CYA VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM 2025
SHORT-TERM VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM (STV)
Short Term Voluntary Service (STV) is defined to be called as International WorkCamp is international volunteering program where volunteers are required to stay between 1 to 3 weeks for the project and work as a team depending on the type of the workcamp which is categorized into 2 different types:
A small but multi-national workcamp which allows volunteers from different countries to work together as a team within the suggested period of time in the project sites hosted by CYA. There are minimum of 4 volunteers and the maximum of 10 volunteers plus the local leader are to be participated in the international workcamps. Volunteers spend the entire 2 weeks working together in contribution to the local experiences with their 2 days of for the free time that excursion can either be organized or self-arranged. In the international workcamps, the important features are expected to be achieved:
- On arrival Training is required to make sure that the arrival volunteers are clearly instructed about the project they are going to be in as well as the other project sites that CYA organizes. It is the chance that volunteers can know the hosting organization deeper as means of long term contact for exchanges of ideas for future development.
- Learning Service involves personal development skills through international facilitation. This includes the daily reflection meetings at the end of each day to discuss on what have been achieved for today and challenges have been faced needed for possible solutions. Local experience is the major part in making the session learnable and appreciated.
- Community Service is the specific responsibility and tasks that volunteers are instructed to do since the beginning of their applications. This is something that the volunteers come for the project to feel helpful for the community; therefore, it is always something that brings challenges – but finally appreciated.
- Evaluation is expected to be done twice – normally once before the free days and the other one before the departure. This is the session that complaints and appreciations are spoken out for the group to make change
GROUP/BILATERAL VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM
A prior set group of volunteers who make planning to work as regulated team to achieve the expected result. This kind of workcamp requires leader from both sides sending and hosting sites. The leader from the sending side is responsible for training the group with specific preparation toward the topic of the team in order to make sure the volunteers are well prepared before the project starts. The leader from the hosting side is responsible for communicating with the hosting project and directly organized the entire process. There are always reflections on the daily action at the end of the day to make sure the group has been walking on the right track. While bilateral workcamp shares the same features but not sure there specific training to be done before because the volunteers apply for the project at the different times, and they are formed as a team when they all arrive the project site. The leader from the hosting side is the one responsible for organizing the activities and the communication whereas the leader from the sending side will have to support in facilitation of the
local leader.
- Community Orientation is required to introduce to the group in order to justifythe facts of the community and the topic they have proposed and prepared for. It helps gives the impression and strengthen the motivation of the volunteers to fully participate in the program with handful contribution.
- Team Building is bounding with the individuals to share the familyship in achieving the goal with measurable standards. It requires the learning experience in the personal development of the leaders to be shared with the team even though the content had already been discussed among the team before arriving at the project.
- Program Impact is significantly required to be reflected during the evaluation in order to provide accurate justification of the achievement for the community.
- Future Actions are proposed at the end of the group project in developing the quality of impacts and maintaining the cooperation
Cambodian Youth Action (CYA) offers flexible group or bilateral work camps, allowing partners to propose dates and volunteer numbers tailored to their needs. Partners can engage in diverse CYA projects, including education, environmental conservation, and community development, across sites like the CYA Learning Center, Center of Arts, Music, and Education, and Trapaing Sangke Fishing Community. This customizable approach fosters impactful collaboration and meaningful volunteer experiences
LONG & MID – TERM VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM (LMTV)
Long and middle-term volunteering is shortly known as the LMTV program in which the volunteers are required to stay in the minimum of 2 months in the project site. This program fits the volunteers who have long-term motivation and are willing to contribute more for the project sites. The volunteers will be involved a lot more in the real living style of the locals and adapt to the situation they are in. The features of the LMTV program are mainly:
- Selecting Interview: This is the process that before volunteer is accepted with the right quality and well-oriented of the project site before arriving.
- On Arrival Training: As a matter of fact, knowing the project site and the hosting organization is a concrete asset that brings high expectations of the volunteers to stay focused on the points that the project requires.
- Cultural Living: This involves with the lifestyle difference and adaptation within the hosting family and the entire hosting community. In understanding better the real context of the living environment; volunteers are going to be asked for joining the social events as part of their leisure activities.
- Project Tasks: As specific as possible the volunteers agree to do the assigned task according to the request from the hosting site and the skills or availability of the volunteers.
- Story of change: That is one of the important feedback from the volunteers to be given after the long period of service in order to develop the project itself for better quality in maintaining the project activities
CAMP LIST IN THE FILE ATTACHED
