At a glance
- Experience cultural immersion in a traditional Fijian village.
- You’ll get a deeper insight into villagers’ daily lives, and you’ll give back by helping with various initiatives.
- Teach at a care centre, help with farming and gardening projects, assist with general village maintenance, and much more!
Is community volunteer work in Fiji right for me?
Are you interested in different cultures? Would you like to experience living in a traditional village? Then our Pacific Island Community Village Project in Fiji is perfect for you!
While volunteering, you will live and work in a traditional Fijian village. From engaging with children at the local care centre, to helping with farming, you will get to experience most aspects of local life.
You don’t need any prior experience, just a good dose of curiosity and willingness to adjust to a different lifestyle. If you need help or guidance, Projects Abroad staff are never far away.
Your experience in Fiji will add an edge to your CV that few others will have. You’ll be able to talk about it in interviews and share how it taught you to adapt and be more flexible.
Our Community Village Project in Fiji runs year-round. You are required to stay for a minimum of two weeks. There is no limit on the amount of time you can spend there after that.
The project runs all year round, you can start on any day, and it’s fully supervised. So all you need to do is decide on some dates, complete our application form with a deposit, and we’ll take care of the rest.
What will I do as a volunteer in Fiji?
Doing community volunteer work in Fiji is all about immersing yourself in daily village life. During your placement, you’ll help with some of the following tasks:
- Teach at the local care centre and support the local teacher
- Help with farming and gardening projects and learn more about the natural cycles
- Assist with crafts and general maintenance in the village
- Help out in your local host family’s home by cleaning, cooking, and playing with younger children
Your work will focus on the following areas:
Teach at the local care centre
You will spend your mornings engaging with children at the local care centre.
In the care centre, your time will be spent engaging with small groups of children. You’ll focus on teaching basic topics like the alphabet, numbers, fruits, animals, the weather, and general communication.
If you are passionate about any area like drama, music, or dance, you can also incorporate this in the lessons. You are expected to plan your own games and activities to engender learning among 3 to 5-year-olds.
Keep in mind that some of the villages prefer to adopt a more traditional method of teaching. Instead of exams, they favour more practical methods such as song and dance.
Help with farming and gardening projects
Most villagers in Fiji practise some form of subsistence farming. This means that they focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their families. They also trade with fellow villagers or those living close by.
Even if you have no gardening or farming experience, you will be able to lend a helping hand. Most local farmers have years of experience and can easily guide you along.
Assist with crafts and general maintenance
You will soon find that village life comes with a lot of hard work and maintenance. From morning to night, men and women are working to provide for their families while their children are at school. In the afternoons, you can help with basket weaving, cooking, cleaning, and basic maintenance work.
Help out in your local host family’s home
You will live with a local host family. Unlike other programmes, where volunteers only spend a limited amount of time with their families, you’ll be with them for most of the day. You’ll be expected to help out with daily household chores, such as cooking, cleaning, and helping to care for young children.
Where will I be working in Fiji?
Pacific Harbour
On this project, you’ll be based in Pacific Harbour, known as the ‘adventure capital of Fiji’. This popular tourist area is on the south coast of Viti Levu.
In your free time, there’s plenty to do. Seeking more adrenaline? There’s kayaking, ziplining, and white water rafting. The island also has great hiking among breathtaking waterfalls and lush rainforests. If relaxing is more your thing, Pacific Harbour has some of the finest, white-sand beaches on the island.
A typical day on the Pacific Island Community Village Project in Fiji
You will start your day bright and early in your host family’s home and help with the morning chores.
After a hearty breakfast, you will head off to the local care centre. Here, you will spend the rest of the morning engaging with the village children. Be prepared to use more traditional methods of teaching, such as singing, dancing, and crafting.
Once the activities at the care centre end for the day, you will be able to head home for lunch and a short rest.
You will spend the afternoon helping with a variety of village tasks. If someone might need an extra hand with planting or harvesting, you can spend some time farming. Maybe your host mother is preparing a big meal for visitors, so you can help her peel vegetables or knead dough. Alternatively, you assist with basket weaving, mat-making, or tending to the gardens.
Over weekends, you will get some time to rest. The villages are predominantly Methodist, so on Sundays you can attend church with your host family if you want to. This is optional.
What are the aims and impact of the Pacific Island Community Village Project in Fiji?
The aim of this project is to give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in traditional village life in Fiji, and give back to the community at the same time.
Most of our volunteer and internship programmes give you a specific role to focus on. This project is a little different, and lets you get involved in a bit of everything. You’ll do different activities, help people, and become part of life in the village. You’ll also support education at the local care centre.
Join our Pacific Island Community Village Project and enjoy the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a different, more traditional way of life.
The project runs all year round, you can start on any day, and it’s fully supervised. So all you need to do is decide on some dates, complete our application form with a £195 deposit and we’ll take care of the rest.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Pacific Harbour. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Fiji and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Experience the beauty of the South Pacific while volunteering with us in Fiji. This tropical island country has plenty of activities and must-see sights for you to enjoy in your free time.
We can’t talk about Fiji without mentioning the beaches. With their soft, white sand and clear, blue seas, they are the ideal place to relax and wind down after a day of volunteer work. With the beaches come a bunch of other exciting activities, like water sports and snorkelling.
For a culture-rich experience, you can explore the bright, rainbow-coloured Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple. You can also spend time wandering through art galleries or browsing through stunning handmade pottery in Nadi.
The Kula Eco Park gives you the opportunity to see local plants and animals. For thrill seekers, they also have a zipline going through the park!
You can explore all these different sights on your own or with a group. With so many volunteers joining us in Fiji each year, you’re bound to make some new friends to travel with.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
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