Volunteer in the Philippines

I would like to be a teacher and I am going to study this at uni next year, so this was an amazing experience for me to get stuck in and have a taster of what I am going to be doing. I gained so much confidence in the classroom as the teachers gave us the freedom to teach the class ourselves, and I found the best part was to be able help the children that needed extra help, as I did when I was in school. The lesson planning ensured I was disciplined and I am glad we didn’t just get given a plan, but we had to create them ourselves; making our own powerpoints and worksheets made the experience much more valuable for me as I had to learn new skills and it allowed me to understand what I was teaching more thoroughly.

Advice: You have to remember that being an effective volunteer isn't easy, and there can be times which make you question the effectiveness of your work, however, if you remain patient and motivated you will make a difference! Be open to the new culture and cuisine, trying your best to learn more about it from the local people, and you will have a much more enjoyable time than if you’re closed minded.

This experience in the childcare project with IVHQ was completely life changing. All of the people I met in Tigman Village, Palawan were some of the most special people I have ever met. The children were full of love, curiosity and excitement for learning and fun. I truly believe while I was there to teach the kids and make an impact on them, they made the greatest impact on myself and taught me so much. All of the staff were so welcoming and made Tigman feel like my home away from home. Leaving there was one of the hardest things as Tigman is so full of joy and love. I couldn’t recommend this experience more.

The experience was incredibly fulfilling, rewarding and exciting. I learned so much from teaching the children and would so recommend it to anyone, even people with no teaching background!

I didn't have big expectations going into this program, in the sense that I knew that I wouldn't change the world in such a short time. I wanted to explore a new part of the world and immerse myself in a different culture, keeping my heart open to anything new. What I didn't expect was to gain such an incredible new way of seeing and understanding the world and myself.

My advice for anyone who wants to do a volunteer programme would be to trust yourself and throw yourself into the deep water, as you will most likely find amazing new friends and new experiences you never even thought of, and coming out of it, hopefully, you will realise you are a different and better person than before.

I loved the fact that I got to do a bit of extra work outside of my program, which was doing a bit of disaster relief for the impacted community when Typhoon Yagi hit the Philippines. Palawan wasn't too badly affected, but there was a tree down on a family's home in which my group kindly assisted.

It was the best experience for my first time travelling. This is because I feel like I've made an impact on the community, made friends, had valuable experiences, instead of travelling just for the sake of being a "tourist" and going "sight-seeing". The only small regret I have was having the attitude of "trying it out" and only staying for 1 week. But even though my time was short, my foundation for future travel and volunteering seems pretty stable, learning many lessons for my next trip.

I've learned new things about a different culture, including a few basic phrases in Tagalog. I've also learned and developed new skills like planting mangroves and working with pupils whose first language isn't English. I would encourage anyone to volunteer in the Philippines for a few weeks, it is totally worth it.