Action at Home

The Action at Home is a central part of EIL Explore 

As part of their programme, EIL Explorers must complete an Action at Home when they are back from their overseas placement. With the Action at Home, EIL Explorers take their experience and learning from abroad and share it with their community upon return. It is very flexible and open to a participant’s interests, skills and capacity.

The aims of an Action at Home:

  • Help Explorers to get the most out of their experience – enrich your life
  • Provide a basis for participants to actively process their experience abroad – self reflect
  • Encourage participants to give back – be a Global Citizen

The Action at Home progresses with the participant throughout their EIL Explore experience. It starts once they are selected in April and finishes in October when the Action at Home report is submitted to EIL.

There are three types of projects for you to choose from: Explore, Connect and Voice. Check out ideas below for each type of project.

Examples

Explore

The EXPLORE project looks at similarities and differences, and what we can learn from other cultures. Take part and talk with your community on topics such as; traditions, celebrations, food or a typical day. This type of project is popular with Vermont, Secondary School and Japan winners.

Find out more

Connect

The CONNECT project links people and communities. If you’re interested in education, interview a teacher in your host community and a teacher in your own community in Ireland. You could do this with musicians, engineers, sports teams, grandparents, local politicians. This type of project is popular with Mexico, Access and Mature winners.

Find out more

Voice

The VOICE project allows you to take a social issue and be a voice for the people you have met and, if you think it necessary, advocate for change on their behalf. This type of project is popular with GAP winners.

Find out more

The Stages of your Action at home

There are 3 main stages to the action at home process

  • Design and plan your project
  • Identify the type of project (Explore, Connect, or Voice)
  • Research a topic to focus on when abroad (e.g. food & culture, young people & community, role of women in society etc.)
  • Choose how you will share your experience (e.g. write, photograph, video, artwork, drama, music etc.)
ACTION_SDGs_at_home

The Global Citizen Award is a personal development award that enables you to share your overseas volunteering experiences and help raise awareness of global issues in Ireland. 

Continue the Journey At home

The Award is free and open to all returned international volunteers. It offers you an opportunity to take what you have experienced overseas and continue to make a difference to Global Justice issues right here at home.

Find out more