“Working within the hospital and forming genuine connections with the staff was what I was looking for, because I believe if you try to approach a problem, with truly understanding the inner-workings of the culture, you can create solutions to the problem which the people would actually follow. I feel truly blessed to have spent my two weeks with Halad to Health.”
Our missions
We run mission trips to give young people in rural Philippines access to preventative healthcare education and services, which they otherwise may not receive. At the same time, we have also designed the program to be an invaluable learning experience for our international volunteers who have access to a range of healthcare settings from clinical delivery, public health policy and healthcare education campaigns.
Missions are run over 2 weeks every Winter (JUNE-JULY) and Summer (JANUARY-FEBRUARY) university semester break.
Clinical Exposure
During the first week, volunteers undergo an intensive bootcamp where they are fully orientated with the health priorities and challenges in the community.
Volunteers will experience how clinical healthcare is delivered in a rural setting with limited access to a reliable source of electricity, internet, medical resources and, at times, staff. Delivery of rural health services can be challenging; this makes clinical exposure in the rural Philippines exciting and rewarding. At times, the medical missions can be delivered in gymnasiums; at other times, it can be in small community.
You will have opportunities to work alongside Filipino Allied Health Professionals, Medical Students, Nurses and Medical Doctors.
Health Education Lecture and Workshops
During the second week, volunteers tap on the health priorities of the community where we are running school/community health fairs. Called Share the Safe Space, the fairs pool-in-together the guidance designate, local youth leaders, professionals, and government agencies to provide awareness and education for the youth.
Volunteers will explore communications and public speaking skills, creativity in developing content for lectures, focus group discussions, and experiential activations in an international working environment.
Cultural Immersion
We arrange cultural nights for our International Volunteers to engage in a variety of artistic and cultural activities that encourage cultural awareness, understanding and appreciation. We always finish off the mission with a rest and recreation weekend, where volunteers can celebrate the end of mission with local friends, and experience cultural sites and tastes unique to the Philippines.
Our volunteer participants not only come back with a sense of gratitude for the knowledge and experience they had gained, but also with a true sense of accomplishment that their efforts did make an impact, even if it was just on one person’s life.
From past volunteers
“I signed up to the program as I was looking towards making a difference in people’s lives. Given the resources at our disposal as well as the expertise within the team, I feel as if we were able to make an impact, from the patients at the health care centre, to being a friend to Josef (primary school student).”
Monash University Student
“I definitely believe this experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has taught me a lot regarding all the different factors and influences that impact the delivery of healthcare.”
Monash University Student
“I felt safe and supported throughout the trip and gained a deeper understanding of myself than I was expecting. I left feeling like I have made a difference that is deeper than the superficial difference made by most other volunteer trips.”
Monash University Student