Volunteer with VSA

Change your scene and become a VSA Volunteer and share your experience, knowledge, and skills to transform the lives of many. Work with our partner organisation to create a fair future for all. 

VSA will organise and fund, flights, visas, insurance, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while on assignment. 
  
About volunteering with VSA

VSA is New Zealand's largest and most experienced volunteering agency working in international development. We provide skilled Kiwi volunteers to support organisations in the Pacific and beyond through capacity building, both in country and virtually. 
  
Please note VSA Volunteers must be a NZ citizen or permanent resident. 

Our Partner Organisation

UNICEF has been working closely with the Government of Timor-Leste for realization of women’s and children’s rights. UNICEF and the Government of Timor-Leste has been working in partnership to improve the survival, development, participation and protection of children and women in accordance with:

• The Convention on the Rights of the Child
• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
• The Millennium Development Goals
• Other international conventions and agreements related to children

UNICEF programmes are aligned with the Government of Timor-Leste’s National Strategic Plan. Alola Foundation is a not-for-profit non-government organization operating in Timor-Leste to improve the lives of women and children.

Founded in 2001 by Former First Lady, Ms Kirsty Sword Gusmao, the organisation supports arrange of initiatives to improve maternal and child health, create employment, promote human rights, strengthen community development, and improve the status of women.

The Foundation has previously worked to deliver preschool and primary school teacher training projects to address challenges with the Timorese education, including limited capacity and access to resources, large class sizes and teachers who have limited education themselves. UNICEF is now working alongside the Alola Foundation to implement the Community Pre-schools Initiative. The initiative is supported through a partnership with the New Zealand Government, UNICEF New Zealand, the Morgan Foundation and H&M Foundation.

Timor Leste

Meet some of the kindest and most hospitable people; and experience the natural beauty of Timor-Leste's beaches, rivers, mountains and hills. 

The Assignment

In this assignment a VSA volunteer is required to provide support to staff in building and strengthening capacity.

The UNICEF supported Community-Based Preschool programme implemented in Ermera and Viqueque municipalities presently has 2,928 children in 104 centres and 195 facilitators. The project is implemented by Alola Foundation, a local NGO. The Alola team consists of nine Field Officers, two Project Officers and one Programme Manager. The Field Officers undertake orientation and training of facilitators annually. However, the Feld Officers themselves have limited capacity and understanding of early childhood education and development hence a new model of direct training is required.

The Volunteer

Are you someone who wants to make a difference, have a sense of adventure and like the challenge of being outside your comfort zone?  VSA Volunteers are technical experts who impart their skills and knowledge to the local community.  You will need to be flexible, adaptable, resourceful, resilient with a passion for Aotearoa and the wider Pacific community.

We're looking for a volunteer with the following:

• Experience in using participatory learning methods.
• An understanding of applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Ability to create teaching materials from existing local materials.
• Experience teaching adult learners is an asset.
• Familiarity with issues related to gender equality, violence against children, inclusive education, meeting the learning needs of children with disabilities.

Apply Now!

Apply for this amazing opportunity through our website. For more information on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.

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If you are on the VSA website, please click on the download assignment description tab above.

We are looking for a volunteer with:

• Full time volunteering opportunity in Timor-Leste
• Flights, accommodation and other expenses covered by VSA
• Use your ECE training skills to make a lasting difference!