Apply by
January 1, 2025
Know by
March 1, 2025
Depart on
July 11, 2025
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
Project description
The CYF (Children, Youth, and Family) project works closely with the Philippine Government’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in implementing youth and community services. Volunteers will partner with stakeholders in contributing to the holistic development of communities. They will collaborate with young people and serve as a support in their quest to become responsible and productive members of the community.
Communities will utilize the support of Volunteers to collaborate on locally prioritized projects designed to build transferable skills among Filipino youth and other populations served by DSWD through empowerment projects and by building transferable skills among youth service providers. Youth Development professionals and leaders will work alongside Volunteers to co-facilitate sessions on life skills, financial literacy, employability, HIV prevention, and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH). They will work with youth to conduct community assessments and create volunteering and community engagement opportunities in their schools and villages.
Local service providers will be supported by Volunteers in co-facilitating gender sensitivity trainings, organizing gender advocacy youth groups, and mentoring youth in the design and implementation of gender advocacy projects. Volunteers will work with NGOs, LGUs, DSWD-managed regional shelters, the National Service Training Program (NSTP) of colleges and universities, and other organizations depending on their strengths, skills and experience. Volunteers may also work with high school and college aged youth co-facilitating life skills/Youth Development Sessions (YDS) and other activities.
Additional community activities in which Volunteers can assist may include:
- Facilitating workshops and seminars for young people, Filipino youth development professionals, and community members.
- Developing and leading youth associations and volunteer groups in facilitating youth camps and other community projects.
- Assisting in event planning, strategic planning, project and grant development, writing, and monitoring and evaluation.
- Assisting organizations in co-implementing health and wellness activities for children such as handwashing and co-promoting healthy lifestyles.
Volunteers will work directly with youth in student councils, youth councils and other formal or informal youth groups. They are expected to co-facilitate discussion and planning of community-driven activities related to the community’s interests and needs. Youth can utilize the Volunteers’ support to cope with the impact of the pandemic in programs such as psycho-social services, remedial classes, digital learning, and innovative ideas on blended learning. Youth service providers will work closely with Volunteers in strategizing creative approaches to support children and youth in the communities. There is a unique opportunity for Volunteers to support locally prioritized projects related to economic recovery programs for youth.
Community integration is an indispensable part of Volunteer work. To be successful in service, Volunteers must be accepted by their communities and invest in relationship building. They must have an interest in Filipino culture and a willingness to integrate into their Filipino community. The responsibility for integration rests on Volunteers and host communities, and that includes learning the local language. During Pre-Service Training, Peace Corps Philippines provides tools and strategies for Volunteers to enhance their community integration and language acquisition. Volunteers’ main focus during the first three months at their permanent sites is community integration. Volunteers may find that utilizing Facebook and other social media will help them connect with a larger community. By devoting attention to community integration at site and to language learning, Volunteers lay the groundwork for their future community work.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
- 5 years' professional work experience
Due to the Philippines government visa requirements and the government’s current strong stance and action on combatting drug production, distribution/trafficking, and use, applicants will not be considered for Peace Corps positions in the Philippines at this time if they have ever been convicted of any major crimes, even if it was expunged or sealed, and even if they otherwise would meet the standards for legal clearance to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer more generally.
Desired Skills
Highly desired skills for this position include:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Sociology, Human Development, Psychology, Counseling, or Community Development.
- Background in mental health support for children and youth, as well as their service provider.
- Experience in youth advocacy work such as children’s rights, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, positive discipline, and life skills
- Experience in youth community engagement through service learning opportunities
- Coaching and mentoring skills.
- Passion for addressing the needs of the most marginalized at-risk youth populations including those who have been sexually and/or physically abused, juvenile offenders, homeless children, out-of-school youth, and those in need of special protection, etc.
- Strong interpersonal and social skills especially in establishing rapport with youth populations.
- An interest in Filipino culture and willingness to integrate into a Filipino community.
- Experience in community development, youth empowerment, team building and leadership development.
- Strong facilitation skills.
Required Language Skills
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Filipino (the standardized form of Tagalog) is the national language of the Philippines. Volunteers must demonstrate an intermediate level in Tagalog by week 7 of Pre-Service Training. Towards the middle of Pre-Service Training, most Volunteers will start to learn a secondary local language associated with their assigned site. A Volunteer’s dedication to learning language will set them up for success during their service. Having this skill will help Volunteers better integrate into their community. Additional language resources to improve Volunteers’ local language skills will be offered at Peace Corps training events and through independent tutoring during service.
Living conditions
Housing
Housing conditions for Volunteers vary widely depending upon their community and can range from heavily urban to very rural. In underdeveloped areas, housing construction is typically a hollow concrete block or a mix of concrete, wood, and bamboo. Housing in more developed areas can range from the same construction as in underdeveloped areas up to full concrete and modern design. Most houses have running water and electricity but do not have air conditioning. Access to internet will vary and cannot be guaranteed.
Host Family Situation
Volunteers live with host families during the community-based portion of Pre-Service Training. Typically, Volunteers live with host families for the first four months in their permanent communities. After this period, Volunteers may choose to continue living with a host family or move into their own rented accommodations. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to continue living with host families to strengthen their language fluency and integration into the community.
Intercultural Challenges
Volunteers will encounter very different social and cultural norms that will require patience and flexibility. The American sense of privacy, in terms of information-sharing or physical space, does not exist in many Philippine communities. Questions about topics that Americans may deem private such as religion or marital status are considered conversation starters in local communities. Some American women may experience challenges in adjusting to the limitations that are imposed on women by the culture. Views and attitudes about what is proper for girls and women can be very traditional such as being home by sunset or having a host family member or relative accompany them when going out with male friends or community members.
Diversity Challenges
Volunteers of an American racial, ethnic, or national minority or those whose religious or spiritual beliefs differ from the majority of the local community members may experience a high degree of curiosity or unwanted attention. An American without any religious affiliation might receive an unusual number of questions about why the Volunteer does not have a religious affiliation. They may expect to receive invitations to attend religious activities for exposure. These experiences can be uncomfortable, but Volunteers are encouraged to use these moments as opportunities to deepen local community members’ understanding of U.S. diversity through conversations and authentic engagement in building relationship and intercultural integration. Staff will address identity-related concerns during Pre-Service Training and consultations.
Climate
The climate of the Philippines is tropical and characterized by relatively high temperatures and high humidity. Generally, the country experiences two major seasons, the rainy season from June through November, and the dry season from December to May.
Dress
Philippine culture is traditional with strict norms related to appearance. Therefore, Volunteers must be prepared to abide by these guidelines to ensure a successful service. Volunteers with visible body and facial piercings or tattoos will need strategies to remove or conceal them, especially when they are teaching. Volunteers are looked upon as role models in the community and are therefore expected to be neat, clean, and well-groomed even in informal occasions. Men should wear their hair short and be clean-shaven or have neatly trimmed facial hair.
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in Philippines: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Medical considerations
Before you apply, please review medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
Couples information
The Philippines welcomes and can accommodate couples. Your partner must qualify and apply for the following position:
Elementary Education Co-Teacher
High School Education Co-Teacher
Community Development Facilitator for Coastal Resource Management
Youth Development Facilitator
Volunteers serving as a couple must live with separate host families during Pre-Service Training (PST). Couples will be able to room together during Initial Orientation and during the last week of PST. The remaining PST period will be community-based in selected host communities where each PCT is assigned to a separate host family, including couples. Couples will be allowed overnight visits on weekends during PST. This arrangement ensures a distinctive experience for each PCT in a Filipino family setting. Over the years, the post has noted that placing only one PCT with any specific host family notably improves the PCT’s acquisition of the Tagalog language.
After PST, couples will live together in the same community for the duration of their service. Peace Corps Philippines has sites available for couples who are married or in a domestic partnership. In the Philippines, there is an expectation that couples are married and there will be many questions about the marriage. (When did you get married? How many kids do you have? When will you have children? etc.) Staff will guide couples on how to approach living together in a community and how to respond to questions.
The Peace Corps works to foster safe and productive assignments for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples are not placed in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. Because of this, same-sex couple placements are more limited than heterosexual couple placements. The Philippines is not able to accept same-sex couples where one or more spouse will serve in the education sector. During the application process Recruiters and Placement Officers work closely with same-sex couple applicants to understand current placement opportunities. For more information please visit: https://www.peacecorps.gov/faqs/lgbtq/.
