INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE EMPOWERMENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY! SUMMER 2021

Volunteer on a medical or legal empowerment brigade in summer 2021, with our society Edinburgh Sustainable Projects Abroad (ESPA)!

  • Contribute to the sustainable empowerment of developing rural communities
  • Get involved in international aid and support positive, sustainable change, especially in current times of crisis
  • Build valuable experience and skills for personal development and your CV

Who are we?

ESPA prepares students for 10-day volunteer projects to Honduras, Panama, Ghana and Greece, partnered with international non-profit organization Global Brigades (GB) UK, a student-led movement which implements a holistic approach to empowering developing communities. GB focuses on working with local people to pave the way for sustainable development by improving healthcare, sanitation, human rights, legal advice, and community infrastructure.

Our volunteer opportunities:

Medical Brigade – Greece, Refugee Crisis

GB is currently working with the Greek Ministry of Health to provide medical aid to refugees desperately seeking help in Greece. Volunteers on our medical brigade will have the chance to work with local, qualified healthcare professionals in running mobile clinics to help provide urgent medical care. No experience is necessary, however volunteers will undergo mandatory training due to the sensitive nature of the volunteering.

Medical Brigade – Honduras

Our medical brigades to Central America operate with the goal of empowering communities for long-term, sustainable development. As well as assisting in mobile medical clinics like those in Greece, volunteers will help to improve public health as part of GB’s holistic approach to development. This is done through building hygiene stations and water systems to prevent spread of communicable disease and by educating communities on the management of medical conditions.

Legal Brigade – Honduras

Volunteers will shadow qualified lawyers to help educate communities on financial, personal and legal affairs that may be affecting land-ownership, business or even marriage. You will help to launch workshops on issues such as seeking help from domestic abuse, and support lawyers in writing case summaries, collecting evidence to help clients get appropriate support.

**COVID-19 update**

Currently the nature of our brigades is uncertain – Global Brigades are providing regular updates about the safety and viability of an in-person brigade due to COVID-19 implications. The priority of both GB and ESPA is the safety of our volunteers and partner communities. If the pandemic does not allow an in-person brigade to take place, there is an opportunity to partake in a TeleBrigade – alternative online volunteering to continue supporting our communities.

Medical and Business TeleBrigades: As a result of the pandemic, Global Brigades are running these TeleBrigades to provide continued support to communities in Honduras, Panama, Ghana and Greece. By participating in this virtual volunteer experience, students learn from and collaborate with local, in-country teams and community members to carry out social impact projects, including medical clinics, water systems and community banks. Through using virtual meeting software and secure telemedical platforms, TeleBrigade volunteers have the opportunity to participate in live consultations, interviews with physicians and economic development professionals, and real case studies in the fields of business, engineering, medicine, and public health.

Virtual Fresher’s Information Session – Tuesday 15th September 3pm!

Join us on Microsoft Teams to hear more about our society and GB, the work we do and how to get involved in our volunteer opportunities.

Email: espa.edinburgh@gmail.com

Facebook: Edinburgh Sustainable Projects Abroad – Instagram: @espauofe

EUSA website: Edinburgh Sustainable Project Abroad