Youth Theatre News

Platform2: fully funded overseas volunteering for 18-25 year olds

Platform2 sends young people (aged 18-25 at time of departure) away on 10-week trips to developing countries such as Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Nepal India or Peru where they take part in community volunteer projects. Examples of work include basic construction work, teaching basic English, day care and after school clubs, nature conservation tasks and community development activities. Volunteers are especially encouraged to share their skills with communities, for example through drama, art or music. Upon their return to the UK, Platform2 works with those same volunteers to raise awareness of poverty and global issues in their local communities in creative ways best suited to the individual volunteers, again through such avenues as plays and monologues, music events and art.

The programme is fully funded by the Department for International Development meaning that there are no significant costs to the participants, which is really quite unusual for this type of overseas volunteering experience. As a result of our government funding their target group is young people who wouldn’t normally be able to afford or get the opportunity to have this type of experience. They are aiming to send 2500 young people by the end of 2010 so this year and next are key years for them and there are plenty of spaces left on their trips which depart every other month until then.

Much more information is available on Platform2’s website or via the freephone number: 0800 988 68 28.

Applications can be done online or via post – the form is available to download and print from the website.