Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihood Volunteers Summer Programs in Ghana II

Coach Ruby and Volunteer in Ghana ROLE: Working with rugby clubs to develop the sport by helping with general organization, setting up drills, fitness training, and ball work. REQUIREMENTS: None

Rugby is an explosive, dynamic game that blends the most physically demanding skills and attributes with some of the deftest. It is also the game with arguably the strongest element of teamwork of any of the major world sports.

At the very top level of Rugby, the players may still have incredible physiques that would dwarf your average person, but at amateur and youth level anyone can play. And it is incredibly easy to play, requiring little more than two teams, a ball and a playing area. It is not hard to see why Rugby is catching on so quickly in the developing world and our volunteers abroad are at the frontline of this sports development, coaching groups of children and young adults who are rapidly developing a passion for the game.

Rugby is a sport that develops young people in a unique way. Aside from the individual skills involved it provides a channel for a young person‘s natural aggression while at the same time teaching them respect for others, which is why it‘s commonly known as a game played by gentlemen. The inherent elements of teamwork in Rugby provide young people with a structure and an important position within a small group of people, attributes which once learned can have an important effect within the wider society. If you have a passion for Rugby, then you could volunteer on one of our Rugby coaching projects in Ghana. You do not have to be an experienced player or coach to get involved, all we require is a good knowledge of the intricacies of the game, and a desire to impart this to others. You can volunteer abroad on a Rugby coaching project on your gap year, career break or as part of an extended vacation.

At Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihood Rugby project in Ghana, we strongly believe that sports can be used to develop individuals and communities, and are working to introduce popular sports into new areas in order to achieve this. We cannot accomplish this without the help of our international volunteers and this is why we need you to join our volunteer Rugby coaching projects. You will join a group who are dedicated to the sport and to passing on their love of the game to others.

There is a lot to get involved in – ball handling, lineout drills, fitness sessions and team tactics. Depending on your level of understanding about how the game works, you can help to develop and organize full training sessions with groups of young people and work on specific rugby drills. There is so much to get involved in, and plenty of fun to be had at the same time!

ROLE: Assisting local physical education teachers or leading your own PE classes in schools, teaching a variety of sports.

REQUIREMENTS: None

Do you have a passion for sports, travel and volunteering and would like to combine these interests, come join one of our Sports programs where you can work with local children in schools in the developing world. Most people's first memory of playing sports is while they were in school, and the experiences they have here will often color their attitudes toward sports for the rest of their lives. It is with this idea in mind that we developed our School Sports projects.

Our first Sports volunteers began as conversational English teachers, and found that the schools we work with were eager to also have them take their students for sports classes. The schools generally lacked the resources to provide specialized sports and physical education teachers who had an understanding of the intricacies of the games the children wanted to play. Our enthusiastic volunteers then began to offer extra-curricular activities and start soccer and athletics clubs.

Volunteers can get involved in coaching numerous different sports in our School Sports projects. If you would like to coach in an area that we do not mention, then please do make sure you contact us, because our partner organizations are always eager to hear new ideas, and new opportunities are being developed all of the time. If you would also like to offer conversational English teaching alongside your Sports placement, then you will be contributing even more to the community you are working in.

You can volunteer as a coach on a school sports project no matter what your age, your experience or your abilities; whether you are on a college summer break, gap year, career break, extended vacation or even during your retirement! You just have to have a passion for sports, and the desire to pass the skills, techniques and attitudes that come with it on to the next generation. Volunteer Soccer Coaching in Ghana

ROLE: Assisting local coaches or leading your own classes in schools and local clubs, helping children to improve their skills and general fitness. REQUIREMENTS: None

Considered the world’s most popular sport and played in virtually every country around the world, soccer is truly universal. It possesses a unique ability to excite and unite people at home and abroad, as demonstrated by recent World Cup tournaments.

Soccer’s main quality has always been its simplicity; it requires a bare minimum of equipment, can be played pretty much anywhere – grass, concrete or sand – and is easy to pick up. Played regularly, it will develop many physical attributes: speed, stamina, balance and co-ordination being just a handful.

But soccer is about so much more than simply the physical side. It can be incredibly rewarding for children to play soccer because it develops notions of teamwork, fair play and respect, which in turn help to develop character. Within this social context it can also be good for communities because soccer focuses the minds of young people, occupying them with a wholesome, worthwhile activity.

For some who play soccer it can even be an avenue to fame and fortune but, for all, it’s ‘the beautiful game’!

To read about our Soccer academy based in Ghana, please visit the Cantonments Soccer Academy. This project aims to help talented young African Soccerers with their education, development and eventual placement in a professional club.

Volunteer Soccer Coaching in Ghana

Our aim is to give you the necessary information and skills to develop the young soccer talent of your chosen destination, while you develop your own skills as a coach. You do not have to be an experienced coach with a coaching certificate to get involved. You do not necessarily need to be an exceptional soccer player, although it is always an advantage if you have a few good skills.

Your role will be wide and varied, but there are certain criteria which are most definitely needed including enthusiasm, knowledge of skills and techniques and a warm, approachable manner. You can volunteer abroad on a soccer-coaching project on your gap year, career break or as part of an extended vacation.

Whether you’re on a placement for four, six, eight weeks or longer we will provide a specific coaching program to assist you in your role, and support you all the way. Whichever destination you choose to volunteer in, you will rapidly see the impact that you are making on the young people you are working with. At the same time, you will be gaining experience of sports development that will stand out if you choose to study or work in this area in the future.

Volunteer and Coach Surfing Abroad

ROLE: Teaching surfing to local children assisting with efforts to promote general water safety. REQUIREMENTS: None, though you should be able to swim. Surfing is one of the most popular water sports in the world but it is also an activity often inaccessible to many because of a lack of resources and opportunities. At our Surfing projects throughout the developing world, we are seeking to change this by making the sport something that people can become involved in regardless of background or economic situation. To do this, we need the help of volunteers with a passion for the sea, learning new skills, and working with children.

Volunteering on a Surfing project is possible whether you are a gap year student, career breaker, or are looking for a unique way to give back on vacation. You are not required to have previous surfing experience as you will be given the chance to learn while on the project, but you must be a confident swimmer to participate.

In the developing world, many children never have the opportunity to learn to swim, despite possibly being in close proximity to the ocean. As a volunteer coaching surfing abroad, you will be helping to teach children the importance of staying safe in the sea and being able to swim. You will also provide them with coaching to learn to swim and surf.

You will be involved in regular trips to the beach with local children, gradually teaching them vital new skills. Having fun and learning is the goal, and volunteers who are eager to get involved and help provide support for children will be able to make a hugely positive contribution to disadvantaged communities. Coaching Track and Field Events in Ghana

ROLE: Assisting local coaches and leading practice sessions to teach children about track & field events and improve their skills and general fitness. REQUIREMENTS: None Volunteers with a passion for Track and Field can coach sport throughout the world with Projects Abroad. As a Track and Field coach, you can encourage children and teenagers to keep fit and develop their talents. Whether you are on a gap year, vacation, or a career break, you can get involved by teaching children and teenagers in schools and working alongside talented athletes at local sports centers.

As a Track and Field volunteer, you will have the opportunity not only to watch your students’ athletic ability flourish, but also to develop your own personal skills as an athlete. You will gain a great deal of practical teaching experience, as well as the experience of living abroad in a different culture. How Can I Volunteer to Coach Track and Field Events in Ghana?

You do not need any previous coaching experience to volunteer on a Track and Field project as long as you are energetic, enthusiastic, and eager to share your love of Track and Field Events with children and young adults in Ghana.. Volunteers work alongside skilled local professionals, who will be on hand to help you if you have questions or problems. They will be happy to share their experience with you, and you can build a good relationship by sharing your own techniques and experiences. Outside of work, you have the chance to explore surroundings and culture different to your own, along with other members of the Projects Abroad volunteer community.

Volunteer Agricultural Farming in Ghana

PLACEMENT LOCATIONS: Agona Odoben (Central Region) ROLE: Volunteers will be involved in helping local communities start businesses and secure a sustainable future for themselves REQUIREMENTS: None. Anyone aged 16 and older can join ACCOMMODATION: Host families LENGTH OF PLACEMENT: From 1 week START DATES: Flexible

The Agriculture & Farming Project in Ghana offers Projects Abroad volunteers the opportunity to work on a small organic farm, based in the Agona Odoben, our most rural region in Ghana. Whether you are on a gap year, career break, or volunteer vacation, you will be able to make a significant contribution to the farm and the community.

This project is in the early stages of development and should be combined with another project like Teaching, Care, or Building.

Volunteer in Agriculture

The farm is located just thirty minutes away from the Village. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for helping to maintain all aspects of the farm including animal care, crop growing, flower production, and land management. The farm produces a variety of crops, including small quantities of plantain, papaya, carrots, onions, yam, coco yams, and sweet pepper. The farm is also home to rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens.

You will also assist with arranging school trips to the farm to educate local children. Children are then educated on the process of growing crops in a sustainable environment. They also learn how to take care of animals and how to identify seeds. Volunteers receive training from local specialists in the different techniques involved and have an agricultural text-book which is part of the curriculum to use with the school children.

Due to the heat and the physical nature of the work, volunteers on the farm typically work from 8am to 12 noon. Those who want to work in the afternoons are encouraged to help out at the local village school.

In the future we hope to develop the garden into a sustainable, organic farm and we will continue to work closely with the local community, passing on a vital awareness of conservation issues to a new generation of African children.

This project is available for less than a month if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for shorter durations for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone participating for a longer period.

Volunteer Building Projects in Ghana

PLACEMENT LOCATIONS: Small villages in the Agona Odoben, Domeabra ROLE: Helping to construct and renovate buildings for local communities REQUIREMENTS: None. Anyone aged 16 and older can join ACCOMMODATION: Host Family LENGTH OF PLACEMENT: From 1 week START DATES: Flexible

If you’re on a gap year, summer placement, or career break and want to get your hands dirty, our Building project in Ghana may be right for you.

Volunteers are based in the Agona Odoben, just over two hours north of Accra. You will join a team of Local volunteers and local people constructing and renovating simple buildings in the local communities.

In addition to the basic project, you may also help with landscaping the surrounding area, painting local schools, and renovating classrooms. In the past, volunteers even built a furniture for Gomoa Manso village school.

In many areas of Ghana, thousands of families live in inadequate accommodation and children attend school in crumbling buildings. Our construction project allows them to move to new, better quality homes and for the children to receive an education in secure, new classrooms.

The buildings are usually made from mud bricks that are produced by using a press, some mud and water, and then left to harden in the sun. Volunteers help in this process and also with building walls, plastering, and painting. Each building takes an average of one month to construct.

Volunteering on the Building Project in Ghana

This is a great opportunity to get involved in a rural project and become an integral part of the local community. Our full time coordinators live nearby and visit the placements regularly, so you'll always have full support from Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihood.

Building work takes place early in the morning and late in the afternoon to avoid the hot midday sun, so you'll have plenty of time to get involved in Ghanaian life. Many volunteers immerse themselves in the local community by helping around the kindergarten class or playing soccer with some of the school children once the building work has finished for the day.

This project is available for less than a month if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for shorter durations for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone participating for a longer period.

Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihood:The Community Health Screening Outreach Project

The Community Health Screen Outreach Project (CHCSOP) will be working in partnership with the District Health Monitoring Committee (DHMC), Volunteers, Interns and the community. The project will be carried out between 2016-2017.

Areas:Tamale, Brong Ahafo, Greater Accra, Western, Eastern, Central and Volta region CHCSOP Team: Medical Doctor, Community Health Officer (CHO), Midwife and Nurse, Volunteers and Interns. Medical Screening: HIV, Malaria, Typhoid Fever, Blood Pressure, Hepatitis B, Breast Cancer Examination, Dental Disorders, Skin Infections and Sight Problems. Prostrate, Know your status (HIV/AIDS)etc

The CHCSOP Team will move through the above mentioned regions, to create awareness for communicable diseases and basic public issues. Citizens through this will be sensitized and screened on diseases that may affect them (listed above). As well as provide basic services such a registering communities members on the National Health Insurance Card and distributing free insecticide mosquito nets. Public education session will also be held on nutrition and preventable health measures.

At the end of each project, the CHCSOP should be able to inform, educate, direct and counsel these citizens on some, if not all of the basic ailments that seem to affect them. The CHCSOP team will encourage the importance of hospital visits and the Community Health Officers will continue to visit certain patients after the CHCSOP has finished.

Volunteers Roles will include: • Assisting Health Care Professionals • Counselling • Reporting • Social Media • Evaluation

Dates and Locations

This project will be held 3 times a year for 2 week period June 4 to 18 – Greater Accra Region (Ga East Municipality: Boi, Akporman and Abokobi) August 6 to 20 – Central Region (Asikuma, Odoben, Brakwa District: Odom, Nkum, Kuntansi, Winneba) December 3 – 17 – Eastern Region (Asamankese,: Suhum)

• If you are interested in volunteering to help coordinate this project prior to the departures listed, please contact us for more details.