EIL UK - Groups Outbound

Are you over 50? Volunteers needed for ‘all expenses paid’ 4 week project in Italy

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

EIL is looking for UK volunteers aged 50+ to go to Altamura in Italy for 4 weeks starting on 10th July. Volunteers will work alongside Italian staff on an English Language Camp for young people, and/or do arts and crafts activities with people who have a disability.

This project is completely free as it’s funded through the EU’s Grundtvig Senior Volunteering programme. Flights, accommodation, food, pocket money and an excellent support structure are all included. You don’t even need to be an expert in the Italian language as all placements have English speaking staff and language training is provided.

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn something about Italy, its people, culture and customs, not to mention doing something really worthwhile for local people.

Please call Ann Pritchard for more information on 01684 562577 or email a.pritchard@eiluk.org

New Mircoprojects for Summer 2011

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:13:54 +0000

In partnership with our colleagues at AIPC Pandora in Spain we can offer a selection of interesting Microprojects for volunteers. These 3 week Microprojects take place in 12 different countries in South America, Asia and Africa in the months of July and August 2011.

Each project has space for 6-10 participants and are suitable for a diverse range of people from different backgrounds, training and education.

These projects respond to local needs in the areas of education, health and environment. Pre-departure training (in Spanish) is provided by AIPC Pandora in Madrid over a weekend in June to ensure that participants have the skills needed to undertake and develop projects successfully. Cultural activities further enrich the experience of each participant. In many of the projects, volunteers are housed with local families.

Have a look at the individual country microprojects in the volunteer abroad section at http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/volunteer-abroad

Volunteer with HANDS

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:28:39 +0000

Russell and Lucy are volunteering in Thailand and they have sent another newsletter about the work they are doing:-

Sawatdee krup/ka

August brought around our first team, which we organised and ran ourselves. The team was only small and consisted of the two of us and two younger girls. The main focus of the team was to show the girls what HANDS do and also run a dance program. We also created a drama with the children at our boy’s hostel.

We started our trip at the boy’s hostel. We spent Saturday and Sunday playing games and putting the performance together. The children performed the show to the HANDS staff, teachers and students from Wiang Wai (the school we teach English in) on the last evening.

Tuesday and Wednesday morning we all went into Wiang Wai and team taught our usual lessons. Over lunch with the teachers we were asked if we would be willing to teach the children at Wiang Wai some dance instead of teaching English; so our plans were changed slightly.

Wednesday afternoon we traveled to our girl’s hostel. We spent two evenings and one whole day with the girls doing dances and games and joined them for a meeting on the Sunday morning.

We returned to Fang and spent the next few days finishing the drama and teaching some dance to the children in Wiang Wai

Wednesday evening was the last evening at Fang, before we returned to Chiang Mai and the girls went home. The evening comprised of a mini mixed cultural dance show and the drama we had created. The dancing was performed by our children who are Akha and some of the Shan students from Wiang Wai. The show was a big hit and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Being able to see our children interact so well with the Wiang Wai children was fantastic. One major highlight for us was when one of the older boys at the centre (who is one of the only four Shan people at our centre out of thirty people - the rest are Akah) discreetly organized with the Wiang Wai students, to do a dance with the peacock harness. This took us all by surprise as he has never done any Shan dancing for teams before.

Group Travel to Australia

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:13:11 +0000

EIL are offering a new opportunity for 15 - 19 year olds to travel to Australia next summer. The programme involves staying with a host family, learning about the cultutre and way of life in Australia and sight-seeing.

For more information about this exciting programme see Groups Outbound - Australia

Group Travel to Thailand

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:30:12 +0000

EIL, in conjunction with a local Malvern charity, offer opportunties for group travel to Thailand.

These programmes are open to individuals and groups of people interested in volunteering in Thailand and in learning more about the culture of this diverse and beautiful country.

For more information about these groups click here.

Safer Travel Partnership

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:02:07 +0000

EIL have joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 'Know Before You Go' Campaign Partnership.

The campaign was launched in 2001 to encourage people to prepare themselves for travelling to foreign destinations.

The main messages of the campaign are;

Get adequate travel insurance
Check the FCO's country travel advice
Visit your GP as soon as possible before travelling
Check your passport is in good condition and valid and that you have all the necessary visas
Make copies of important travel documents and / or store them online using a secure data storage site
Tell someone where you are going and leave emergency contact details with them
Take enough money and have access to emergency funds.

Be prepared, take care ou yourself and have a great time abroad!

Safer Travel

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:37:31 +0000

Anyone with a relative, friend, colleague or participant travelling overseas will live in fear of the phone call telling them ‘we have a problem…’ Whether it is reporting illness, injury, accident, crisis or act of God, nobody wants to receive that message. There is a short video on the Sara’s Wish Foundation website which tells stories of just some of the accidents that can happen overseas. Although this website and video are American and based on American Study Abroad students the message is still just as strong for anyone travelling in foreign countries.

The better prepared you can be when travelling abroad; the less likely you are to encounter problems. For travellers from the UK there is a wealth of information on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, and it is well worth taking a look at the traveller’s checklist too when planning your trip.

Everyone travelling abroad, whether for holiday, work, volunteering or a life changing experience, should have a good time. Make the most of the experience and most of all STAY SAFE.

Group Travel to Tunisia

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:01:57 +0000

EIL UK are developing an Arts and Crafts Programme in Tunisia in and around Carthage.

There will be opportunity to learn about traditional Andalucia-style ceramics and Arabic calligraphy in a traditional workshop situated in the heart of the Tunis medina.

Participants will learn some modern standard Arabic and take part in voluntary work.

This programme will last for 2 weeks and will take place in August 2010.

There are a maximum of 20 places available.

For more information about this exciting programme contact EIL.

Welcome

Piers Meynell — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Welcome to EIL UK’s new website.

Though it’s still a little rough around the edges and there’s plenty more to be added over time we hope you’ll find it a useful way to learn about our programmes.

We’re also beginning to reach out and offer ways in which you can get involed online with EIL UK: be it writing a blog on this website while you’re volunteering in Ecuador, or helping to raise awareness of development education issues on the EIL UK Facebook page.

If you have any comments, or run into any problems with the website please let us know.