In return you yourself can have a great and positive experience through meeting and working with our children with intellectual or multiple disabilities. At the same time you will get the unique opportunity to learn more about the culture and daily life in Ghana resp. Africa.
Criteria
- Length: at least for 3 months
- Number: we can accept up to a maximum of 4 or 5 volunteers at the same time.
- Working hours: Monday – Friday, about 8 hours a day. During the weekends you are free, so you can make some trips in the area, if you like.
- Age: minimum 18 years.
- Selection: some relevant aspects for us are your personal motivation, your ability to interact well with children as weel as to collaborate with others, your contribution to a good and happy atmosphere, an open mind and ability to travel and work (semi-) indepedently.
Relevant motto is: Though it’s voluntarily, we expect real commitment! Travelling through Ghana or making trips for several days can be done either during the weekends or before or after your time as a volunteer in PCC.
Each interested person is asked to send us a letter with information about your motivation and your resumé. After that there will be a personal interview, either face to face or by phone.
Job description
Many of our children are best-off when getting some kind of individual support, which is not always available. A lot depends on the talents and abilities of our caregivers and volunteers. In fact all children and young adults with disabilities need some kind of support during their activities, including those in the Sheltered workshop, in the Summer School or in Day Care groups.
Most volunteers will be invited to participate in our Special Attention Program. In that program you will have 1-to-1 contact on a daily base with various children, for about 30 minutes each. Apart from that you are invited to support some group activities and to help a particular child with feeding 3 x a day.
Patience and positive attention for children are very valuable personal qualities, as you will understand.
Coordination
The PCC Board coordinates the selection process and the scheduling of volunteers. Sometimes former volunteers are willing and able to share their knowledge and experiences with you after your selection but before your coming, to help you in your preparations.
In Ghana our care director Mr. Joe Emma will supervise your work. He will see to it that you get your personal program for Special Attention and evaluate it with you on a weekly base, together with one of the caregivers. He is also available for all your questions popping up when you are in PCC.
Accommodation and food
There is a special house for volunteers on the PCC compound.
Vrijwilligers kunnen kiezen tussen leven in het vrijwilligershuis, in een gastenhuisje op het terrein of bij een Ghanees gastgezin in het dorp. Combinaties zijn ook mogelijk.
In het gastgezin heeft de vrijwilliger een eigen kamer en eet ‘s ochtends en ‘s avonds met de familie mee.
Het vrijwilligershuisje is een gezellig huis met vier kamers en een eigen keuken, wc en douche. Meestal doen de vrijwilligers met of voor elkaar de boodschappen en koken en eten zij vervolgens gezamenlijk.
Ook kan gekozen worden voor het bestellen van een maaltijd in het eigen restaurant op het PCC terrein.
Weekends and travelling
During weekends all volunteers are free. Under special circumstances and only after consultation volunteers might get permission to be off for some days to travel or to meet relatives and friends. However, the general rule is that you plan a touristic tour through Ghana before or after your period of working as a volunteer in PCC.
Costs
A stay in the volunteer hous on the PCC – Hand in Hand compound costs only 10 Cedi per day (= 2,30 Euro, rate Oct. 16).
In case 2 volunteers share one room the costs per volunteer per day will be 8 Cedi (= 1,85 Euro p.p., rate Oct. 16).
If you prefer to stay in a Guesthouse, that will be more expensive.
All local costs in Ghana, like costs for travelling, extension of visa, food and drinks and medical care are borne by the volunteer.
The P.C.C. Hand in Hand Community can’t accept any responsibility for costs of accidents, diseases, hospital admission, repatriation and other calamities. So all volunteers have to take care of being well insured.
Payment
You are asked to pay all your costs (for the room, shop items, restaurant) on a weekly base to our hostesses.
Other matters
Transport between Accra and the Hand in Hand Community in Nkoranza (about 400 km. North-West of Accra) can easily be done via a direct and daily OA-bus connection. The bus fee is rather low, around 10- 15 euro.
One might also like to travel easily with a taxi arranged by PCCform Nkoranza. However, the costs are much higher (about 125 – 135 euro).