Volunteering
Thank you for being interested in becoming a Rainbow Volunteer. As you may have guessed by now, spending time with the Rainbow Orphanage children can be as full on as it is rewarding. While we love having volunteers to hang out with, there is much more to it than that.
Rainbow Orphanage is a registered, non-profit charity committed to assisting orphans, poor and vulnerable children in rural communities in Siem Reap Province. It receives no government assistance but relies entirely on donations.
The orphanage is a project initiated and staffed by Cambodians, working towards a better future for Cambodian children. It is our goal to make our project sustainable by strengthening the skills of our Cambodian team. The volunteers that are of greatest value to the project are people who have skills, ideas or experience that they are willing to impart to our staffs.
Of course anyone with a teaching, performing arts, creative, music or sports background has a definite advantage, anyone in natural therapies (especially acupuncture), medical and social work fields are also highly sort after. Even people with computer or accounting skills could make a difference by passing on their knowledge.
While the time a volunteer stays varies greatly, we have found 1-2 months is the ideal time for the children and your own experience.
Successful applicants will need to provide a scanned image of their passport, relevant references, a police check from their country of residence and to abide by our strict Child Protection Policy. The reasons for this - we are sure - are obvious. South East Asia is sadly a breeding ground for child sex-crime and paedophilia and protecting our children is our highest priority.
VISITORS
If you only have a few days or hours and would still like to visit - no problem - please contact Mr. Pol Pean on 012 963 870 to arrange a visit to Rainbow Orphanage. Use the services of your Hotel or Guest House if you are not confident about making the call.
VOLUNTEERING… WHAT’S NEXT?
Volunteering at Rainbow is certainly not for the faint-hearted, and before we go any further, we would like to ‘lay it all on the table’ to avoid any surprises on arrival. The more prepared you are for the children and the highly probable culture shock – the more fulfilling your visit will be for you and the children.
We recommend that you download and read the following documents thoroughly. After you have done this then please email your application or any enquiries to the email provided in the forms.
volunteer application form.doc
FAQ’S ABOUT VOLUNTEERING
What hours will be working?
Although the children are at Rainbow are up at the crack of dawn because some of them go to school in the morning and some in the afternoon we don’t expect you to be there at all that time, Basically volunteers can share time with the children between 10:45am and 4:30pm (Monday to Friday) with some time out for gardening at 07:45 – 09:30 am on Sundays. But don’t panic… no volunteer is expected to be there all day every day… classes, activities and homework time is shared between volunteers… so there is plenty of time to recover between shifts!
What child of backgrounds do the children have?
All of the Rainbow children are rural orphan, and vulnerable child who in their past have parentless, lacked order, and been abused. Although they have improved in leaps and bounds it is important to keep in mind where they have come from and aware of the scars that they may be concealing, both physically and emotionally.
Do you offer accommodation for volunteers?
All our volunteers come to Cambodia independently. Each volunteer is completely responsible for themselves. Always they drive 70 Km round-trip from Siem Reap each day is very difficult, especially during the rainy season, to solve this problem we will offer accommodation at orphanage from May, 2010, and will charge USD 10 per room/ nigh included local breakfast. We have three kind rooms ( Grant room for 10 to 15 person/ Twin Room for 02 person , and Single Room for 01 person). If volunteer they would like to stay in the town there are many budget Hotel or guest houses available they also offer great discounts for Rainbow volunteers.
What clothing is appropriate in Cambodia?
On arrival in Cambodia you will instantly notice that they are very modest people, even the men. Bare shoulders in front of a monk, at the temples or in a pagoda are considered offensive. Also considered a no-no in Buddhist society is our ever-popular short t-shirts/sing lets and low cut/hipster trousers or skirts that show your belly button or, even worse, your underwear! Short shorts or skirts are definitely frowned upon. It of course is not a rule, but it is a sign of a respectful, informed and conscious travelers.
What do we wear when volunteering?
All our volunteers are issued with “Working for children team” t-shirts that can be warn with your own long shorts, jeans, pants or long skirts.
What will my role be?
There are many roles and responsibilities a volunteer can take on depending on their skills, experience and interests.
While an important focus at the orphanage is having fun (the others being health, learning, self-esteem building and security) most of the time is spent playing, giving one-on-one attention, leading activities, hugging, combing clean hair, holding a skipping rope and assisting, teaching English class, working on training staffs.
Do we need prepare anything before we arrive?
The more preparation you do beforehand, the better equipped you will be to ‘handle’ the kids before they ‘handle’ you. Please try and remember your childhood games or activities and bring them along to share. Keep in mind most will need to be adapted to overcome language and developmental barriers. The simpler the better! Interactive lessons and games involving props, drama and fun are especially good. Initiative is our most needed resource! Please come prepared to think on your feet and give it your all.
Do I need health insurance?
It is our strongest recommendation that you take our comprehensive medical insurance to protect yourself against accidents or serious illness. Good medical treatment is at a minimum and can cost the earth. Make sure your insurance has evacuation cover if ever the unmentionable happened.
Do I need to insure my valuables?
Understandably, the Working for Children Projects are not in a position to be responsible for personal loss or injury. While we trust the children wholeheartedly, please don’t risk carrying anything valuable unnecessarily to the orphanage.
Do I need to fundraise for Rainbow ?
While it is not by any means compulsory, many of our volunteers manage to do some fundraising before they arrive, and of course we greatly appreciate and always need financial contributions. Please feel free to use our website in any way you can to spread the news about the Working for Children Projects to friends and family who may wish to support your volunteering spirit without being able to join you in person. What you do with any money raised is completely up to you. It may be as simple as paying for an orphanage running. We welcome project ideas, plans for how to execute them, and the funding to get them up and running, and we aim to get you as much involved as possible to make the most of your experience here. Ultimately, we hope you will return home inspired to continue your association with, and support for, the Rainbow children.
Does Rainbow Orphanage charge a fee to volunteer?
No we don’t, but would be appreciated for donation to our projects.
Can I interact with the children outside of the Rainbow ?
While there is so much fun and laughter to be had, there is also a very serious side to volunteering. It is SO EASY to form favorites (even though we know we shouldn’t) and want to take a child or children somewhere special or buy them something as a treat out-of-hours. Besides creating jealousy and rivalry there is a worse consequence to consider. Unfortunately having positive experiences like this with you, can lead a child into a false sense of security and wanting to replicate the experience with another, only to find the next westerner they spend time alone with may not as well intentioned as you. Terrible things have happened as a result of this and for this reason we have the following rules for ALL volunteers/visitors to abide by. The children’s long term safety and wellbeing are our highest priority. We are sure you understand our position.
* NO child is to be taken on a motorbike, tuk-tuk or car without making prior arrangements with the directors of Rainbow.
* NO children are to be taken to your guesthouse or accommodation (under any circumstance). This is an offence and punishable by Cambodian law.
* NO socializing with the children outside the orphanage apart from a friendly hello (unless arranged by management)
* NO children are to be singled out with special attention or gifts.
