Overview
A impactful way to help the underprivileged and poverty stricken families of Philippines is to volunteer for the country’s young ones. Volunteer for the Childcare Programs in Philippines and do your bit. Placed in childcare centers in and around Tacloban City, including both rural and urban centers, volunteers in this program take several different responsibilities that ranges from taking care of children, partaking in administrative activities and engaging children in interactive and informative activities. The minimum time commitment for the program is 2 weeks.
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference and have a passion for working with children. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
As a volunteer working in this project, you will be asked to help in a wide range of activities at the childcare center depending on the age group of children and the needs of the project. Volunteer, typically, will be required to execute the following tasks;
- Help the staff with basic care duties during the day.
- Play with the children.
- Provide love and individual attention to each child.
- Help at Children’s home with cooking and cleaning.
- Try to engage the children in different activities; such as, sports, games, arts and, crafts.
- Help them come out and forget about their traumatic past.
- Devote their entire project to maintenance tasks like painting, tending grounds or fixing appliances; along with working for the children
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteers joining childcare volunteer program in the Philippines will be accommodated with a host family in Tacloban city. The accommodation facility is in close distance vicinity to the program placement. A typical volunteer schedule under this program is as follows;
- Saturday - Arrival
- Sunday - Orientation. An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, covering topic areas; such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behavior, food, another suggestion over things to do in the Philippines.
- Monday to Friday - Volunteer Work
- Breakfast - 6:00 am
- Volunteer work - 08:00 am to 12:00 pm and 01:30 pm to 04:00 pm
- Lunch - 12:00 pm to 01:00 pm (volunteers need to arrange lunch at own cost. They can choose to go home and cook for lunch or can buy a meal at any of the nearest food joints.)
- Dinner - 06:00 pm onwards
- Weekends - Free to explore the city
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
Living
Volunteering Solutions helps you to focus on your volunteer work, while we take care of your airport transfer, accommodation, meals and weekend trips. So come with an open and relaxed mind and leave refreshed.
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from and dropped off at, Tacloban Airport by a local representative staff member. Volunteers need to arrive one day prior to the program start date.
Accommodation
Volunteers will live with homestay families residing in the Tacloban area. The homestays have been thoroughly evaluated before they were accepted into our homestay program. are experienced in accommodating international volunteers. Prior to your arrival, you will receive a profile outlining the specifics of your homestay family.
Your homestay will welcome you into their home and treat you as a member of the family. By living with them, you will be able to experience Filipino culture and participate in their daily activities. You will eat the same food they are eating, though your homestay family knows what foreigners like to eat. If you have special dietary requirements, it is best to inform us beforehand so we can meet your needs. You will be served only two meals per day, breakfast and dinner. Your homestay will also provide you with filtered drinking water, as it is best not to drink tap water. All the homestays have electricity and running water. You will have a private room by yourself or shared with a fellow volunteer. You also are provided a mosquito net and electric fan. The bathroom or toilet, commonly called “comfort room or CR” will be shared will all the family members.
Bathroom accommodation is basic and the volunteer will take cold, bucket baths because hot running showers are uncommon in Filipino homes – don't worry too much about this as cold bucket baths are often refreshing after being in the tropical heat all day. Finally, volunteers will also have to get used to the sound of roosters crowing even before the break of dawn.
Orientation
All volunteers are provided with an orientation about the local Filipino culture, local dialect, safety guidelines, the project and volunteers role and responsibilities by the local staff. Volunteers are also given a local Tacloban city tour and of all the important tourist sights in the city.
Meals
During your time as a volunteer, you will be provided with two meals a day (breakfast and dinner) by your homestay. Aside from this, access to safe drinking water will also be provided by your homestay. All meals will be served with rice and typically include fish, chicken or pork. Homestays can cater for special dietary restrictions, however, we require that you include this in the application form.
During your Free Time
The local coordinating team in the Philippines arranges for the volunteers to go on two excursions. On one of the trips, volunteers visit the local areas of interest such as San Juanico Bridge, the Santo Nino Shrine and the MacArthur Landing Memorial Park. Volunteers will get an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the tropical island of Leyte.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- Airport Pickup and Drop Off
- Welcome Orientation – Program Orientation
City Tour & Placement Orientation - Accommodation in a Filipino Host Family
- 2 Meals a Day
- Detailed Pre Departure Info Pack
- Project Placement
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from in country staff
- Travel and Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Visa
- Vaccinations
- Flights
- Local Transportation
- Personal Expenses
Program Dates
| Months | 2021 | 2022 |
| January | - | 08152229 |
| February | - | 05121926 |
| March | - | 05121926 |
| April | - | 0209162330 |
| May | - | 07142128 |
| June | - | 04111825 |
| July | - | 0209162330 |
| August | - | 06132027 |
| September | - | 03101724 |
| October | 0209162330 | 0108152229 |
| November | 06132027 | 05121926 |
| December | 0411 | 03101724 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Tacloban is the capital of Leyte Province and has a population of about 240,000. It is not a popular tourist destination and does not attract many foreign visitors. For this reason, Tacloban offers our international volunteers an opportunity to be immersed in a unique Asian culture.
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project.
Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteers should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Participants must be in good health.
Participants need to provide a copy of their Resume/CV as well as Criminal Background Check Report for those participants working in projects with children.
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
1. Hepatitis A and B
2. Typhoid
3. Malaria tablets
Yellow Fever vaccination is required for travelers who are arriving from, or have transited through, countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Accommodation and Living
Before starting your project, you will be given an extensive orientation that will include how to get to, and back from, your project; how to get to, and back from the downtown - the location of ATMs, restaurants, souvenir stores, and where money changers are, as well as a brief introduction to Filipino culture and etiquette.
The 'Jeepney', a colorful bus made from former U.S. Service vehicles is the most common form of transportation in the Philippines and covers short to medium sized journeys. This is the most common mode of transport for the volunteers in Tacloban.
For longer journeys, there are conventional buses, whilst motorcycles, tricycles, and private hire taxis, called 'Spider Cabs', can also be used for midrange journeys. If you're looking to just go down the road, you can ride a pedicab, a converted bicycle with attached sidecart.
These are screened, well respective members of the local community who have been accommodating volunteers for many years. You will be given either a private or shared bedroom in which you will have a secure luggage storage (bring your own padlock), mosquito neck and electric fan. You will also have access to safe drinking water.
We ask volunteers to be considerate regarding their electricity consumption.
Volunteers will be provided with two meals a day (breakfast and dinner), these meals will vary but will usually be traditional Filipino meals, be prepared to eat a lot of rice!
Volunteers also enjoy relaxing at the many beach resorts, most predominantly the Tadjaw beach resort near the municipality of Tolosa. For those of you that are looking further afield for more exciting opportunities, you can plan a weekend getaway to Cebu, or to visit the Chocolate Hills on Bohol or the Sohoton Caves on Samar.
We can arrange for airport drop at an extra cost.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
