6 . Volunteer in Africa

Dreaming of volunteering in Africa? International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) will enable you to be immersed in vibrant cultures, discover unique wildlife and make valuable contributions to the local communities.

Common questions about volunteering in Africa

Whether you want to volunteer and teach English in Africa, support construction projects, wildlife volunteering, or nursing and medical volunteer abroad projects, IVHQ has volunteer work in Africa that is suitable for volunteers with a range of skills and experience.

Our fully hosted Africa volunteer programs start from as little as $20/day! This includes your accommodation, meals, airport pickup, orientation and comprehensive support services that you won’t find elsewhere.

We have a comprehensive approach to managing safety and reducing risks across all of our programs, which gives volunteers the knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe, secure and healthy. This includes:

All local teams are trained in volunteer management, are required to undertake first aid training and ensure that programs adhere to IVHQ’s Risk Management Policy.

All IVHQ volunteers receive pre-departure and 24/7 in-country support, are required to have travel insurance and are strongly encouraged to take our online pre-departure training which can be accessed for free.

Applying to volunteer in Africa is simple! Once you’ve decided which country you want to volunteer in and which Africa project you would like to join, you can apply. It’s free, only takes a few minutes and there is no commitment needed at this stage. Our team of Volunteer Travel Specialists will then guide you through the next steps to secure your spot and start preparing for your trip.

7 . Birmingham is the second largest city of the United Kingdom. It lies near the geographic center of England. It’s one of England’s major industrial and commercial areas. Here’re some places in Birmingham you may be interested in living in.

Located 7.5 miles southeast of Birmingham, Solihull offers the best of both worlds for the perfect combination of city and country living. With several top-rated schools, Solihull is a perfect location for families, and with over 1,500acres of parks, there’re plenty of green spaces to keep the kids entertained as well. With easy transport links into Birmingham, it’s a great choice for commuters (通勤人员) and what’s more, Birmingham Airport is located in Solihull.

Situated five miles northeast of the city center, Erdington has to be one of the best places to live in and around Birmingham. This is a very well-connected city suburb, with easy motorway access, great bus links and a railway station on the Cross City Line.

If you’re looking to buy your first home in Birmingham, Digbeth could be the perfect choice. The area is a hub for the creative industry, with the Custard Factory and Fazeley Studios both hosting a huge variety of digital and cultural businesses. It’s very tolerant of all kinds of culture, making it one of the most dynamic places to live in.

Edgbaston is one of the richest areas in Birmingham, well-known for its green spaces and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There’re many other attractions for those not interested in sports, including the pretty Victorian campus of Birmingham University and multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. It is a suitable place to live in.

8 . Those of you who have seen the amazing National Geographic documentary Free Solo will know just how fascinating it can be to watch a professional climber scale the side of a mountain.

A new documentary, Explorer: The Last Tepui, shares a lot with Free Solo, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Not only does it star rock climber Alex Honnold, it also shows him hanging off the side of a mountain in precarious positions that will make your stomach drop in extreme fear.

While his athletic achievements are amazing, Honnold isn’t the most appealing character in the film. That honor goes to Bruce Means, who has spent his academic career finding new species throughout South America to prove to the world that the area is a biodiversity hot spot to be protected at all costs. In Explorer:The Last Tepui, the 80-year-old ecologist decides to climb the 300-plus metres to the peak of the Tepui, deep in Guyana’s Amazon rainforest.

Means, Honnold, leader Mark Synnott and a world-class team of climbers have to hike 56 kilometres over 10 days across increasingly dangerous areas to reach the base of the Tepui. This is a very big deal because Means has problems with his knees. Once at the Tepui, Honnold and other team members plan to climb to the top and then pull Means up, which will allow him to explore the cliff wall for novel animal and plant species.

Unsurprisingly, because of the area they must cross to reach the Tepui, various major barriers soon get in the way of the party. The detailed descriptions of Means’ determination to overcome these challenges due to his age and health just add real suspense (悬念) to the documentary.

The constantly changing viewpoints and potentially life-threatening issues ensure that Explorer: The Last Tepui remains compelling (扣人心弦的) to the very end. Even though it is just 54 minutes long, you will still feel tired out, as well as inspired, by the time it is over.

9 . The Student Essay Competition of Yorkshire

We are thrilled to announce the beginning of our annual student essay competition. This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for all of you to showcase your writing skills, express your creativity and win exciting prizes.

The theme for this year’s competition is “The Power of Education” We want to hear your thoughts on how education has the power to make a difference to the world, transform lives, and create a better future for all. All high school students from Yorkshire can participate in the competition.

*The essay should be written in English.

*The word count should be between 500 and 1,000.

*The essay should be different from anything that has existed before and not be previously published.

*Proper citation and referencing are required for any external sources used.

*Plagiarism(抄袭)will result in disqualification.

Please submit your essays via email to YKSEC@yahoo.com by 8th next month. The subject line of the email should read: “Student Essay Competition + your name”.

We have exciting prizes lined up for the winners of this competition. The top ten winners will receive a trip to London. Additionally, the winning essays will be featured on our website and social media platforms, giving you a chance to showcase your work to a wider audience.

10 . Teen Eco-Art Exhibition

Young artists share your artwork and viewpoints on our environment in the Teen Eco-Art Exhibition this Spring!

Submission is open to artiste from Grades 11-12 who reside in West Vancouver or attend a West Vancouver secondary school.

Submissions will be reviewed by a Selection Committee. Artwork will be assessed on creative use of materials and expression of the theme.

Submission criteria (标准)

•Artwork addressing environmental themes such as clean water, climate change, sustainability, conservation, pollution, etc.

•Artwork created primarily from sustainable, repurposed, recycled materials. Other media such as paint, photography, paper, etc. can be used in combination with repurposed materials.

•Size. Wall-mounled (固定在墙上的) artwork: no larger than 36''×36''. Sculpture: no larger than l'5''×1'5''×1'5''.

•Artwork should be exhibition ready. Wall-mounted artwork should have hanging wire, D-rings or hangers. Sculptures should be able to stand on their own.

Artist statement: clear and brief, 100-200 word statement regarding your art practice and the concept/ theme of the work being considered.

How to submit

Complete the submission form & upload the required materials.

Submission close

March 25, 6 pm.

Results

Artists will be notified by April 6.

Exhibition location

West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950 Marine Dr.

Exhibition Dates

April 15-May 29.

If you have any questions please contact Gallery Coordinator Steven Snider at steven. wvcac@shaw. ca. We look forward to seeing your artwork!