Volunteer Travel Grant
Criteria for an Overseas Volunteer Experience:
Please tick off each criterion as confirming of your understanding and actioning (as required) of the criteria.
As a volunteer, you will need to check the level of the country you are going to in the Australian government website: www.smartraveller.gov.au and click on “travel advice by destination” and choose the country of destination. Please make sure that the specific location you are going to, is neither under the “reconsider your need to travel” nor under “do not travel” categories. You will need to keep monitoring this advice on safety and security before you leave.
The volunteer placement must involve at least 100 hours commitment (a minimum of 25 site contact hours per week).
You will need to send a statement of purpose explaining how this experience will add on to your professional and personal development and if applicable, its relevance to your degree of study.
Preference will be given to Volunteer programs that are in developing countries.
Your travel grant application will be assessed by Macquarie Abroad and you will need to meet all other eligibility based on the Outbound Mobility Program Policy, which can be found at: http://www.international.mq.edu.au/goingabroad/important/student_exchange
Please make sure you comply with all the requirements before applying for the travel grant. For example:
§ You must have a satisfactory level of academic achievement with an expected GPA of a 2.0 or higher;
§ You must be enrolled in the semester before and after your volunteer placement (if done during the university break).
§ You must have completed at least 2 full time semesters prior to submitting a travel grant application.
The participant of the volunteer experience overseas must agree to the responsibilities below:
All volunteers agree to the following responsibilities:
§ To actively participate in the work and projects involved in the assigned placement
§ To adhere to the workplace policies and procedures of their host organisation
§ To respect the property and confidentiality of the hosting organisation
§ To be respectful of their position as a representative of Macquarie University
§ To submit a final report to the PACE International Program Coordinator
§ To participate in promotional activities upon their return
The volunteer experience must take place in an organisation that agrees to the responsibilities mentioned below.
The Volunteer Partner Organisation can guarantee the following:
§ To provide an on-site supervisor, who is responsible for the volunteer's day-to-day activities
§ To provide the volunteer with an organisational orientation which addresses organisational policies
§ To give the volunteer the opportunity to gain an insight into the organisation and become familiar with its aims, procedures and activities
§ To provide space and equipment necessary for the volunteer to undertake work, and meet any work-related costs incurred by the volunteer in the normal course of the assignment
§ To communicate with the PACE International Program Coordinator on any relevant issues that come up during the volunteer placement
You will need to specify the following details of your volunteer program:
Ø Name of your Volunteer Partner Organisation/Host Organisation:
Ø Name of the Volunteer Program in which you will participate:
Ø Destination City and Country:
Ø Project Start Date:
Ø Length of volunteer work in weeks:
Ø Volunteer contact hours per week:
Ø Description of the tasks involved in your volunteer work:
Ø Website of host organisation:
Ø Contact person/volunteer coordinator in host organisation:
Ø Email address and phone number of contact person:
Please provide the following personal and emergency contact details:
Ø First Name:
Ø Surname:
Ø Student ID
Ø Current Degree
Ø Degree Year
Ø Current GPA
Ø Passport Number
Ø Passport Expiry Date:
Ø Citizenship:
Ø Email Address:
Ø Mobile Number:
Ø In country accommodation contact details:
Ø Flight Details (Airline, Flight Number, departure and arrival cities, dates and times):
Ø Next of Kin (name, relationship and 24 hour phone number):
Statement of Purpose
Please write a statement of purpose below outlining how this experience will benefit your professional and personal development.
Pre-Departure Checklist
This checklist is for your own reference, you do not need to submit it however for your own safety, it is important you have checked all of these aspects before you leave Australia.
Checklist before departing Australia
Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
Visa
Vaccinations
Proof of travellers insurance
Another form of identification e.g. Proof of Age card
Airline tickets
Assistance Emergency card from Health Insurance Company
Cash, Debit and credit cards
Copies of your passport, insurance policies, identification, credit cards
Have you left copies of all of your travel documents with someone at home
Locks for your luggage and keys
Arranged Airport Reception
Arranged Accommodation
Purchased Medicines that you will need during your time abroad and prescription translated into the language of your country of destination
The contact details of in-country volunteer project coordinator
The contact details of Australian Embassy or Embassy relevant to student’s citizenship
Registered with corresponding embassy in country of destination before arrival. If you are an Australian citizen, please register your details in the following link at the DFAT website: https://www.orao.dfat.gov.au/orao/weborao.nsf/homepage?Openpage
Contact details of closest hospital where you will be located
If different to English, knowledge of useful phrases in local language/ Purchased Dictionary & Phrase Book
Understanding of climate conditions to pack proper clothing
Understanding of luggage limit
PACE International Page 2 24/11/2010