Program Reviews

I signed up thinking I would be doing some sort of teaching and lesson planning! Both my parents are teachers! I really felt like I could make a difference and help. I did nothing of the sort, all I did was paint a jungle gym and do maintenance work around a school yard. I could have stayed in Maryland and done so. My issue was the lack of communication. The first day was fine as it was a holiday. The entire week was the same thing. I grew tired of doing so and was removed from the program.

I loved Tobago. This was my first time to the Caribbean but I wasn't fazed at all, mainly down to the intuitive and exemplary abilities of the host Jade.

I got to work in a school for a week. The teachers were welcoming, interested and helpful. The children were an absolute joy and I miss them a lot tbh...

I'm a big swimmer so having a beach within walking distance was a dream!! I swam most mornings, it was accessible and one of the cleanest beaches I have been on, cleanest islands actually.

The locals were fantastic, one of my highlights was popping into Ruth on the walk home after the swim and getting her roti of the day.

I look forward to going back!

I took part in the Teaching Project with my daughter and granddaughter helping out with remedial reading and classroom assistance. It was an enlightening experience for all of us. My granddaughter really enjoyed being in the school . It was lovely to see how well she and the students got on and exchanged their stories of differences and similarities in their respective schools.
We spent 5 days volunteering and 5 days exploring the islands amazing beaches and scenery. It was a perfect combination.
Jade, our V2 host was a delight and made our trip such a great experience.

The V2 experience allowed me to go deeper in to the culture than you ever could on holiday.I have come home feeling like I understand the culture, the history and the people - and with a longing to go back to those beautiful beaches and all night parties!

This was my 2nd time visiting Jamaica and I had a great time first visit but felt I didn't get to see the real Jamaica as it was very Hotel/ Resort based. So when I came across V2 it sounded perfect for what I was looking for in terms of seeing a new side of Jamaica and of course getting to work with some lovely people. And to be honest it surpassed my high expectations, it was an amazing experience! From the very beginning it was so well organised (I volunteered before with a lot of big companies around the world and believe me some of the basic things get over looked). So to have a clear itinerary, nice accommodation and then the chance to work with so many cool people in such a beautiful country was a real once in a lifetime experience, that i'd definitely recommend.

The V2 Volunteers program was a very enriching experience as a whole. The opportunity to be involved in an overseas community based program has really opened up a whole new world to me and aided in my growth as a person. V2 were very accommodating to all of my needs such as taking me to explore exotic locations and finding the most delectable cuisines. They sorted out excellent accommodation and very reliable travel to and from my volunteer community. The staff were all very approachable and supportive through all aspects of my experience and provided a superb working environment.

V2 Volunteering and Vacation gave me the possibility of experience real Jamaica. Within the scenario of International Development Jamaica is not given the importance it deserves. Through V2 I had instead the possibility to discover and understand Jamaica's problems and Jamaican's needs and then to provide help. Collaborating with local people, visiting amazing places, learning Jamaican culture has been possible only thanks to V2 great organization. The reciprocal process of teaching and learning I experienced in Jamaica will be important both for my personal and professional growth. V2 made me love Jamaica to the extent that I cannot wait to be back to enrich myself and contribute to Jamaica's development.

My experience with V2 was truly incredible and particularly useful for realizing what I would like to pursue as a career and developed my interest in community development even further. Jamaica is an amazing country, which in many cases remains misunderstood, but through V2 and my work for the Social Development Commission I was able to create a real connection with the country and the people. I saw Jamaica as it truly is rather than the imagine created by the tourism industry.

Volunteering in Jamaica through V2 was perhaps the best decision that I made! The staff was very pleasant and always ready to assist me even through the process of getting enrolled in the program.
I believe that my extensive volunteer experience through the community development program, really gave me the hands on experience I needed. I was able to not just volunteer in a field that I was studying while in college, but also garner profound life experiences.
I have, and will continue to refer all my family and friends to V2.