Hello Everyone,

NEWSLETTER FOR AUGUST 2009

The old saying that 'April comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb' is an arguable one.

For us August comes in reverse of this statement. With the majority of people on holidays during the first part of the month we find that the amount of traffic on our website tends to dwindle…no surprise I guess.

By the end of the month things cannot be more the opposite. With people receiving their exam results many start to consider their gap year options…

This year has been no exception despite the recession.

We are also finding this year that the percentage of graduates coming to Changing Worlds is also increasing. Traditionally about 22% of the people who go away with us are graduates. Anecdotally I would say that that percentage has risen to around 30 – too early to say if this is a long term trend but the year 2009 is proving slightly different in this respect.

With graduates chasing all too few jobs in a crowded market (I read the other day that four graduates are going for every one job – in reality I suspect it is much higher than this) this is one impact it is having on Changing Worlds.

Changing Worlds work placements can offer graduates the chance to gain and build on their degrees (particularly in law, journalism, teaching), the chance to travel and in some cases (going to New Zealand) actually earning money at the same time!

AUSTRALIA HOSPITALITY

Unfortunately as a result of the economic uncertainties we have had to suspend our hospitality placements on the Gold Coast for the foreseeable future.

Due to employment laws we have not been in a position to guarantee work for our people on the Gold Coast for the last few years.

Employers can only, according to Australian employment laws, take people on after interviewing them.

With excellent support from our representative on the Gold Coast we have been fine so far. However the situation is now much less predictable.

Therefore in consultation with Laura our rep we have decided to suspend the programme for the next year with the plan to reconsider the situation for September 2010.

Our other Australian placements are unaffected at present - I hope it remains this way. I do know that Polly our rep in the outback has found it more difficult to place people on stations out there this year because of the faltering economy.

I will keep you informed.

BRAZIL

At the end of the month I travelled to Brazil. This was my first trip to this South American country and I went with lots of pre conceived ideas…sunny climate, sandy beaches, friendly people, exciting nightlife.

Infact I was not too far off. It’s a long flight to Brazil being exactly twelve hours to fly from London to Sao Paulo.

I then had to change airports taking me from one side of SP to the other in a taxi. What an adventure and what a city…simply huge.

I flew two hours north to a town called Ilheus in Bahia province (south of Salvador) on the coast.

There I was met by a delightful Italian man called Aldo who drove me (on very good roads) to the village of Canavieiras.

Aldo along with colleagues has set up a centre to look after the local kids in the village. His association recognized there was no provision to help poor parents with children. They were caught in a downward spiral of poverty.

In an attempt to break this spiral a group of Italians (Aldo included) created a centre for children that involves poor children from the ages of 2 up to 6. After this age they go on to state run junior school.

Bill and Cecilia Thompson from the UK approached Changing Worlds to ask for volunteer assistance and my trip was to assess the project, identify volunteer inputs and to complete a risk assessement.

I am delighted that there is plenty of scope for volunteers.

There is the opportunity to:

·        Do care work with the toddlers in the crèche (doing games and activities)

·        Do activities with the junior school children when they have finished school in the afternoons. Helping with homework would be useful (they do learn English in school but it is very basic) and creating activities and events

·        Do teaching of English to teenagers and adults in the new catering school – simple English to help those people chossing to go in to tourism, hospitality and/or catering.

It is possible to ‘mix and matc’h your input where you feel you can make maximum impact.

Volunteers must be adaptable and open minded as the laid back culture is different to anything you would experience in Europe. You will need to learn Portuguese before leaving the UK and be prepared learn more.

Volunteers would live in a guest house in town that is less than a mile from this beach!

In your free time there is plenty to do locally (take your sun tan lotion) although you would need to entertain yourself during the week as the village is quite quiet.

(I could not believe this but some of the children at the crèche have never seen the sea! – they live a short walk away yet have never been – your first outing perhaps?)

A great placement for those people who want to really experience Brazil, learn Portuguese and make a difference.

Our new Changing Worlds reps based in Canavieiras, Riccardo and Luciene, are looking forward to greeting their first volunteers in February next year.

           Riccardo, Luciene and Aldo

More details of the new Brazilian placement will be on our website soon. In the meantime if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me at david@changingworlds.co.uk.

The centre is very excited about hosting volunteers.

I am now in Mendoza in Argentina. More updates in the September 2009 newsletter.

Have fun!

David