Global Xchange Volunteers
2008 volunteering at Hove YMCA has started well! Two volunteers from the Global XChange programme have begun a three month volunteer placement in Hove YMCA Youth, Sports & Community Team. Christy from Northern Ireland and Mistura from Nigeria have already spent three months in Nigeria and are now volunteering with Hove YMCA. Alongside helping out in the clubs, they are helping to develop Hove YMCA's young person’s website and are creating a visual presentation documenting volunteering in Hove YMCA, which will be premiered at the Hove YMCA Volunteer Celebration Event in March.
Click here to read more about our Global Xchange Programme volunteers and volunteering opportunities at Hove YMCA.
About the Global Xchange Programme...
Global Xchange is a 6 month programme for young people within the age range of 18-25. Eighteen young people (9 Nigerian, 9 British) come together to build active global citizens in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom. These young people are being supported by two project supervisors (1 Nigerian, 1 British). In total, 20 live together in host communities for three months in Nigeria and three months in the UK. The programme is being sponsored by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), the British Council and other funders like Oxfam, ‘V’, and BAA. During this programme, volunteers are being placed to work in different organisations called volunteer placements and living in the local community in a host home. The volunteers are paired together (1 Nigerian, 1 British) in the same accommodation as well as for the volunteer placements where they work for the duration of the programme. Each volunteer has a counterpart for their host home and a different counterpart for their volunteer placement.
Meet the intrepid volunteers...
Mistura Akinwoye 21, from Kwara State, Nigeria
"For the 1st Phase of the programme, Sam Minty (my work counterpart) and I were placed in two placements which were; the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lafia Branch where we worked as volunteers training peer educators in secondary schools, giving life skills to women in First Aid groups and helping conduct interviews in development areas of political crisis for publicity.The 2nd Phase of the programme, Christopher Fleming (my work counterpart) and I were placed to work with Hove YMCA in Brighton where we help with the youth clubs activities, older peoples club and the IT projects helping design the Hove YMCA’s young people’s website.
It is a really nice experience working within a team. Before this programme, I seemed to be very individualistic in generation and implementation of ideas but this programme has helped me brainstorm in a team, generate and implement ideas as a team. I have learnt to live and cope with different people in life despite all our individual differences and diversities."
Christopher Fleming 25, from Derry City, Northern Ireland.
"There’s a lot to be said for Nigerian hospitality, never before had I experienced such warmth from people than I did while I was there. I remember our welcome ceremony at the Palace of the Chief of Shabu (a small village near Lafia). It was extraordinary, something I’ve only ever seen before on documentaries on TV, but there we were in the middle of a dance troupe in an African village dancing along with men and women, drumming and singing.
Click here to learn more about the Global Xchange Programme or click here to learn more about volunteering opportunities at Hove YMCA.