ICA VOLUNTEERS

Introduction
ICA Volunteer Programme is affiliated to ICA Nepal which focuses its activities on human capacity building and community development. Philosophically, the group concerns itself with the factor of individual involvement in community development. ICA V has already hosted more than a dozen international volunteer groups to various development projects across Nepal.

Volunteering will help the individual broaden and develop better communication and group participation skills in addition to enriching their overall life experience. While working with several volunteers, ICA V has realized the benefits offered by volunteers from abroad who could introduce new knowledge and skills which help community development.

Objectives of the Program
The objectives of the volunteer support program are to:
• Bring freshness and new energy into the organization and the project.
• Provide alternative cultural perspective and life experience for the volunteer.
• Bring practical training in the application of participatory methods in development
• Enable local people to work alongside each other to share their skills, building capabilities and promote international understanding and action.



Volunteering for and through ICA V
Nepal is one of the unique and richly diverse countries. ICA V also works in finding the appropriate placement for incoming volunteers. Since, ICA V is working closely with a number of nongovernmental organisations and private and public institutions in Nepal, many of the volunteers will be sent to them. The duration is 1 to 10 months.
ICA V has also been undertaking ‘Development Study Tour’. ICA V has organised such tours several times for Japanese students. The participants of the study tour spend time in the rural areas where ICA V or other partner organisations have community development works.

Types of Programs
1. Volunteering Support Program
The duration of volunteer work can range from one to six months in length. ICA V can also provide accommodations for longer volunteer work if desired. Depending on the duration of stay and the opinions of the individual volunteer, there will be a one or two week long training for the volunteers run out of the ICA V main office and hostel in Kathmandu. The main objective of the training will be to acquaint the volunteers to local language, culture, and development issues. They will also be given training in ICA methods of participation in the development process. Contents such as basic facilitation skills; participatory rural appraisal; participatory strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation are also included.

Through this training the volunteer will be prepared to go into a rural community and see ICA V's philosophy of the human factor in development put into practice. They will participate in community development activities such as: literacy training, income generating training, micro-credit, environmental awareness, health and sanitation, English training, school teaching, etc.

What makes ICA V's volunteer program unique is that each volunteer will be given one staff member of the ICA team to operate as the volunteer's counterpart throughout the day. This person will serve the volunteer in terms of translator and Nepali teacher as well as someone that can answer general cultural and development questions. For those who desire a shorter initial training, this person will be someone the volunteer can heavily rely upon.

2. Internship
Nepal is a place with many opportunities for study. The possibilities of study include Nepalese culture, language, social life style, biodiversity, overall development and more. ICA -V has field offices in several districts across Nepal that will provide the students or researchers a base through which to carry out their work in the project sites. ICA V is affiliated with the 'School of Environmental Management and Sustainable Development' and ‘Darwin Academy’. Potential programs and fields of study include but are not limited to; Anthropology, Sociology, Environmental Sciences, and Development. Interns or students will have collaboration with the local university through ICA V. The internship program has a minimum of three months.

3. Study Tour
Nepal is a mountainous Himalayan Kingdom with extreme natural resources. Because of its’ uniqueness, thousands of tourists visit Nepal every year. The potential developments of tourism in Nepal still exist. A study tour offers the opportunity to learn about the problems and possibilities of Nepal and to explore the various approaches towards development while gaining knowledge by visiting project sites. The participants will therefore gain an experience that provides them understanding of Nepali culture and life style, while participating in voluntary work in the area. The aim of the tour is study and observation in each sector. The participant will have a chance to visit ICA's human development projects in different regions of Nepal including Parbat in western Nepal and the Jhapa district in eastern Nepal. The study tour is organized for a two-week period. Volunteers and Interns also will be given the option of participating in this tour. Contact directly to ICA-V for costs and other details.

4. Specific Packages:
Along with the regular long term internship programme, ICA V also conducts short term development visits for the students and others. There are varieties of such packages which are also custom designed based on the need of the group.

ICA V also customises volunteering packages based on the request and expectations of the volunteers in group. Some volunteers participated in construction activities and some in education or agriculture. Many of our volunteers spend weeks on constructing school building to helping farmers to apply a new technology. Most of the groups spent time of varieties of integrated activities.

Some of the sample specific packages organised before are as follows:

Camp Code Month Place Date Type Number
ICA 01 June Gajuri 01-15 Construction 15
ICA 02 June Gajuri 16-30 Construction 15
ICA 03 July Gajuri 01-15 Construction 15
ICA 04 July Gajuri 16-30 Construction 15
ICA 05 August Gajuri 01-15 Construction 15
ICA 06 August Gajuri 16-30 Ph/Education 15
ICA 07 September Gajuri 01-15 Agriculture 15

One sample itinerary of a two week program is as follows:

2 Weeks International Community Youth Work Camp Schedule

Day Programs Activities Remarks
Day 1st Final arrival,(meeting- Introduction, Orientation, registration etc. All volunteers should attend the orientation Well come party
Day 2nd Leave for camp Arrival in camp house/settlement
Day 3rd Work and location briefing
Day 4th Work
Day 5th Work
Day 6th Work
Day 7th Free day Recommendation for Chitwan National park or Pokhara or rafting etc For detail pls. see your guide book
Day 8th Free day Back to the camp
Day 9th Local Cultural/musical events Nepal day Home stay
Day 10th Work
Day 11th Work
Day 12th work till lunch / evaluation Preparing for departure
Day 13th Leave the camp/back to kathmandu Final evaluation / solidarity meeting Farewell party
Day 14th Departure

• Regarding Working hours and schedule we talk on the first meeting in camp house
• Food and accommodation – During this program ICA – Volunteers provide very basic and Nepali standard food and accommodation.
• Camp fee – $ 300
• The fee includes –
- Airport pick up
- 3 times meals during the camp period
- In country transportation
- Airport departure
• The doesn’t includes
- Visa and flights
- Alcohol and beverage
- All kind of personal expenses (communication, drinks, shopping etc)
• What to brings – Sleeping bag, seasonal clothes, working gloves and shoes, torch light, mosquito net, sun blocks cream, small country flags, playing materials with children, notebooks, pencil etc. ( you are staying with Nepali family so you may bring some typical presents for them).

Facilities and Procedure:
There will be a nominal charge to participate in any of the above-mentioned programs. For the volunteer and internship programs, the fees which includes all the local cost including food and accommodation, local travel for the work are as follows:
• Registration, Administration and Management = $ 200
• Language training and 3 day local visit (Kathmandu) = $ 100
• First month fee = $ 250
• Second month fee = $ 200
(So, for a 2 month programme = $ 750). From the second month only US$ 200.
• Each additional month = $200 per month (No counterpart from third month. If counterpart needed, $ 150 extra).

Where do my fees go?
Your fees will go to four main places. The majority goes to the host family and counterpart. Other portions go to the administration and community development.
The fees include the following services:
• Training in community development including ICA methods, Participatory Rural Appraisal, Appreciative Inquiry, etc.
• Nepali language training.
• Housing facility (Basic) which includes single room, common kitchen and Nepali cook, and a common toilet.
• A local Nepali counterpart with similar background.
• All domestic transportation costs one time to and from the site and 3 day visit of Kathmandu Valley.
• Free Internet/ E-mail facilities from the head office.


http://www.icavolunteers.org.np