GVN News

10:14am 23 July 2010  
Filed under: GVN, Program Information, Thailand

GVN now has opportunities for volunteers to work hands on with domesticated elephants who have spent their lives being exploited for the tourism industry.

Volunteers are needed to assist the local staff at the Refuge Centre to ensure that from now onwards the elephants have a better quality of life in their natural environment.

To find out more go to http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/thailand

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4:44pm 11 June 2010  
Filed under: GVN, Ghana (Peace), Programs

The Global Volunteer Network has new opportunities to help in the areas of community peace education cells and community school projects in rural Ghana.

In this program we work with a humanitarian non governmental organization dedicated to the well being of vulnerable people in West Africa. The purpose of a Peace Village is to help strengthen trust and friendship within and between local communities.

Community School and Peace Cells Program

Volunteers have the opportunity to work in the areas of community peace education cells, teaching, and grassroots organisation development.

Peace Cells Program

Peace education cells encourage non-violent conflict-resolution training, and facilitate dialogue and reconciliation between competing priorities within and between the family group, neighbourhoods and communities. Cell discussions are based on topics that villagers feel are affecting them, such as domestic violence, tolerance and intolerance, and women’s empowerment.

Community School Program

Volunteers assist local teachers in preparing weekly lesson plans, teaching students and organizing sports activities for children three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Volunteer teaching opportunities include providing literacy, numeracy, peace education, and creative activities, such as drama, dance and art, to children aged 3 to 9 years.

Check out the details at http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/ghana/pco

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10:37am 10 June 2010  
Filed under: Fees, Ghana (Community Development), Ghana (Peace), Program Information, Programs

Our new Ghana partner allows volunteers to help in facilitating peace education cells in a small Ghanaian community, engaging in topics such as female empowerment and domestic violence. They have recently adjusted their program fees; this change applies to volunteers who pay their application fee from 17 June 2010 onwards.

The program fee for volunteers who pay their application fee from 17 June 2010 onwards will be:
Cost for 2 weeks - US $779
Cost for 3 weeks - US $969
Cost for 1 month - US $1159
Cost for 6 weeks - US $1539
Cost for 2 months - US $1919
Cost for 10 weeks - US $2299
Cost for 3 months - US $2679
Cost for 4 months - US $3439
Cost for 5 months - US $4199
Cost for 6 months - US $4959

> Ghana Peace Program

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11:47am 12 February 2010  
Filed under: GVN, News, Program Information, Programs

The meeting with the Haiti Advanced Team in New York went extremely well. Nadine McNeil, Project Leader,presented the Assessment Report which outlined the current state of conditions on the ground in Haiti; and the volunteer profile and skill set that will be required over the next 12 months.

Excerpts from the Team Assessment Report:
CURRENT OVERALL CONDITIONS:
The initial recovery teams have left and most crisis medical care has been done. The medical needs now are in the realm of broken bones that were never set, secondary infections and maladies due to toxic living conditions and poverty-related illnesses. The roads need to be repaired and built. Buildings need to be rebuilt or made structurally sound again. Communication systems need to be established. Housing needs to be a major priority as approximately 1.5 million people were displaced, a total of 3 million affected. Infrastructure basics such as running water and plumbing are needed to attenuate the ubiquitous diseases that have caused one of the world’s highest rates of infant mortality.

Read More

9:43am 4 February 2010  
Filed under: GVN, GVN Foundation, News, Program Information, Programs

Thank you for your ongoing patience regarding volunteering in Haiti. To date we have received nearly 10,000 enquiries so as you can imagine it has been quite busy… I am on my way to New York to meet with Nadine McNeil who headed up the advanced team that just returned from Haiti. I will be able to give you more details following this meeting.

What I do know is that the emergency relief phase is taking much longer than everyone thought. In fact estimates are that nearly 250,000 people lost their lives during the quake. So our March date of beginning the next phase may be a little optimistic.

Accommodation continues to be in short supply and many of the relief workers have been getting sick from the water. The airport is still not open to commercial flights and may not open for another 3 weeks.

Nadine McNeil, GVN Haiti Advanced Team Leader and Project Co-ordinator has returned to Jamaica following the five day assessment in Haiti and provided us with a preliminary report which is available online for you to listen to:
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/haiti/nadine.php

Read More

1:07pm 22 January 2010  
Filed under: Fundraising, GVN, GVN Foundation, News, Programs

The Global Volunteer Network (GVN) will send an advanced team of GVN relief professionals into Haiti this week thanks to a private organisation in Jamaica and public support.

In response to the Haiti disaster Colin Salisbury, Global Volunteer Network (GVN) Founder and President has commissioned an advanced team of relief professionals - all private individuals who have readily volunteered to lend their expertise and support - headed by Nadine McNeil, GVN Foundation Board Member who has over 20 years experience working in the UN, including a three year assignment in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami.

“The team will make an initial assessment of the immediate needs on the ground, specifically addressing water/sanitation, health/safety, psycho-social trauma support, and logistics/ distribution. The recommendations coming from the initial assessment team will drive the GVN Haitian re-building/support volunteer projects for the next 12-18 months,” says Salisbury.

Salisbury says that the international community, both the public and private sectors have been quick to respond but more needs to be done.

“I am urging everyone to act. Whether you dig deep and put your hands in your pockets, volunteer, or send prayers, please do something. We can all do something.”

If you are interested in joining a GVN volunteer team in Haiti over the coming 12 months, please visit the GVN website: http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/haiti

Read More

10:45am 24 December 2009  
Filed under: Costa Rica, Fees, GVN, Honduras, Peru, Program Information, Programs

Our partner organisations in Honduras, Costa Rica, and Peru have set their program fees for 2010.

Honduras

Due to increases in the cost of living and transport costs in Honduras, our partner will raise their program fee. This change will take effect to all volunteers who pay their application fees from January 1st 2010 onwards. The new program fee prices are:

• Cost for 2 weeks - US $756
• Cost for 3 weeks - US $861
• Cost for 4 weeks - US $987
• Cost for 5 weeks - US $1092
• Cost for 6 weeks - US $1176
• Cost for 8 weeks - US $1408
• Cost for 10 weeks - US $1686
• Cost for 12 weeks - US $1964

> Honduras volunteer program

Costa Rica

Due to increases in the accommodation costs and subscription fee in Costa Rica, our partner will raise their program fee. This change will take effect to all volunteers who pay their application fees from January 1st 2010 onwards. The new program fee prices are:

Read More

12:54pm 25 November 2009  
Filed under: GVN Foundation, Grants, Philippines

The GVN Foundation have sent an Emergency Relief grant of $1,024.21 to our partner organisation in the Philippines.
> Philippines Volunteer Program
> GVN Foundation

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12:06pm 22 October 2009  
Filed under: Fees, New Zealand

Due to the increased cost of living and exchange rate fluctuations the program fee for the New Zealand Nature and Heal The Earth programs will increase. This change will take effect to all volunteers who pay their application fees from Wednesday October 28th 2009. The new program fee prices are:

• Cost for 2 weeks - US $797
• Cost for 1 month - US $1397
• Cost for 6 weeks - US $1997
• Cost for 2 months - US $2597
• Cost for 10 weeks - US $3197
• Cost for 3 months - US $3797

> New Zealand Nature Program

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5:05pm 20 October 2009  
Filed under: Fees, Programs, South Africa

The South Africa Youth program is in need of volunteers, so our partner will be running a program fee special for those who volunteer between December 1st 2009 and March 31st 2010. Volunteers who pay their application fee from today will be entitled to the discounted program fee:

• Cost for 2 weeks - US $847
• Cost for 1 month - US $897
• Cost for 6 weeks - US $1240
• Cost for 2 months - US $1583
• Cost for 10 weeks - US $1920
• Cost for 3 months - US $2253
• Cost for 4 months - US $2923
• Cost for 5 months - US $3593
• Cost for 6 months - US $4263

> South Africa Youth Volunteer Program

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