Why Volunteer in the Pacific?
Volunteering in the Pacific holds a whole host of opportunity. From the option of working with remote communities in Fiji, to learning about immense culture through teaching at Indigenous schools in Australia, or surrounding yourself in the awe inspiring beauty on placement in New Zealand. Whether you want to step far outside your comfort zone or just travel as far away as possible, volunteering in the Pacific will be an incredible experience for you.
What type of placement can I do?
Lattitude Global Volunteering offers placements in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. In both Australia and New Zealand you can work as a Schools Assistant in traditional schools. This offers you the chance to get fully involved in all aspects of school life, from helping in the boarding houses, assisting in the classroom to participating in school trips and taking extra-curricular activities. It’s a great chance to really get to know life in Australia and New Zealand and make fantastic friends both amongst your fellow volunteers, students and colleagues. Alternatively, in Australia you can work in Indigenous schools where you will get a fascinating insight into aboriginal culture and community and will really be able to experience something completely new and different.
Similarly, in both Australia and New Zealand you can work as an Outdoor Instructor on Outdoor Education and Activity camps. These camps are often in areas of immense beauty, in rural parts of the countries, and are a chance to be really hands on, leading adventure activities such as kayaking, abseiling, rock climbing and orienteering. You will also participate in the general running of camps becoming a solid member of the team. These placements allow you to learn so many new skills such as leadership, communication, team building and initiative.
Fiji offers you something completely different. Working in remote areas in very basic conditions, placements in Fiji are challenging but immensely rewarding. We offer Community Teaching placements which may involve full classroom teaching, English teaching and assisting in the local community. Placements in Fiji are for those with a sense of adventure, who are extremely adaptable and ready to take on a challenge.
Why should I volunteer for at least several months?
Long term volunteering is extremely important to establish and sustain REAL overseas volunteering. Those who offer their time for more than 3 months are able to contribute so much more than those who only spare a few weeks. Short term volunteering, or ‘Voluntourism’ can often even be detrimental to the development of local communities and can have a negative impact for both volunteers and the community they volunteer in.
Instead, opt to volunteer for a significant length of time where you can really get to know those you work with, your new community and most importantly your hosts. Take the time to understand their culture, try new things and fully experience everything that is different from what you are used to. Whether or not you enjoy every minute of your volunteering experience, you most certainly will be learning more than you would ever imagine. You will bring back memories that will last a life time and will have become not only more independent but a more knowledgeable global citizen.
Volunteer with a charity, such as Lattitude Global Volunteering, who really care about the communities they work with, and ensure that volunteers only go where they are needed and do not take jobs away from local people. We make sure all our work is done alongside local communities so we, as an organisation, and all our volunteers can learn and develop through contributing in a positive way to host organisations and placements.
So where can you go in the Pacific:
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Australia
Living and working in Australia allows you to experience the country’s rich cultural heritage and environment first hand, whether in the vibrant cities, the rugged Outback or the northern tropics.
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New Zealand
Aotearoa, “the Land of the Long White Cloud”, New Zealand is justly famous for its stunning scenery and dramatic landscape, featured so prominently in the Lord of the Rings films. Friendly, welcoming and laid back.
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Fiji
Fiji comprises a group of 333 islands in the tropical South Pacific with a mixture of Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian and European influences. The local people are warm, friendly and extremely generous.
