Vanuatu

Vanuatu is a collection of islands, made up of primitive rural villages and dramatic landscapes.  Outside of the capital island life has not changed for generations.  90% of Ni-Van children attend primary school, however due to limited places and cost many do not continue.  Volunteers work within poorly funded and resourced schools and help to directly educate Ni-Van children.

Placement locations

Placements are located on many of the outer islands, click here to view a map.

Is it for me?

In Vanuatu you will work as a full-time teacher and draw upon your own educational background.  These challenging placements will suit academically confident, hardworking and responsible people.  You will discover if teaching is for you while truly immersing within the rich culture.  You must be willing to forgo most luxuries, even running water and electricity, and truly integrate into island life.  

Placements explained

Teaching placements are in primary and secondary schools which are basic and have limited resources.  Volunteers teach a range of subjects such as English, maths, science and geography.  Additional duties may include assisting with extra curricular activities such as sport (soccer, volleyball and basketball), music and drama.  Volunteers work full school days.

Accommodation & food

Accommodation is either provided within the host school or with local families in the surrounding community.  The accommodation is extremely basic and rudimentary; there are bush toilets, no hot water, bucket showers and little or no electricity.  Some food is supplied but volunteers may also need to supplement their diet with extra food which they purchase and prepare themselves.  The local diet is quite simple and often consists of rice, bread, local cabbages, vegetables, fruit and tinned meat.

Support provided

Before you go:

• We find out more about each volunteer through an interview which helps us select the right people and after a second interview, we match them to a placement that’s right for them.
• Once selected, each volunteer is allocated a Coordinator in the Melbourne office who assists them with all preparations.   They provide briefing materials, support with logistics such as flights and visas and are there to answer any questions.
• Everyone attends a briefing camp to meet other volunteers and Lattitude staff, identify their learning needs and hear from returned volunteers.
• All volunteers sign our Code of Conduct to ensure that our expectations of each volunteer are agreed and clear from the outset.

When you're overseas:

• We have paid staff based in each country.  Our Country Managers oversee the program and work with a team of Local Representatives who provide support in the local areas and develop close relationships with placement hosts.
• Each volunteer attends a one-week orientation on arrival in Vanuatu which includes a teaching skills course.
• Each volunteer is visited at their placement soon after arrival by an in-country staff member to check how things are and provide additional support if needed.
• We work with Embassies and High Commissions to ensure we can respond to any situation and provide 24/7 emergency support from Melbourne.

When you're back:

• We recognise that coming home can be difficult and provide one-to-one support, with onward referrals for further professional support if needed.  Volunteers are invited to debriefing events and become part of our network of alumni.
• We undertake reviews against the learning needs identified before going overseas which may form part of a reference provided at the end. A letter can also be provided to use towards an application for Youth Allowance.

Costs

These costs are for Lattitude placements in Vanuatu in 2014

Lattitude fees (exact costs):

 
You will also need to budget for the following (approx costs):

 
Other costs associated with your time away may include obtaining a passport, purchasing any additional clothing required and arranging travel vaccinations.

Funding

A range of funding options are available, find out more here.

Travel

The main opportunity for travel is during the school holidays and at the end of your placement.  Vanuatu has a wide range of unique experiences to enjoy: swim through an underwater world of shipwrecked luxury liners, coral gardens and caves off Luganville; camp by an active volcano on Ambrym; or kick back and enjoy the beautiful beaches, waterfalls and jungles found on any of the tiny off-shore islands.  For a change of pace, head to Port Vila and immerse yourself in the French-inspired café scene or just wander the rambling streets of this attractive harbour-side town.