23.09.2019 | Oman Magazine Zanzibar article
16.05.2019 | Bring A smile
07.02.2019 | Oman Observer - Photo Of The Day
12.04.2018 | International Volunteers Oman delivers donations from Oman in Zanzibar
25.08.2016 | Article
12.05.2016 | Touch of Mercy
More than ever, people around the world want change. Change in the inequities that polarize. Change in the corrupt systems that prevent self-determination. Change in the unjust repression of entire populations.
But the change we all wish to see won’t be realized through big, sweeping acts—not by governments, or armies, or the UN. Instead, lasting change will be achieved through small, personal acts of kindness and selflessness, and through the spreading of tolerance and understanding between people and cultures.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering is all about making a difference in communities; it also benefits you personally as it offers the chance
You will have the adventure of a lifetime!
- Martina Alencar, Volunteer
Only as people become more willing to change themselves—the way they think, the way they act—will real change become possible.
It is precisely these types of changes that International Volunteers (IV) makes possible. The passion that you bring to your volunteer abroad experience will start a ripple effect, bringing change to people and the communities in which they live.
Meanwhile, you’ll find wisdom and beauty in a way of life different from your own.
You’ll discover the critical role that every individual plays in achieving lasting change. You’ll see that volunteering abroad can be a safe and exciting adventure—the trip of a lifetime where you can learn about another culture while learning about yourself.
CHANGE
We at International Volunteers (IV) believe than in exposing youth to different cultures and civilizations around the world. Taking them out of their comfort zones, giving them the opportunity to learn about said cultures and civilizations through direct contact and living amongst the locals.
Leading them through certain aspects of travel unseen by tourists, and enabling them to actually feel the gift of giving in participating to build sustainable futures for the communities we visit, the youth would gain a wider perspective on the world outside of their lives.
Through this trip of exploration and change of mind, body, and soul, we aim to create content and mature youth.
Capable of leading meaningful lives and leading their communities to growth and progress for a better future.
01 Choose your program and apply
02 We’ll match application with a scope of work
03 Preparation of assignment and orientation
04 Attend orientation
05 Depart for assignment
06 Complete program, debrief and feedback
07 Return to Oman
- Alex Parker, Volunteer
VOLUNTEER?
The Basics Of Volunteering Abroad
With volunteering abroad, there are two types of organizations: local NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and volunteer service organisations. These organizations are also commonly referred to as “receivers” as they receive volunteers or “senders” as they send volunteers overseas.
Local NGOs are commonly small non-profits with a specific cause, such as running orphanages or animal rescue centers. These organizations rarely have the funding required to recruit and support international volunteers themselves. To help recruit international volunteers, many local NGOs partner with volunteer service organizations.
Program Cost (2 Week Project) Includes
Project fees as required by the host volunteer organization, i.e. project materials and supervision from host organization staff.
Sending organizations employ full time staff to build partnerships and recruit, support, and manage volunteers. There is a lot of work that goes into ensuring your program is set up and you are supported before and during your trip.
Many projects require volunteers to have orientations and training in special skills. A portion of the fee paid by volunteers goes towards this orientation and training when necessary.
Depending on the goals, the projects of local NGOs can take weeks or years to complete. Short term volunteers often cannot complete an entire project during their stay. In communication with the receiving organization, it is the role of the sending organization to manage the flow of volunteers to and from projects. This management allows volunteers with limited time to hit the ground running.
Many international volunteers have never traveled overseas. Sending organizations provide a wide range of support to their volunteers including pre-departure help with information about vaccinations, travel insurance, and fundraising.
During the volunteer experience, some organizations (like International Volunteers) provide continued support even while a volunteer is working with the receiving organization in their host country.
If something goes wrong, a sending organization should be there to support you and have the resources available to do so. This means staffing, vehicles, emergency funds, etc.
Fees paid by volunteers often support one or more persons from the host organization to provide daily or regular coordination and direction to the project. Their daily costs such as meals, accommodation and transport are also considered.
In addition, International Volunteers provides a trained, professional group leader who works alongside the volunteers and is with the group 24/7 to oversee safety, the educational experience and assist with project logistics.
Fees paid to a volunteer service organization cover costs of meals and accommodations for volunteers. Host organizations receive a stipend to provide food and accommodations, usually in hostels, family home stays, or group accommodations. Receiving organization provide a safe and welcoming atmosphere for the volunteers.If something goes wrong, a sending organization should be there to support you and have the resources available to do so. This means staffing, vehicles, emergency funds, etc.
Local transportation in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially when you are new to the country. Sending organizations often arrange safe local transport to and from the airport and other destinations.
On a project site, if local transport is required, normally a project’s fees will include transport between the project accommodations and the work site. It is usual for volunteers to pay for their own transport during free time.
The most important use for the volunteer fees is on the project itself. Program fees help fund the project activities and pay for much-needed resources, from school supplies to construction materials.
That said, it’s not uncommon for receiving organizations to have a “wish list” of additional donation items that may be difficult to source locally, anything from second hand electronics, to English books for children. Depending on the scope of the project, a receiving organization may also need to source additional funding through grants or local fundraising. However, every dollar, peso or rand, counts; with every new volunteer comes the funding to continue the project into the future.
We work with our partners to engage our volunteers in meaningful individual and group projects.
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We are a social enterprise that takes the youth to volunteer abroad, to places where they will fall silently into their thoughts, reflecting things they never imagined before.
They will see things that may break their hearts or make them feel more appreciative of the things they didn’t notice before.
They may begin to disregard what anyone else thinks or feels about them in this place because they will realize that life has many secrets that they have not unlocked yet.
To travel is to invest in yourself. It is one of the only things you can purchase that truly makes you richer, and we do not mean in monetary value.
IV has a dream – though it may be extreme. We hope that the youth of our society becomes enlightened, through travel and new experiences. Enlightened and inspired enough to come back to Oman, throw the word “bored” out the window, and start to make a change in this world.
We want to inspire people to seek out their passion and their talent and to chase that dream down, capture it, and make it a reality.
You can either join our community in Oman, where we will do a lot of activities, events and meetings to try to change the world!
Or you can just subscribe to our website or follow us in Instagram and wait for our announcements for our future volunteering trip and be part of it.
If you decide to join us, we promise your life will never be the same again!