The information in the gapyear.com placement database is provided by each individual company. Gapyear.com claims no responsibility for inaccurate, misleading or libellious information. Please ensure that you check all details with the specific organisation before booking or accepting placement.

GYC2874 - Volunteering in West Africa Country: Ghana Cost: £2470.00 Cost Includes: The price includes flight, accommodation, food and pickup from airport but does not include insurance, kit or visas      Duration: 3 months (3 - 6 months available) Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7521 or

 

	This placement would suit... enthusiastic volunteers with a love of children and a desire to immerse themselves in the Ghanaian way of life during their placement with Changing Worlds. Ghana is one of the poorest countries in Western Africa. We have carefully selected this destination as we feel it is one of the safest in the whole of Africa. Despite all its hardships Ghanaian people are extremely welcoming to outsiders. As a former British colony it has strong cultural ties with the UK however it has retained much of its own distinct customs and identities that make it such an exciting destination for travellers. Its tourism industry is still in its infancy and as a result visitors will enjoy seeing this wonderful country largely unspoilt by mass tourism. Changing Worlds (in association with Africa Sabbatical) has carefully selected a variety of suitable schools in and around the city of Accra in the south of the country. We will brief you before you depart and on arrival in Ghana. The local Changing Worlds representative, Lesley Mensah, will provide on-going support during your placement. Changing Worlds can also offer law placements within Accra. Here you will be partnered with a law practice in the city. What will I be doing? Our placements are in primary and secondary schools and in a law practice. For those going to teach you will be teaching in English. This will be much appreciated by both your teaching colleagues and students. One of your greatest assets as a volunteer teacher is your ability to speak and write good English. Secondary School teaching is normally to GCSE standard and apart from teaching English you will have the chance to teach other subjects including Biology and Geography. In Primary Schools you will teach mainly English. Some of the greatest rewards of your stay will come from the extra curricular activities you can initiate and get involved in. Sport, art, drama and music are always well received by your students and act as an excellent vehicle for learning English. Whilst resources can be extremely limited there is a tremendous enthusiasm for the ideas volunteers come with. You will always be placed with at least one other volunteer. For those seeking to broaden their experiences in law you will be working office hours within a practice in Accra. You will be welcomed to the office where you will join a team of solicitors and/or barristers. You will be assigned to one person in the team to whom you will be directly responsible. Initially you will be shadowing this person but once you are settled in, understand the various roles within the team then a specific set of duties will be discussed and agreed with you. Depending on your previous experiences you can expect to work at all levels within the busy working office. You will need to meet strict deadlines, work and dress with a professional ethos and be prepared to make the tea! Where will I live? For those going to teach you will be accommodated with local families close to the school grounds. For those going to work in law you will live with local families. We will try and accommodate you as close to the offices as possible but it is likely that you will need to commute to and from work every day. The cost will not exceed £2 per day. Please prepare yourself for basic living conditions and expect to share a room. Your breakfast and evening meal will be provided. Some institutions may offer you lunch. During the week the work is hard and you will probably not have a lot of free time. However at weekends most volunteers will choose to meet up with friends, check emails, buy food and go clubbing. Most volunteers will find £10 a week covers transport. Freetime: You can expect to work during the week so the weekends will be your chance to explore the local markets, shops and nightlife. There are beautiful white sand beaches not too far away. Your colleagues will enjoy taking you to their homes and introducing you to their extended families. At the weekends you can travel further afield to the Cape Coast some three hours drive away. This historic region has lots to offer the visitor. Going North will bring access to Lake Volta and the famous national parks where you will enjoy the fantastic wildlife and scenery. Our users say "I am in Kumasi at the moment teaching in a school in the week and have been put up with a 'big-gun' doctor in his house, which is really nice and although not in the centre itself has very convenient transport links to the centre. I strongly recommend anyone who wants to do something like this to come to Ghana...the country is amazing (I am yet to go up north but have already seen some spectacular scenes in the more southern areas including an amazing and huge lake surrounded by beautiful landscapes...anyway its amazing! If anyone is planning on coming then definitely let me know (whether its when I'm still here or not!) and i can have a quick chat with you to just tell you useful things like what sort of clothes/accessories are useful and which ones are a complete waste of time etc before you spend an absolute load on useless gadgets like some people have done. I can give nothing but positive feedback from the country itself...the people that changing worlds has linked with in Ghana are really nice and very supportive if there are problems etc and the family I'm with couldn't be nicer." Nick Davies 0845 344 7521 Changing Worlds: Up for a real adventure? Want to be fully immersed in to a new culture whilst making new friends? ….... Changing Worlds organises exciting, worthwhile and challenging paid and voluntary work placements worldwide. Opportunities last from three to six months and departures take place all year round.