Ghana

Placement locations

The majority of placements are located in the south, around Accra and Takoradi with a few slightly further inland.

Roles explained

Teaching

Many of our host schools are run as private charities to help the local community. The majority of schools have a kindergarten (2-5 years), a primary department (6-12 years) and several have a junior secondary department (13-15 years). We also have placements in a senior secondary school (16-19 years) which is more suitable for graduates.

Volunteers can teach a variety of subjects including English, Maths, Science and other subjects depending on their skills and the school’s needs. Volunteers working with pre-school children will also do some care work and help with any extra-curricular activities. Schools are very under-resourced, but you will find that the students are eager and willing to learn and the more effort you put in the more you will be rewarded. Resourcefulness, initiative and ingenuity are key attributes needed.

There is plenty of opportunity for proactive volunteers to get involved in more than the role of a teacher. Often volunteers set up extra-curricular clubs such as sports coaching, drama or music clubs. These clubs are often very well attended by the local school children and become a great part of the week for the community and also the volunteer to enjoy.

Community Development Worker

Our placements in Ghana are embedded in local communities, designed to deliver sustainable outcomes that make a positive impact on members of the local community. Working in support of the UN’s Millennium Goals, our Community Development projects focus on local intervention programmes that support national priorities. We support programmes for economic growth, which build resilience and support the long term benefit of overseas communities.

Lattitude volunteers have worked on programmes that support women’s empowerment, HIV and AIDS education programmes, engaging local youths in education and sustainable food production. Volunteers will work closely with local staff and in addition to involvement with project activities Community Development Workers can also be involved in the planning and management of the project, monitoring and reporting. Some projects give the opportunity to work alongside in-country volunteers,

This role is a unique opportunity for enthusiastic and committed individuals to gain essential professional experience in community-level international development, while also developing transferable employability skills in leadership, communication, team work, confidence, cross cultural understanding and problem solving.

Health Worker

Health worker placements are some of our most challenging but rewarding placements. Based in local health centres, volunteers help the local staff, who are usually overworked and responsible for almost everything medically-based in their community. The role of a local health centre is vital within a rural community and is greatly respected; it’s rare to find doctors or nurses at rural health centres, so the demands on local staff are great and your support and flexibility will be much appreciated.

The role does not require any technical or medical experience and you will volunteer under the supervision of local staff (although if you do have experience, that would certainly be welcomed). Patients who require specific treatment are referred to a district hospital. Typical activities of a Volunteer Health Worker will include: assisting with some of the running of a health centre, looking after a basic pharmacy and providing general administration for patient care, helping to maintain patient records, assisting with activities with babies and under-fives and monthly baby monitoring (weighing) and feeding, assisting with outreach programmes and involvement with health education campaigns. You are also likely to have the chance to involve yourself in other community activities; this will often be encouraged and developing links with the community through your role as a Volunteer Health Worker will help you easily make contacts and friends and help you to experience, explore and understand the culture of a rural area.

Sport and Education

Lattitude works in partnership with organisations such as the Football for Hope (FFH) movement which uses sport to re-engage young people. FFH builds on the historic hosting of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and harnesses this enormously popular sport to address education and health challenges in underserved communities across Africa. One of the first FFH centres was built in Cape Coast in Ghana and Play Soccer Ghana (PSG) was selected to be the Centre Host.

In the Cape Coast area, PSG is part of an extensive network of NGOs, from which it draws partners in the delivery of its activities. In summary, PSG provides grassroots educational programmes that seek to promote development through sport. It provides a 48 week curriculum to girls and boys aged 4-15 to provide them with the health and social skills they need to live healthy and productive lives.

Volunteers on this placement will be helping to educate the users through a range of different sports. Volunteers on this placement should have an interest in sports and will be focussing on raising awareness, training, peer education, resources development and teaching.

Placement details

Our placements in Ghana are with local community organisations and in schools.

Accommodation

Most volunteers live with a host family providing a unique opportunity to live amongst local people. Ghanaian society is far more traditional than western society and your hosts will expect you to live as a family member and spend time with them, whilst welcoming you with open arms. Some volunteers choose to live in staff accommodation or have a room in a boarding school. This gives you more independence, but you will still be living close to teachers and students. You are free to travel at weekends and during school holidays, provided that you let your host know that you will be away.

Food

Although accommodation and food is provided by the host, due to the developing nature of Ghana, volunteers will be requested to contribute financially to their food costs if volunteering on longer placements beyond 3 months. This amounts to around £50 per month, paid in advance.

Is it for me?

Volunteering in Ghana will be rewarding, challenging and full of surprises. Volunteers must be aware that the Ghanaian way of life is very different to life in the UK and they must therefore be sensible, mature and respectful. If you are up to the challenge of making a difference by volunteering in a completely different environment, living in basic conditions and becoming immersed in a new culture then this could be the placement for you.

Need to know

• Pre departure briefing - all volunteers are invited to a group briefing prior to departure
• On arrival - all volunteers have an orientation in Accra

Free time and travel

As one of the region’s more prosperous countries and with over 50 ethnic groups, Ghana offers visitors a diverse and welcoming introduction to the African continent. Explore the country by boat, bus, train or air and witness a range of sights, from beautiful beaches and stunning national parks to lively cities. At weekends or during your holidays from work, you could travel to Mole Park in the North of the country, and find yourself face-to-face with forest elephants, gazelles and baboons. Alternatively, head south to Lake Volta: this vast body of water is the world’s largest artificial lake and provides Ghanaians with hydroelectric power.

Ghana is situated just a few degrees above the Equator, so in the past volunteers have chosen to spend some time cooling off on one of the country’s many handsome beaches. Ghana is blessed with hundreds of kilometres of picturesque coastline, and the two fishing villages of Busua and Dixcove are particularly favoured for their sandy assets. History buffs will also find fodder for their curiosity in the country’s ruined European forts, such as Cape Coast Castle. If you have a spare weekend but do not want to travel far, you can also explore the local culture and traditions. Music and dance are highly diverse in Ghana, and each ethnic group and occasion has its own individual dance. Also, you cannot travel to Ghana without noticing the importance of textiles to its culture. Locals buy their preferred cloth first then ask a tailor to make them into clothes. Past volunteers have also taken advantage of this and enjoyed getting some one-off garments made up for them at very reasonable prices.

Costs

Lattitude Global Volunteering fee:
All departures: £2,500

As part of the placement the following is provided:

What’s included?

• Accommodation & food (provided by host, but a small contribution towards food will also be requested)
• In-country support
• 24/7 support
• In-country orientation
• Assigned Volunteer Coordinator to help with all pre-departure support and offer guidance
• Pre-departure briefing
• Debrief
• Airport pickup
• In depth matching process to align your skills and interests with a placement that really suits you

Please note this fee does not include the cost of getting to Ghana or extras such as insurance or any inoculations you may need. For an estimated break down of all costs you may have to budget for please click here

Fundraising

As a charity we always recommend our volunteers fundraise to help meet the costs involved in volunteering overseas. In many ways it is part of the whole experience. For more information and fundraising ideas please click here

Planning your trip

*Application deadline refers to the time by which your application must have been accepted and the £25 interview deposit paid.

Please note that the deadline is the last possible time allowed to get an application form in that allows us enough time to match volunteers and begin sorting out visas.

We always recommend applying as early as possible in order to secure your place.

We are currently accepting applications for departures in 2016 and 2017.

Volunteer in Ghana: Apply now>>