[Press Release] British and Pinoy Volunteers Help Fight Human Trafficking and Preventable Diseases

Twenty young volunteers from the UK, Quezon City and Hagonoy, Bulacan are working with VF and the Local Government of Hagonoy in projects aimed at curbing human trafficking and promoting health awareness. The 10 British volunteers are part of the International Citizen Service (ICS) Youth Action, a new initiative funded by the UK Government’s Department…

Human Rights Online Philippines

July 6, 2011

2–3 minutes

ECPAT, Human, humantrafficking, Non-governmental organization, Philippine, Quezon City, Right to food, United States, United States Department of State, Zamboanga City

The 10 British volunteers are part of the International Citizen Service (ICS) Youth Action, a new initiative funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) that will give thousands of 18-22 year old across the UK to join in the fight against global poverty.

The media is invited to join VSO, VF, and the local government of Hagonoy in welcoming these British volunteers, who will be joined by 10 Filipino youth professionals from Quezon City and Hagonoy, Bulacan. A welcome lunch will be held at the VF Office in No. 18 12th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday, July 6th at 12:00 noon. This is an opportunity for the media to engage with the young volunteers and convey their message of working together for social change further to the public.

For 12 weeks, the volunteers will live, learn and volunteer together on a range of community based action projects. Two teams of young people aim to work effectively together to deliver real impact at community level—be it through supporting service delivery, through advocacy or peer education activities or through youth-led community action research around themes of health, human rights, environmental protection, climate change, and youth participation.

Volunteers will receive in-country training in participatory community development approaches in order to support them in their placements and project work.

VSO, an international development organization that works through volunteers in fighting global poverty, heads a consortium that is piloting the ICS in 21 countries. In the Philippines, VSO Bahaginan, an NGO that implements a range of innovative volunteering for development programs and a member of the VSO Federation, serves as the focal point for supporting young volunteers to take action for development.

VSO Bahaginan and VF, an NGO known for its advocacy and action against human trafficking, have been partners in strengthening its volunteering program in support of its wide range of services for victims of human trafficking.

The Local Government of Hagonoy, Bulacan and VSO Bahaginan are collaborating for the first time to widen the reach of Hagonoy’s health education campaign against leading diseases such as tuberculosis and promote healthy lifestyles especially among the youth.

Sixty more British youth volunteers with their 60 Filipino youth counterparts will be working with LGUs and NGOs in Bohol, Cebu, Davao, and Samar in the coming months.

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