|
Each project is two weeks in length and is run in collaboration with well-established local organizations, associations and/ or committees (governmental and private). Each work project team will be supervised and directed by professional staff from the host organization and/ or local village. The work team will consist of up to 25 student volunteers, depending on project. This larger group will be broken up into smaller work teams as needed.
No prior experience or expertise in community development is required in order to participate.
Students involved in the community development work project in the Dominican Republic will be involved in all areas listed below.
Some community development projects involve local conservation initiatives as these go hand in hand on an island.
Accommodations will be dormitory style, meals (3 per day) will include typical Dominican meals with lots of fresh fruits and breads. Students do not need to be able to speak fluent Spanish, as some basic conversation will be covered in the ISV orientation.
Community Development Organizations in Dominican Republic
- Crossroads
- Blue Moon Project
- Community Service Alliance Project
- Bahoruco Project
- El Cachote Project
- El Salto de Jimenoa Project
Projects: (the following list of projects is updated regularly)
Crossroads:
- Teaching English to children
- Building community facilities through light-construction, painting etc.
- Recreational activities with children & families
- Food and nutrition programs for malnourished children and families
- Medical projects
- Community night with people from the village
Blue Moon Project:
- School, computer lab, sidewalk and community park planning and construction.
- Children's programs at local school (classes, recreation, music, drama, skits, puppetry, clowning, dance & games)
- Community activities, garbage clean-up and ecological initiatives
Community Service Alliance Project
- Building school and community center facilities through light-construction, painting etc.
- Full children’s program- summer camp, recreation and classes for local children (classes, music, drama, skits, puppetry, clowning, dance & games)
Bahoruco Project
- Building Larimar workshop through light-construction, painting etc. Larimar is a local semi-precious stone that can only be found in this area of the world.
- Full children’s program- summer camp, recreation and classes for local children (classes, music, drama, skits, puppetry, clowning, dance & games)
- Reforestation and Trail Management
El Cachote Project
- Building school through light-construction, painting etc.
- Full children’s program- summer camp, recreation and classes for local children (classes, music, drama, skits, puppetry, clowning, dance & games)
- Reforestation, Trail Management, helping put together an eco- trail through cloud forest with local village
El Salto de Jimenoa Project
- Building eco- community center through light-construction, painting etc.
- Full children’s program- summer camp, recreation and classes for local children (classes, music, drama, skits, puppetry, clowning, dance & games)
- Reforestation, Trail Management, helping sustainable local eco- tourism initiative to beautiful waterfall
 
Last Summer in 2007: Approximately 400 ISV participants from across the USA, Canada Great Britain and Europe were able to reach out to hundreds of children and their families in the Dominican Republic. During this time we were able to build schools, community centers and homes for families and give food and basic medical care to those who were in need. We also put on our own ISV Children's Program at all our projects – teaching basic English, Math, Geography, Natural Sciences and interacting with kids through music, songs, clowning, drama and recreation. We emphasize ecological concepts for all lessons and activities.
|
