Service Internship Programs

World Camp’s Service Learning Internships offer a rewarding and potentially life changing experience while providing you with practical field knowledge. You will meet inspired people, discover new confidence and develop skills that you never knew you had. We take pride in building strong teams of interns who work with our unique curriculum developed in conjunction with local Ministries of Education, to provide educational and support programming to children and teachers in disadvantaged communities. Since 2000 World Camp has hosted more than 450 select interns who come from a variety of backgrounds. Over the course of your program, bonds of solidarity and understanding are made among interns, Field Staff, teachers and students. Your fieldwork is based on the needs and understanding of the communities and directly benefits local initiatives.

The focus of your Service Learning Internship is to expand your own knowledge while providing education to local communities. World Camp’s Educational Outreach programs are founded with strong sustainability objectives and aim to break the cycle of foreign dependency and empower individuals and communities to achieve self-sufficiency whenever possible.

Your Internship

World Camp will provide you with the necessary tools to become an effective teacher and a more informed global citizen. The rich material and engaging activities make for fun-filled days that will inspire you and the participants. Our unique program offers a menu of options you can use to expand your knowledge in key public health areas, and access important current technical information to accurately train others, apply in your future careers and use for self-improvement. World Camp’s programming combines technical content and experiential learning. You will be challenged with real life situations where you will use your training to address problems in the field.

You will be given required and suggested reading and course materials to provide an academic grounding in areas of public health and the environment. World Camp Program Coordinators will host group meetings nightly to provide feedback and guided reflection.

What Sets Us Apart

World Camp's direct, hands-on approach assures that interns engage locally challenging issues in an effective and rewarding manner. Unlike many other programs, World Camp does not transfer its interns to third-party organizations. World Camp interns are trained, hosted, and directed by experienced, professional staff who work diligently to ensure that camps and other projects are efficient and productive.

• Teaching: Work alongside fellow team members and trained Field Staff teaching the World Camp curriculum to primary school students in Standards 6-8 and initiating school action plans in Teacher Workshops. You are not required to have previous teaching experience (although it is preferred) only a genuine desire to help others learn.
• Community Outreach: With your group you will have multiple opportunities to work alongside community members on pre-selected projects Typically these projects include education-based community activities, volunteering in a Crisis Nursery, or conducting programs with children living in the streets.
• Cultural Immersion and Homestay: Together with your group you will have a true intercultural experience through homestays with local host families. They will introduce you to the local culture, traditions, and cuisine of Malawi. This cultural immersion will provide you with a very different perspective on life, family, time, wealth and community.

Most importantly you will feel the sense of satisfaction that comes from giving back to the welcoming people of Malawi. As your personal World Camp journey unfolds amidst new friendships you will remember jostling down dirt roads and city streets as the sun slowly reveals the magnificence of bright eyed children with two handed waves, women carrying firewood on their heads, bicycle commuters, and eager smiles.

Program Highlights Include:

Academic Advancement

World Camp’s interns participate in an online certification course on the subject of HIV basics through USAID’s Global Health eLearning Center. The course is pursued prior to and during your internship and gives you enhanced background information on the subjects you are teaching. Additionally, interns may be eligible to receive class or internship credit from their university.

Excursions and Program Reflection

Weekends may be spent working on an Outreach Project or travel to nearby destinations to take in unique culture or natural landscape. The final week of your program gives you a chance to visit one of the natural wonders of Malawi, Lake Malawi. Time spent enjoying the beach, water, and local craft markets create a relaxing environment for reflecting on your experiences and preparing for your return home.

Safari in Zambia

Placed halfway through your program, you have the opportunity to join an optional expedition to nearby South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world with an abundance of wild game concentrated around the Luangwa River, which is among the most intense in Africa. Your program fee does not include expenses related to this expedition (roughly $500-$600).

If you would like more information, please email us at info@worldcamp.co to request a copy of the Internship Packet.

2013 - All Service Internship programs $2700
**All dates subject to change**

January:
January 2 - February 3, 2013
Application Deadline: Completed!

Summer Session:
May 29 - July 1, 2013
Application Deadline: May 3, 2013

World Camp is an independent non-profit organization operating without governmental or religious affiliations. The costs of operations for World Camp’s international internship programs are funded entirely by private donations and intern contributions. Like other international programs, World Camp requires interns to pay a program fee. The program fee covers the expenses of operating the program and is determined by the location and activities of each program.

• The program fee is tax deductible in the US.
• This does not include airfare. The cost of airfare to Malawi is generally between $1800 and $2700 from the USA and $800 to $1000 from Europe. We will be glad to offer advice on finding your ticket and add the cost onto the program fee.
• This fee is subject to change.
• Note to Non-U.S. Residents: All fees must be paid in U.S. dollars. To convert the program fee to your currency at the current exchange rate, visit www.oanda.com.

Program Fee Includes

• In-country perspectives that includes excursions to nearby points of interest, special events and discussions with a variety of local cultural, professional, governmental and community agencies and people
• Housing, providing you with a comfortable, safe place to live, the basic amenities, some of your meals, and transportation in country. Accommodations will be split between village homestays and housing at the WC residence. Generally, you are responsible for your breakfasts, snacks, and about half of your lunches.
• An experienced U.S. based World Camp Program Coordinator (and former volunteer with World Camp) who will serve as your coordinator, guide, and liaison with our in-country staff
• In-country basic language assistance (optional)
• Professional, locally-based staff to provide orientation, supervision, assistance and guidance throughout your stay
• Important documents (electronic format), including in-depth intern handbook, orientation information, curriculum, and all in-country informational materials
• Country-based airport transportation
• Local phone calls

• In-coming international phone service
• Outgoing international phone service for emergencies
• All scheduled program-related expenses
• Drinking water

What is NOT included in the Program Fee

• Airfare to program location
• Costs associated with obtaining immunizations
• Airport departure taxes, visa extension fees
• Breakfast, snacks, and some lunches
• Personal internet time and long-distance (international) phone calls
• Laundry service
• Lodging and food when on holiday or non-program related activities
• Personal items
• Traveler's Insurance
• Safari Costs (Optional safari is 4 days, 3 nights and generally costs between $500 and $600)

World Camp encourages our service interns to fundraise to cover the cost of their program fees. All donations are tax-deductible in the United States. Many interns in the past have use their own or our fundraising techniques to successfully fundraise the total program fee. Please see the following documents for more information on fundraising.

Fundraising Guide

Detailed information on successful fundraising methods used in the past

Fundraising Letter

Sample of a letter to send to family and friends requesting funds. Tailor it to fit your needs & style!

Fundraising Brochure

Send this to your donors along with your fundraising letter to inform them about World Camp’s work

Q. How many other interns will I be working with?

A. The number of interns in each program varies, but the maximum is twenty interns per session.

Q. Do I have to sign up for the full 4.5 weeks?

A. Yes, due to the nature of the Service Internship Program, we require that all interns participate for the full 4.5 weeks.

Q. On my free time, will I be allowed to explore on my own?

A. Interns are allowed to go off and explore our neighborhood of Old Town in Lilongwe during their down time, but for safety reasons, must do so in pairs. There is a sign-out sheet at the community house so that the World Camp staff knows where all interns are at all times.

Q. How do I get credit hours from my college or university?

A. Because every university and every department within a university differs in how they grant credit hours for service learning internships, you will need to contact the specific department of your university in which you wish to get credit. We will be happy to transfer over and fill out any appropriate information so that you may receive college credit.

Q. What is the length of stay in the village vs. at the WC residence in Lilongwe?

A. Generally, you will stay in the village with a host family for 3 nights per week, and at the WC residence for the remaining 4 nights.

Q. During the homestay, are we placed individually with host families, or with another volunteer?

A. You will always have either another volunteer, a Program Coordinator, or a member of our local staff staying with you and your host family.

Q. Do I need travel insurance?

A. Yes. Emergency medical evacuation insurance is required, and we also strongly recommend, having a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Once your application has been processed, you will receive a list of options for this insurance, or you may contact the office for details.

Q. What do we do on weekends?

A. A typical week involves 6 days of work. At the end of this long week we may go out to dinner as a group at a nearby restaurant. On days off we may travel to Nkhoma Mountain to hike or organize a group trip to points of interest in the city.