volunteer opportunities

LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Aptivate: A not-for-profit NGO providing IT services for international development.

CUSAFE: A network of college-based fundraising charities, that raise over 40,000 pounds a year for African Education projects

The Seed Project: Facilitates Sustainable Ecological and Economic Development in Zimbabwe.

OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES:

Humanitarian Centre: Provides training and resources for anyone volunteering overseas. 

Karen Hill Tribes: A charity dedicated to working with the Karen people of Northern Thailand to help them build a better future.

Ashanti Development: Helping development in rural Ghana

Morrocan Childrens Trust: An NGO working to achieve sustainable development for the communities of South Morocco

 Aptivate: www.aptivate.org

We currently have regular and ad-hoc volunteering opportunities, with potential for hiring (all our staff were once volunteers.) We're currently seeing a lot of web development projects, so skills we're looking for include:

- Web design

- Graphic design

- Linux-based web development (Ruby, PHP)

- Drupal

- Other content management systems

- Video work (instructional training / lo-fi blog shoots)

We also do hardcore programming, training, facilitation and sysadmin.

If you're experienced in any of that then we'd love to hear from you, and to have you in for lunch! - for more details, email info@aptivate.org, or call us on 01223 760887.

CUSAFE: www.cusafe.org.uk

 SAFE REPS: Many Cambridge University colleges have a SAFE committee, which fundraises directly from college students and distributes this money to African education charities. A lot of SAFE committees are fantastically successful, raising over 10,000 pounds a year, and supporting some amazing causes. If your college has a SAFE scheme, then get in touch with the reps to find out how you can get involved (or email us and we'll put you in touch with them). If not, then this could be your chance to start a college SAFE, and raise money to transform the lives of people around the world - all it needs is enthusiasm and imagination.

 CUSAFE reps: CUSAFE is an umbrella body working with SAFE schemes to coordinate their work, put them in contact with charities looking for funds, and encourage new SAFE schemes. If you want to be part of a charity that raises around 40,000 pounds a year, then get in touch.

CONTACT: Sarah at info@cusafe.org.uk

Mountain Trust: www.mountain-trust.org/

INTERN LEADER: The Mountain Trust has recruited over 30 Interns and Volunteers over the last two years working both in the UK and in Nepal. We are looking for an Intern who can take the lead (with our guidance) on recruiting and co-ordinating individuals. Following an initial introductory period, we would hope that the candidate selected would be able to learn about and take on this project design role and to help shape a strategy for the ongoing evolution of the Trust’s internship programme. This will require at least a months time commitment - it would suit a summer project.

INTELLECTUAL EXCHANGE INTERNSHIP: Recently, the Trust has arranged for senior medical personnel from Addenbrooke’s to visit and exchange know how with counterparts in Nepal. One result is that we currently have the second best known neurosurgeon in Nepal visiting Cambridge. Organising visits here by senior medics or other specialists from Nepal can be hugely beneficial. The Trust is looking for someone with flair – who can be briefed on what has been achieved so far and how and who can build a leading role in developing the programme. This will require at least a months time commitment - it would suit a summer project.

 VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES: The Mountain Trust works in Nepal, sponsoring school and university students, building schools, running community projects, assisting orphans and providing health care to the hardest hit in Nepal since 2001. We also organise volunteers and advise other NGO. For volunteer opportunities see http://www.mountain-trust.org/volunteering

CONTACT: Charles Malcolm-Brown, at cmb@mountain-trust.org.

The Seed Project: www.seed-project.org 

Newsletter design/layout/editing: To an established template - and other publicity possibilities, like web updates, publishing our success stories via other networks

Research: Anything from whether bamboo grows well in Zimbabwe to what scholarships are available for undergraduate study in Southern Africa and from funding opportunities to statistics about various diseases

Practical: e.g. getting newsletters or photos printed

Fundraising: Coordinating others' efforts, arranging your own fundraising activities, or reviewing funding applications

Ideally we are looking for people who are flexible, and mostly skilled and able to volunteer from home using their own computer and internet connection.  The ability to take on small projects at short notice would be a great advantage.  Even an hour or two a month would be helpful! 

Contact Marie on uk@seed-project.org or on 01223 247184.

Research assistant:

Student with background in linguistics, research skills (qualitative and quantitative), interest in international development, experience with EXCEL and SPSS essential, native or near native English speaker, working with large quantities of linguistic data and literature review, 3-5 hours a week over the summer.  Contact Dr Sacha DeVelle at sacha@cambridgetoafrica.org

Addenbrooke's Abroad: www.addenbrookesabroad.org.uk

Measuring personal and professional development

We are looking for a volunteer to develop an effective system for monitoring and evaluating personal and professional development of staff who engage in global health work overseas.

Time commitment - one month (could be spread over longer period)

Database development

We are looking for an IT savvy volunteer to help us develop and manage a database that will enable us to share information of work undertaken overseas and of opportunities to work overseas with Addenbrooke's Abroad.

Please contact Evelyn Brealey

(evelyn.brealey@addenbrookes.nhs.uk) or on 01223 274878.

OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES:

Humanitarian Centre: www.humanitariancentre.org

 We offer training sessions on volunteering overseas (see our website for details) and resources from past training sessions look at 'resources' - 'careers information'.

Karen Hill Tribes: www.karenhilltribes.org.uk

 The Karen Hilltribes Trust is a small charity looking to recruit two teams of about 10 volunteers from Cambridge to construct clean water systems in remote villages in Northern Thailand, one in July and the other in August 2010. It is an exciting and very rewarding opportunity to experience Karen hilltribe culture by living and working in a village. You will be able to see your money directly helping the community which will be very friendly and grateful for your support. There will be a presentation on the 22^nd February, time and place to be confirmed.

CONTACT DETAILS: For more details please see the website, email Penelope Worsley, Director, penelope@karenhilltribes.org.uk or call 01904 411891.

Ashanti Development: www.ashanti-development.org/

 The Ashanti Development is a charity operating as a 100% volunteer workforce, supporting development in rural Ghana.  The charity is located in the village of Gyetiase but aims to serve the wider community of Ashanti.  There are both long-term and short-term opportunities for volunteer doctors, nurses and teachers.   

MORE INFORMATION: See the website (above). If interested in medical work email Penny David 
(penny.david@ashanti-development.org), and if interested in teaching opportunities contact Kathy Rees (kathyjrees@yahoo.com).

 Moroccan Children's Trust: www.moroccanchildrenstrust.org

The Moroccan Children's Trust (MCT) is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) working to achieve sustainable development for the communities of South Morocco. MCT invites enthusiastic volunteers to join us on our community projects in Taroudannt. The volunteers will gain a deep insight into the lives of Moroccans and their cultures, by lodging in a host family and an induction course.  There are a number of work placements available including orphanages, schools, youth clubs or development research. Volunteers will also be able to help with our new Street Children project. Preferred skills: French or Arabic, but tuition can be supplied. Normal stay is 2 - 6 months.

MORE INFORMATION: See website, or email info@moroccanchildrenstrust.org. Download more information here

For more information about any of these opportunities, please e-mail the contact given for each vacancy. If you have any further questions, or wish a vacancy to be removed from this list once filled, please e-mail

adam.kessler@humcentre.org

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