Debriefing
Many organisations have a formal process of following-up with returned volunteers. For
medium- and long-term volunteers who have worked in development, a face-to-face
debrief interview is often arranged. Kate Sturgeon explains:
I had one debriefing session in Barcelona with MSF Spain, who I had gone out to Zim-
babwe with, and I had another session in the MSF UK office, talking to different people:
human resources; communications; managers etc. I felt like I had a lot of support. Some
people asked to see a counsellor if they’d seen a lot of trauma, but I felt OK just talking to
MSF and friends and family.
A debrief is an excellent opportunity to talk about what you did, what it was like and how
you feel at the end of it. It is also a chance to offer constructive feedback on the organisa-
tion’s procedures and systems and suggest improvements. Poonam Sattee, who worked
with street children for one year, says:
I went to the Casa Alianza office and talked the experience through, which really helped
put perspective on the year. I gave recommendations on how certain things could be im-
proved or changed. Debriefing helped me begin to build positively on the experience and
go forward, as opposed to just missing being there.
Some organisations make a whole day or weekend out of the debriefing experience. Kerry
Davies, who volunteered in Cambodia for two and a half years, remembers:
At first I buried my head in the sand, but then I attended a VSO Returned Volunteer Week-
end and realised I was feeling the same as everyone else. I felt much better afterwards.
Sometimes a debrief may simply take the form of a questionnaire sent out to all returned vol-
unteers, possibly followed up by a telephone call. Other organisations email out debrief infor-
mation, as Martyn Roberts, who has volunteered on six environmental expeditions, explains:
Biosphere Expeditions has an email debrief package that every volunteer is sent immedi-
ately after each ‘slot’. The page includes information on when the expedition report will be
out, details of their website where photos can be shared, and information on the alumni
network and the Friends of Biosphere organisation.
Of course, if you choose to find a volunteer placement yourself, you will forgo any support
when you return to your home country. Also, post-placement ‘after care’ is not a feature of
all sending agencies; so if you think this service will be important to you, ask about follow-
up procedures.
Medical Checks
As well as debriefing, it is wise to arrange a thorough medical examination once you arrive
home. Try to have this done with a specialist organisation that knows what to look for in
returned volunteers. In the UK your best option is InterHealth (%+44 (0)20 7902 9000; fax
+44 (0)207 902 9091; [email protected]; http://www.interhealth.org.uk; Partnership House, 11 Westminster Bridge
Rd, London SE1 7HR), a charity that specialises in healthcare for international NGOs, aid and
development agencies. The International Society of Travel Medicine (%+1 404 373 8282; fax
+1 404 373 8283; [email protected]; http://www.istm.org; 315W Ponce de Leon Ave, Suite 245, Decatur GA 30030, USA) offers
an extensive online directory of travel medicine practitioners specialising in immunisations
and post-trip consultations throughout the world. In Australia, the Travel Doctor (www.
tmvc.com.au) offers medical reviews for returned volunteers who may have been ill while away
or who may be symptomatic upon return.
Returned Volunteer Networks
If you volunteer for a short while only, it is likely you’ll pick up your life where you left
off. Even so, your experience might set you apart from those closest to you, which is hard
when you want to talk in-depth about what happened, how you feel, and what you want to
do with your experience. As Jacqueline Hill says:
I developed a very short response to the question ‘How was it?’ as most people had very
short attention spans.
If you volunteer medium- or long-term, the sense of ‘otherness’ at having done something
that most people don’t fully comprehend is 10 times greater. Your debrief will help process
these feelings, but often you’ll crave some longer-term mechanism for continued support
and involvement with volunteering.
Many sending agencies recognise this and actively encourage you to stay in touch, not
only with themselves, but with other returned volunteers as well. Many have a magazine or
email newsletter that you can sign up to and/or write for. Others may have a more formal
network for returned volunteers. Martyn Roberts, who has volunteered in Namibia, the
Azores, Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Brazil, explains:
I have stayed in touch with Biosphere Expeditions ever since my first volunteering expedi-
tion with them. They have an alumni network comprised of people who have been on two
or more expeditions, and who offer to be points of contact for potential volunteers and
to stay in email contact with other returned volunteers. They also provide journalists and
others with information on what it is like to be on an expedition. The organisation also
encourages you to join Friends of Biosphere Expeditions, which is a support network of
people who want to become or stay actively involved.
Once you come home, you’ll realise that there are hundreds of different ways you can still
be part of the world you left behind. For Oliver Walker, who volunteered in Sri Lanka, it
worked this way:
MondoChallenge asked me to interview potential volunteers in the light of my experiences.
And, Kate Sturgeon explains:
I often go to MSF meetings, scientific days or nights out and I’ve done interviews for them
and talks at universities. They keep in touch with me via email or phone.
Many North American international
volunteer organisations have strong alumni
networks to support returned volunteers.
Perhaps the largest is the National Peace
Corps Association (www.rpcv.org), which
has affiliate branches throughout the US.
Several other organisations featured in this
book also foster similarly active alumni
communities, such as the American Jewish
World Service (p210) and IESC Geekcorps
(p141). Even if your organisation doesn’t
formally sponsor a returned volunteer net-
work, alumni frequently run Yahoo! Groups
and local social chapters on their own.
Most organised volunteer programmes
in Australia and New Zealand offer some
form of debriefing or networking. Pro-
grammes like Australian Youth Ambas-
sador for Development (AYAD, p113) and
Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA, p124)
have excellent post-volunteering options.
AYAD has four formal debriefs a year,
publishes a newsletter, Exchange, profiling
returned volunteers (known as RAYADs)
and encourages career progression withRaleigh International volunteers roll up their sleeves
on a construction project in GhanaPhoto: David Palazon/Raleigh International09: Coming Home :Settling Back In