You will be working at variety of centres, caring for the needs of
children and adults who are physically and mentally challenged, sight
and hearing impared, or have been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Each location
needs help in different departments, and all welcome both lay volunteers and
trained specialists.
Duties include planning and assisting with teaching lessons, tutoring,
leading activities, running workshops including sports, arts, cooking, and
carpentry, or simply spending time with the students. All play
an important role in giving them the pysical and emotional support they so badly
need, to help them perfom the simple everyday tasks that most take for granted,
thus improving their self-confidence, and self-esteem.
These specialized schools are under-funded and under-staffed, and rely on volunteer assistance to provide adequate care and attention to their students. With your help, the faculty will be able to concentrate their resources and offer the students more individualized care, allowing them to learn and progress at an accelerated rate.
Schools for the hearing impared
Some 120 students attend the schools, in class
sizes of 15 to 20, arranged into two groups. One for children aged 6 to 15; the
other for young adults, 16 to 23. The classes for the younger students focus
on general schoolwork (maths, English, science, music and the like), whilst the older students are encouraged to
participate in workshops and life-skills classes.
Schools for the sight impared
Other projects which are in constant need of
assistance are the centres and special schools for the sight impared, which
support around than 100 students, (children and adults). They provide basic and
specialized education to their students, whilst offering additional services to
other memebrs of the community, including a small clinic, integration into
society, and providing occupational therapy in gardening and textile making.
Schools for Down Syndrome
The centres for children and adults with Down
Syndrome help a wide age-range of students. Younger children receive help with
their schooling, and take recreational classes including games, singing and
music, whilst older students are helped in areas such as ceramics, cooking,
gardening and computers so that they have the necessary tools to support themselves
in later life. There are around 120 students at the project, and as individuals
with Down Syndrome require a high-level of care and attention, there are on
average only 6 students per class, cared for by the 25 teachers and staff and
volunteers at each location.
All projects are in desperate need of
assistance from qualified and experienced volunteers, but everyone is welcome,
and the students will benefit from your help regardless of your qualifications
or experience. Far more important are compassion, flexibility, patience, and
above all, enthusiasm.!
Your project will generally run Monday to
Friday, (mornings and afternoons), with some opportunities for week-end and
evening work. Although the facilities at most of the projects are basic, you
will be provided with any teaching aids or other materials you may need.
