Global Xchange at Crisis Skylight Newcastle

Global Xchange (Newcastle - Namibia, Rundu)

Global Xchange (GX) is a partnership between VSO, The British Council and other partner organisations around the world. Working directly with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Global Xchange is part of the pilot year of International Citizen Service (ICS). In Newcastle Global Xchange will be run through Crisis Skylight.

The programme has been set up to allow young people (aged between 18-22) the chance to live, experience and volunteer in another country and culture with the aim of promoting international cooperation, understanding, youth action and service development. The volunteers all live in pairs (one from each country) in host homes and work voluntarily in pairs in organisations in both communities.

The 2011/2012 exchange

In Newcastle the programme is being delivered in partnership by VSO and Crisis Skylight Newcastle. In October 2011, the 10 UK volunteers will head over to Rundu in Namibia for 3 months of volunteering at an orphanage network called Mehozetu. Having met and worked with their 10 Namibian counterparts, they will return in January to volunteer in Newcastle for a further 3 months.

Crisis are very keen that, in the Newcastle phase, the placement organisations we are working with are working with a similar client group. We are looking to collaborate with organisations who support adults to progress and develop in various areas of their lives where they may have (or have previously come across) various barriers in doing so. Essentially we are looking to work with projects that support people in their employment, housing, health and wellbeing needs as well as projects focussing on community development etc.

Get involved

There are a variety of ways that YOU or your ORGANISATION  can get involved:

1) Become a volunteer placement organisation for a pair of volunteers: If your organisation supports people in their employment, housing, health and wellbeing needs or focuses on community development, would benefit from an extra pair of enthusiastic hands and have worthwhile opportunities for a pair of volunteers. The placements can be part-time (1-2 days/week) or full-time (3 ½ days/week) and they are for 12 weeks January to beginning of April.

2) Host a pair of volunteers in your home: If you have one or two spare rooms with separate beds and you or your family would benefit from a unique cultural exchange. Find out more about  this opportunity.

3) Become a supporter of the volunteer activities: If you would like to take part in and support activities/events with GX volunteers or have a particular ideas of events and issues that GX volunteers might want to get involved with or have resources that GX volunteers could use from January 2012 - beginning of April 2012.

4) Become a GX volunteer in future programmes: visit the GX website to find out more about the programme and how to sign up.

Contact Crisis Skylight:

Melisa Maida or Nick Sinclair
t: 0191 222 0622
e: melisa.maida@crisis.org.uk or nick.sinclair@crisis.org.uk
or visit the Global Xchange website www.globalxchange.org.uk