Get Involved  

 

​There are many ways to get involved. We've listed some below. You may think of others; we're open to suggestions.

 

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Become a member of a local group

​ Whether you are in Sierra Leone, USA, Europe or elsewhere, the best way to contribute is to become a member of a local or regional YOSA association. Alumni, ex-teacher, or friend of the school are welcome to join. Registration is free.

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Become a member of the YOSA International coalition 

Contact us if you'd like to join our coalition or become a partner. Local and regional alumni associations and individuals are invited to join our coalition to assist with coordinating our programme and our working groups.

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Join one or more of our working groups

We have 7 working groups, they are: Teaching and Learning, Classroom Readiness, Security and Safeguarding, Teachers' Accommodation, WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene), Electricity Supply, Fundraising and Partnerships. Join us on WhatsApp or contact the working groups via our Programme Page.

 

Volunteer in Sierra Leone

​YSS has a long tradition of welcoming and hosting volunteers from the Peace Corps, VSO, CUSO and other organisations. If you're considering taking a sabbatical in Africa, your time with YSS will be greatly appreciated, it will leave a legacy with the school and its students, and it will be an experience that you will look back on for years to come. We're not just looking for teachers, teacher-trainers, and community outreach workers. We also desperately need people who can help the school rehabilitate its infrastructure. This includes electricity generation (possibly solar) installing wiring, helping rehabilitate science labs, carpentry, building benches and lab equipment, rehabilitating the boarding home, the piped water system and the town's water tower, staff quarters, the girls school, the agricultural dept, poultry and incubators, the library, desks and chairs. Whether you're an educator, community outreach worker, or good at building things, your voluntary contribution will be valued. During your stay we'll ensure a structured planned programme and that you make an impact. Enhanced CRB checks (or national equivalent if outside the UK) will be required. You can use our membership application form to send us your details, skills you can offer and volunteering preference (click here), or email us at: info [at] yss-association.org.uk.​

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Donors and partner organisations

We are always interested in developing partnership relationships with national and international organisations and agencies in the education, WASH, health, and women and girls sectors.

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Individual donations, gifts in kind and fundraising drives

• Ask your children's school or your workplace for learning materials or school equipment, especially for sciences

• Would your local school like to partner with YSS?

• Join or organise a sponsored event. Next time you're taking part in a fun run, school challenge or other fundraising event, choose YSS or one of our local YOSA alumni organisations as your charitable cause.

• Or raise funds for a particular project at the school

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You can contribute to any part of our programme

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1. Teaching and learning - The single most important purpose of every school is excellent learning & attainment. Our flagship project will boost skills and quality of teaching and learning by hiring an extra 5 highly skilled teachers for regular INSETT (in service training), to demonstrate outstanding teaching practices, upgrade systems for full curriculum delivery, improve assessment, and daily after school remedial classes in English and Maths. Curriculum Development and Raising Standards - volunteers needed in UK or internationally to work from home assisting with liaison with the school, collating school records and statistics, performance and attainment target setting, culturally relevant lesson planning suitable for West African Examination Council curricula (available online) and IGCSE curricula, introduction and promotion  of interactive teaching methods, lesson handouts, etc., etc.
    

2. Classroom readiness - The usual wear and tear in schools means most classes need new desks and chairs, renovated blackboards, window and door repairs. Library furniture, roofs, ceilings & staffroom, need repairs. Books, IT, and internet need replacing. An alumnus has donated a small printer, though a larger one will also be necessary. YOSA will work from class to class in stages until the whole school is fit for purpose.
    

3. Security and Safeguarding - Sustainability and safeguarding are our overarching concerns. To ensure lasting programme impact, student safeguarding especially girls and security of assets, we’ll be introducing safeguarding training & enforcement, financial/asset management and accountability systems, security personnel, security systems and boundary repairs.
    

4. Teachers accommodation renovation - To attract and retain better skilled teachers, accommodation on campus needs renovation. With a few exceptions this hasn’t been done since the post war era and quarters are seriously dilapidated. It’s our aim to ensure every teachers quarter has windows, a bed, chair, desk, secure door and electricity, as well as decent toilets in their compound. We also intend for teachers to pay for ongoing maintenance.
    

5. Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) - Water Sanitation and Hygiene are vital for healthy students, for girls’ dignity and safety and to ensure girls can attend school.  At present toilets are dysfunctional because of lack of water and poor maintenance. Alumni have donated pumps, and a full 5 year life-cycle-costed school-WASH project is in the technical planning stage.
    

6. Electricity supply - Our ultimate goal is a 40-60kw solar-powered school. Short term however, we’ve already started construction plans on a powerhouse for a 10kw generator which we received on loan from a YSS alumnus. Electricity is essential for computers, water-pumps, printers, internet, lighting for after school studies and teachers’ quarters. Requirements for a solar system include panels, deep cycle batteries, controllers, regulators, wiring, installation and maintenance expertise etc.  
    

7. Science Labs (chemistry, physics and biology) - an autoclave, a distillation unit, a fume cupboard, metal storage cupboards, gas cylinders (available locally), bunsen burners, pippets, test tubes, beakers and other glass wear, plumbing, water tank, freezer, and all chemicals and other consumables. Simple metalworking, wood working and electrical repair tools, soldering irons, sinewave monitors, other physics lab equipment, (mass, forces, magnetism, electricity, etc. etc). 
    

8. Chapel rehabilitation - funds to assist local community matching funds requirement
    

9. Workshops rehabilitation - all heavy-duty wood and metal working tools, equipment, bench saws, measuring tools, workbenches, drills, furniture, 7kw or greater diesel generator, etc. etc.
    

10. Reference Library ongoing support - texts, journals, multimedia, learning materials, general knowledge reference books, African and Caribbean literature, etc.
     

11. Gender - various volunteers to assist in different tasks from development of project, research, community outreach, student outreach, development of services, grant fundraising, integrating programme into community and into school culture,  etc.
     

12. Sustainable Feeding Programme including Agricultural, environment and honey bee project - we urgently need a volunteer botanist (some expenses may be paid) with knowledge of tropical flora to conduct preliminary research on biodiversity within and surrounding the school.​​

 

We have other roles and funding needs so please contact us with volunteering offers or offers of partial funding. There are very few skills we don't need!