Disability
VSO Ghana has gained recognition for its work in disability through the production of Protect Yourself, the first ever HIV and AIDS awareness video for both deaf and hearing people. VSO has also supported the Special Education Division of the government to develop a strategic plan and a draft policy on special needs education in Ghana.
Volunteers are working with community-based organisations that promote livelihood options for people with disabilities, access to quality basic education by children with disabilities and the rights of women with disabilities. Volunteers focus their activity on improving management structures of institutions and community agencies and developing networking, awareness raising and advocacy activities.
Education
For many years, education volunteers in Ghana were mainly fulfilling classroom teaching roles, but in recent years there has been a shift to placing volunteers in management and training roles within district education offices and teacher training colleges. These volunteers are working to improve the quality of teaching, supporting Ghana Education Service staff to implement effective school management systems and increasing awareness of HIV and AIDS prevention. Volunteers are also supporting civil society agencies to advocate on educational issues as well as encouraging community involvement in school development as a means to addressing barriers to girls’ education.
The shortage of classroom teachers continues to be addressed through our national volunteering programme. VSO Ghana has been working with the National Service Secretariat to offer support and guidance as they develop the National Volunteer Programme to recruit newly qualified Ghanaian teachers from urban areas to volunteer in rural areas. When the Programme was launched in 2003, 54 teachers took part; in 2006/07 more than 8,000 volunteers participated; and in the 2007/08 academic year, 13,000 volunteers were posted to all the 10 regions of Ghana.
Secure livelihoods
This is VSO Ghana’s newest area of work and focuses on reducing poverty in four of the poorest regions of Ghana by increasing opportunities for individuals and communities to earn an income. Volunteers with organisational development and management backgrounds are working with government offices, local non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations to improve their ability to provide efficient services and support for disadvantaged communities. Volunteers are also supporting enterprise development programmes, market facilitation and providing technical support to farmers.
Youth volunteering in Ghana
People aged 18-25 can apply to do fully-funded placements lasting three months in a number of developing countries, including Ghana, through the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme.
VSO ICS volunteers work on two projects in Ghana. In Asamankese of Eastern region, volunteers from Ghana and the UK work with after-school clubs and community groups to provide careers advice, training on livelihoods activities and to promote agriculture amongst young people in communities where cocoa farming is the main source of income. In Talensi of the Upper East region, volunteers promote gender equality and inclusive education in schools; activities also include supporting community groups to improve adult literacy and encourage their children to stay in school.
Find out about International Citizen Sevice.
Contact us
Get in touch with VSO Ghana at:
PO Box AN6526, Accra North, Ghana
Find out about volunteering
By volunteering abroad with VSO you get to put your skills, energy and personal qualities to work helping people break out of poverty. Interested in volunteering abroad?
