This summer, SERVE volunteers spent four weeks in Cebu, Philippines, working with local partners across education, community activities and practical projects.
Education was a big part of the programme. Volunteers supported classroom activities with younger children in the mornings and helped with workshops and activities in the afternoons. These included English, music, creative sessions, safeguarding, mental health, self-esteem and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Volunteers also worked alongside local builders in the Badjao community, including replacing older wooden stairways with concrete stairs to provide safer access to homes.
The group brought a wide mix of skills and experience, from teaching and facilitation to structural engineering and practical work. That mix is one of the things that shapes each SERVE programme.
It starts before the flight
The four weeks overseas are only one part of the Volunteer Programme.
Before travelling, volunteers take part in training in Ireland covering practical preparation, Global Citizenship Education, cultural awareness, ethical volunteering and the Sustainable Development Goals.
A lot of that learning makes more sense once volunteers are in-country and can connect it with the people they meet and the work they are involved in.
Working with local partners
SERVE works with local organisations who know the communities and the work taking place there.
In Cebu, volunteers joined education and community programmes already underway and supported practical projects identified locally.
The work depends on the partner and what is needed at the time, so every placement is a little different.
What can a day look like?
In the Philippines, a day could start with classroom support in the morning, followed by workshops, community activities or practical work in the afternoon.
Volunteers travel and eat together, spend time preparing for activities and have downtime as a group too.
There is a programme and a plan for the weeks overseas, but things can change from time to time. Being flexible is part of the experience and something volunteers prepare for before travelling.
More than four weeks away
SERVE wants volunteers to come home with a better understanding of the people they worked with, the context around the programme and some of the wider issues they saw first-hand.
Global Citizenship Education helps make those links, connecting the experience overseas with questions around education, inequality, opportunity and the SDGs.
The learning continues after the group comes home too, through reflection and the wider Volunteer Programme.
“We want volunteers to leave with a grounded understanding of how change happens locally, and a long-term commitment to justice that extends far beyond the placement.”Nicola, SERVE Volunteer Programme Manager
Thinking about volunteering?
You do not need to fit one particular mould to volunteer with SERVE.
Teachers, students, professionals, tradespeople and people from many different backgrounds can all bring something to the programme. What matters is being open to learning, working as part of a group and getting involved in the work taking place with our partners.
Every placement is different, but the aim stays the same: to contribute, learn and come home with a wider understanding of the world around you.
Explore the SERVE Volunteer Programme
Find out more about the programme, upcoming placements and how to apply.
Explore the Volunteer Programme