Aussie volunteers work in Phl communities

MANILA, Philippines - A secondary school teacher, chartered accountant and business management specialist are among nine young Australians who will begin working with local organizations through the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program.

The AYAD program is the youth stream of the Australian Volunteers for International Development program, an initiative of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) that deploys skilled volunteers to live and work in developing countries as part of the Australian government’s overseas aid program.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell said, “The Australian Government’s development cooperation program aims to help improve lives of Filipinos and we work closely with the Philippine government to deliver aid where it is most needed and most effective. Australian volunteers contribute to this goal through the sharing of skills and the building of local capacity of our partner Filipino organizations and communities.”

“Volunteering overseas is one way that Australians can make a positive contribution to poverty reduction, sustainable development and cross cultural understanding. They develop a strong understanding of local and cultural issues and build effective professional and personal relationships that help them to share skills and knowledge.”

For the past 12 years, over 200 Australian volunteers have worked with Filipino organizations in the areas of sustainable agriculture, community development and sustainable livelihoods, education, youth development, persons with disabilities, environmental sustainability, governance, and human trafficking.

Marie-Louise Batenburg is a secondary school teacher who has started work as a Community Education Project Officer with the Department of Education (DepED) in Tiagon, Camarines Sur. She will be involved in monitoring and evaluating a pilot program to support people of all ages to experience learning outside the formal education system.

“The program has the potential to reach people who previously would not have been able to access any form of education,” Marie-Louise says. “Though I have only been in the Philippines for a short time, I have been welcomed with open hearts and homes. The kindness of the Filipinos has made my transition here from Australia so much easier.”

The other volunteers are Tania Groba (community education officer, DepED Calabanga); Kerry Lomas (education program assistant, Gawad Kalinga); Matthew Jones financial support officer, Unlad Kabayan Migrant Services Foundation, Inc.); Caroline Duyvestyn (program support officer, Unlad Kabayan Migrant Services Foundation, Inc.); Adam Smith (product development and marketing officer, Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation); Claire Holland (capacity development officer, Panaghugpong sa Gagmay ng Bayanihang Grupo sa Oriental); Alexandra Pinti (business development services officer, Simbag sa Pag-Asenso, Incorporated); Karen Taranto (policy development officer, Local Government Unit of Gubat).

There are currently 23 Australian volunteers supported by Austraining International in the Philippines, including 16 AYAD. AusAID is working in partnership with Austraining, as well as Australian Red Cross and Australian Volunteers International, to deliver the Australian Volunteers program.