Global Community Development Program
Volunteer overseas
www.aiesecunsw.org
About us
Present in over 110 countries and territories and with over 80,000 members, AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run organisation. AIESEC offers young people the opportunity to participate in international internships, volunteering, experience leadership and participate in a global learning environment.
International and national recognitions The local chapter of AIESEC at UNSW has long been recognised nationally for our excellent programs. Our excellence in co-ordinating the Global Community Development Program stems from our student-focused servicing throughout the student’s overseas experience. We take care of the student from the pre-departure to overseas support and post-program interactions! 2012
Asia Pacific Overall Excellence Award National Partnership Management Award Global Community Development Program Excellence Award
2011
Local Committee of the Year in Australia Global Community Development Program Excellence Award
2010
Local Committee of the Year in Australia
Affiliation and sponsors
We are the world’s largest youth-run organisation!
Content 1. Program Outline
What is this program? What you will do Why AIESEC! Program selection process
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2. Student Experiences
STEP – Save the environment, people! Cultural connecting – Social awareness in Taipei Academy of Perspectives – Developing youth in Poland Child Care in Cambodia (CCC) – Impact underprivileged orphans!
3. Projects
June ~ July Projects
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Our alumni use the experience and inspiration AIESEC has provided them to be agents of positive change within today’s society.
Program Outline
What is this program? Global Community Development Program (GCDP)
provide youth with the opportunity to volunteer overseas for positive change whilst living a cross-cultural experience. The opportunities are endless, from environmental sustainability education in Malaysia, youth empowerment workshops in Romania, teaching English in Taiwan to running a Global Village in Poland, just to name a few. By offering the GCDP in many countries, we hope to expose you to new cultural environments, where you can experience the reality of living, and not simply visiting another country. Immerse in a new culture with local AIESECers, explore with your fellow program participants and experience a new lifestyle that you simply did not know existed before!
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Go overseas with the Global Community Development Program
Apply through your Local AIESEC chapter
Make an impact and live a cross-cultural experience
Key Features of the Program
Six to eight weeks in duration during university winter and summer breaks
Project on environmental sustainability, HIV/AIDs awareness, cultural and language education or community development
In one of our partner countries within South America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe (you have be flexible from a number of choices)
Flexible workload depending on the project
Accommodation provided for by AIESEC
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When can I go? We offer a number of projects during June to August and November to January every year. Projects running from June to August are popular amongst graduating students and those pursuing study exchange in semester 2.
You can specify the timeframe that suits you on your application.
What are the costs? AIESEC requires a fee of AU$600.00 for the program, which is payable within two weeks of passing the panel interview. This covers administrations and support in the host country. Accommodation is usually offered at a minimal cost by AIESEC and in most cases, free of charge.
Participants will have to cover costs for travel & flight, food and entertainment. These are dependent on the cost of living in your host country. Once you pass the panel interview, we seek to match you to a project specific to the cost of living your can support.
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Where is the program offered? Currently, the countries we are looking to offer projects in are as follow:
Ukraine Mauritius
Romania
Egypt
Turkey Poland
Malaysia Cambodia
Indonesia
Taiwan
We encourage you to inquire for other countries not listed here as our GCDP team will assist you in finding projects in other countries. We recommend that you seek a project from the countries listed as we have existing partnerships due to their quality projects from past experience. Please note that we do not offer this program in developed countries.
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Soumya raised awareness for HIV/AIDs ASK PROJECT, Ghana
What you will do Environmental Sustainability
HIV/AIDs Awareness
Community Development
These involve raising awareness about a particular social issue through educational workshops, conferences, road shows or NGO work. The issues targeted by AIESEC include environmental sustainability, HIV/AIDS awareness and community development. Your exact role and work will be dependent on the project you choose.
Cultural and Language Education Cultural education involves sharing and teaching others about your culture through workshops and events in schools, orphanages, conferences and different forms of media. Language education involves teaching English to children, youth and/or adults in a local community. There may be an opportunity for you to teach a particular subject or to empower the community through teaching them particular skills.
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Why AIESEC!
Volunteer, live and travel with a diverse group of program participants from around the world!
Get support from a network of AIESECers in the NSW region, as well as AIESECers from the host country!
Make a real impact overseas through volunteering in one of the thousands of different projects AIESEC has to offer!
Pre-departure preparation for your project through our regional conference!
Live a unique experience – projects within this program are never the same!
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Program Selection Process
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Submit an online application
We will evaluate the quality of your application to screen for your suitability in our program based on our organisation’s values and individual characteristics.
Attend a panel interview
The panel consists of alumni or past program participants in AIESEC. The purpose of this formal interview is to evaluate whether you are ready for an independent experience in a new cultural environment as an ambassador of AIESEC.
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Match to a project
Upon payment of the program fee of AU$600.00, we will approve your personal details on our online platform connecting AIESEC around the world. Our program consultants will refer you to a project based on your preferences and match you to that project to confirm details regarding your role and departure.
Go overseas!
Prior to your departure, you will attend a cultural preparation session with other program participants to help you adapt to your new cultural environment. You will meet program participants from all over the world during your experience and be supported by AIESEC members at UNSW for the duration of your project.
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Apply before the deadline! www.aiesecunsw.org/gcdp
Student Experiences
Ivan taught culture and soft-skills Academy of Perspectives, Poland
STEP
Save the environment, People! STEP is an initiative in Malaysia designed to raise awareness of environmental issues and to facilitate positive change in local schools. The project’s vision is to save the environment one person at a time. STEP approaches youth to educate them on environmental sustainability issues through conducting interactive and educational workshops.
Going on this program was one of the best things I have ever done! From visiting heritage sites in Melaka to lying on the beaches of Tiomon Island, my experience of Malaysia has surpassed all expectations. This of course was only made possible with the new friends I made on my trip. No description of Malaysia can be complete without mention of the local cuisines. The dishes range from weird to wonderful, but all are delicious, and extremely cheap compared to Australia.
Howard, Medicine
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Highlights from Howard Making new friends from Malaysia Trying new and ridiculously cheap food Traversing the UNESCO world heritage sites of Melaka and Penang Sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur Swimming at the waterfalls of Kota Tinggi Shopping in local night markets
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Cultural Connecting
Social awareness in Taipei Undertaking the AIESEC global community development program in Taiwan was one of the most rewarding decisions I've made at UNSW. Firstly, in the depth of a new culture, customs and people, I was constantly off balance and lost sight of all the familiar comforts of home and friends. I was forced to rely on my own personal strengths. Secondly, this experience allowed me to understand myself through the importance of culture and national identity that define the practices of people all over the world. Lastly, nothing can substitute the learning, experiences and friendships I gained through this experience.
Htet, Economics and Arts
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Academy of Perspectives Developing youth in Poland
My experience taught me some important life lessons. It taught me how to become a better communicator and a better mentor to youth, as well as valuable survival skills when independent.
Firstly, the experience of teaching teenagers who are transiting from adolescence into adulthood made me learn the importance of empathy. Without understanding the psyche of youth, it is difficult to teach them. We have to first connect – then teach! Youth of today are no longer looking for traditional teacher figures, but a friend and mentor. Secondly, during a snow-ski trip to the Czech mountains I learned how to survive the cold nights and to take care of myself independently. These insights really changed my perspectives on the world and I have returned from the trip a much more mature individual than before.
Ivan, Commerce
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Child Care in Cambodia (CCC) Impact underprivileged orphans!
The Child Care in Cambodia (CCC) Project offers orphans the opportunity to learn a foreign language such as English, world geography, culture, as well as the importance of education and valuable skills on how to lead their daily lives.
I taught English and raised cultural awareness at an orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was genuinely one of the most amazing experiences and I will tell my grandchildren one day! A friend once told me that going on the GCDP is like pressing the fast forward button in your life and I totally agree. During my experience, I matured as a person, volunteered for social impact and became a leader in the local community.
Christina, Commerce
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Christina taught English and raised cultural awareness Child Care in Cambodia (CCC), Cambodia
Projects
When applying for the program, it is important that you are flexible with the project offerings as they are matched for successful applicants regularly. Projects have limited intake every year so we encourage you to apply as early as possible!
www.aiesecunsw.org/gcdp
Moldova (Eastern Europe) Moldova Challenge
This is a unique project that provokes you to broaden your worldview by doing different challenging tasks. It has three parts, each spanning two weeks over a six week project. During the first part, participants will be divided into teams and sent to different regions of Moldova. You will have a goal to gather as many points as you can together with your team by implementing different challenges. During the second part you will explore the beautiful sights of Moldova. For the last part, you will hold trainings in high schools in different towns of Moldova where you will present your experience throughout the project. During your entire project, you will write on a blog to share and to document your experience. This project gives you the opportunity to develop your organisational skills and creativity in finding solutions to different tasks. You will also further your cultural awareness and teamwork as part of a multicultural team. This is also an opportunity for you to strengthen your presentation skills as you share your experience with people from around the world. ✓Food ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training ✓Global village
Available in: June ~ July
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Romania ASIRYS
ASIRYS (Attitude, Solidarity, Involvement, Responsibility, Youth, and Success) is an NGO that aims to support the progress of the community through the involvement of youth. The organisation came into being as a response to the social and economical problems that directly affected the young people. For this reason, the aims and objectives of the association does not only focus on one problem, but on the sustainable development of the whole community. As part of this project you may be asked to participate as a volunteer to help manage and promote the work undertaken by the organisation. ✓Food ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training Available in: June ~ July
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Turkey
Myself-MyWorld As a participant, you will work with high school students on summer camps to assist in improving their English language proficiency, as well as soft-skills development. This will involve:
Preparing and holding presentations about your nationality and country Conducting presentations about jobs and skills Participating in learning environment activities within AIESEC Representing your country in a cultural global village event Encouraging teens to speak English through visual/audio materials Promoting awareness of different cultures
✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training ✓Global village Available in: June ~ July
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Egypt
think green Project one ~ Feel My Children (Environmental Awareness)
Work with children on environmental protection education by raising environmental awareness, teaching principles of recycling and working on how to develop a sustainable and clean environment in Cairo. ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training Available in: All year long (six to nine weeks duration)
Project two ~ Marg to Survive
Design bio-gas plants in the El-Marg district in Cairo used to reduce garbage and solve energy and gas problem. ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training
Background required: Major in Chemical/Petroleum/Environmental engineering, bio-chemistry or chemistry Available in: June ~ August
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Ukraine
World Without Borders A national social project that aims to activate youth leadership within Ukrainian teenagers:
Teaching English while promoting development of soft-skills Promoting cultural awareness, career planning and global issues Organising events such as workshops and culture presentations Preparing a presentation of your own culture to promote cultural tolerance Engaging with the AIESEC local committee in the region
You will have the opportunity to gain experience in event management and facilitation, as well as developing your leadership skills whilst interacting with youth in Ukraine. ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training
Available in: June ~ July
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Colombia
Rie Por Colombia The main idea for this project is education! You work in NGOs or schools giving lessons to primary school, elementary school, middle school and high school students. You will be tasked to promote and educate students on your own culture and to teach them English or specific topics depending on the schools or NGOs you visit. ✓Food ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training
Available in: June ~ July
Your Perspectives, My Hope Participants in this project work with poor and drug-addictive teenagers to share culture and to bring awareness of positive values for life. You will be focused on one of three areas during your experience: leadership, multiculturalism, technical and language skills. ✓Food ✓Accommodation ✓Preparation training Available in: June ~ July
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Mauritius
Live it up against Diabetes In this project, you will get training about diabetes based specifically on the local context. After being educated on what diabetes is and how to prevent it, you will assist NGOs with their regional agendas, and get involved in awareness campaigns in youth centers and schools around the island. As a participant, you will gain experience in event management and in conducting public diabetes screening. There is also a final closing ceremony for the project in which all stakeholders will be present and overall review will be given. ✓Preparation training Available in: June ~ July
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Cambodia
My Major Project (Youth Mentoring)
Mentoring high school students on what major to pursue in university Educating high school students on the advantages and challenges of university
You will make an impact by reducing the number of students giving up on their studies in Cambodia. ✓Preparation training
Available in: June ~ July
Child Care in Cambodia (CCC)
Teaching children a foreign language such as English Introducing world geography and culture Assisting children on learning how to lead their daily lives
✓Preparation training Available in: June ~ July
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General enquiries: unsw.au@aiesec.net