ABOUT US
NVW is a not-for-profit community interest company based in the UK. Why are we a not-for-profit rather than just a corporate business? The answer is that our main motivation isn’t to get rich, but to provide opportunities for young people that can make a difference to them and allow them to make a difference to others. We offer an approach that allows individual participants to find thei
r own way, ask and answer their own questions, have their own, personal conversation. NVW Mission Statement
‘To allow young people of all nationalities the freedom to develop and learn in a cultural context different from their own, by providing placement-based opportunities for them to travel, share in the lives of others and make their own unique contribution.’
The world is calling you! HOW DOES A PLACEMENT WITH NVW WORK? You formally apply to NVW. You will go through a few stages with NVW staff, including an ‘interview’, so that we can assess the most suitable programme and placement for you. While most applicants end up on their first-choice programme, we might be able to persuade you to consider something completely different! We then match you to a specific placement and make sure that the placement is happy to accept you. We make you an offer of placement and if you accept then you sign our Terms and Conditions and a Code of Conduct. The NVW team will help guide you through pre-departure requirements and give you useful advice and guidance leading up to starting at your placement. For some country programmes we deliver a residential Orientation on arrival, but everyone will attend web-based video sessions as a minimum. Once at your placement, your host takes on a key role supporting you on a day-to-day basis and taking responsibility for you while at your placement. It is the relationship that you have with them that becomes really important. NVW is always there in the background to provide additional help and assistance, if required, and to periodically check in on you. To help you understand the NVW model, we have developed a concept called the ‘Three Way Division of Responsibilities’. This helps everyone understand the key responsibilities held by NVW, the placement and you. Associated with this we use a ‘Ladder of Support’ model to show you who is the most appropriate contact for support, should you need it, depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue. WHERE CAN I GO? UK
The UK has been one of the most popular destinations for international volunteers for many years and that is definitely the case for NVW. We are popular with participants from Europe, Australia and New Zealand but also from both South and North America, plus a growing number from Asia. All non-UK/Ireland nationals (including EU nationals) require a visa to volunteer in the UK for more than 30 days. Most nationals require a UK sponsor before they can apply for the right visa. NVW can sponsor that visa. Placements are throughout the UK, including Scotland, but don’t expect to be in London! While NVW programmes in the UK are predominantly long term we have piloted shorter placements in local primary schools, as Community Volunteers and could sponsor volunteers wanting longer experiences through other approved volunteer schemes, such as, WWOOF. Age: 18 plus
Placement length: up to 12 months (Long Term) under 3 months (Short Term)
Long Term Placement Type: Outdoor Camp Assistant / Community Volunteer / Special Needs School Assistant / School Assistant
Long Term Start dates: August/September and January/February
Short Term Placement Types: Community Volunteer / Primary School Assistant / Organic Farm Assistant
Short Term Start dates: August/September, January/February and June/July
Poland
We understand that Poland probably isn’t the first country that you think about when wanting to spend time in Europe but you should definitely consider it. Well established, supportive programme with rewarding placements in secondary schools (plus for an even more rewarding experience a residential school for the visually impaired in the amazing town of Krakow), immersion into Polish life through a host family, mainly urban, city-based placements, plenty of free time to explore and travel, well located for cheap and easy travel to large parts of Europe. Looking for a slightly different base for your Europe experience? We are confident our Poland programme will tick all the right boxes. The NVW Programme Manager, Beata, is based in Warsaw. Age: 17 plus
Placement length: 5 to 11 months to fit with the academic terms (Long Term)
Long Term Placement Type: Language Coach
Long Term Start dates: September and January
Spain
Want to improve your Spanish? Immerse yourself into Spanish life living with a local family? Have chance to travel extensively in Spain, as well as other parts of Europe? By day you will use your native English language skills to assist in a local school, by night you will have the chance to top up your travel money by taking on private English conversation lesson and by weekend and school holidays be free to travel and explore. What’s not to sign up for? Placements in Spain are located in the region of Castilla y Leon. The largest and most historic region in Spain, with 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The NVW Programme Manager, Josh and office is based in Valladolid. Age: 17 plus
Placement length: 5 to 11 months to fit with the academic terms
Placement Type: Language Coach
Start dates: September and January
NVW are developing opportunities for non English native speakers too. Watch this space! Canada
Year Out Canada! Canada is a land of astonishing beauty from the old world charm of Quebec to the rugged Rocky Mountains. Spanning six time zones and bordering three major oceans, it is the world’s second largest country. The combination of a rich volunteer network and outdoor lifestyle offers many opportunities for adventure, travel, meeting and helping others on your year out, predominantly at outdoor camps from February each year but also in our smaller schools programme from September. Camps are situated in beautiful locations in the Canadian countryside. Some outdoor camps cater specifically for disadvantaged youths, or for young people with mental or physical disabilities. The environment and activities are the same at these camps to all other camps throughout Canada, but volunteer duties within these camps include an additional caring component. Age: 17 plus
Placement length: Camp placements are up to 10 months. School placements are for 11 months to fit with the academic terms. Placement Type: Outdoor Camp Assistant / School Assistant
Start dates: September for schools and from February for Camps
WHAT CAN I DO? Outdoor Camp Assistant
NVW has established partnerships with a wide variety of camps and outdoor education centres in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. As an Outdoor Camp Assistant, your love of the outdoors and sense of adventures will be put to good use, and could involve being trained to assist, and even instruct, in such activities as kayaking rock climbing, horse riding, hiking, archery, mountain biking, ropes, orienteering, snorkelling or sailing. You’ll also assist with the supervision of camp-goers and participate in the general running and maintenance of the camp. You will live on-site, along with a team of other young people, often from a wide rage of nationalities. You’ll have a new friendship group from the first day, work hard, but play hard too, and have amazing new experiences. Community Volunteer
NVW has established relationships with a large number of non-governmental and community organisations internationally. These non-profit groups are devoted to helping others, and we are proud to offer our volunteers the opportunity to work alongside these highly trained specialists in their field. As a Community Volunteer, you will have many opportunities to provide help and assistance to others. Community Volunteer placements are very diverse and range from working with homeless charities and residential centres for those with special needs and disabilities in the UK to a limited number of Medical Assistant placements in Ghana. Your role is likely to involve helping residents to enjoy life and live with greater dignity through assisting in activity sessions, shopping excursions, reading stories, and generally offering companionship. These placements can be challenging but are hugely rewarding and you will be sure to gain a strong sense of achievement. The Medical Assistant role will give you insight into the medical profession, supporting staff with basic tasks and patient care in hospitals and community clinics. These placements are fantastic for volunteers interested in a career in the field of medicine or nursing. Teaching and Language Tutor roles
In Ghana education can be the key to widening future opportunities for young people and so education is highly valued. NVW have usually benefited from an excellent education themselves and are well positioned to share their academic knowledge with young students in school settings. Local schools are often under-funded and under-resourced, meaning that teachers are overstretched. Having a volunteer can make an enormous difference in the students’ lives. NVW volunteers draw on their own recent educational background to help mentor and educate students and supporting fellow staff. In Poland, Prague in the Czech Republic and Spain, local primary and secondary schools welcome NVW volunteers as Language Coaches, primarily for English native speakers but with some opportunities as Spanish and German Language Coaches. You will live with a local family and share your valuable native language skills with both the family and at your school placement. Special Needs School Assistant
NVW staff have longstanding links with a number of residential boarding schools in the UK, but other countries too, that specialise in education and personal development for students with a particular disability or special need. This includes visual and hearing impairment as well as learning needs and disability. As with our School Assistant role, you will become a trusted confidant, mentor, big brother or sister, tutor, and inspiration to many students, particularly boarders living a long way from family. Each school will have specific duties that will become your responsibility. These usually involve a combination of boarding house duties, providing support to teachers in the classroom and undertaking after-school and weekend activities. School Assistant
Schools Assistants roles are at boarding schools in the UK, New Zealand and Australia and day schools in Canada. Your role is similar to the Special Needs School Assistant, but our School Assistants sometimes need specific sporting skills, such as rugby and cricket in the UK, or language skills, such as Spanish or German. You will live on-site at boarding schools and placements are often in rural settings rather than towns or cities. HOW MUCH? NVW Placement Fee: $1950 (USD)
This is the fee we charge for our expert service. We aim to make this fee as competitive as possible compared to other international experiences in order to appeal to as wide a demographic as possible. As a not-for-profit we do have a small, but growing, scholarship scheme with the aim of being as inclusive as possible. What’s included in the fee?
• Our interview, assessment and matching process to align your skills and interests with a placement that really suits you
• Identification of and risk assessed placements and a role at the placement that fits your age, skills and experience
• NVW staff based in each country programme
• Identification and assessment of appropriate accommodation (on programmes where this isn’t provided by the placement)
• Assigned NVW Volunteer Coordinator to help with all your pre-departure information, advice and guidance, including, but not limited to, relevant police checks, advice on obtaining the relevant visa (and sponsorship of the visa in some cases)
• Links with returned volunteers
• Arrival and travel to placement arrangements
• 24/7 support from NVW in-country staff and from the NVW head office in the UK
• Focus on your personal learning and development
• Certificate of completion and references (on request)
NVW negotiates with the placement to also provide:
• Free accommodation for the duration of the placement
• Food or monetary allowance to cover the cost of food.
• Weekly allowance (where appropriate)
• Day to day support from your placement host and a member of staff as your mentor
Please note, not all placements may provide the above during holidays. Costs that are not included in the NVW placement fee:
• International flights and travel in your home country to the international airport
• Visa fees
• Personal travel insurance
• Personal health and medication costs
• Additional NVW costs, including residential orientation sessions, language, teaching courses and additional home country support
CONTACT US
[email protected]
New Ventures Worldwide is a UK registered not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) Number 13487887
