Humanist Service Corp

The Humanist Service Corps (HSC) is the only international volunteering program guided by humanist principles. HSC focuses on protecting human rights by meeting basic needs. Human rights abuses occur most commonly where people have insufficient access to education, healthcare, and jobs. HSC collaborates with local organizations to provide these basic needs and empower members of the local community.

Humanist service must be effective, sustainable, and responsible. HSC sets itself apart from more conventional secular volunteering programs by covering program costs and providing stipends. This demonstrates HSC’s focus on the skills volunteers bring to the program rather than the experience the program provides volunteers. It also ensures that this challenging and rewarding opportunity is open to volunteers from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.

A Service Model Built on Collaboration

HSC partners with grassroots organizations to achieve effective and culturally responsible change. This enables HSC volunteers to benefit from native expertise, achieve meaningful positive impacts in a relatively short period of time, and contribute to lasting change by imparting skills and knowledge to local staff. HSC volunteers live on-site for a year while working on initiatives to improve the lives of hundreds of local people.

Where We Work

HSC currently partners with human rights organizations in the Northern Region of Ghana. Although Ghana is generally well-developed, the drought-prone Northern Region has poverty and illiteracy rates above 75% — 2 to 3 times the national average. These and other factors create an environment in which human rights abuses are common. Elderly women are often blamed for misfortunes in their families and communities, accused of witchcraft, and lynched. To escape violence and death, they must leave behind their homes, families, and possessions to seek refuge in one of the camps for victims of witchcraft accusations.

Although the elderly women are relatively safe from violence once they are in exile, they are subjected to harsh living conditions and further abuses in the camps where they seek safety. Women usually remain in camp for rest of their lives. HSC partners with two local organizations working toward:

• improving living conditions for rural Ghanaians, including those victimized by witchcraft accusations
• helping accused women safely reintegrate back into society
• providing greater access to healthcare, education, and stable incomes
• empowering youth to become effective human rights advocates

HSC volunteers help these local organizations in the areas of program structure, facilitation, communications, fundraising, and measurement and evaluation.

Apply to Join the 2017-2018 Humanist Service Corps

The Humanist Service Corps will be accepting applications from Ghanaian candidates until April 30th, 2017. In order to apply, email the following to hsc@foundationbeyondbelief.org:

• Cover letter
• Resume/CV
• Contact information for three references

Support HSC’s Work

You can make an online donationto HSC or send Tigo Cash to HSC Coordinator Yvonne Nyahe at 0570344196. These donations enable your fellow Ghanaians to volunteer and ensure the protection of Ghana’s most vulnerable populations in the Northern Region.