Always ask for approval when considering an internship.

Location: Mauritius (Covid-Free)
Deadline: No deadline
Duration: Minimum of 4 weeks

Title
​Internship/Minor

Heading
Volunteering project with children Mauritius

Short description
Our valued partner has over 15 years’ experience of facilitating students and volunteers all over Mauritius. In Mauritius, there is insufficient support for children and families stricken by poverty, violence and abuse. In response to this urgent call, the program, currently, caters for over 500 children aged between 3 months to 18 years old through residential and a large section of social work services. Hereby, they respond to physical, psychosocial, educational and biological needs.

Country
Mauritius

Project duration
Ongoing

Minimum length of stay
4 weeks till 12 weeks (extension is own responsibility)

Starting period
Flexible, arrival preferably Friday otherwise Saturday

Project fields
Social Work, Education, Administration, Child Development, Research, French, Social Development, Sociology, English, Psychology, Women Empowerment.

Project description
Our valued partner has over 15 years’ experience of facilitating students and volunteers all over Mauritius. In Mauritius, there is insufficient support for children and families stricken by poverty, violence and abuse. In response to this urgent call, the program, currently, caters for over 500 children aged between 3 months to 18 years old through residential and a large section of social work services.

The children come from dysfunctional systems and have gone through much hardship with consequences on their overall growth and development. Separated from their biological families and placed under foster care by government services, children enrolled at this program carry a history of gross neglect and abuse, which can trigger complex emotional and behavioural issues. For this reason, the program digs into unequalled experience in early childhood support to provide services that respond to physical, psychosocial, educational and biological needs.

Role of the volunteer:
Aiming for skills transfer next to leaving behind materials and methods that can be used in terms of sustainability such as a research report. You can assist at the residential houses for children aged between 4-18 years who have been removed from hostile environments. The Early Childhood Centre (0-8 years) hosts 21 children in the nursery and 85 pre-school age children. The special needs school caters for around 60 children aged 7-16 years. An outreach service is attached to the school, providing services to 30 children in under privileged areas. Working with parents is a major activity for the 3 aforementioned services. In addition to the residential and non-residential services, the program also caters for a psychosocial park for carrying out pedagogical and cultural activities for the children. A garden has been developed in an environmental-friendly venue to enhance children’s’ ability to develop their five senses and knowledge of nature.

Specific activities:
Your work will vary, depending on what is required at the time of your engagement. The majority of which will be assisting with the ongoing research projects and pedagogical activities, but can include home visits, self-help nutrition programs, fundraising events, and foster care programs.
• Helping with data collection and analysis for ongoing projects, especially with regards to social parameters fostering low child care systems. Field-based research to be done in mandatory presence of social workers includes participant observation, home visits, report writing, project monitoring and problem solving.
• Recording the social and environmental conditions of living and mapping the needs of the communities in different focus areas. • Office-based duties include data analysis, record keeping and administration, producing pedagogical activities for educational facilities. • Conducting surveys about parent and community involvement in projects.
• Training in the different research techniques and workshops held during your stay will be used to give you an insight into methodology used for early childhood care in Mauritius.

The facilities:
Supervision: at least Bachelor level; on request depending on field.
Working hours: usually Monday to Friday 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Workspace: at the project locations

Let’s Go Africa volunteer packages include:
- Suitable project with project description according to all criteria
- Pre-departure introduction & safety meeting
- Visa application assistance + flight booking and transport advice
​- Accommodation arrangements (options and costs described below)
- Airport pick up arrangements (fixed costs will be communicated prior to arrival)
- In-country introduction regarding country, project and your role
- Experienced and qualified supervisor and contact person constantly available 
- Support and guidance from the moment of registration until return back home 

Total LGA service package cost (one time amount)
Volunteer work between 4-12 weeks (extension is own responsibility): total package cost p.p. €750

The costs
Accommodation type: Self-catering private room in Beach house with shared facilities. Cost per week: €150 (paid locally)
- A deposit of 150 euro must be paid as warranty to cover any damages or outstanding payments
- Visa Mauritius: Free of charge

Please email us at info@letsgoafrica.nl for project options, an exact cost calculation or if you have any other questions.