Kids Worldwide centre for arts& technology. Printing workshop
at the front.
Introduction
Since 2003, Kids Worldwide has been run from the homes of volunteers around the globe. Now it is time to provide a physical office and space from which our ideas and dreams may take wing.
Our Headquarters is based in a small eco-village in Davao, Mindanao called Blissful Village. We aim to promote Neo-Humanist education through providing teacher training programmes in progressive child-centred techniques. We also offer arts, music, environmental and technology programmes to support the local orphanages and schools in the region. And alongside all this, we do our all website admin and publicity work from here too!
Plans are currently underway for the conversion of our printing centre into a Steiner based kindergarten that will open in June 2012: Tuburan Institute. We are excited to be able to offer the premises to two dynamic and passionate teachers who wish to bring Steiner education to the southern Philippines. The plan is to start with kindergarten and increase one class level each year. Steiner education training workshops for parents and those interested are being offered twice a month until the start of the new school in June.
Christophe Gouache from France, with boys at Field of Dreams
Yoga for Kids
This is our new 2011 initiative run by Arjun, a local artist and yoga teacher, who is now based at our centre. Children learn to still and concentrate thier minds through breath control and fun balancing activities. Yoga education for children is one of the basic tenets of Neo-Humanist teaching philosophy, which we also hope to develop and spread in schools.
Field of Dreams boys being taught by Arjun (orange t-shirt)
Music Tuition
We have collected a variety of musical instruments, in which to offer lessons: keyboard, recorders, drums and violins. Children at the orphanages are loaned musical instruments on which to practise and lessons are arranged with local music teachers. Currently children at Pag-Amoma and Field of Dreams have been learning violin and recently Pag-Amoma recieved a collection of native Filipino stringed instruments on which to learn too.
Child at Pag-Amoma playing a native stringed instrument
Teacher Training
To encourage the professional development of teachers in order that they may more effectively undertake their teaching duties in their schools, we offer training in:
We are currently conducting a 3 month reading programme with Grade 3 teachers at AMSAI and Cabantian Elementary school. Teachers are getting professional development in implementing a new and exciting reading programme called AVAILLL which has been very effective with struggling readers in the USA and NZ.
In order for this programme to run effectively one laptop and a data projector are needed per school. The children learn English and vocabulary through watching movies and doing special reading activities linked to this.
AMSAI student reading.
Environmental Education & Vermiculture Project
There is a huge need for environmental awareness education in the Philippines. Systems related to waste disposal and encouraging separation of garbage need to be implemented in many places. Kids Worldwide volunteers have helped with rubbish clean-up projects at Blissful Village, experimented with solar ovens, and also directed the vermiculture project at Field of Dreams.
Vermiculture, or worm composting, allows you to compost your food waste rapidly, while producing high quality compost and fertilizing liquid. This can then be sold to organic nurseries, which provides another income source for the orphanage, and encourages more environmental friendly practices and disposal of waste.
Violin lessons during holiday program
Classroom space
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Who do we need?
We do not require any specific skills as long as volunteers are willing to participate in all the activities we currently run and are ready to show initiative. An open-minded attitude to yoga and meditation are necessary.
Volunteers will assist with some of the following activities:
· Painting and decorating the centre. Handyman skills very relevant at present.
· Office work - maintaining Facebook pages, site publicity, making newsletters etc.
· Fundraising
· Offering workshops to teachers
· Gardening and path laying
· Giving after school classes and holiday programs to kids in art or musical activities.
· Helping run the "Yoga for kids" programme
· Environmental education programmes for the local community.
Accomodation
Volunteers will be accommodated in the upper storey of the centre (the rooms with balconies pictured below). You may have to share with one other.
Vegetarian diet is provided and no alcohol is allowed on the premises.
Volunteer's room
Construction
The main construction on the centre finished in July 2011, however there are still a lot of finishing touches that need to be done. You will enjoy beautiful surroundings living in a unique coconut and bamboo house, and partake of high quality facilities. Any help with sanding, varnishing and painting will be MUCH appreciated.
Less than a month / first month
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US $400 |
Succeeding months |
+ US$250 |
Please be aware the the first month's payment includes a $150 donation, which goes towards the running expenses of the centre and to provide music tuition at the orphanages.
Project Managers
 Jay Lopena (aka Visnu) is in-charge of the construction of the project and organises transport for the music teachers to the orphanages every week.
 Kate Ericksen is in-charge of communication with volunteers, teacher training projects and website design for Kids Worldwide.
Environment
We are located on the outskirts of Davao, near Davao International Airport - in a community called Blissful Village in Indangan. We are approximately 30 minutes from the city centre, 45 minutes from the two orphanages we currently work with, and a 5 minute walk from the schools which we are asisting. Indangan still feels rural, although subdivision estates are blossoming on the road out to our place. The people in the area are subsistence farmers, labourers and unskilled workers.
It is our intention, when the centre is finally completely finished to provide limited tourist accommodation for people seeking the peace of the beautiful natural environment to relax in, to help subsidise our service projects. The centre is located in a spiritual minded community: meditation, yoga and vegetarianism are part of the ethos.
We welcome you to come join our vibrant project and spread the spirit of social service to every corner of the globe from our Kids Worldwide headquarters!
Classroom from the outside - used for workshops and instruction.
Holiday Programs
From March to May each year schools in the Philippines are closed and this is the time that we would appreciate help with organising holiday programs with the local school kids and children in the homes. Below are pictured some of the activities from our 2011 holiday program:
Face painting
Ribbon dancing
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Last
Updated:
06-Jan-2012