EIL UK news RSS feed

"We Are So Proud of Him!"

EIL UK — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:10:48 +0000

One of our volunteers is coming to the end of his 6 month project volunteering in a school in Ghana. This is how his family summed up his time there.

"David has had a blast in Ghana! He has been so lucky with the host family & has been accepted in the village & everyone looks on him as Uncle DD's son (that's the Head Master of Learning Field's Schools). He has been made to feel so welcome & has loved every minute of it. The village elders have spoken to Uncle DD & have said this "son" of yours he is so different to any other white man that has come "to help us". He does not smoke or drink, he does not chase women, all he does is work work work. You should be very proud to call him son! That being said by the village elders is praise indeed.

David has worked really hard, all day every day. He has started projects with the children at the schools & the projects will continue; he has painted & decorated with disney characters the new school nursery & parents are lining up in droves to put their child/ren there as it looks such a happy place. He has instigated and will continue to support the Akosombo Community Football Teams. He has implimented a new way of teaching the alphabet.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF HIM!!!

He has learnt so much and has made friends & has an African family which he will have for life. He wants to continue to support Uncle DD and the Learning Fields Schools."

Are you British, aged 18 - 35 and have a passport?

EIL UK — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:06:57 +0000

If yes, do you want to go to Hungary for 2 weeks in April 2012?

We urgently need to fill 7 placements on an environmental project at Debrecen University Botanical Gardens. This opportunity is for anyone who is unemployed and not studying and is fully funded through the Leonardo da Vinci programme. You will learn about plants and conservation, and experience the culture of Hungary. See our Leonardo page for more details.

Art & Music In Barcelona

EIL UK — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:39:13 +0000

Our Leonardo participants Shane, Shireen and James, returned recently from their placements in Barcelona, Spain and had a great time! Here are some of their photos:

... and an extract from Shane's diary:

Day 5, 24.11.11

I went to work in the morning and the evening today. 10am-1pm and 4-8pm. It's quite a strange working pattern for me compared to back in England where I'm used to working an 8 hour day all the way through. Pablo put me to work making plasticine models for the children and the time went quickly.

Carol and Pablo [work colleagues] invited me to lunch back at Pablo's flat. I accepted and met Giulia an Italian girl from Verona who is also doing a placement as well ... Lunch was nice, We had a mushroom pasta. I must say I felt abit out of the loop in some of the conversation - Italian, Spanish and Catalan was being thrown about! I did try to get involved, but thankful they all spoke English to varying degrees. Pablo later showed me his favourite record an original Beatles LP. Sergeant Peppers Lonely Heart Club. He loved the fact it came with small paper cut outs!

你好！I'm Francesca!

EIL UK — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:51:15 +0000

I’m Francesca, I’m 23 years old and I’m studying languages at the University of Venice. I’ve been an intern at EIL for three months, helping out by translating some programmes and itineraries into Chinese, Italian and making some worksheets about Spain, too. I'm going home now but I've really had a great time at EIL. Everyone has been very kind and willing with me, I really enjoyed my time at the office and I learnt very much from them, they are a very valued team!

I think their job is very worthwhile, I met some young people about to leave with one of the programmes and they were so enthusiastic and exited that I felt delighted myself!!! Travelling through their programmes is a relevant opportunity for your personal and cultural identity, and one of the richest experiences you could gain!!!

International Next-generation Global Conference in Korea

EIL UK — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:41:56 +0000

We sent our local district councillor and young person, Hannah Campbell, to Korea as the UK representative at the International Next-generation Global conference; these are her thoughts about the week:

"It would not have mattered what the different groups were set to discuss, the outcome would have been the same. When 75 young people aged 16 to 25 from over 10 countries come together for a week, the differences of vision and perspective come through.

I had expected my opinions and lifestyle to differ from those from oriental countries but I even found differences from those just across the channel in Europe, on topics from the position of women in society to drinking habits! Although we were split into different groups (Politics and Human Rights, Environment, Science and Technology, Literature and Culture) the real discussions happened over meal times.

The views of the average people in South Korea is not of unification with the North but rather disgruntlement that if reunified it will be the south that will have to rebuild the north, somewhat like when East and West Germany unified. It is understandable that when visiting the demilitarized zone at the border of North and South Korea that everywhere they express they desire the unification and belief that it will happen sooner rather than later but of course this takes into it little consideration for the effect it will have on South Korea’s economy and South Koreans’ themselves.

South Korea is a country where East meets West and old meets new on every corner. In the midst of metropolitan Seoul, beautiful Buddhist temples appear amidst skyscrapers. The streets are lined with food stalls and shops spill out onto the pavements. Neon lights, speakers and posters line the streets advertising the latest must-have lifestyle. The cities really are a clash between traditionalism and commercialization. When travelling to the border we saw much more of the countryside, rice paddies and small farm dwellings. I feel the best way to sum up where South Korea is in its development and westernization is in the girls’ fashions. It is still deemed inappropriate for the chest and shoulders to be uncovered, however it is perfectly acceptable to wear skirts and dresses to be mini length and for them to wear heels, often resulting with the Korean girls baring more than the Western participants.

Many asked me on the last day if I would return to South Korea. In the future, I would hope so but I now feel more of a desire to travel more of South-East Asia and see how cultures and viewpoints differ not just across the globe but also between neighbouring countries."

Travel Abroad for FREE! New placements available NOW

Lorraine — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:07:35 +0000

We have work experience placements available this autumn in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Hungary. The placements last between 2 and 4 weeks and areas of work include sport, youth and community work and environmental conservation. These placements are fully funded by the Leonardo Da Vinci programme and they are going fast so get in touch with Lauran NOW!

l.jones@eiluk.org 01684 562577

Volunteering in Turkey

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:15:54 +0000

Lucy, a recent volunteer to Turkey writes;

"We had the most amazing time....... Our host familes were so welcoming and generous. They were so kind and made it seem like we weren't a hassle! They had the most amazing house with a midblowing view of the Bosphorus river.

We went to our project which was extremely hectic as there were dozens of women waiting for their aid boxes. We were set to organise their store room - which was a task as it was so messy!

Unfortunatly we were not able to teach English as it was Ramadan and it was too difficult for the families to walk to the project in the heat. However we had an amazing time at the project and everyone there was so kind and funny, depsite the language barrier. They ladened us with Turkish Deligh and Turkish coffee when we left!

One day we were taken on a boat tour along the Bosphorus which was beautiful and so much fun. Another day we were proper tourists! We visitied the huge palaces and saw the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, although we didn't go inside the mosques. The palaces were so elaborate and beautiful - definitly worth a visit! We then went on to the maze of shops in the Grand Bazaar and purchased some typically Turkish things with the aid of bartering!

We are extremely lucky to have had a trip like this, - the trip of a lifetime! Not many people are able to live and work with the locals. everyone we met was so welcoming and so kind. Thank you so much!"

Travel Abroad

Volunteer Abroad

Turkey

Volunteer

Turkey

host family

Brits behaving.....?

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:25:35 +0000

ARE BRITS BEHAVING ABROAD?

FOREIGN OFFICE RELEASES FIGURES ON BRITS IN TROUBLE OVERSEAS

The number of Britons arrested overseas has fallen by over 10%, according to the new Foreign and Commonwealth Office British Behaviour Abroad report. Drug arrests have decreased by almost 20% over the past year.

Despite this positive trend, Foreign Office staff still handled 5,700 arrest cases last year with Spain and USA showing the highest figures. Drug arrests continue to be a significant problem for some countries, particularly parts of South America and the Caribbean where a high proportion of total arrests are drug related.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office report, which discloses the number of consular cases handled across the globe from 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011, provides a unique insight into the number of Britons who get into difficulty overseas.

Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said:

“We work hard to warn British nationals about the consequences of breaking the law abroad so it is really encouraging to see the overall number of cases of arrests and drug arrests falling. But last year there were still 5700 arrests of British nationals overseas. Prison conditions in some parts of the world can be very poor, overcrowded and, in some cases, dangerous and sentences can be much tougher than in the UK. People are mistaken if they think the Foreign Office can get you out of jail. We can’t, but we will work hard to try and ensure your safety, and that you get a fair trial.”

New consumer research launched today by the Foreign Office reveals that 43% of 18-24 year olds know someone who has taken illegal drugs whilst abroad. It also showed that over two thirds (69%) of people in Britain don’t always find out about the laws of the country they are visiting before they go abroad – putting themselves at risk of unknowingly breaking the law. More worryingly nearly a third (32%) of people are not aware that they will always be prosecuted under local law if they break the law abroad - with 6% of people thinking they will be prosecuted under UK law, 22% thinking it depends on the country they are in and 4% admitted to not knowing at all.

Aside from arrests, the British Behaviour Abroad report shows that the number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased to 3,752 cases, despite fewer people from the UK travelling abroad last year. Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive and to avoid being faced with large bills if taken ill or after having an accident, the Foreign Office is urging people to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before they go away this summer. Previous research suggests that 15% of Britons travel abroad uninsured.

Other key findings from the British Behaviour Abroad report include:

Spain continues to be the country where most Britons require assistance (4,971 cases) but when you take visitor and resident numbers into account, you are most likely to need consular assistance in the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan
The number of rape cases in Greece almost halved since 2009-10 from 27 to 15, although the numbers of sexual assault cases rose significantly
The number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased with Spain handling the most cases (1,024) followed by Greece. Proportionally Brits are most likely to be hospitalised in Thailand
In total Foreign Office staff handled 19,228 serious consular cases last year

Please refer to the British Behaviour Abroad report 2011 for further data.

For details on how the Foreign Office can help if you get into trouble abroad, please visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel

The Foreign Office is encouraging people to sign up to Facebook and Twitter feeds to ensure they are informed of the latest travel advice: www.facebook.com/fcotravel or twitter.com/fcotravel

Conversation Corps to the Galapagos Islands

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:09:51 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer to the Galapagos Islands, sent this about her recent experience -

I had great experience in the Galapagos - my host family were really special and made an effort to make sure I had a positive local experience taking me on weekends to their farm, out on their family boat and even to visit their giant pet tortoise, Pepe, who now lives in the church grounds.

San Cristobal is a small place so you soon get to know the locals and feel part of the community. The locals co-exist with the seals all around the bay and it is not uncommon to be sunbathing next to a few seals on the beach. They are also known to play with you in the water sometimes which is an incredible experience. Many times I hired a snorkel and swam with upwards of 20 sea turtles and schools and schools of fish both at La Loberia and Tarjetas Hill on San Cristobel - once I even swam past a white-tipped shark but that was a bit scary so I left the water quickly as I was on my own :-) Its possible to get a boat to the other inhabited islands at weekends and explore Santa Cruz and Isabela - both with many attractive aspects. My host family were really flexible both with the number of hours I taught and when they needed me so we just worked around each others schedules.

I think that by volunteering this way, it is a great way to get to know the Galapagos and is a much cheaper option too because I think the cost of tours and other accommodation on the Galapagos is high and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants teaching work in an incredible setting.

Conversation Corps

Ecuador

Galapagos

Ecuador

Galapagos Islands Hospital

Ecuador

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

New Chief Executive Officer appointed

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:35:38 +0000

Victoria Perry will officially join the EIL UK team as Chief Executive in September 2011. She joins us from The Egypt Exploration Society, a charity with operations in Egypt and the UK, where she brokered partnerships and developed key relationships with major funders and stakeholders.

Much of her career prior to this was spent with the British Red Cross as a Fundraising Manager and latterly as an Operations Director, leading a large cross-functional team. During this time she became a trustee for Daraja UK, a charity implementing advocacy projects in Tanzania, and a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth roster to assist British citizens caught in crisis abroad.

Victoria is passionate about intercultural understanding and conflict resolution having studied at the United World College of the Atlantic, which led to an MA in Arabic and Social Anthropology from Edinburgh University. Victoria’s first passion is travel and she has personally undertaken projects in the Philippines, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Nepal, as well as traveling independently at every opportunity. Victoria looks forward to working with EIL UK’s Board and staff team to develop a diverse funding portfolio and a strategy based on EIL’s clear strengths.

Paris in Italy!

EIL UK — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:39:13 +0000

Ciao, my name is Paris. I volunteered through EIL on the Leonardo da Vinci programme and I had the time of my life! I spent a month in a city called Altamura in Southern Italy with a not-for-profit organisation called Link. Link engages young people in non-formal educational activities and promotes creativity through arts and media education. My project was mainly media related, but I did a little bit of everything.

I was also a guest on the local radio every week, which was always hilarious! All the people I met there were genuine people who treated me as if I was family and I can’t wait to go back on another project. Everyone loved speaking English to me, but they also appreciated it when I made an effort to practise my Italian.

Thank you so much to EIL for providing this opportunity. If anyone else is thinking of doing European volunteering, I would say ‘Do it straight away!’

75 years and still going strong!

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:32:49 +0000

2011 is the year that EIL is celebrating the 75^th year of trading since it was established in the UK.

Over the years EIL has gone from simply arranging homestay accommodation to becoming a well-established organisation providing volunteering opportunities for people of all ages. EIL is also a sending and receiving organisation for European Voluntary Service and other European funded programmes, and a leading partner in the Intercultural Training Partnership providing intercultural training for EVS volunteers based in the UK. EIL works with partners in many countries around the world to provide life-enriching experiences for volunteers.

On May 25^th the Trustees of EIL hosted a lunch for over 60 guests - ranging from retired host families to current partners. At the lunch speeches were given by Mel Nock – the chairman of the Trustees; Mike Butler, a retired host family and local coordinator and current member of EIL and Jon Elphick, the son of Jim and Mary Elphick who helped to develop EIL into the force that it is today, opening their home and lives to hundreds of volunteers between 1956 – 1990.

The Trustees and staff of EIL would like to thank everybody who has helped the organisation over the years and are looking forward to working with many new volunteers in the years to come.

http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/local/9047578.Malvern_charity_marks_75_years/

Albania volunteering

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:31:53 +0000

Between April 25^th and May 13^th 2011 Chris Davie and Sam Walker volunteered through EIL UK at the Rromani Baxt Albania centre in Tirana, Albania.

‘We arrived at the centre not quite knowing what to expect for the next three weeks of our time at Rromani Baxt Albania (RBA). We were greeted by many beaming smiles attached to about 30 excited children all enthusiastic to know who we were and why we were in their classroom.

Rromani Baxt Albania is an organisation based in the capital of Albania, Tirana. The centre there aims to provide education for young Roma children who come from a community that is mainly poor and uneducated.

We taught the children English numbers and colours in the form of songs and games. We invented new games using a coloured parachute that we had brought with us.I t was good to see the children playing and learning together as a group.

As schools finish in the afternoons the centre provides extra lessons for children of secondary school age. Here we set up an English department to help children with their English homework as well as give them the opportunity to practice speaking English.

It was a pleasure to see when a child had learnt something from what we had taught. For example one of the songs we used to teach English numbers was often sung to us when we entered the room. Once understanding some of the children’s background and home environment, it was good to see and experience that this centre offered a place of fun and rest from a life that has many challenges.

As well as teaching we also assisted the centre with some of their administration tasks. The RBA produces reports on the development and progress of each child and the centre itself. The reports were written in English so we would ensure the correct translation from Albanian into English.

The staff at RBA were always pleasant, friendly and very understanding of the language barrier. In fact we were able to learn many new words from them and also get a more in-depth understanding of what Albanian life is really like. Likewise we were given a taste of Albanian food and were well looked after throughout our time there.

Overall it was a privilege to be awarded the opportunity through EIL to work with RBA for 3 weeks. It was good to see how the centre is trying to reach out to this minority and help lift the next generation above the poverty line. We hope that their good work will continue with greater success and effectiveness. We would recommend this volunteer programme to anyone who has a heart to experience a different culture and help make the difference in a poor and disadvantaged community.’

Volunteer Abroad

Albania

Volunteer

New Medical / Health programmes available

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:55:51 +0000

Two new programmes have been added to the opportunities available for volunteers interested in a medical / health placement.

A project is available in Cordoba in Argentina to volunteer with orphaned and disadvenateged children. For 1 - 3 months volunteers can assist with many different tasks to support the children and staff in the centre. For more information Help orphaned and disadvantaged children in Argentina

A new project in Malta provides the chance for volunteers to work in different clinics across Malta, helping both patients and staff. For more information Volunteer in clinics around Malta

You're never too old to volunteer and enjoy learning about a new culture!

Lorraine — Thu, 05 May 2011 08:44:31 +0000

Over the summer last year, EIL ran a Grundtvig Senior Volunteering exchange project. Four UK volunteers aged 50+ went to Altamura in Italy for 4 weeks to volunteer alongside Italian staff on a Summer Camp for young people. They also helped out at a 'Riding for the Disabled' donkey centre for children who have a disability . Here in Malvern and Worcester, we hosted four Italian ladies aged 50+. For three weeks they were environmental conservation volunteers working alongside local people of all ages.

This project was completely free as it was funded through the EU’s Grundtvig Senior Volunteering programme. The feedback was very positive with the overall impression being that it was a fantastic opportunity to learn something about another country, its people, culture and customs, not to mention doing something really worthwhile for local people.

Conservation enthusiasts needed now for free overseas project in Hungary!

Lorraine — Wed, 04 May 2011 10:50:29 +0000

EIL is urgently seeking young people aged 18 - 30 for a 2 week work placement in Hungary this June at Debrecen University Botanic Gardens and surrounding National Park. The work includes habitat conservation, propagating and re-establishing rare plant species, and monitoring bird boxes. Cultural visits are also included. This trip is just one of the Leonardo da Vinci placements that EIL has to offer young people looking to combine foreign travel with work experience. Flights, accommodation, food, pocket money and an excellent support structure are all paid for. There is no need to speak the language as all placements have English speaking staff and language training is included. For more details please contact Lauran Jones on 01684 562577 or email her at l.jones@eiluk.org.

Need an excuse to dive in the Red Sea?

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:48:06 +0000

What an opportunity!

The new Conversation Partner programme - Mentoring by the Red Sea - gives you the chance to volunteer AND spend free time in the sunshine, in the Red Sea - how cool is that!

Goodbye to Mona

EIL UK — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:14:07 +0000

Today we say a sad goodbye to Mona. Mona is from Germany and has spent the last month volunteering in the EIL office. She came to find out what goes on at an international charity and chose EIL after spending 9 months on an EVS project at a local charity in 2008. She has been a great addition and we are sorry that she has to return home to continue her studies.

Mona said "I had a really good time here and I found it very interesting to see all the different programmes. It was really good to get an insight into everything and it was nice for me to help and to be involved in projects. Everyone was really nice to me so I really enjoyed it here."

Thanks for all your help Mona! We'll miss you!

Sponsorship

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:43:07 +0000

If you are looking for help to raise the money to undertake volunteering overseas - this sponsorship might be something to consider.

Calling all those young at heart!

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:36:24 +0000

A new Conversation Partner programme has been developed in Ecuador, combining the skills of a language tutor with those of an activity camp counsellor.

The Ecuador Summer Camp programme allows volunteers to spend time with young people, helping them learn conversational English, as well as assisting with activities such as hiking, horse riding, arts and crafts and more.

Other activities are included in the cost of this programme, so why not take a look here and see if you are up for the challenge!