Behinderung und Entwicklungs­zusammen­arbeit e.V.

Voice Ghana – Ho, Ghana

Voice Ghana is a self-representative organisation of people with disabilities, who stand up for the rights of people with disabilities in Ghana. They support more than 50 self-aid groups in the Volta Region (in the southeast of Ghana). Voice Ghana is networking with other organisations and focuses on educational work and public relations about inclusion, gender justice, HIV/AIDS.

Tasks for volunteers:

The volunteer should build a bridge between the mainstream- and special schools in Ho and Voice Ghana. There are different opportunities for voluntary work:

• Office- and self-aid group assistance (in the Volta Region)
• Support of the integration of pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools (school assistance). The volunteer reports the challenges, barriers and successes to the organization Voice Ghana.
• Depending on ability and interest: Collaboration in the physiotherapy department of the local clinic.

Requirements for volunteers:

• English language skills
• Willingness to learn the local language
• Interest to participate in the NGO
• intercultural sensitivity, self-sufficiency
• Experience with children/ youth (with disabilities)
• Ability to work in a team/team-oriented, willingness to communicate and cooperate
• Experience in self-representation and NGO work is an advantage, but not a must

Number of volunteers: 1-2
Accommodation: in host family
Departure: from September
Stay: 12 months
Note: Disabled volunteers are welcome!

Gbi Special School for the Disabled – Hohoe, Ghana

The Gbi is a special school for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities/ learning difficulties. In addition to basic school education and the learning of everyday skills, it also offers professional orientation, e.g. in tailoring, batik or shoemaking.

Tasks for volunteers:

• Support teachers in the vocational training area of the special school
• The volunteer may also provide individual support or assistance to single youth
• In consultation with the employees, the volunteer can also develop his/her own offers. 

Tasks for volunteers:

• Support teachers in planning, preparation and execution of teaching.
• Individual support can be offered
• Social competence exercises can be performed
• Depending on interests, volunteers can develop their own creative- or sport activities.

Requirements for volunteers:

• first experiences with people with disabilities and in the pedagogical field are of advantage
• with pleasure training or study in (special) pedagogical or educational area
• Adaptability and intercultural sensitivity
• English language skills
• Openness to learn the local language

Number of volunteers: 2
Accommodation: Host family or on school grounds
Departure: from August
Stay: 12 months

Nneka Youth Foundation

Nneka Youth Foundation offers learning opportunities like summer camps, mentoring, coaching, reading promotion and scholarship awarding for youth with and without disabilities.

Furthermore, the Foundation organizes advanced training for teachers. The Foundations aim is the empowerment of youth and to strengthen their skills. In addition, accessibilities to high-quality education should be achieved to strengthen the entire community.

Tasks for volunteers:

The volunteer will support the Nneka Youth Foundation in all working areas:

• reading promotion programs in school
• summer camps
• programs for young mothers

Requirements for volunteers:

• Confidence to guide groups
• good social and communication skills
• intercultural sensibility
• first experiences in working with children
• good English and computer skills are desirable

Accommodation: Host family
Number of volunteers per year: 1
Departure: July/ August
Stay: 12 months

Salvation Army School for the Deaf - Swedru,Ghana

Established in April 1994 from the Salvation Army Rehabilitation Centre, the school started as a school trial with only 8 pupils and a single teaching day a week. By now, more than 100 pupils visit the “School for the Deaf” in Swedru.

The volunteer will support the school teachers and assistance in executing classes and projects. 

Tasks for volunteers:

• Support for teachers in class and in projects
• cooperation with teachers 
• depending on the volunteers interests and qualifications: development and implementation of his/her own projects in consultation with the school management.
• specific actions, topics and aims need to be discussed with the local school management 

Requirements for volunteers:

• enjoy dealing with children with disabilities
• favourable previous experience with the target group
• Sign language skills or willingness to learn the local sign language
• Willingness to cooperate with the local teaching staff

Accommodation: Host family
Number of volunteers per year: 2
Departure: August/ September
Stay: 12 months

Note: Deaf volunteers and people with hearing impairment are welcome!

Be The Change Foundation, Elmina Ghana

We are an official non-governmental organization in Ghana, operating in Ampenyi, in the Central Region of Ghana. Very close to the historic city of Elmina.
The main purpose of our project as a school and training center is educational and qualification training to help reduce poverty. Our goal is to provide access to education for as many children from poor families as possible, while our primary vision behind the project is to provide sufficient basic needs by providing clothing, shelter, health care, education and nutritious food.

Tasks for volunteers: 

• Support to accompany children to school 
• Support in the purchase of learning materials such as school uniforms, books
• Public relations and fundraising for financial support  
• Support in the sending and placement of young people in training professions such as hairdresser, driver, carpenter, etc. 
• Support of the local school in teaching, especially in the free Saturday courses  
• Organization of leisure activities for children and young people
• Depending on interest and qualification: support of the nursing staff in the local hospital ward 

Requirement for volunteers: 

• English language skills required
• School or university degree desired, experience with children and young people is beneficial
• Enjoy working with children and young people  
• High level of cooperation and teamwork with other volunteers
• Communication skills, intercultural sensitivity and adaptability desired 
• High level of responsibility and trust respectful interaction with each other and empathy

Number of volunteers: 1-2
Accommodation: Apartment or host family
Departure: August/September
Stay: 12 months 

NORSAAC – Tamale, Ghana

NORSAAC has the vision of a self-determined society in which everyone lives a life in dignity and enjoys equal rights. NORSAAC works together with a large network of several hundred women, children and young people in the north of Ghana and supports them in demanding their rights. The organization carries the ideas and wishes of the women into political bodies to enable changes on a regional and national level. NORSAAC has school projects as well as offers in which it works together with entire village communities.

Work areas of NORSAAC:

• Education of women and men in the field of gender equality
• Research, advocacy and political work in the field of gender
• political education of young women 
• vocational training for women
• Health education and care during pregnancy
• sexual education of women, men, girls and boys
• Programs to get women into leadership positions

Tasks for volunteers:

The organization offers volunteers the opportunity to work in different fields of work, depending on their interests and previous knowledge:

• Political work
• Educational programs
• Health Programs

Volunteers can help with the organization, implementation and documentation of the various projects

Further tasks are the

• Support of the social media channels of the organization
• Maintenance of the homepage (after a briefing - no previous knowledge required)

Requirements for volunteers:

• first experiences in educational or political work or in the health sector would be an advantage
• Adaptability and intercultural sensitivity
• English language skills
• Willingness to learn the local language

Accommodation: Host family
Number of volunteers per year: 2
Departure: from August
Duration: 12 months