Volunteering Programs by Volunteer Programs Bali

I absolutely loved working at the WG program. It was challenging at first as i was teaching the youngest group however i gained so much from this experience.

I learned how to be patient,and to think on my feet one thing is for sure in bali you have to go with the flow when you plan something most of the time it will not go how you envisioned it. Which might be hard to get used to as a western because we are so used to structure and doing things a certain way.

Living in the village at the WG program was just amazing as you get to interact with the locals i have been to bali twice before but this was the first time i actually learn some indonesian and the locals really appreciate it so my advice is to take a little dictionary with you as a few words will go a long way.

Its an amazing experience and even when you have had a difficult day at school because the children didn't really listen just remember why your there your there to help and teach the children something and your in paradise so tidak apa apa ( no worries)

This program was so much more than i expected. The level of commitment and passion the program leaders/organisers have for volunteer programs Bali is amazing. My experience is one that i will never forget. It was extremely well organised and easy to follow and Kimberley and Jose were very helpful with answering any questions we had for them. The children we had the priviledge of teaching were lovely and happy which made it so much more rewarding to be there. The homestay was very suitable and for the cost of volunteering at volunteer programs bali was very reasonable for the living arrangements, breakfast every morning, pick up and drop off to the school and of course the donation. Having a curriculum folder to follow and see what past volunteers had tought the students was extremely helpful although there was an obvious language barrier with most of the children it was easy to adjust as long as we spoke slowley and used many hand gestures. I was involved with the program for 2 weeks which was not long enough. I have every intention of returning in the future and staying atleast for one month. This experience is one that i can take with me and have forever and as a future primary school teacher in Australia it has giving me new ways of looking at teaching.

I understand this Yayasan is work in progress and runs of sponsorship.
My only recommendation would be for VPBali to work in a more connected way with Ketut and Nyoman; perhaps calling weekly meetings with the volunteers, as I felt little communication regarding the teaching and expectations from their perspective (K and Ny's).
Since they "run" the school, I find it would be highly beneficial to have a more open approach to the experience as a whole and receive and get feedback as well.

It's such a cliché - 'an experience that changed my life', but that's what it was :)

I came for two weeks originally, but loved it too much to leave. VP Bali was nice to let me extend my stay over and over and over again and only pay as if I'd known from the beginning what the duration would be. In the end, I did 9 weeks in Program Ubud and one in WG, so my feedback is mostly relevant for the Ubud program.

One great thing about my experience was timing: I came nearly at the beginning of the ubud program, so it was great to see it find shape and even impact some of the changes. The kids are just amazing, so willing to learn, obedient, never get bored and just open your heart. So don't be nervous about teaching, just get some ideas about what you could do before you leave - activities, games for different levels of English (Google it, ask friends, remember what you used to do in school etc).

There is a curriculum in place, there are lessons plans and suggestions filled in by the other volunteers so once you get here, just take time to read them and you'll know exactly where the kids are. After that, you can come up with games and fun stuff to review the material (it's very important to always review existing material, maybe even more than half the time of the lesson) and teach new things. You may find some of your ideas from home are useful for this or not. But I assure you, ideas will come. Just remember: make it fun and the more competitive, the better. The kids love that. Be prepared to have varied attendance, so adjut your lessons accordingly - cover the same material more than once, make sure everyone has learned a certain topic etc.

In program Ubud, they encourage co-teaching, which means you get to teach with an existing volunteer so that also helps to warm up and find ideas.

The highlight for me was the interaction with the kids: palpable progress leads to joy of teaching.

I'm happy to report no difficulties for me. The only bump in the road was not due to the place or the program, it was meeting people that do not seem to come for the right reason. That made me sad because these kids deserve everything. So make sure you come to give 100% percent to the cause, and not for fun or travel or any other reason. Of course, there is enough time to explore, but that can't be your priority. When you put the kids first, you get the most of the experience and if you're lucky enough after it, you will know your life has changed. And you will be surprised to hear everyone around you say how much you've changed also - who knew they can tell?!

Keep in mind local culture and habits: don't expect things to go on a roll, expect things to take time and plan accordingly, be proactive and organize anything you want to do, don't leave it to anyone else.

If you want to fund raise for the kids, that's a great idea. I did it after I arrived, but it is better done before so you have enough time. VP Bali can help you with ideas and logistics to use the money you raise (supplies, scholarships etc).

One small advice to make your life easier: try to get on local time. People in Bali sleep early and wake up early. You get the most of your time if you do the same - and this is coming from someone who could not get up before 10am or sleep before 12 am prior to Bali.

My daily activities included art classes (Ubud is great for that: painting, batik, cooking, pottery, you name it, it's there), spa, cycling, going out for dinner and jalan jalan - just walk around. There are many things to discover in Ubud.

In the weekends I did some trekking (Batur, Agung - this one is not for everyone, make sure you know what you are in for beforehand), visited the south of bali (Uluwatu and all the west coast there is great), went to Gili T and Nusa Lembongan (the diving is better than the Gilis and it's more quiet, so this was my kind of place. But if you like to party, Gili's is better).

Lastly, be prepared to be sad to leave, but don't spend too much time moping about it, or you'll miss the experience. You can be sad about it at home. And you can be pretty sure, the kids will remember you too. I've seen many volunteers come and go and the kids never forget anyone.

Thanks so much VP Bali. Till next time - I hope to come back soon ;)

Alex - Romania.

This volunteering program have been such a blessing and a heart warming experience. VP Bali team is very hands on and friendly, they were so helpful from the beginning and made all the volunteers feel welcomed. I joined the Ubud Program and contributed as an English teacher, helping the children learn day to day spoken and written English. We help to make this learning experience a fun one that they enjoy and will want to continue. We maximize involvement of the students by playing games, teaching them new songs and spicing it up with a bit of friendly competition. The highlight of my experience is getting to know my students as individuals, their personality, their capabilities, and their stories.

I really enjoyed volunteering with vp Bali! It was an amazing and rewarding experience for me. I volunteered for two weeks at program WG in Bedulu, a village near Ubud.
Volunteering at the Yayasan school was really nice, even though I never teached before. Our class was quite advanced and we were very impressed by the children´s creativity and motivation. It was very much fun for us to create ideas every day to equip them with new knowledge.
I stayed with some other volunteers in a very nice compound of a local family. Ketut and Nyoman were wonderful hosts and were always there to help us. Ubud is very close by, 10-15 minutes by car or motorcycle and offers many opportunities for nice restaurants, yoga, shops,ect.
Kimberley and Jose were very friendly and supportive all the time and I felt very safe during my whole stay.
All in all, I highly recommend this program to everyone! It was so much fun and an experience I will never forget. Thank you so much vp Bali team!!!

Going with VP Bali for my first experience at volunteering was a great choice! Hose and Kimberley are two amazing, motivated and passionate people who work really hard to run their projects, support the local Balinese people, look after the volunteers and make sure you are safe and have fun. I volunteered for two weeks at the yayasan in Bedulu, about 15-20 min drive from the heart of Ubud. Staying in the cosy compound with the volunteers was really nice and we formed a kind of family! In the mornings breakfast would be served and we could spend the day how we wanted with class being in the afternoon. The children are great and it is inspiring to see them work so hard. We could also go into Ubud at night to enjoy the amazing restaurants, as well as live music and shopping. It helps if you can drive a motorbike at this project so you can go to Ubud when you need without the expense of a taxi!
Kimberley and Hose are very supportive, giving you an orientation of Ubud to begin with and giving a run through of how the projects work and what to expect, as well as always being available to talk and help whenever you need. They were more than I could ask for!
Overall, my experience was really inspiring and eye opening. I would highly recommend going through VP Bali if you want to volunteer as well as meet lots of new people, feel safe and well looked after!
Thanks VP Bali!

its a pleasure of meeting vp bali team and teaching the most wonderful kids! they are very curious, motivated and eager to learn.such a pleasure to teach and to stay on bali! thank you VP Bali for this program and your support during our stay