Kenya Street Children Programme

Our Kenya volunteer programme is unique in that it offers a “tailor made” volunteer experience: we aim to match volunteers’ roles to their specific skills, experience and areas of interest, enabling both the volunteer and the charity to get the most out of collaboration. 

We are looking for volunteers with many different skills: those with experience in fundraising and proposal writing, public speaking, project coordination and management would be ideal to support the work of our Programme Director, and would gain a direct and invaluable insight into the management of development projects for a small NGO.  We are permanently in need of lawyers, law graduates or volunteers with a legal background to work in our Children’s Legal Aid team.  You would be involved in the running of training workshops designed to raise-awareness of major issues relating to children’s rights, advocacy campaigns, and the provision of vital legal advice to vulnerable children and families.

We would be keen to hear from business-people with experience in accounting, finance administration and small business start-up, who would be interested in helping to train families embarking upon small income generating ventures for the first time.  For those wishing to obtain a ‘hands-on’ experience working directly with children, we offer volunteerships at our Interim Care Centre, which provides intensive rehabilitation for street children in a residential setting.  This would be suitable for those with a background in social work, youth work or working with children with special needs.

Finally, we are keen to create innovative new projects to help broaden the horizons of the children we work with and to contribute to their personal development.  We require volunteers with a keen interest in drama/music/art: could you use your creative streak to help stimulate street children, teach them life skills or pass on vital messages about safe sex, HIV and drugs, using art, theatre or music as a medium?  Finally we would love to hear from documentary or film-makers, journalists or other media professionals: would you lend us your skills to help raise awareness of our cause?

Who can volunteer? Adults of both sexes 18+

Commitment: minimum of 3 months preferably 6 months

Cost: for 3 months minimum of £500 project contribution plus all costs related to travel, accommodation at our rented house (£65 a month) and living expenses in-country. For 6 months £700 project contribution plus all costs related to travel, accommodation and living expenses in-country.

Please note that your project contribution will be used specifically for the project which you choose to work on in Kenya.  We want you to be part of the decision-making process and to help plan how the money you have raised will be used and what it will achieve.  This will allow you to gain first hand experience of fundraising and budgeting and also increase your knowledge of project management.

What we can offer you: a volunteership suited to your skills and interests, social activities and a full-programme of support during your time in Kenya, professional references at the end of your volunteership and above all a life changing experience!

For more information or an application form, please write to info@actionchildren.org or use our online feedback form.