Volunteer in the Philippines: Children's Program

Children's Program

Volunteers will care for children ages 3 to 5 in a daycare centre for 2 to 4 hours a day. Volunteers will have the opportunity to teach children the alphabet and basic concepts like colours, shapes, sizes, days of the week, and the like through stories, songs and play.

Daily tasks will vary in each daycare centre. Volunteers may be asked to help in ways besides simply playing with the children - for example helping with medical visits, educating about personal hygiene (tooth brushing/ bathing/ hand washing), mending clothing, and monitoring chores etc.

Accommodation

In the first stage of the training, you will be housed in a dormitory in Manila, where the training will also be held.

Once the program starts volunteers will live with, and be integrated into local families, and will share their food and way of life in Romblon Province. Volunteers will most likely have rooms of their own although homes are spartan in keeping with the average Filipino family's lifestyle.

Meals and Food

Volunteers are provided with three meals per day/ 7 days per week. Common to the local cuisine are a variety of meat and seafood dishes. Filipinos like to eat rice, which volunteers are likely to find on their plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rice is generally accompanied with meat, fish and/or vegetables. Salt bread (pan de sal) with coffee is a common substitute at breakfast.

Free Time

Each program will vary in regards to how much free time you will have. Generally you should expect to have Saturdays and Sundays off every week.

Joining in local festivities and visiting neighbouring islands are highlights for many volunteers.

Communication

The Internet connection may be slow as narrowband service providers are still being used in the Philippines and you may need to travel to reach an internet café. The cost for Internet access averages between P40 and P50 per hour (approximately US$1) - it is a good idea to shop around, because prices can jump to P150 per hour in heavy tourist areas.

If you'd like to bring a cell phone, it would be the best if you could get a mobile that works in GMS network. You can buy a cheap and reliable SIM card upon arrival in the Philippines.

Number of Volunteers

The Philippines program usually has between four and six volunteers at the training in Manila.

Costs

Application Fee – US $97

Your application fee is fully transferable and will secure your place on the program, (or any other GVN program of your choice), at a placement date that is suitable to you.*

*Your application fee provides you with access to any of GVN's volunteer programs over the next 5 years, as many times as you like without having to pay another application fee!

Children under 18 are not required to pay the application fee when volunteering together with a parent/guardian.  (Except for participants in our Youth Tour program who are required to pay a US$97 application fee.)

To return to the main Philippines program, click here.