Be The Change

The GVN ’Be The Change’ Course is designed to be flexible and self-determined to allow participants to cater the program to their specific interests and goals. Each day we will have a workshop that will provide you with specific skills that you can then directly apply to your project/idea or goal. Additionally we will be going on day trips with the focus of getting to know each other better. By the end of the course you will have become friends with a diverse an interesting group of individuals from all over the world. Additionally, each day you will have time to discuss ideas and workshop your interests with Colin Salisbury, GVN’s Founder and CEO. This program gives you one on one time with one of the top social entrepreneurs in the industry of international development.

We offer our Be The Change program is beautiful locations around the world. During the week long program we will visit sites around the area but there will not be time for individual travel. Many of our participants choose to arrive early or leave late so they may do their own traveling before or after the course.

The program fee covers accommodation, meals and transport costs while working. If you arrive early or intend to stay in the country beyond the course dates you will need to have additional money for this time. Other expenses not covered by your fees include: your flights, entry visa (if applicable), travel insurance, departure tax, and any personal spending.

You will be staying with other participants; the accommodation is modern and has most amenities people will be used to (TV, internet access, washing facilities etc). Most accommodation is in retreat or conference centres. Bedding and 3 meals per day will be provided.

The GVN Be The Change Course is limited to under 20 participants at any time to allow for maximum individual attention and productivity.

As with any overseas travelling, insurance is recommended. The Global Volunteer Network has arranged a comprehensive travel insurance package. It includes excellent medical and accident coverage as well as a ’loss of deposits’ cover which covers fees paid to GVN, airlines etc (up to US$8,000). If you would like to learn more just follow this link: http://www.volunteer.org.nz/insurance/.

Your application fee secures your place on the program (remember this is fully transferable to a later date or different program if you decide not to take part in the program, subject to the terms of service). Your program fee is payable to Global Volunteer Network 8 weeks prior to the 1st of the month you wish to volunteer. Please note that all charges incurred by the payment of the program fee are at the volunteer’s expense, e.g. if a bank transfer incurs a bank fee at the point of origin, that is at the expense of the volunteer. Eighty percent (80%) of your program fee is refundable until one calendar month before the 1st of the month you are due to begin your program. Refer to GVN's legal terms of service for full details.

If you require a visa to enter New Zealand, Jamaica or Italy you will be responsible for obtaining one yourself.

Each GVN program has different criteria depending on our partner's requirements. Every application is reviewed to ensure that the minimum requirements (as set out on the program page) are met. Next we look to see what skills or experience you have that relate specifically to the program. We are also interested in any previous volunteer experience you may have (either local or international), travel experience, and your particular interest in the program.

After reviewing your application, should we require any further information from you, we will email you to request this.

Because of the nature of the accommodation, and the work that you will be involved with, it is not appropriate to bring children with you for this project. However, it is fine to participate as a couple.

Orientation day

• Breakfast
• 1. Meeting with Colin Salisbury, founder of GVN - Greeting, Introduction to 'Be The Change' Course
• 2. Meet staff, introductions and explanation of what everyone does
• 3. Know exactly the Goals and Objectives of the 'Be The Change Course'
• 4. Skills/Passions Identification- How are you Wired? Workshop
• 5. In the afternoon you will have time for going into town / group activity.

The currency in Jamaica is the Jamaican dollar and is issued in bank notes of J$50, J$100, J$500 and J$1000 although it is advised that you carry some smaller bills as it can be difficult getting change for any note over J$100.

To give you an idea of what things cost, a bottle of water in Jamaica is typically between J$50 and J$75 (between 60 and 95 US cents) a meal in a restaurant, depending on location, can cost anywhere between J$700 and J$1500 (Between $10 and $20USD). A bottle of wine is roughly J$500 ($6US) and a case of beer J$1200 ($15US).

Although you are traveling in a developed country and there are no legally required vaccinations we do recommend Hepatitis A and B as well as tetanus and Yellow Fever if you are coming from an infected area.

Jamaica has a tropical maritime climate with average coastal summer temperatures of 30° C with winter temperatures averaging 23° C although in the mountains it can be cooler with a drop of about 10° C in temperature. While Jamaica does fall within the hurricane belt, few hurricanes hit the island although nearby hurricanes can disrupt weather patterns and bring wind and rain. The moderate rainy season in Jamaica usually begins around May / June and can last through to December with September and October experiencing the heaviest rainfall.

The program starts on a Sunday and ends on a Sunday. The dates are:

• March 14th-21st, 2010

Participants will be greeted at Montego Bay airport.

Jamaica is an island nation situated in the Caribbean Sea just south of Cuba and west of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and is roughly the same size as Connecticut. Kingston is both the capital, and largest city in Jamaica. With coastal lowlands, a limestone plateau and a group of volcanic hills called the Blue Mountains in the east of the country, Jamaica is a popular destination for tourists and travellers alike.

Runaway Bay, where the accommodation for the program will be, is located in the third largest parish in Jamaica, Saint Ann Parish. Saint Ann parish is also the birthplace of reggae legend Bob Marley.

As well as the idyllic beaches, main tourist attractions also include white water rafting, Ocho Rios Marine park, Bob Marley Mausoleum, Columbus Park, Seville Heritage Park, Dolphin Cove, Green Grotto Caves and Dunn's River Falls.ndation 8 weeks before you begin the program, and is non-refundable.

The GVN 'Be The Change' Course is designed to be flexible and self-determined to allow participants to cater the program to their specific interests and goals. Each day we will have a workshop that will provide you with specific skills that you can then directly apply to your project/idea or goal. Additionally we will be going on day trips with the focus of getting to know each other better. By the end of the course you will have become friends with a diverse an interesting group of individuals from all over the world. Additionally, each day you will have time to discuss ideas and workshop your interests with Colin Salisbury, GVN's Founder and CEO. This program gives you one on one time with one of the top social entrepreneurs in the industry of international development.

Lying between 34S and 47S, New Zealand sits squarely in the "Roaring Forties" latitude, which means the prevailing wind blows over the country from west to east; this can range from a gentle breeze in summer to a buffeting, roof-stripping gale in winter.

The North Island and South Island, because of their different geological features, have two distinct patterns of rainfall: in the South Island, the Southern Alps act as a barrier for the moisture-laden winds from the Tasman Sea, creating a wet climate to the west of the mountains and a dry climate to the east; while the North Island's rainfall is more evenly distributed without a comparable geological feature such as the Alps.

Temperatures are a few degrees cooler in the South Island, and both islands receive snow in winter. Winter falls in the months of June through August and summer from December through February. It is important to remember that New Zealand's climate is maritime, rather than continental, which means the weather, can change with amazing rapidity and consequence.

Although you are traveling in a developed country and there are no legally required vaccinations we do recommend Hepatitis A and B as well as tetanus.

The program starts on a Sunday and ends on a Sunday. The dates are:

• 22nd-29th November 2009

Participants will need to arrive in New Zealand on or before the 22nd and arrange their own transport to Taupo (there are buses and a domestic airport in Taupo). A GVN representative will pick you up on the 22nd in Taupo and take you to your accommodation.

New Zealand is a country of unparalleled beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep clear lakes, bubbling mud, and lots of sheep. There are also abundant forest parks, deserted beaches, and a variety of unique fauna some, like the kiwi, vulnerable to extinction. New Zealand society is diverse, sophisticated, and multicultural - the honesty and friendliness of Kiwis will impress you. What is truly unique about New Zealand is that all of its diverse physical, cultural, and artistic landscapes are so close to each other!

For more information I suggest you purchase the Lonely Planet's guide to New Zealand. For more information about Lake Taupo and the surrounding area, please visit the official city website at: http://www.laketauponz.com.

To give you a idea of the average cost of living in New Zealand, coffee costs US$1.75, fish & chips US$3.50, a restaurant meal out US$15.00, a movie ticket US$6.00, a bus ticket US$1.75, a hair cut US$20.00, a visit to the doctor US$30.00, a bungee jump US$50.00.

Blessed with beauty, wine and an unparalleled artistic legacy, Tuscany's a region that largely lives up to its press. Its fabled rolling landscape has long been considered the embodiment of rural chic, a favourite of holidaying PMs and retired advertising executives, while its cities harbour a significant slice of the world's Renaissance art. Florence, in itself, boasts more world-class art than many countries. (Italy: Lonely Planet).

For more information we suggest you purchase the Lonely Planet's guide to Italy. For more information about Tuscany and the surrounding areas, please visit the Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/tuscany

Situated in the temperate zone and jutting deep into the Mediterranean, Italy is regarded by many tourists as a land of sunny, mild weather. However, due to the north-south orientation of the peninsula and the fact that it is largely mountainous, the country's climate is variable.

In Florence, encircled by hills, the weather can be quite extreme but, as you travel towards the tip of the boot, temperatures and weather conditions become milder. Rome, for instance, has an average July and August temperature in the mid-20s (Celsius), although the impact of the sirocco (a hot, humid wind blowing from Africa) can produce stiflingly hot weather in August, with temperatures in the high 30s for days on end. Winters are moderate and snow is rare in Rome, although winter clothing (or at least a heavy overcoat) is still a requirement. (Italy: Lonely Planet)