Workcamp FAQ
July 18, 2009
Workcamp (from SCI)
A workcamp is a place anywhere in the world where people of all backgrounds, ideologies, and nationalities live and volunteer together for two to four weeks on a grassroots project organized by a local sponsor for non-commercial causes. Most workcamps occur during the Summer months and have between 5 and 20 international participants. You volunteer, you socialize and you work (usually no more than 6 hours during weekdays) with local people. You are a multicultural, voluntary workforce promoting tolerance and understanding through your activism. That is a workcamp - and it works!
WHERE
Workcamps are organized in most countries in the world. Placements in there countries are done through partner organizations in the volunteer’s country of origin.
DURATION
Workcamps are generally 2-week programs. But they range from a few days to three weeks depending on the project.
WHEN
Many partner organizations hold camps all year round. At the moment however, WINPHIL camps occur in the winter months of December to February, and during the summer months of April, May, June, July, August and September.
COST
Participation fee is usually US $150. This covers all expenses including meals and accommodation for the duration of camp except transportation costs (at the beginning and end) which is arranged and paid for by the volunteer.
FOR WHOM (AGES)
Most camps are open to anyone aged 18 and above, but volunteers under age 18 may join in special teenage camps. WINPHIL’s oldest was Ikuko from Japan at age 60.
Volunteers should plan to arrive on the first day of camp to meet other participants at a designated time and place. They will depart on the last day of camp anytime after breakfast. Early arrivals and/or late departures have to be approved by the local program hosts, and in advance.
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
For ease in communication, conversational English is necessary but not required.
TYPES OF WORK
Work projects can be of any type and dependent on the needs of the local host community. WINPHIL camps are however focused on environmental concerns like tree and mangroves planting, and sea clean-up plus many other relevant side activities.
WHAT TO BRING
Back-pack, sleeping bag, towel, work clothes, clothing suitable for climate, toiletries, medicines, phrase book, recipes from home, musical instruments plus a cooperative and enthusiastic spirit! WINPHIL provides volunteers with a check list and the need to bring special gear and equipment necessary for a particular workcamp.
Registration fee covers room & board. Workcamps vary greatly in living conditions. Generally, 10-20 people from four or more countries arrive on a given day in a host community. They may be housed in a school, church, private home or community center. Living arrangements are generally cooperative, like a family, with volunteers coordinating and sharing the day-to-day activities such as food preparation, household chores, work projects and recreation.
Special skills
There are no special skills needed but volunteers must be aware of their physical limitations.
Joining more than one camp
A volunteer may sign up for up to three camps per season. But they have to be sure there is enough time to get from one to another. Arriving on time and staying for the whole camp is crucial and required for camp participation.
Health insurance
It is strongly recommend that all volunteers have travel and health insurance before leaving home.
Travel arrangements
Volunteers must arrange and pay for transportation to and from the workcamp site. They should not consider arriving late or leaving early as this is very disruptive to the host and to other volunteers. For some camps (especially for those in remote locations), a convenient pick-up point may be specified. If this is missed, it may be difficult to get to camp. Travels must be planned with care. The volunteer should know the stability and geography of the country of destination. They must understand that they are ultimately responsible for all travel costs including cancel or change fees imposed by transportation companies.
Travel before and after camp
Many volunteers combine traveling with volunteering. In fact it is often possible to travel with newfound friends after the workcamp.
WINPHIL is a full member of the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA) whose membership includes organizations affiliated with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) at UNESCO in Paris, and The ALLIANCE. Volunteers outside Philippines may apply through a workcamp organization in their own country
WINPHIL Handbook
July 17, 2009
INTRODUCTION
In December 2003, Workcamps International Philippines (WINPHIL) formerly known as Youth Exchange Service Philippines (YESPHIL) started hosting projects known as workcamps in Olango Island, bringing together over seventy volunteers from Korea, Japan, Italy and the Philippines. These international group of volunteers planted mangroves, painted a chapel and cleaned coastal areas in the island.
The following year, workcamps were hosted not only in Olango but also in the municipality of Bantayan with over a hundred volunteers from Korea, Japan, France and local participants from Bantayan, Olango and Cebu City in cooperation with their local government.
Year after year, the volunteers keep coming including those from Russia, Taiwan, the United States of America, Germany and Spain. To date, over five hundred volunteers both local and foreign have participated in projects focused on the preservation and rehabilitation of our natural environment.
Profile
Workcamps International Philippines (WINPHIL) is a workcamp organization based in Cebu City, Philippines. It is a non-governmental organization that fosters international understanding and world peace. It is a full member of the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA).
What are Workcamps
A workcamp is a unique form of voluntary service where a group of ten to twenty international volunteers come together for two weeks to live and work on projects for the benefit of local communities. They render voluntary work and share their different cultures, traditions and beliefs in activities with the local people. This group of individuals with diverse geographical, cultural and social backgrounds are brought together as a workcamp group. In most circumstances, the accommodation is simple and does not allow much privacy. In such situations, conflicts arise about food, about free time, and how to carry out the project. Finding a solution to these conflicts using different methods of non-violent conflict resolution is one of the aims of a workcamp.
How to volunteer
WINPHIL is part of regional and worldwide networks, having partner organizations in most countries in the world. Its programs are sent and broadcasted by the partners in different forums and conferences and also through printed camp lists and the world-wide-web several months before the start of each program. A foreign volunteer wanting to join camp in the Philippines applies to a partner organization in his home country which in turn sends the application to WINPHIL for placement. If a slot is available, a Letter of Acceptance is sent back which confirms the volunteer’s participation in the particular project applied for. The local volunteers on the other hand are selected after orientation and pre-camp training.
Cost
Generally, the volunteer pays a registration fee to the sending organization. In the same way, WINPHIL (or any host organization) on the other hand, generally requires a participation fee which is expended for board and lodging, expenses of all activities for the duration of the workcamp, as well as administration costs. However, cost of travel to and from the workcamp site at the beginning and end of camp, is paid by the volunteers themselves.
Benefits to the Local Community
The international workcamp group interacts with the local people in the community where the project is based. This experience broadens their perspective of the world, and oftentimes, an eye opener for a local participant. “During our coastal clean-up in San Vicente Village, I can’t imagine how dirty is my home town. I really appreciate the foreign volunteers to do the first move so that people in our village will be aware of the problem. It was indeed surprising to see lots of plastic in our coastal area, very memorable in my part.” (Bryan, Philippines, February 2004)
Commitment to the Group Experience
A part of the group experience is commitment to making decisions and solving problems together. Orders are not issued from above, rather, the group discusses and guides, while the individuals decide. “During the meeting time, some of campers have a good idea that so creative. At that time I was really surprised and I learned what to do. Every hard situation, most of campers want to try overcome. I felt that moving heart. Nobody complain, just they try to be adaptable.” (Korean participant in Philippine camp 2004)
Intercultural Aspects
Intercultural Exchange involves a real interaction of the various elements that together form a culture: an exchange of different histories, religions, customs, traditions and languages. “I learned how to dance spaghetti and ucho-ucho from children. Sometimes when I dance spaghetti and ucho-ucho and I say Cebuano, they are laughing. Most of Filipino really like dance and play and sing a song. They look satisfy about their life eventhough they are poor and don’t have job. It’s really impact to me.” (Korean workcamper in December 2003, Philippines)
Workcamp Leader and Coordinator
The workcamp is directly facilitated by a camp leader. S/he is the communication channel between and among the host organization, local partners and the volunteers. Her/his function is three-folds: Leading, organizing and mediating.
COMMUNICATION
The culture to which a person belongs can have a great effect on how he communicates and interacts with those around him and the way he interprets and understands the messages others are giving him.
Verbal Communication
Over 3,000 languages and major dialects are spoken in the world today creating difficulties in communication. A common source of miscommunication arises when the use of a word in one language has a negative connotation in another and can be a source of conflict in camp. “Don’t be shocked if you are told: ‘you must give…’ this is not more of an order than if you had been told: “if you don’t mind, I would like you to give me…’ You shouldn’t feel offended by this kind of discourse even if it sounds surprising at first.” Cristian, (European participant in a workcamp in Togo 1997). “In Latin America, aboriginal populations consider the term Indian as a real insult to them it is better to say “native.” Anne, ( European participant in a workcamp in Ecuador in 1995)
Non-verbal Communication
Body language is an effective communication tool. Facial expression, hand gesture, and involuntary actions are oftentimes the best source of information about peoples’ feelings and emotions. But sometimes, non-verbal communication can give an entirely different message to somebody coming from another culture. “When I arrived in Europe, I saw young people wearing differently designed dresses and having multicolored hairstyle. I thought most of them might be mad or half-mad. Honestly saying at the beginning, I was afraid of those people and also tried to avoid them but after a few days, I learned that those dresses and hairstyles were the latest fashion in Europe.” Ferdous (Asian volunteer participant in a workcamp in Germany and Belgium 1999)
Direct Versus Indirect Communication
A common source of misunderstanding between Western and Southern cultures concerns direct versus indirect communication. In “Western” cultures (Europe and North America) it is desirable to come directly to the point especially in matters pertaining to work. But Asians, most Africans and Latin Americans would interpret this as a cold and impersonal attitude. They are used to beginning a conversation with questions on personal matters like family health, how business is going etc. But Westerners may interpret this as indicating a lack of sincerity or openness or a reluctance to deal with the issue. On the other hand, direct communication can be interpreted as a kind of arrogance or rejection. “Sometimes the different style in communication has also some funny aspects: “The first time I came to Europe, Germany, I was hosted with a local SCI person. He took me to his house. It was around 7 p.m. He asked me if I wanted to eat something. Even though I was very hungry, I said “no” because in Sri Lanka it is not polite to immediately accept an offer of food and drink. One first has to refuse a few times and give the host the opportunity to ask you again and again. So that is why I said “no”, although I was really hungry. But the host didn’t ask me again for the rest of the evening, and I certainly didn’t dare to ask for food, so I went to bed with an empty stomach. Only after several visits to Europe, I learn that in European culture, people take a “no” for a “no” and this is very different from the Indian Subcontinent culture where it is not polite to be so direct.” Muza, (Asian staff member in SCI)
Most Asians find it impolite to disagree with his host or to make a selection. So, most of the time he agrees to everything. For a European, this is an unrealistic behavior. The attitude of avoiding or contradicting somebody also irritates people from western cultures who are used to dealing every time with a clear “no” or direct rejection of a proposal.
Resolving Conflicts
Conflicts in camp range from dealing with somebody who refuses to take part in any domestic chore to sexual or racial harassment. The way conflicts develop and how they are dealt with and solved, depends largely on the motivation of the camp participants and the conduct of the camp leader. However, the basic approach to conflict resolution is to treat with equal consideration and respect the different views and feelings of not only those in conflict, but of all participants as one solid group.
Social Issues
It is easy for women from the west to view women from the south as being oppressed, with few rights and access to a proper way of life. On the other hand, it is quite normal for women from the south to view women from the west as loose, with lesser values and self-respect. These individual perceptions must be linked to the broader social, cultural and historical context of the country where they are, otherwise, the volunteers will be unintentionally judged on the basis of incomplete information, or from a very limited perception.
Interestingly, there is a considerably lesser number of women participating in southern workcamps, a situation which is quite the opposite in the west. European volunteers participating in southern workcamps oftentimes complain about this gender imbalance. On the other hand, volunteers from the south are quite surprised in finding such a high number of women participating from the west. “5 girls among 20 boys, it’s quite few! And no local girl apart from the campleader!” Cecile, European participant in a workcamp in Ghana 1999. “Being the only girl of the camp, I had a sort of honor treatment. Everybody was kind to me and they made everything to let me feel easy; even, when we went to visit the groups of women, when I was invited to a marriage party, when we went out of the village for excursions.” Roberta, European participant in a workcamp in Bangladesh 1998.
Sometimes men volunteers from the south confuse western women’s dressing preference with sexual freedom and promiscuity. “We were a group of 23 volunteers and there were no local female volunteers, only male. There were only 3 girls, me and a French and a Swiss girl. Between the Swiss girl and the Moroccan volunteers there was a heavy atmosphere; this was because her behaviour and her attitude to dress. It was nothing “special” for us (western volunteers) but for the locals it was a misunderstanding behaviour…” Anna, European participant in a workcamp in Morocco 1999.
Dress Codes and Personal Hygiene
In most southern workcamps especially in Muslim countries, women are expected to dress “decently”. A woman who dresses herself with shorts and top, baring shoulders and arms might be misunderstood by the local people as having lack of self-respect. This places the female volunteer in a vulnerable position, leading to being approached in a disrespectful way or even receiving sexual advances from local men.
Bathing in Sri Lanka is usually at public water spots like wells, streams, rivers, etc. Women, who participate in workcamps will need to practice to adorn the “diya reddha” (bathing sarong from Sri Lanka) from the neck to the knees. “The living conditions of the native populations don’t exactly match the ones volunteers are used to… However, careless dressing habits on the part of the volunteers (dirty or torn clothes) really offend the local people who are always carefully and properly dressed.” Anne (Ecuador 1995)
Socialization
In western countries, it is unusual for one person to pay for everything on an evening out. Usually, people pay for their share, or they take turns paying in a “round” system. In other societies, the person who suggests going for a drink is seen as issuing the invitation, and is expected to pay for everything.
Food and Drink
One of the most interesting aspects of visiting a new country is experiencing new food, which should be a pleasant element of the program. Western food is blander than in the south, and visitors coming from the south may need to add spices to make them more palatable. In general, it is necessary to inform your host as to food sensitivities for moral or religious reasons. But welcoming new food experiences will enhance the visit, and will surely please your host.
Local beliefs and religious practices
Religion plays a crucial part in shaping human life and society. Unfortunately, it is also one of the greatest sources of conflict in the world. One of the most fascinating elements in taking part in a workcamp in a different continent is the opportunity to live and work with people of very different faiths. “I had never before heard the wonderful stories of Ganesh and Shiva and the many Hindu gods. Seeing how they are such an integral part of Indian life, how my workmates accepted their existence unquestioningly was a revelation.” Anne, (India 1999)
Some religious practices may seem barbaric (like the sacrifice of animals) and therefore difficult to accept, but you need not agree with these practices. The important thing is to avoid insulting one’s hosts by criticizing their religious practices.
Climate
Check the weather conditions and expect a sudden dramatic change in climate from a cooler climate to a hot one and vice versa. When you arrive, rest and allow your body to adjust. Drink plenty of liquid to avoid dehydration. Stay out of the direct sun and midday heat, wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
Evaluation
Evaluation is an essential part of the exchange experience as it helps the host and partner organizations in improving the programs for future workcamps. At the end of camp, every volunteer fills up a questionnaire prepared by the host, and upon returning to their home country, completes a written evaluation report of their experience and also takes part in the evaluation workshop organized by their sending organization. The evaluation workshop enables individual participants to meet other volunteers, talk about their experience and make concrete suggestions in improving the various aspects of the exchange program.
General information
International Voluntary Service began in its modern form in 1920. The idea was the result of a meeting of a group of Europeans following the First World War (1914-1918). They decided that they had to do something active to try to deal with both the dreadful effects of the war and to find a way to remove the causes of conflict. Volunteers from former enemy countries were invited to rebuild a village in France, which had been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting. The international group of volunteers built houses and lived together in an international community.
After World War II new organizations sprang up to help reconstruct Europe, both physically and in terms of bringing former enemy populations together. These new organizations needed co-ordination. So, with the support of the recently established United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) was created in 1948, the prime mover of all workcamps all over the world.
Practical information about the Philippines
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets. It acquired its name from Philip II, who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the country in the 16th century. She was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for a further 48 years.
The large islands fall into three groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Manila is the biggest city and the national capital. The Philippines has many cultural affinities with the West and is the only predominantly Roman Catholic country in Southeast Asia. Education wise, it is among the most advanced of Asian countries, having a high literacy rate. The Philippines was the first Asian country to repulse colonial domination.
Acknowledgment
This Handbook is not possible without information gathered from the internet from established groups such as IWO, NICE, SCI, MCE, VFP, IIWC, UNA EXCHANGE, YAP, ALLIANCE, NVDA, IBG, and CCIVS. I am indebted to Mychel for her invaluable contribution in putting together this handbook. Special thanks to Cebu City councilors Joey, Joy and Edu for their support; Mayors Lety and Geralyn, Captain Paul, Captain Dante, Nestor, Vince and Hilda; WINPHIL coordinators Edil, Doods, Lyza and Melchor for their persistence and dedication; Thomas for the SCI magazine, and JINSU for the cold beer and late nights just talking about workcamps. To Mike and Nora, TIA, CDF and DU-CARE; Tony Oposa and KALIKUPAN; to Barangay Sudlon I of Cebu City, and to the friendly local people of Olango and Bantayan Islands; Yeonchon family, workcampers, support volunteers, NVDA group and TFT; and to our expanding friends at TM and ALLIANCE - to all of you, from us, a million thanks.
Jun and WINPHIL volunteers
Cebu, Philippines
