Vanuatu

Vanuatu Volunteer Projects

Experience something authentic and real. Help give back to the beautiful people of Vanuatu.

WHY we need you in Vanuatu

Vanuatu teaching review - Vanuatu

Why Involvement Volunteers International?

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Volunteer in Vanuatu

Experience the rich culture of Vanuatu! With over 33 years of service, you can trust IVI to provide a worthwhile experience supporting local communities. From marine conservation to teaching, nutrition, and more, Vanuatu offers a world away from home, with friendly locals, beautiful deserted beaches, and some incredible lagoons for swimming on days off!

Our nutrition projects are particually important here and IVI has already seen improvements in the health of the local people, since setting up this project!

Choose from projects involving Public Health & Nutrition, Teaching, Construction, Cyclone Rebuilding, Marine Conservation and Cultural Orientations. 

Volunteer Projects in Vanuatu

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NUTRITION & PUBLIC HEALTH

With guidance from a qualified in country practitioner, assist with health checks in the local community & villages, including blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and height.

Location: Port Villa & surrounding islands 
Start Dates: 05 JAN 2020, 21 JUN 2020, 08 NOV 2020 
Min Duration: 2 Weeks
Min Age: 16 Years
Special Requirements: Nutrition, Health, Nauropathy, Physio & Medical students/ Qualifed professionals

*Currently not running until 2023. Check back soon or join another exciting project!

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ENGLISH TEACHING

Teach English, Physical Education, Music or Arts & Crafts to primary or pre school children. Assist local teachers in the classroom, plan lessons and other fun activites or teach your favourite sport!

Location: Port Villa
Start Dates: Weekly All Year Round (Sat/Sun Arrivals)
Min Duration: One Week
Min Age: 16 Years
Special Requirements: N/A

*Currently not running until 2023. Check back soon or join another exciting project!

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MARINE CONSERVATION

Volunteer on a paradise island! Help the local experts in various tasks such as transporting grids to pre-selected project sites and positioning the grids on the ocean floor.

Location: Pele Island
Start Dates: Weekly All Year Round (Sat/Sun Arrivals)
Min Duration: One Week
Min Age: 16 Years
Special Requirements: N/A

*Currently not running until 2023. Check back soon or join another exciting project!

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CONSTRUCTION & CYCLONE REBUILDING

Assist local skilled workers and help with the rebuilding after cyclones, or general construction work in the community. This could be homes, schools and local buildings.

Location: Port Villa
Start Dates: Weekly All Year Round (Sat/Sun Arrivals)
Min Duration: One Week
Min Age: 16 Years
Special Requirements: N/A

*Currently not running until 2023. Check back soon or join another exciting project!

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CULTURAL ORIENTATION WEEK

Explore the beautiful sights and learn about the local culture before your project starts. This is a great way to meet the other volunteers and to feel comfortable in your new surroundings.

Location: Port Villa
Start Dates: 1st Monday of each month (two in June & July)
Min Duration: One Week
Min Age: 16 Years
Special Requirements: N/A

*Currently not running until 2023. Check back soon or join another exciting project!

Vanuatu

What's Included
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Airport Pickup
  • Local Transportation
  • 1 Day Orientation
  • 24/7 In-Country Support
  • Project Materials & Equipment
  • Pre-departure Expert Advice
  • Preperation Tools & Checklists
  • Certificate of Completion

Fees

All prices in USD
  • 1 Week - $445
  • 2 Weeks - $555
  • 3 Weeks - $765
  • 1 Month - $975
  • 2 Months - $1895
  • 3 Months - $2775
Vol House

Specialty
Projects


- Marine Conservation


All prices in USD
  • 1 Week - $495
  • 2 Weeks - $795
  • 3 Weeks - $1145
  • 1 Month - $1495
  • 2 Months - $2995
  • 3 Months - $4395
Vol House

Specialty Health
Projects


- Nutrition & Public Health Outreach


All prices in USD
  • 1 Week - N/A
  • 2 Weeks - $1150
Vol House

33 Years Experience

IVI is an Australian charity & non profit organisation founded in 1989 and is one of the pioneers of overseas volunteering successfully placing over 20,000 volunteers globally.  We accept volunteers from all over the world and place them in meaningful overseas missions.  

Affordable Volunteer Travel

We’re not motivated by shareholder profits.   Our fees are fully transparent to ensure maximum benefit where it is most needed. 

Safe & Responsible Projects

All projects include a dedicated 24/7 in-country management team, operational & risk assessment & overseas support contact.   All projects are personally inspected to ensure very high quality.
 

Work Experience & University Credits

We place thousands of Uni students and can assist you with course credits and in-field experience points.   Many of our project coordinators are qualified practitioners in their respective fields allowing unique in-field supervision and Uni accreditation options

Covered in tropical rain forests, mountains and volcanoes, Vanuatu is a stunning group of 88 islands in the South Pacific. With the vast majority of islands uninhabited, the total population stands at approx 250,000. With the Solomon islands to the north, Fiji in the east and New Caledonia to the south, Vanuatu is known for it’s mostly volcanic archipelago, incredible diving, stunning scenery, warm and friendly hospitality and laid back rural lifestyle with calm atmosphere.

For most in Vanuatu, farming is the main source of income, hence significant economic issues exist in most parts of the country. With the main export crops consisting of beef, timber, copra, squash and cocao, many crops are highly influenced by local weather and cyclone damage and flooding are common. Tourism is becoming a major component of the local economy however there is not the strong tourism undertone that you would find in Fiji for example. It’s much more low key.

Very few employment activities exist outside the towns and regional government centers. Most villages outside Port Vila (the capital) have no electricity, and access to piped water is a luxury in many parts. Local traditions are strong and have been heavily influenced by colonization by the British and French. Christianity is the main religion practiced. 

Vanuatu is warm year round and has a tropical/ sub tropical climate.

Novemeber to March is summer, which has an average temperature of 28 degrees. This brings hot, humid and rainy weather, as well as cyclones. Most of the resorts are in the South of the island, due to it’s cooler climate, less rainfall and less chance of extreme waether.

Winter is from April to October, with much cooler temperatures of around 23 degrees. The sea is warm all year round- perfect for swimming! 

Vanuatu is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Dances, ceremonies, artistic styles, authority status, and cultural traditions can vary from island to island and district to district. The locals are so friendly and welcoming to tourists. Within villages, tribal alliances are still intact and money does not play a significant role in their daily lives. The pace and lifestyle is also very laid back. Do not worry too much about this, enjoy the island time!

Port Vila, the capital and main hub of Vanuatu is situated on Efate island. The architecture has mainly french with the population quite multicultural including ni-Vanuatu, Chinese, Vietnamese, British and French. Port Vila has all the standard facilities you’d expect from a commercial hub such as hospitals, shopping districts (note Vanuatu is a tax haven so duty free!), sports stadium, hotels, casino, museums and cultural centers. The town is a great base for divers who come for the trips to Mele Cascades, a large rain forest water fall with rock pools and incredible scenery.  As the commercial hub tourism plays an important role, however it does not feel ‘touristy’ especially in the areas where IVI services. Here you can get to know the locals and truly experience the authentic lifestyle from outside of the tourist resorts.

Pélé, is a volcanic island located north of Efate (Port Vila) Vanuatu. This remote destination is inhabited by less than 250 villagers. Since 2003, Pele is a Marine protected area and a popular diving location with various reefs, mangrove forests, lagoons and seagrass beds. Pele’s main source of income comes from tourism, but don’t worry it feels way off the beaten path. Income from tourism is distributed by the Village Tourism Committee and supports aims as village water supply projects.

Daily boat transfers are available from the north coast of Efate. This is truly a tropical paradise with steep volcanic faces and white sandy beachs found in various locations.

Accommodation is in a dedicated house very close to the beach! Volunteers will share a bedroom with up to 2-4 persons per room (single gender rooms). There is WiFi included in public areas, laundry facilities (at small additional fee), lockable rooms, cold/warm showers, bed linen, mosquito protection and fans included. Volunteers are requested to bring their own towel.    Living with other volunteers in a dormitory-style house is heaps of fun and a great way to meet like minded travelers. The volunteer house is in close proximity to a basic supermarkets, ATM, fresh fruit and vegetable stands, petrol stations and bus stop.

*For couples or those wanting more privacy, private rooms in the volunteer house are available for an additional US$150 per week, subject to availability.

*You will be expected to clean up after yourself, and to play your part to keep the accommodation neat and tidy.

Accommodation and Meals are included for the duration of your volunteer program. 3 meals a day on weekdays and 2 meals a day on weekends will be provided for the duration of your placement. Food will be mainly authentic to the local culture which includes plenty of chicken dishes, coconut based curries, dhal (lentils), fresh fish, saffron rice and tropical fruits. Meals are served at your home stay each day or at the project site. There is also filtered water available at the volunteer center. Bottled water is also readily available in Vanuatu.

*If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply for the program so we can make arrangements for you.

An optional one week orientation is a great way to prepare yourself better for the coming weeks where you will be more engaged with the local communities. Learn more about the culture of Vanuatu including a city tour and visits to interesting locations. You’ll have the opportunity to learn the local language, take Melanesian cooking classes, visit the blue lagoon and spend time being a tourist before your volunteer experience begins. The orientation weeks start on the first Monday of every month with two in June & July.

An arrival airport transfer is included for pick-ups on Sundays. If arriving on other days, you’ll need to make your own way to the placement.  We’ll provide instructions for this and will assist you. If arriving on the Saturday, you’ll need to book an extra nights accommodation in advance at a cost of US$50 p/night including meals. Local travel to the projects and other sites is also included in the cost of the program.

Weekends are always free for relaxing or sightseeing of your choice. Our team on the ground will help you organize additional trips at local rates! There’s heaps of things to see and do in Vanuatu, from museums and cultural centers to island hopping, hiking, water sports like snorkeling, diving, boating and fishing etc. 

Would you like to raise money in order to afford your trip abroad to volunteer? Or perhaps you would like to set up a funraiser to gain enough money to give as a donation to the local project? Crowd funding is a great way to do this. Read this article on Crowdfunding tips to find out how you can raise funds for your trip.

 

Weekends & Extra Tours

Ready to Volunteer in Vanuatu?

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Articles

Vanuatu Review- Father & Son Volunteering

Once again thank you so much for your support and encouragement. It was such a unique and wonderful experience for Nick and I. We were so well looked after by Lynne and Marysan and we will always be so grateful for their care and support which really went beyond what we could have expected. Our experience at the school was …

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Vanuatu Review of Primary Teaching

I had an amazing time in Vanuatu with IVI. The coordinators were absolutely lovely and were so friendly, welcoming and helpful during my stay. I felt right at home. However, the highlight of my visit was the kids! They were so eager to learn and so loving that it was difficult to say goodbye on my last day. Overall, this …

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Marine Conservation in Vanuatu Review

Project: Fiji island & Vanuatu Marine Conservation Just wanted to say a big thank you for all your help with everything and patience with me ?  Fiji was such an amazing experience working in the villages with such humble, happy and beautiful people who truly valued our input an experience I’ll never forget. I would just like to also say …

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Nutrition & Public Health Group Outreach Vanuatu 2019

Hi Lauren Apologies for the late testimonial… After my month of volunteering in Vanuatu (two weeks health checks two weeks kindy teaching) I spent a week in Fiji and returned home this week. My month in Vanuatu was simply priceless. The first two weeks were very far out of my comfort zone but a very positive and constructive challenge. Having …

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Nutrition & Public Health Vanuatu

And that’s a wrap! Words can not express the emotion I feel for this life changing experience, as you all know I have spent the last few weeks in Vanuatu volunteering conducting health checks within the local villages we were able to conduct over 400 health checks. These health checks included Blood pressure and heart rate, Blood glucose and general …

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