I am Over 18, where can I go?
Access Student
Challenge yourself this summer - Explore Access 2018
Requirement: to be registered full-time undergraduate student on an Access programme at any Member Institution of The Higher Education Authority (HEA Member). Applicants must not have graduated prior to their application.
Age profile: 18 years or older (1st June 2018)
No. of places available: 5 Duration: Eight weeks
Travel Dates: June - August 2018
Destinations and Project Examples: check out map
What's included:
• 8 week volunteer programme
• Return flights & insurance
• Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
• Pre-departure information and support
• In-country airport transfers, orientation, local co-ordinator & support
“This is the best thing happened to me in my life. It was absolutely amazing experience. I have learned and gained many things which made me a better person now.” Mansur - 2017 Access Student Explorer
EIL are offering fully funded places to five young people enrolled in a University or IT Access Programme and who wish to participate in a two-month summer volunteer programme abroad.
It is possible to choose from a wide range of volunteer projects: Teaching, Welfare, Health, Conservation, Community Development, Human Rights or Business Development.
APPLICATIONS ARE MADE THROUGH YOUR ACCESS OFFICE
Volunteering abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
Other resources: Tips for Volunteering Abroad and Responsible Volunteering
NUI Galway ALIVE
Challenge yourself this summer - Explore NUI Galway ALIVE 2018
Requirement: to be registered full-time student in NUI Galway
Age profile: 18 years or older (1st June 2018)
No. of places available: 2 Duration: Eight weeks
Travel Dates: June - August 2018
Destinations and Project Examples: check out map
What's included:
• 8 week volunteer programme
• Return flights & insurance
• Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
• Pre-departure information and support
• In-country airport transfers, orientation, local co-ordinator & support
“Complete immersion in another culture would have been so much more daunting and challenging had it not been for the guidance given by EIL and their sister agency PEI, not to mention the funded Spanish and Mexican Culture lessons.” Aaron – NUIG Student, 2017 Mexico Explorer
EIL are offering fully funded places to two NUI Galway students who wish to participate in a two-month summer volunteer programme abroad.
It is possible to choose from a wide range of volunteer projects: Teaching, Social-Care, Health, Conservation, Arts, Community Development, Human Rights etc.
APPLICATIONS ARE MADE THROUGH the NUI Galway ALIVE and Mature/ACCESS offices
ACCESS/Mature students should contact their ACCESS/Mature officer for guidance
Volunteering abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
Other resources: Tips for Volunteering Abroad and Responsible Volunteering
Eurocamp
Explore Eurocamp 2018 - Youth camp in Germany with participants from 20 different countries
No. of places available: 2
Age profile: 18 (on 1st of June 2018 ) - 25 years of age
Travel dates: July - Aug 2018
Duration: Three weeks
Partially funded
- What's included: Accommodation, Food, Activities, Insurance.
- What's not included: Transport (flights and trains) to and within Germany. (Note: There is a reimbursement of €100 towards transport costs)
An experience abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
“My time at Eurocamp has allowed me to meet some amazing people from all over Europe who have inspired me to take life by the horns and believe in my ability to affect change.” Stefanie – 2017 Eurocamp Explorer
EIL Explore annually invite two young Irish residents to participate in the Eurocamp. Over 80 young people from 30 different countries participate in the event. The focus will be on European identity, voluntary engagement in and for Europe, youth participation and the benefits of cultural diversity and intercultural exchange. The two selected participants should speak basic German, have an interest in International Youth Work and be 18-25 years of age. This is a partially funded Explore Award and a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to improve their German while having fun, making friends and learning!
Glück mit Ihrer Antrag!
Global Awareness Programme -
In partnership with 
What is it?
The Global Awareness Programme is an exciting training, volunteering, and awareness raising project focusing on the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What is involved?
- Implement an awareness raising campaign in Ireland around your SDG
- Complete a GOLD Global Citizen Award raise awareness about global social justice issues
What's included?
- Return flights
- Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
- Pre-departure information and support & Insurance
- 2 training days
- In-country airport transfers, orientation & support from experienced staff
What’s not included?
- This is a co-funded programme and each participant will be asked to raise €1000 towards their costs.
“I found myself and my perspectives challenged on a daily basis, and came home even more determined to continue the fight against gender inequality and raise awareness about global social justice issues also relevant in Ireland." Amanda, 2017 GAP participant
No. of places available: 4 Age profile: 18+ years
Travel Dates: June - August 2018 Duration: Eight weeks
Destinations: See options below
Choose one of these UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 3 Good Health: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- SDG 4 Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- SDG 5 Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women & girls
- SDG 15 Life on Land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, half biodiversity loss
Volunteering abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
Other resources: Tips for Volunteering Abroad and Responsible Volunteering
What are the SDGs?
In Sept 2015, United Nations countries adopted a new sustainable development agenda committed to 17 Global Goals to achieve 3 extraordinary things in the next 15 years ; End extreme poverty. Fight inequality & injustice. Fix climate change. The new sustainable development goals could get these things done. The Global Awareness Programme offers exciting projects that focus on Good Health (goal 3), Quality Education (goal 4), Gender Equality (goal 5), Life on Land (goal 15) in a range of countries. If the Goals are going to work, everyone needs to know about them. The Global Awareness Programme supports you to TELL EVERYONE!
Types of Projects
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues.
- Mexico: Volunteers on this placement share their time between two projects that support children from disadvantaged backgrounds with Down Syndrome, Autism, impaired hearing among other conditions. The first project is a mixed school open during week days where teachers and therapists need help with physical activities, art and body expression, early stimulation classes and during lunch time. Help is also needed in maintenance of the garden, painting walls and cleaning the workshop areas. The second project is a permanent house for boys with special needs. Volunteers help by assisting teachers in classes, organising activities in drama, art and creative workshops and general assistance with the boys.
Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development. Major progress has been made towards increasing access to education at all levels and increasing enrolment rates in schools particularly for women and girls. Basic literacy skills have improved tremendously, yet bolder efforts are needed to make even greater strides for achieving universal education goals. For example, the world has achieved equality in primary education between girls and boys, but few countries have achieved that target at all levels of education.
- South Africa: These education projects are mainly based at public primary and high schools and are located in disadvantaged communities in and around Cape Town. The classes range from 40-50 learners per class where facilities and resources are very limited. Most schools do not have sports clubs or library services and help is needed in these areas. Classes for student with special needs or homework support clubs are also usually not available. Volunteers are needed to provide teaching support in classrooms, to assist with sports activities and computer literacy. Teaching experience and/or an interest in Education is a requirement. School term 3 runs from July - Sept. No teaching placements are available in May or June. A TEFL or teaching qualification is desirable.
- Vietnam: The Center for Sustainable Development Studies in Vietnam addresses development issues in Vietnam with particular focus on children support through social inclusion, youth development through international exchange and non-formal education, and women empowerment through sustainable livelihood support. Their project “Youth Drivers for Change” implements activities through a variety of channels to engage and build the existing and significant potential of Vietnamese youth in the civil society sector. The working principle of the project is that by enhancing young people’s access to and engagement with broader grassroots civil society organisations, both the youth and the communities involved benefit, often in innovative ways. The project focuses on inclusive, participatory and holistic training activities. It uses proven good practice training and facilitation methods and thematic expertise to build the capacity of the young people involved.
While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.
- Mexico: Aware of the needs of women leaving prostitution and not having the means to survive, Pozo de la Vida started Nunayú in March 2015. Nunayú is a social enterprise focusing on the needs of women who lack opportunities or vocational experience . Thru Nunayú, women receive vocational training and are empowered to fulfil their personal dreams and endeavours. It provides women with art therapy, nutrition workshops, continual education, counselling and social services. Nunayú´s focus on victims of human- trafficking is a response to the needs of women who have been trapped in the industry for more than 10 years. Volunteers in this project will receive talks on how to manage the special circumstances of its population, and not very often will be in contact with newly “rescued” women. However they will get to know how through constant presence and quiet support Pozo de Vida has given hope to women in desperate situations.
Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s surface and in addition to providing food security and shelter, forests are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. Thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares.
Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification.
- Guatemala –Most families in Guatemala depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods. But farmers disproportionately bear the impact of climate change – they are particularly vulnerable because any disruption to their agricultural system resulting from extreme weather events like hurricanes, extreme rainfall or drought results in significant crop and income losses and exacerbates food insecurity. Few farmers have adjusted their farming strategies to cope with climate change, due to limited resources and capacity. This permaculture project focuses on the promotion of native seeds and the protection of local ecosystems by sustainably managing its natural resources while also having a positive impact on the livelihoods and wellbeing of local communities. Volunteers are needed to help with maintenance and improvement of gardens, nurseries and gardens, to help in the construction of new infrastructure, bio-construction and construction using recycled materials (buildings, solar showers, terraces, paths) and to help manage the seed bank support (germination tests, seed catalogue, packing of seeds for sale, selection and preparation of seeds). A genuine interest in sustainability, environmentalism and/or permaculture is required.
- Ecuador: This is a dual focus project, where the volunteer will work during the morning in the educational part of the project and in the afternoon in the technical one. Education: Cataloguing plants, reviewing the information for the guided tours and adapting itineraries. Registering birds spotted, accompanying guides on the tours and learning how to guide and how to handle different age groups. Assisting with providing information to visitors, when they have questions - help with organizing and set up the special exhibitions - reviewing and updating the inventory etc. Gardening – technical area: This work involves cultivating plants, pruning, weeding, supporting the collection of Orchids, assisting with plant care and fertilisation.
Mature Student: 2 awards - 8 weeks - Volunteering & cultural immersion - variety of destinations & projects - host family or residential
Mature Student
Mature Student 2018- Explore another culture through volunteering!
Requirement: to be registered student on a current full-time undergraduate course at any Member Institution of The Higher Education Authority (HEA Member). Applicants must not have graduated prior to their application.
Age profile: 23 years or older on January 1st of the first year of study in their approved undergraduate course
No. of places available: 2
Travel Dates: June - August 2018
Destinations and Project Examples: check out map
Duration: Eight weeks
What's included:
• 8 week volunteer programme
• Return flights & insurance
• Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
• Pre-departure information and support
• In-country airport transfers, orientation, local co-ordinator & support
"This was a life changing experience. At 38 years of age I never believed such an adventure was possible. This has really opened my eyes and mind to the world that lies outside of little Ireland. Volunteering not only helps others but also helps the person volunteering. I have gained so much from my 8 weeks in Hanoi and learned a great deal about myself along the way." - Tracey, Mature Student Vietnam Explorer 2017
EIL Explore is offering two fully funded Awards to Mature Students enrolled in an Undergraduate Programme, who is 23 years or older and who wishes to participate in an eight-week long summer EIL Explore volunteer programme.
It is possible to choose from a wide range of volunteer projects:
- Teaching
- Welfare
- Health
- Conservation
- Community Development
- Human Rights
- Business Development
Volunteering abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
Other resources: Tips for Volunteering Abroad and Responsible Volunteering
APPLICATIONS ARE MADE THROUGH YOUR MATURE STUDENT OFFICE
Mexico
Explore Mexico 2018
No. of places available: 1
Age profile: 18 years or over on 1st June 2018
Travel dates: June - Aug 2018
Duration: Eight weeks
- Return flights from Ireland to Mexico, insurance, orientation programme and overnight stay in Mexico City
- Transfer to Oaxaca city
- 2 weeks/30 hours Spanish language classes
- cultural activities and homestay with local family
- Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
- Volunteer work for 6 weeks
- Local mentor and support from experienced staff
Volunteering abroad can challenge you in many ways - Read more about what challenging can mean
Other resources: Tips for Volunteering Abroad and Responsible Volunteering
“My trip to Mexico gave me the opportunity to become culturally immersed in a totally new culture and experience what it was like to become a part of a new community.” - Adam, Mexico Explorer 2017
This exciting, fully funded, eight-week volunteering programme includes working with the co-operative project in the beach village of La Ventanilla in Oaxaca State. The eco-tourism co-operative started operating tours along the mangrove swamp and offering horseback riding tours to generate an extra income.
Volunteer activities might include cleaning and preparation of the eco-friendly tourist cabins, to assist in the community owned restaurant "El maíz azul" ("The Blue Corn"), helping in the rehabilitation of confiscated animals and the release of newly-hatched turtles into the ocean. The accommodation is very basic and simple.
Find out more about La Ventanilla Environmental project here (click on Mexico Projects).
Click here to read last year winner Sorcha's blogs about the project .
¡Buena suerte con tu solicitud!
