VoluntEars is a specialist organisation offering volunteer trips to the D/deaf and hard of hearing who want to travel and help out in developing countries.
It was founded by international volunteer, Richard Clowes who wanted to provide fully supported overseas volunteering opportunities to the D/deaf community. With the help of his close friend and independent traveller, Nicolas Hall, Richard runs several exciting VoluntEar trips to Sri Lanka every year. Many people who are training to work with D/deaf and hard of hearing people also join in.
We spoke to Richard and Nicolas to find out more about VoluntEars, and the life-changing experience it offers to the D/deaf and hard of hearing who want a trip of a lifetime, whilst using their talents, skills and passion to help others.
Can you tell Deaf Unity readers briefly about your project and how it came to be?
Richard worked for 16 years in international volunteering, living and working in more than 20 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. After several years working at a senior level in the organisation Richard became frustrated spending too much time in meetings in a stuffy UK head office and felt cut off and removed from the volunteers and hands-on work at the local projects. Richard wanted to reconnect with volunteers and worthwhile projects in developing countries and started discussing ideas with his friend Nicolas Hall.
Nicolas, who is profoundly deaf with speech, had enjoyed independent travel to Australia, New Zealand, Spain and USA . However, Richard and Nicolas discovered many other deaf people had negative experiences, especially when travelling to developing countries, because they felt alienated from other volunteers and didn’t receive sufficient support from the organisers. VoluntEars was established to fill the gap!
What appealed to you about Sri Lanka as the location for VoluntEars trips?
Richard’s lived and worked in Sri Lanka several times since 2003 so knows the country very well. It’s a stunning tropical island with beautiful long sandy beaches, huge national parks full of wild elephants and leopards, tasty food, mountains and tea plantations and some of the friendliest people you will ever meet! It also has many deaf schools which are poorly funded and in need of a lot of help. This means our volunteers help with really useful work in the local deaf community, learn about a fantastic Asian culture and visit some incredible places in their time off.
What kinds of activities do volunteers get up to on your trips? How do these help them to develop their confidence and skills?
Most volunteers join our 2 Week Group Trips. Mornings are spent doing practical work at a deaf school – renovating classrooms, painting murals, refurbishing playgrounds – and afternoons are spent doing cultural activities with local deaf students and visiting interesting sights like Buddhist and Hindu temples, local markets, an elephant orphanage and a traditional fishing village. The middle weekend includes hiking up the famous Lion’s Rock at Sigirya and helping at a turtle conservation project. We also make time for a Sri Lankan sign language class and learn how to cook Roti and spicy dhal curry!
VoluntEars can also arrange classroom-based teaching work for volunteers wanting more independence and experience teaching in a different education system.
In a supportive and fun way we push the boundaries of what our volunteers have done before. For example, Stephan Pretorius, a 34 year old trained artist originally from South Africa, was given the challenge of designing a 10 metre long mural and managing other volunteers and local deaf students to help paint it. Despite never having done anything on this scale Stephan did an incredible job and is now starting his very own mural business back in the UK!
How have volunteers benefitted from their experiences on the trips?
We find volunteers return home with new drive and passion for life, more confidence in themselves and their abilities, a greater appreciation of home comforts and an appetite for more travel. Older volunteers working in deaf education back home often return re-motivated after the exposure to deaf education in Sri Lanka.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
Richard: For me the most rewarding aspects are developing strong personal connections with our volunteers as I’m in contact with them before they apply and I lead the 2 Week Group Trips so get to know them all during our time away. I love seeing them develop through facing challenges and learning about themselves and another country and culture. I’m also motivated by the benefits our trips bring to the fantastic local communities we partner with. They’re all very special people and I feel privileged to work with them.
What advice can you offer to young deaf people who want to travel more?
Nicolas: This is a perfect opportunity to develop communication skills and pride in achievement.
Richard: Think about exactly what you want to get out of it and plan it carefully so your experience is suitable for you. Don’t put it off though, you’ll have a great time and learn more than you ever expected!
What’s in the future for for VoluntEars? Are you hoping to grow the project and create more travelling opportunities for the deaf community?
The future is very exciting! We are just about to start offering trips to 3 new destinations; Nepal, Romania and India. We will also add an African destination in 2017. Keep an eye on our website for details and dates.
We are working very hard to be the leaders in arranging exciting, safe and worthwhile trips to developing countries for the D/deaf community. Contact us today (contact@voluntears.info) for information about how you can get involved!
Visit the VoluntEars website for more information.