Volunteering Programs by Volunteer Programs Bali

I'm a french student and I was placed in the marketing department for Volunteer Programs Bali – An international Volunteer Organization – The organization provides free English Teaching and other leisure activities to Balinese children.
The organization of VP Bali comprises of a small but effective team, team members are allocated their own projects which allows for greater accountability.
I really enjoyed working as part of a group and excelled when I worked on my own projects. I learned how to prioritise my to-do list into short term and long term tasks. I valued this experience so much that I hardly noticed four months pass.

Volunteers from all the programs were very happy when they finished their lessons, we feel some atmosphere in the schools with amazing positive vibes.

Children are amazing, they are willing to learn and improving themselves and their english level.

Such an amazing opportunity !!

Volunteering in Bali was an unforgettable experience. The people and the children living there are amazing. They are open and friendly with everybody.
This was the first time for me teaching English and I loved it. The children of Bali are welcoming, lovely and helpful. You just need a few ideas and the rest just comes uncalled :) Some of them love playing games, the others competitions, it depends also on their age So be prepared for everything.
And don't forget: smile and Bali will smile back to You! ;)

i did a 2 day dance workshop at Program in the Valley during my stay in Ubud. On the second day the kids performed their dances all together and energy was high. All 100+ kids were making their rounds giving the teachers high fives and one boy looked at my hand, said no, grabbed it and touched it to his head which is a beautiful sign of respect in their culture. I have seen the kids do it before but in that moment it meant a lot that he felt the need to do something different than the rest.

I loved my 6 weeks at Program Ubud teaching English. It was an amazing lifestyle to wake up every morning and explore Ubud, take Yoga classes or just read my book and then over lunch plan my lessons and head to class for the afternoon.

The kids are truly incredible. They are so eager to learn, respectful of every new teacher and have so much enthusiasm for life. If you are nervous, don' be! Even the most inexperienced teachers get the hang of it in 2-3 days and there is a huge amount of support from fellow teachers, staff and resources at the school.
It is a lot of learning through play so most of the lessons are filled with games, singing, quizzes, competitions and drawing. There is still a lot of learning but the aim is to make it as fun as possible!

Everyone always wishes they could stay longer (especially those who do the minimum two weeks) so I really recommend to stay for 3+ weeks to get the most out of your stay.

Other notes (just because these were my concerns pre-arrival) ... I've found Ubud, the homestay and in general travelling through Bali very safe. Obviously the usual precautions are still needed but on the whole the people are lovely and you feel at home very quickly.

My biggest advice so people coming to Bali: Be adaptable and patient - both in class and just general travel. Heaps of things don't work out as planned e.g. lessons or games not working out, homestays different from expectations, food waiting times at restaurants, social experiences, other volunteers personalities... some are awesome, some aren't. Just laugh it off and look for the positive. I saw some people ruin their experiences by focusing on the negative and constantly complaining. There is so much to love in Bali...embrace that instead!

Overall recommendation: Stop hesitating and apply! It's amazing. You won't regret it! If I get the chance I will be coming back. :)

My name is Melanie and I volunteered with VP Bali at program village for 2 months starting in January 2015. I had a split day, spending mornings (10am-12pm) working with the special needs children and afternoons (2pm-4pm) teaching English.

First a bit about the school: It is founded and run by a man and his wife - locals from the community. For this reason, VP Bali is not the only organization that provides volunteers, which can at times create a bit of confusion. It is located in a village about a 10 minute drive from Ubud - it is very rural and quiet but lets you appreciate the REAL Bali. It is a beautiful village filled with beautiful people!

For the special needs program, there are a few local teachers who run a fairly scheduled week for the children. Most of the work in the morning is assisting in the classroom! Despite the fact that they do not speak much English, it is an incredibly rewarding job! I did not get the chance to experience much of the afternoons with the special needs kids but it was often planned and run almost entirely by the volunteers.

In the afternoons, I taught English to a group of 8-12 year olds. I was on my own for a good portion of my 2 months - I had co-teachers join me for a couple weeks a few times but my placement was much more long term than theirs. There is one local teacher that looks after the 3 classes - she will ensure you have the materials you need, but rarely actually teaches the classes. It is up to the volunteers to prepare lessons and teach either on their own or alongside another volunteer.

I believe I greatly benefitted from being at the program for 2 months. I would definitely recommend this length of time. Your first week is usually overlapping the last week of the previous volunteer so that you can get settled in, the next 2 weeks you will start to learn the kids names and a bit about them, it isn't until the 4th week that I really felt I had connected and began to feel valuable.

I encourage anyone who is considering this program to just commit and DO IT! I took a huge leap of faith when I applied and am forever grateful for the outcome!

There are really no words to describe the beauty of this experience... Seeing it for yourself is the best way to truly understand!

I recently spent the month of April volunteering in Ubud, Bali with Volunteer Programs Bali, and it was the most wonderful experience of my life!

I had never visited Asia before, and was a little nervous about flying so far alone from the U.K - I really did not know what to expect. As soon as I arrived I fell in love with the Balinese culture, people, food, landscape and of course with teaching and the students. The other volunteers were so kind and friendly, making it very easy to feel right at home.

From climbing Mount Batur to watch the Bali sunrise, to traditional music lessons, attending the Saraswati Ceremony in traditional Balinese dress, to walking through the Ubud rice fields and drinking from coconuts on the beach and walking through the rainforest -- on the weekends you are able to explore the island however you would like. There are so many different things you can do; I would also recommend hiring a moped to explore!

Teaching the children is amazing; they are so happy to learn English and also to have fun and be creative whilst learning. The staff are very kind and supportive too. The homestay in Ubud is beautiful, with a fountain and statue of Ganesha in the garden, and breakfast is served everyday in the form of banana pancakes and fruit, or omelette, toast and Balinese coffee! It is always clean and there is always the smell of incense in the air.

In the mornings you can relax or take yoga lessons, or go for walks, before arriving back at the homestay to teach during the afternoons. It is up to you!

I will never forget my time in Bali; the only reason I came back to the U.K after one month was because I had to return to university! I think I would have stayed much longer if I had the opportunity. I will never forget how vibrant and colourful Bali is, the slow pace of time, delicious food, the beautiful nature and fascinating culture, but most of all the friendly people. It is an unforgettable experience!

I'll be very honest - when I was boarding my flight to Bali I was petrified! I had never been to Asia before and I had 0 teaching experience so I was very nervous about just showing up here and entering a whole different world. But that feeling had lasted only few days and then I completely fell in love with everything around me; the kids, the food, the nature and the Balinese culture.

I have just finished my 10th week of volunteering and I have 2 more to go. My stay in Bali so far has been absolutely incredible. It is very hard to describe the experience because I feel like I've experienced so much that it would be enough to write a novel!!

The teaching may seem scary at the beginning but it is so much fun and so rewarding!! You can really see the kids are excited to come to the class and they are very eager to learn. The local staff is so lovely and always on hand to help out if needed. Most volunteers find it very hard to say goodbye at the end of their stay because you form real friendships with everyone around you!

The home stay has a very chilled and friendly atmosphere. The family is really nice and can help out with arranging transport or trips around Bali. The rooms are cleaned every week and the common areas are cleaned several times a day (Balinese people sweep a lot)!

Bali is absolutely breathtaking! I had a chance to explore most of the island during my stay and I honestly couldn't pick just one place I liked the most. The mountains and lakes are amazing when you're looking for relaxing time and if you need a little bit of party time you can just go to the south and enjoy the beaches and nightlife there.

I have met some wonderful people here who have made my stay really unforgettable. I'm really happy that I had decided to push my own boundaries and take on this adventure!

The balinese culture is very peaceful… Normally nothing gets stolen, we even leave our helmets in the scooters. Personally I feel very safe living here, I always leave my door open and have no problem in leaving important belongings outside.

If something goes wrong you can call kimberley. I never felt that need, but she is available.

During classes you have local teachers that help you if you need anything. They are very sweet and caring people, and after sometime you can really feel a friendship growing between you.

It is very easy and truly amazing to travel through the island. The best way is to enjoy a scooter ride through all the wonderful landscape! You have time to explore the island and even spend the weekend at the Gilis!

This is my first time teaching and you shouldn't have any concerns! You are here to enjoy being with the kids. Children have school during the morning and we teach them extra classes. Of course you have to feel like they are learning something with you but it is very important to feel like they are having fun. The kids really enjoy coming to class and learning.

I am loving this experience and I definitely feel like I am taking so much form it. You learn about so many cultures, you share time with so many people that come from all over the world and you get to travel around a beautiful mystical country.

As for packing, bring sunscreen, aftersun and mosquito repellent!!

Hope you enjoy !!