit organizations that run international volunteer programs, PVNOG programs are driven entirely by volunteer contributions.
All short-term international volunteer programs have a program fee which covers the expenses of operating the program.
Follow these simple steps to start your group volunteering abroad today!
1. Contact PVNOG for you application form
2. Choose when and how long you will stay on the project
3. Enroll
When you are ready to enroll please contact the Director Samuel Acquah assist with your envrolment.
Contact us on
praise002gh@yahoo.com <
mailto:praise002gh@yahoo.com>
