Volunteer
with AIESEC
Follow your passion overseas
Matching & Preparation
Get
Approved
Setting
Expectations
Getting
Selected
What next? Breakdown of the site
Finding
Projects
A cross-cultural volunteer experience which allows organizations to bring young people from all over the world to work on their social impact projects, developing the exchange participants and the community around them.
Duration between 6 to 8 weeks
Accomodation Provided
Areas of particular focus
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Education
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Marketing
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NGO's
Why volunteer?
In a few words
Stories
You see people and make friends with people from a wide range of cultures - Malaysia, Singapore, Australia. We focus more on ourselves than what is around us, and I really think that these experiences in your youth help you discover what you really want a your life. Just go out and experience everything while you can, before you head into the real world.
"I was working at a children’s hospital dressed as Santa. There was one boy around 14 or 15 years old and we asked him what he what he would like for Christmas. The boy pondered for about 2 minutes, and just as I was about to get impatient he said in almost perfect English, 'Santa, what I would like for Christmas is a teddy bear, a brand new one, that will really mean a lot to me.' The way that he said it with a longing look brought a tear to my eyes and all I could do was nod."
You see people and make friends with people from a wide range of cultures - Malaysia, Singapore, Australia. We focus more on ourselves than what is around us, and I really think that these experiences in your youth help you discover what you really want a your life. Just go out and experience everything while you can, before you head into the real world.
Develop Yourself and the World
A cross-cultural volunteer experience for young people who seek to develop themselves and the world.
Cross-Cultural Environment
Be a local in an unknown environment and experience new cultures by working in a diverse and cross-cultural team. Step out of your box and broaden your horizon, becoming a citizen of the World!
Volunteer Experience
Volunteer abroad in NGOs or on projects that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals* Tackle pressing global issues to create positive impact in local societies. Don’t just travel. Develop the world.
Develop Yourself
Grow and develop by going through practical experiences and learning-by-doing. An intense crosscultural environment allows you to increase your self-awareness and solution orientation, improve communication skills and develop a global mindset.
Become the best version of yourself!
Discover the art of experiential wanderlust by working with NGOs or on projects directly contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Open your eyes towards the possibility to build, create, teach, and travel. Grab your backpack, it’s time to go!
How we help
Exchange Participant Manager
This is an AIESEC representative and your first point of contact with us. They are here to guide you through the exchange process and ensure you have the resources and help you need to get everything done quickly and efficiently.
You get assigned a manager when you completed your profle Opportunities Portal, so look out for an email over the next 24 hours to establish contact with your new AIESEC buddy.
Outgoing Preparation Seminar
Outgoing Preparation Seminar is a daylong event that is held for Exchange Participants to get a comprehensive rundown of what they can expect when travelling and ensure they are well prepared. It is a compulsory event as enforced by AIESEC International, with all committees around the world expecting participans to have attended. The event is held in the university and covers topics such as, travelling tips, representing New Zealand and problem solving.
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Have a certain degree of flexibility to increase chance to get approved to an opportunity (both Global Citizen & Global Talent)
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Take part in our preparation & reintegration seminar (OPS)
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Proactively search for opportunities
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Maintain a good budget to finance your flight, visa and insurance. Have enough financial reserves to be able to cover additional costs in the country (e.g. trips)
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Demonstrate capability to live and work in a foreign culture
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Understand and embrace your role as an ambassador for New Zealand
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Be in constant communication with Exchange Participant Manager of AIESEC New Zealand
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Share your story and experiences with AIESEC - we want to hear from you!
Our expectations
By the Sutainable Development Goal you're passionate about
Finding projects isn't hard, but with the wealth of opportunities available, deciding which one can be. The Sustainable Development Goals are a series of issues that have been developed by UN Habitat as issues that must be tackled in the upcoming years if we are to develop as a global community. They are also a great way to figure out what issues you may be passionate about and allow you to consider which projects may align to what you want to achieve.
The three SDG's pictured below represent the goals that we found New Zealand youth most care about through our Youthspeak Survey. It is also represent some of the more popular and readily opportunities available on the Portal.
Let's find some projects
Global Passport A national project of AIESEC in Vietnam, aims to provide high school and university students with English courses in a multicultural environment to gain more social and communication skills as well as self-confidence.
Start: November (depending on city)
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Volunteer 6-8 Weeks
Start on December 12 2016
Accommodation Provided
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Create an international and interactive environment for Vietnamese youth
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Aid in developing English communication skills for Vietnamese students
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Exchange culture and support international students in exploring their own adventures.
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Develop skills in presentation and business administration
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For more information go to
opportunities.aiesec.org/opportunity/768697
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Finding more projects
By country - A list of nations that AIESEC New Zealand has partnered up with to provide the best cultivated experience for you
What are partner countries?
Partner countries are countries that we have created close connecvtions with and work closely with due to our past exchange experiences with, interests in working on similar social issues and they produce projects that we believe to have a high impact.
What this means for you is that we these particular projects we can ensure you have a faster process. You can be approved for a project in around 1 week. It's that easy.
Who are our partners?
Vietnam, Slovakia, Taiwan, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand. Long list I know. So here are some of the amazing opportunities they have to offer outlined below.
Educate Slovakia brings young people from different parts of the world to do lectures and interactive workshops about intercultural communication, self-awareness, world issues, and traditions of their country, which will help them to become more self-aware and confident.
Start: January 9
Bratislava, Slovakia
Volunteer for 6 Weeks
Start on January 9th 2017
Accommodation Provided
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Aim to develop the cultural understanding of youth
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Participate and organize interactive
workshops and lectures.
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Educate in a variety of topics, including intercultural communication and
traditions of the country.
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Develop skills in communication and
leadership
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For more information go to
opportunities.aiesec.org/opportunity/778641
Embrace Taiwan is a 6-8 week project focusing on developing Taiwanese communities and making them more visible in society by art festivals, environmental activities and cultural events.
Start: November – December (depending on city)
Chiayi, Taiwan
Volunteer for 6-8 Weeks
Start as soon as November 30th 2016
Accommodation Provided
Three meals Provided
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Beautify the community by painting the walls and buildings. Help clean the environment.
Use your creativity to decorate surroundings.
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Culture sharing. Teach residents by creating foreign works of art together.(the art work can be associated with your country's characteristics and styles)
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Social Care. Accompany and chat with the elder regularly.
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Join in communities activities and help community development
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For more information go to
opportunities.aiesec.org/opportunity/764096
Find more projects in Opportunities Portal
Here's some tips
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Make sure to use the search bars and add your interests and abilities. There are sections to input your SDG interests, skills and academic background
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Constantly check for updates (A lot of projects drop in August/September)
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If you can see any projects within your time frame or you are unsure about any start dates, contact your EP manager. We can help you by contacting the local committees abroad and provide you with additional information or even projects that haven't been posted yet.
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Contact your EP manager for questions
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Look for general matching help by your Local Committee (See facebook links below)
How AIESEC helps you find and choose
AIESEC has local chapters in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington in the North Island, and Christchurch and Dunedin in the South Island. Each branch is focused around the most prominent university in that region, but it's open to everyone. We hold events and workshops often all desgined to help you find the project and get you ready to go on exchange as soon as possible. So please check out the calendar below and your relevant branch's Facebook page, we'd love to have you at our events and give you as much help as we possibly can. If you are ever stuck this is a good place to look.
AIESEC AUCKLAND
AIESEC WAIKATO
AIESEC WELLINGTON
AIESEC CANTERBURY
AIESEC OTAGO
Financing
The black and white, and blue
When you decide to go on exchange, you also have to find a way to finance your stay abroad. You have to cover the costs e.g. airfares, health insurance, food, entertainment, additional travels & the AIESEC fee. Depending on how much you want to spend your costs can range:
Exchange in Asia: NZD$3000-4000
Exchange in Europe: NZD$6000-7000
Exchange in Latin America: NZD$4000-5000
Take into consideration that you don't have to cover your living costs in New Zealand for that time, that are normally higher than the ones abroad. Some helpful ideas might be to find a subtenant for your flat to save further costs. Additionally there are other possibilites you can look into to finance your stay abroad. Here are some we have found:
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Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia:
Find all information & requirements on
http://www.enz.govt.nz/support/funding/scholarships/prime-ministers-scholarship-for-asia/?url=/how-we-work/scholarships/pmsa
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Personal crowdfunding campaign
Selection
What will selection look like?
Normally the hosting entity will contact you to run an interview, if it goes well, they will accept your application and it’s done. For several projects you have to fill an application form that you find in the description.
For our main country partners as listed above you can get approved within 7 days.
How to get ready for selection process?
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Be clear with your motivation and what can be your contribution to the project you are applying for;
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Prepare list with questions about the doubts you may have such as accommodation, food, free time management, extra activities, if something happens who to call, Job Description, how many people we will be involved in project
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Check VISA requirements in advance;
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Read the Exchange Participant Principles to understand exchange participant’s rights and privileges
What will selection look like?
The most common processes of selection are the following:
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Type A: You will get your application accepted, then the hosting entity will contact you to run an interview;
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Type B: You will get your application accepted and receive an email that tells you’ve been chosen for the project;
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Type C: The hosting entity will contact you to run an interview, if it goes well, they will accept your application and it’s done.
The selection can be a skype interview, an online form or a motivational video.
Contract:
Once you got approved to an opportunity and you accept it, you have to sign the contract with AIESEC New Zealand and pay the fee. Then please hand in three signed copies of the contract to your contact person.
Find the contract for Global Volunteer (the contract still contains Global Citizen, which is the same programme, just an old branding) and Global Talent here.
Depending on the chosen programme, pay the fee ($750 for Global Citizen, $860 for Global Talent) and send a proof of payment (screenshot of your transfer) to your contact person.
The payment is to be made to AIESEC New Zealand Inc. Bank account: 03-1790-0382449-04 (Rabo bank) Reference: Your name
What if?
Not everything goes perfectly, here's some common problems and fixes;
Once you got approved to an opportunity and you accept it, you have to sign the contract with AIESEC New Zealand and pay the fee. Then please hand in three signed copies of the contract to your contact person. Find the contract for Global Citizen and Global Talent here(upload the contracts here).
Approved?
Congratulations! You have come so far. There's a bit more to go, but don't worry, we'll be with you every step of the way.
Keep in touch with your Exchange Participant Manager for more information
Peace and fulfilment of humankind's potential
That is our goal
It's a momentous task
So let's work together.
Brought to you by AIESEC New Zealand
If you have any questions or would like help with anything, feel free to contact us using the form below.
We love to help in any way we can.