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Hello Everyone,
NEWSLETTER FOR OCTOBER 2009
October is the month when school talks begin again after a lay off from the summer term. It’s always good to get back in to the class room (as an ex teacher) and feel the chalk dust beneath your finger nails once more....
Seriously though the talks are always fun…we have added our extra destinations and projects to our existing presentation and added video as well. I think it is even better now but I guess it is for others to judge. Certainly the feedback we have received from schools and colleges has been most complimentary!
We have decided to include a schools induction day package to our services this year. Those of you who have enjoyed our interview days will know all about the activities we do with potential applicants. We are pretty much well rehearsed in this over the last ten years and wanted to use the resources and personnel in a new situation.
Hence the reason for why we are now encouraging schools (particularly sixth forms) to invite us in on their induction days when we can do these various team building activities with the students. It is all fun but does give teachers a greater understanding of their students and their strengths and weaknesses.
PHOTO COMPETITION
We have been really amazed by the number of entrants we had for our photo competition during September and October.
We selected our four best photos of volunteers in action and put it to the vote.
The winner was Amber Lees who selected Photo B (below) as the winner. Amber has selected the Bradt Travel Guide book for Tibet. Amber is presently travelling across Asia and is heading towards friends in Malaysia. She then heads to Tibet so the travel guide comes at a perfect time for her.
Photo B was taken by our ex volunteer Nick Aspinall. Nick went to Kenya with us earlier this year.
We are in the motions of setting up a new competition shortly. Do keep an eye on our website at:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx
FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS
Most of our volunteers who went away in September are now beyond the ‘dreaded three week’ period’ and settling in to their new life and work.
Lyndsey however left for New Zealand in the middle of October to work on a horse farm and wrote:
Hey david,
Sorry only just got some internet access! Arrived safely on Saturday. Dived straight into work and riding, having a great time! Claire and Gavin are really friendly and making me feel at home.
Will keep you updated on how Im getting on.
Lyndsey
Lyndsey then wrote:
Hi,
Roger (the Changing Worlds rep) has been in touch with Claire regarding getting together for dinner. I'll email him today to just say hi and make some plans.
Loving NZ so far, work is good and I'm getting paid as I'm acting as a main guide for the treks....which is nice!!
Thinking about buying a car. The cottage where I am staying is fairly remote so it gets a bit quiet in the evening, so reckon a car would be good to get around and meet people.
Hope all is well back at Changing Worlds!!
Be in touch again soon
Lyndsey
Adam Dobinson in South Island (as opposed to North Island) has gone one step further and purchased a car…a common occurence in NZ. Why? Because cars are cheap and public transport is poor!
Here’s the car!
Adam is having the time of his life in Queenstown. He writes:
Hello David,
Just had an email from an Adam, I'm happy to answer any and all questions anyone has coming out here, its a very easy place to sell!! i love it too much here!
So no worries about people contacting me, it'll be great having a few new faces, i love to meet new people as you know!
So glad i'm here and not home, I love winter but hate those early dark nights, I use to hate going to work in the dark and then
coming home in it too! (Its Summer in New Zealand now!)
I'll try and get a photo sent over to you, i dont have my own computer so i borrow either joe or michael's so i dont have photos stored anywhere but facebook!
Hope all is well and look forward from hereing from you and new changing worlds peeps!
Adam Dobinson
Do check out Adam and his bungy jumping on his Facebook!
Jay in Mendoza, Argentina has settled in well although the school where he is placed seem pretty indifferent to having him in the classrooms. He writes:
Hi David
Things going well. Cant believe I´m nearing the end of the 4th week already! Scary stuff! My blog is being updated regularly offexploring.com/jayharlow . Although, the shool isnt running as smoothly as I was hoping, lack of organisation means I´m often left without stuff to do etc...
However, I have lots of volunteering at Instituto Intercultural, assisting all levels of English language teaching with adults, and also working on English language services at the library of the university. And, I´m very much enjoying these. Lucila and I are going to look for any other opportunities too.
If you don´t mind, would you be able to put me in contact witht the chap I met at the breifing day. His name escapes me unfortunately. He had a big book of pictures from Argentina, and had very much seen it all. I´d like to enquire more of his tips etc... and prices and stuff of local excursions. I´m starting to plan.
I´m actually thinking about taking five days or so out to do this each month that remains or so, as opposed all in one go over Xmas...I´m informed Xmas time (Dec/Jan) is when South Americans "holiday" and for this reasons all the places will be busy (not to mention hot, theres a heatwave here at the moments, which Im struggling with!) and accomodation hard to find etc... I also think I´d find it hard living out of a backpack for however many weeks. What do you think? Obviously I´d need to speak to the respective placements in advance and check their ok with my absence.
Hope this all sounds ok.
Jay
Find out more about Jay’s amazing adventures through his blog at:
http://www.offexploring.com/jayharlow
I will keep you updated of other volunteers feedback on our blog at:
http://www.volunteergapyear.blogspot.com/
Also do please go to our Facebook account to see what people are upto!
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Changing Worlds has recently teamed up with TEFL England and TEFL Scotland to encourage our volunteers to take part in their courses. They offer a range of courses from two days upwards.
I thought this would be an excellent platform for those volunteers who are thinking of using TEFL in the short term (on our teaching projects) and in the longer term (as a career opportunity).
As an ex TEFL teacher myself I can see all the benefits of completing these type of courses. Its all about bringing ideas to the classroom.
Thanks to Joe for all his assistance in setting up this new partnership.
MIND THE GAP INSURANCE
Changing Worlds does not organise travel insurance. We are not insurance brokers.
We are mindful that there is a whole collection of insurance brokers out there – and some are better than others. Over the last ten years we have got to know who works and who does not.
I met with Michael at MTGY and discussed the importance of having the right type of travel insurance cover for the right situation.
Changing Worlds is now encouraging all our participants to check out the policy of MTGY and compare it to others.
Travel insurance is a compulsory part of taking a placement with Changing Worlds – however it remains the responsibility of the participants to make sure they have adequate cover before leaving home (and not letting it expire whilst overseas).
To find out more about do contact Mind the Gap Year insurance at:
www.mindthegapyear.com
For quotes please mention Changing Worlds and e-mail to:
info@mindthegapyear.com
Telephone: 0845 180 0059
BRITISH STANDARD 8848
Jill Baughen has continued to help Changing Worlds on our understanding and eventual adoption of BS8848.
BS8848 is a standard recognised by the British Government for all suppliers of outdoor activities (including gap year organisations) to work towards.
Whilst we still have a long way to go Jill is working tirelessly to examine our present programme to see where we fulfil the standard and where we need to make adjustments for the future.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
With our youngest daughter Felicity in hospital Shirley and I can only thank Jill for going off to New Zealand and Australia for us this year.
Jill will be wearing her BS8848 hat and looking closely at our programmes in these two countries.
Jill (with her husband Jeff) will be starting in the Bay of Islands in North Island, New Zealand and visiting our work placements there. She then heads south to Masterton where we have participants working on a stud farm.
Crossing on to South Island Jill is visiting our participants working in Queenstown before heading to Dunedin. Changing Worlds has been approached by a school in the city for volunteers – they want assistance in their outdoor and sports departments. Jill will be investigating this new possibility and catching up with our old friend Liz who used to work for Changing Worlds. Liz and her husband Pete (who used to help us out on our interview days!) emigrated with their family to New Zealand five years ago. We are hoping Liz will take up the challenge of being a Changing Worlds representative in Dunedin. Watch this space.
From Kiwiland Jill says goodbye to her husband Jeff and heads across the Tasman Sea to Brisbane and Australia. Jill is visiting our participants in Mount Isa and in Brisbane before heading home.
More details to follow next month.
PRE DEPARTURE COURSES
January 2010 may seem a long way away but for Changing Worlds we need to be briefing people about going away in the New Year.
We have been busy briefing all our participants about heading off – we include information about visa application procedures, departure details, orientation on arrival, placement details, host families where appropriate, health and hygiene, safely and security, risk assessments and use of free time (sorry Jill ‘down time’!)
Thanks to all the returned volunteers who have helped us on the briefing courses and to all those who have supplied healthy advice about the adventures ahead. It really does make a big difference for those about to head off!
If you are a returned participant who would like to help us in the future then do let me know at:
david@changingworlds.co.uk
I am off to South Africa (for the first time) later in November and am looking forward to this trip.
More to follow.
Have fun!
David
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