Corporate Retreat Singapore

The X-Men are Real (well, kinda), and they need our help!

Many of us may know that in the fantasy world of the X-men, Professor X founded the School for gifted Youngsters to help children with special needs hone their ability and guide them to become the change they want to see in the world. Unfortunately, not many people know that hidden intentionally in the midst of the Phang-Nga Nature Reserve (about 90 minutes’ drive from Phuket) is a school for underprivileged children with a similar mission to provide a first-class education, which helps children to become open-minded, confident, caring, and happy human beings.

This school was set up to create a better future for everyone by educating one child at a time, including life-Skills education into the daily program and welcoming those who are willing and able to give back to society, and the name of the school is Yaowawit.

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Meaningful

Yaowawit School is a project of the “Children’s World Academy” Foundations, both registered as non-profit organizations in Germany and Thailand respectively. The school was founded by the German Philanthropist Philipp Graf von Hardenberg to help the victims of the devastating Tsunami in 2005.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn officially opened Yaowawit School in April 2006 for the first 80 children, and today the school provides an education and a home for 135+ children.

Sustainable

As a non-profit organization, Yaowawit depends solely on the contributions of its benefactors. The school does not receive consistent funding for the ongoing costs of running a welfare boarding school. These costs include teacher’s wages, a balanced diet for the children, medical care, electricity, clothing, study materials, hygiene products as well as a little bit of pocket money.

To that end, the Board of Yaowawit also has a vision to build a self-sustaining school by promoting its guest lodge to tourists (supported by the Marriott Group by way of vocational training for the school’s children and teachers), producing its own products and organizing local tours around Phang-Nga to introduce the local Thai culture and way of life before commercialization set in.

Impactful

Yaowawit sits on about 22 hectares of land (that’s about 26 football fields) and its Board has started to realize their new vision to develop an eco-friendly, self-sustaining farmland to not only provide for its children and residents, but also to educate locals and tourists on topics such as renewable energy, sustainable farming and building self-sustaining residential communities.

In its humble location within a nature reserve, Yaowawit intends to create a global impact through its projects.

Get Out! Impact Retreat

This retreat is a 3D2N full-board stay at the Yaowawit guest lodge where you will be served, and also serve in return. You will be helping out at different parts of Yaowawit based on your skillset, and you will also visit local villages around Phang-Nga on a cultural exchange. This retreat is guaranteed to be meaningful and impactful to your personal growth and to the people you touch. Our goal is to make it sustainable as well.

To that end, this retreat is not open to the general public and is invite-only. If you are reading this page, you have probably received an invitation from a friend who thinks you have what it takes to join our upcoming trip.

Basic Requirements

  • Above the age of 18 on your day of travel
  • Can speak and write fluent English
  • Not suffering from any health issues that may put you at risk during your retreat (please note that Yaowawit is at least 1 hour drive from the nearest clinic, a hospital is much further)
  • No stringent food requirements (Thailand is a Buddhist country)
  • No past history of child abuse (for obvious reasons)

Optional but Preferred Skillsets

  • Engineering
  • Renwable Energy
  • Architecture or Construction
  • Information Technology
  • Horticulture, Botany, Biology, Agriculture, Forestry, Soil Science or a related discipline
  • Veterinary Science/Medicine, Life Sciences – biology, zoology or microbiology

Media

ENJOY A DRONE’S EYE VIEW OF THE AREA SURROUNDING YAOWAWIT. THIS IS WHERE WE WILL BE STAYING FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF OUR RETREAT, AND THIS IS THE CORE FROM WHERE YOU WILL START MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

YAOWAWIT IS A FAMILY. THE FAMILY CONSISTS OF THE CHILDREN, THE TEAM, GUARDIANS, SPONSORS, DONORS, PARTNERS AND FRIENDS. EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH YAOWAWIT IN ANY WAY IS A FAMILY MEMBER.

Yaowawit Lodge

During the 3D2N that we will spend in Yaowawit, you will be sharing rooms with other participants in the Yaowawit Lodge. The lodge is managed by staff and children of Yaowawit, who continue to undergo training from professionals who work for the Marriott Hotel group. Below are some photos of the rooms, the treetop dining area, and the swimming pool (mostly for the children’s recreational use).

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Itinerary

Day 1

  • Depart Singapore in the morning, we usually take the 9:30am flight out from Changi Airport.
  • Arrive Phuket at around 10am local time and head to Yaowawit.
  • It’s about 1.5 hours by coach to get from Phuket airport to Yaowawit, depending on traffic so we’ll be there in time for lunch.
  • After lunch, we’ll have a tour around Yaowawit and thereafter play some team building games with the children.
  • We’ll then meet representatives from Yaowawit to discuss our plans for our trip.
  • There’ll be some free and easy time where we will split into smaller teams to further refine our plans for the next day.
  • Finally, the day will end with dinner at Yaowawit.

Day 2

  • Rise and shine early for morning exercise, which is typically a slow jog around Yaowawit.
  • We will then proceed to have breakfast prepared by the cooks at Yaowawit.
  • Depending on the team that you are allocated to, your team leader and a representative from Yaowawit will work together with you to fulfil the day’s objective.
  • Refer to the “Sample Projects” section below for more information on how we will spend day 2.
  • We will break for lunch, and hopefully before dinner time we will complete the projects that are allocated to all the teams.
  • After dinner, we will organise campfire games at Yaowawit with the children and have a sharing session before ending day 2 .

Day 3

  • Rise and shine early for morning exercise, which is typically a slow jog around Yaowawit.
  • We will then proceed to have breakfast prepared by the cooks at Yaowawit.
  • If there are projects that remain incomplete from day 2, all participants will help out to complete the project.
  • Once all projects are complete, we will arrange for a tour to visit the local villages around Yaowawit to experience and understand local Thai culture.
  • Our group will either then have lunch at one of these villages, or head back to Yaowawit for lunch
  • After lunch is free and easy time, so all participants can choose how to spend this time in the most meaningful way possible.
  • We will then have dinner prepared by the cooks at Yaowawit, before packing up and heading to the airport.
  • Typically, we will take the last flight out of Phuket to Singapore which departs at about 10:30pm local time. We will then arrive back in Singapore the next morning just past midnight.

Note: Depending on flight availability, land transfer availability, weather conditions and Yaowawit’s requirements, this itinerary is subject to changes.

Some Sample Projects

This is not an exhaustive list, but they are some ideas that Yaowawit currently needs help with to achieve their mission.

Education

  • Prepare a workshop syllabus before the trip, teach this to the instructors at Yaowawit and hold a sample class to show how this should be delivered.
  • Prepare new learning aids before the trip, bring them to Yaowawit and show the teachers how to use them to improve their classroom delivery.

Entrepreneurship

  • Think of a business that Yaowawit can start and run sustainably in order to earn more income.
  • Review an existing venture at Yaowawit, and give detailed and structured tips on how to improve those ventures to maximise profits for Yaowawit.

Engineering

  • Review the current physical structures at Yaowawit (classrooms, buildings, farmland, solar farm, etc.) and pick a specific project to improve on. Prepare plans and bring those plans to Yaowawit to execute.
  • Alternatively, you may also choose to do something easier such as refurbish classrooms or other common areas used by the children.

*Note: These sample projects above are not the only things that Yaowawit needs. Once your application has been accepted, we will arrange for a Skype call with Yaowawit’s director to explore the current needs of the school. In general we will then classify these needs into one of the three categories above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Application Form

When is the next retreat?

20 – 22 October 2017 (Fri-Sun). We normally take the first flight out of Singapore, and the last flight back from Phuket so we maximise our trip to the fullest.

How often do you run this programme?

Not very often so if you’re interested, submit the application form fast.

What is the min and max group size for this retreat?

Minimum 15, maximum 35. Applications are reviewed on a first-come-first-serve basis, and we reserve the right to reject applications without providing any reasons or explaination.

How much does it cost?

About SGD$500-600 for a 3D2N retreat inclusive of:

  • Return flight tickets from Singapore
  • Meals and lodging at Yaowawit Lodge
  • Programme leaders to guide you during your retreat in order to maximise your IMPACT experience
  • A limited edition IMPACT T-shirt

When do I have to pay?

After you submit your application, we will take about 2-3 days to review it. If you meet the eligibility criteria, we will send you a payment link. You will have 3 days to decide whether you’re still interested in joining this retreat and make payment. After the 3 days are over, your slot will be allocated to the next person on the waiting list.

What are the methods of payment?

We accept cash/cheque/credit card/bank transfer.

What is your refund policy?

Since slots are very limited, we would strongly encourage you to be 100% committed before you sign up. However, we understand that sometimes things crop up that are beyond our control. To that end, we have the following refund policy depending on when you wish to cancel:

  • > 45 days: 90% refund
  • > 30 days: 80% refund
  • > 15 days: 60% refund
  • > 7 days: 40% refund
  • < 7 days but > 24 hours: 20% refund
  • < 24 hours: No refund

Can I bring a friend?

Sure – but your friend has to go through the same application process.

Where can I find out more information about Yaowawit?

Go to their website here.

Where do I go if I have more questions?

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LIMITED EDITION PARTICIPANT T-SHIRT. NOT FOR SALE.

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