from 2,095€

Brilliant 4.7rating (189)

Community Healthcare Initiative

location
1 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Good response rate

Volunteer project with the highest quality. This project sets unprecedented standards in quality - an unparalleled level of excellence.

Highlights

  • Promoting the importance of a healthy eating through better understanding of nutrition and the benefits of a balanced diet.
  • Collaborating with the community in order to grow opportunities within the local healthcare sector.
  • Promoting the importance of controlling the disposal of non recyclable waste.
  • Promoting the importance of preventive health measures.
  • Contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples

About the program

Healthcare support is a major benefit to any local community. This program aims to enrich the Dawasamu community through encouraging a healthier way of living.

Working with the community and local nurses in Fiji, assist in collecting data about the various obstacles facing its members, while running local public health workshops in the region.

Participants work with the official government utilizing health materials and resources to create interactive ...

About the program

Working with the community and local nurses in Fiji, assist in collecting data about the various obstacles facing its members, while running local public health workshops in the region.

Participants work with the official government utilizing health materials and resources to create interactive workshops in collaboration with recognised local authorities. You will also assist by creating supporting resources, and conducting supplementary research to assist the district nurse to collate information about individual villages, with a focus on diagnosing problem areas and monitoring recurring ailments. 

Volunteers can also look forward to interacting and making lifelong friends, visit the idyllic traditional Fijian villages and be immersed in the Fijian way of life.

Increasing Employability: Pre Departure Program Training:

Our programs are not only life-changing experiences but are also designed to help participants increase their employability. We have developed a curriculum to be completed prior to arrival in the country in order to ensure that more time is dedicated to program work once you commence your volunteer program. 


Eight weeks prior to your start date, you will complete the following online courses in preparation for your in-country program:

PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION (1 hour)

PROGRAM SPECIFIC TRAINING (1 - 5 hours)

OPTIONAL: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COURSE (10 - 15 hours)


In order to obtain a certificate for the Community Development course which is endorsed by the University of Richmond and UNC Charlotte, you will need to complete quizzes & assignments and will be given 4 weeks post program to submit your work. 


If you are looking to travel in less than 8 weeks from now, you will still complete the course however this will be done in country and all content will need to be downloaded before arrival. 


Health & Hygiene:

The work we contribute to across the globe remains important and new measures allow our participants to continue to join our programs and continue impacting positively on their world and the communities we work with. Changes to our existing protocols have been made by our health and hygiene team to strengthen our health and hygiene protocols and ensure that international standard safeguards are in place to protect our participants, staff and host communities. Please inquire for more information on the protocols. 


Typical day

First Week: 


- Saturday: Welcome and Cultural Orientation in Nadi. Followed by arrival Health & Safety briefing before beginning your journey to Dawasamu. On arrival you will be given a base tour before settling into your new home. In the evening you will experience a traditional Sevusevu (welcome ...

Typical day

First Week: 


- Saturday: Welcome and Cultural Orientation in Nadi. Followed by arrival Health & Safety briefing before beginning your journey to Dawasamu. On arrival you will be given a base tour before settling into your new home. In the evening you will experience a traditional Sevusevu (welcome ceremony) and meet the members of the village who you will be working closely with and your family who will help you settle in to the Fijian lifestyle.

- Sunday: On Sunday you will go to Church as part of your introduction to the village way of life. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience another culture and integrate yourself into the village. After church, you will have time to eat lunch and spend the afternoon getting to know your Fijian family. 

- Arrival Monday: This morning will begin with a short, introductory meeting to outline and explain your first project that you will begin working on today, as well as detailing upcoming projects that you will be a part of during your time in Dawasamu. Whilst volunteering on the Expedition program you will spend time working on a variety of projects in different villages and schools, staff having assessed the current needs of the community. The project leader will go over the plan and discuss the goals for the upcoming week. Further training on specific tasks will be given when required but always before volunteers are asked to carry out a task. Project work will usually begin, slightly later, at 9am on this first day. 

- Rest of the Week: Your working day will begin at 8am and the rest of the week will be shaped by the project work undertaken so far. Your tasks may include planning of lessons, facilitating workshops, the creation of new workshops and other tasks in support of the program initiatives such as assisting with implementation of the waste management programme. GVI aim to utilise any skills that volunteers have, if you think you could bring something new to our community project please let us know! Typically, you will be visiting villages anywhere from a 5 minute to 20 minute drive away from our base and carrying out our initiatives within the community there. Each week there will be different goals determined by the specific needs of the community at that time In the evenings, you can socialize with the rest of the GVI team and the community, as well as assisting with cooking and household duties. 

- Weekends: Free time! You can visit the capital city of Suva, visit Island resorts, snorkel, hike, go dolphin watching or just relax on the beach.


Free-time activities

In your down time you will be free to travel in the local area and you will be free on the weekends. In this time you could do day trips such as dolphin watching, visiting other islands, scuba diving, or relaxing in a near by resort. After your program there are countless attractions that can be ...

Free-time activities

In your down time you will be free to travel in the local area and you will be free on the weekends. In this time you could do day trips such as dolphin watching, visiting other islands, scuba diving, or relaxing in a near by resort. After your program there are countless attractions that can be reached after a day or two of travelling.
You could travel to the capital city of Suva, take a ferry to Taveuni - 'the garden of Fiji' or explore the interior of VitiLevu– the possibilities are endless!

We also now include cultural/local experiences. These experiences will take place once every 4 weeks. 

These activities may include: 

  • Learn to cook iTaukei food
  • Make a traditional drink from kava root
  • Learn indigenous plant medicine
  • Hike to the top of Tova Peak
  • Fish with iTaukei women
  • Weave a traditional mat
  • Visit Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park
  • Boat to Leleuvia Island


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

Medical form and passport copy

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by GVI

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 24-hour emergency phone
  • 24-hour in-country support
  • Access to Alumni Services and Discounts
  • Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
  • All necessary project equipment and materials
  • All necessary project training by experienced staff
  • Location orientation
  • Long term experienced staff
  • Meals while on project (except on work placements for long term internships)
  • Safe and basic accommodations (usually shared)
  • Welcome meeting

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

  • Additional drinks and gratuities
  • Extra local excursions
  • Flights
  • International and domestic airport taxes
  • Medical and travel insurance
  • Personal items and toiletries
  • Police or background check
  • Visa costs (where necessary)

Airport Pickup at Nausori Airport

We will ensure, whenever possible, that one of our dedicated staff will be available to meet you at the airport. We will arrange with you prior to your departure that, should you arrive in the agreed upon pick up window, a member of our staff will be there to welcome you, easily identifiable in a GVI t-shirt or holding a GVI sign and wearing a friendly smile. This means there will be someone there to greet you as you land, and from there you will be transported to your GVI base to start your adventure and meet the rest of your team.

Accommodation

GVI Dawasmu is located in a bustling village right next to the beach, meaning you can hear the waves crashing from your bed. Boasting magnificent sunset views and swaying palm trees, this is the perfect place from which to experience Fiji’s famous culture of hospitality and warmth. The Dawasamu base is also close to Moon Reef with its resident pod of Spinner Dolphins. Accommodation during your stay includes basic dormitory style rooms in a Fijian bure, with wooden walls, a tin roof, communal kitchen, work area, and general living space.

Food & Beverages

Food on base is a basic, mostly vegetarian diet consisting of local produce subject to in-season and locally available products, which participants take turn in preparing for the group. Breakfast could be porridge, eggs and beans, fruit or pancakes, lunch maybe rice dishes, vegetables, pasta and sauce, etc. and a typical evening meal may include pasta, beans, rice and vegetables in a variety of sauces and flavors.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Nausori Airport (SUV) in Suva. We assist you to find cheap flights to Fiji. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Fiji provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Fiji you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Fiji. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

2023

  • 19 Aug 2023
  • 02 Sep 2023
  • 16 Sep 2023
  • 30 Sep 2023
  • 14 Oct 2023
  • 28 Oct 2023
  • 11 Nov 2023
  • 25 Nov 2023
  • 09 Dec 2023
2024
  • 06 Jan 2024
  • 20 Jan 2024
  • 03 Feb 2024
  • 17 Feb 2024
  • 02 Mar 2024
  • 16 Mar 2024
  • 30 Mar 2024
  • 13 Apr 2024
  • 27 Apr 2024
  • 11 May 2024
  • 25 May 2024
  • 08 Jun 2024
  • 22 Jun 2024
  • 06 Jul 2024
  • 20 Jul 2024
  • 03 Aug 2024
  • 17 Aug 2024
  • 31 Aug 2024
  • 14 Sep 2024
  • 28 Sep 2024
  • 12 Oct 2024
  • 26 Oct 2024
  • 09 Nov 2024
  • 23 Nov 2024
  • 07 Dec 2024

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 2,095€
2 weeks 2,295€
4 weeks 2,845€
6 weeks 3,495€
8 weeks 4,045€
10 weeks 4,695€
12 weeks (max. stay) 5,345€
Average fees 1,270€/week

Program fees

1,270€ per week 1 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

1 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with GVI during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

GVI

Brilliant 4.7 rating (189 reviews)

Agency - founded in 1998

Verified by Volunteer World

  Good response rate

Coordinated by

Bianca

Spoken languages: English

About the project

GVI tackles critical local and global issues by operating award-winning education and training programs on sustainable development projects around the world.

Meet your organization

Founded in 1998, GVI runs programs in 21 locations, in 13 countries around the world, each manned by our own staff and aligned to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs as well as the objectives of local partners. We welcome participants from all around the world and help facilitate their development into global citizens. This is how we achieve our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.


We are truly a global family brought together by our dedication to long-term positive impact. At the root of our success is our commitment to investing in authentic, meaningful connections with one another, which is why mutual respect and trust are central to our operations. Although we respond with empathy to difficult situations, we believe that most circumstances can benefit from taking a light-hearted approach. By sharing stories of local achievement with our teams worldwide we build the momentum to catapult us toward our vision for the future.

189 reviews · rating4.7

Josie Keey rating5

2023 at Community Healthcare Initiative

Definitely do the GVI programs in Fiji if you get the chance. I had the best time. It is such an amazing place. The village is right on the beach, so you can go swimming snorkelling, scuba diving and dolphin watching in your free time. Silana is such a lovely community. The villagers are all so ...
Nanna Madsen rating5

2024 at Empowerment of Women

My journey started out pretty chaotic as my flight to Ghana got cancelled. I got on a new flight and when I arrived in Ghana a day later than expected, the airline had lost my luggage. I called GVI Ghana and the staff helped me to sort the situation quickly. Overall I am really pleased about my ...
Mary Christensen rating5

2024 at Community Development Internship

GVI is a passionate organization that works diligently to promote life long learners and explorers. As an intern with GVI, I was able to explore the culture of my country of choice, serve a purpose greater than myself, and meet friends all around the world. I highly recommend this program to anyone ...
Pam Parkes rating5

2024 at Women's Empowerment Internship

I really enjoyed my recent trip to Siem Reap. The accommodation was very good, I upgraded to a single room with aircon and en-suite and had a fabulous room overlooking the pool. Food was excellent with plenty of choice, both in the guest house and local restaurants where we ate in the evenings ...
I got to live in the rainforest for a month volunteering with GVI in Kekoldi, Costa Rica. Everyday with could see various exotic birds just from the base. Toucans were more common to see than pigeons in the city. We surveyed different trails in the rainforest (during the day and night), listening to ...
Nyla Tait rating4.6

2023 at Jaguar and Wild Cat Conservation

The GVI experience is one I wish everybody had the chance to have! The staff are so kind and welcoming. The activities are challenging and fulfilling, but still fun. I personally went on GVI Costa Rica, which was a great trip. You really get to know the locals and the meaning of the work you are ...

Location

Oceania > Melanesia > Fiji > Dawasamu

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Contact Bianca
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English

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