Which projects does Volunteer Programs Forever have so far? And where are the projects located?
Volunteer Programs Forever is supporting its pilot project located in Bali, Indonesia. As being it the pilot project, this project has been fully operated by the founder of VP Forever itself, Kimberley Vanderheyden.
In January 2013 the first project of VP Forever started in Bali, Indonesia. Volunteer Programs Bali offers free English classes for Balinese children from 6 to 18 years old. The English classes are given as an after-school activity and as an addition to the Indonesian school and is not compulsory for the children. Currently, an average of 500 children per week are following the English classes of VP Bali.
The classes are taught according to an international ESL curriculum, with the implementation of creative subjects such as art, culture but also a lot of sport and play. The motto of VP Bali is ‘creative learning’ in which the children learn English through play, role play, conversation, music and the like.
In addition to the English classes, VP Bali provides a scholarship program for students to be able to follow higher education. There are also monthly events and workshops with different themes of nutrition, health, nature and waste management.
Volunteer Programs Bali also has a cultural program where students can learn Balinese dance to expand their skills and to preserve the Balinese culture.
There are a lot of activities in the local community and VP Bali is always very involved. By attending various Balinese activities, ceremonies and giving donations, VP Bali has a large share in the local community and is highly respected.
In addition, VP Bali creates a lot of employment for the community. They do this by hiring and training local staff, creating jobs for drivers in order to provide free transportation for the children to come to school, supporting local families offering accommodation for volunteers and creating jobs within the community for other projects and workshops.
Achievements:
- Weekly attendance of an average of 500 children in the age range between 6 and 18 years old to attend VP Bali’s free English classes.
- 80 students receiving a scholarship to continue their higher education.
- 15 local staff working at VP Bali
- A reach of more than 10 villages within the Gianyar district where children attend VP Bali’s classes and where the communities support VP Bali
- Cooperation with 2 well known and large villages in Ubud area for community support
Volunteer Programs Bali was set up as a pilot project by the founder of VP Forever; Kimberley Vanderheyden. Because VP Forever believes that programs must be tailor-made and in line with local cultural heritage and traditions, Kimberley has put all her time and energy into the pilot project.
What are the core values that keep the community together?
What keeps members of the community and their companies from using their full potential?
Kimberley has gathered the answers to these questions and many other questions and implemented them in the project. In this way she has been able to ensure that this project can be an example for future projects of VP Forever.
Currently in 2020, after almost 7 years of VP Bali, VP Forever can proudly say that it has achieved several goals. Developing sustainable methods of education through English classes, creating job guarantees for local staff and working together with local partners and communities is high on VP Forever’s agenda.
The organization is always growing and expanding to different areas in Bali, and the number of local partners and communities is growing monthly.
All staff members of VP Bali are trained in house and are given opportunities to grow in their professional and personal life.
The next step for VP Forever is to support and guide its pilot project to become self sufficient, to be sustainable and to be able to guarantee job security for its local staff and community.