Structured & Self-Funding Volunteer Programmes :Application & Selection
Of course, you may decide to set off on your own but join a team-based volunteer project
in the field. These are more common on conservation and wildlife programmes than on
development programmes. On many group-based volunteer programmes where everyone
arrives and departs at the same time, you can ask to be put in touch with other team
members prior to travelling overseas. This can help the team to bond, although evidence
suggests that some groups need little help with this. On Robin Glegg’s expedition to the
Altai (Siberia) he remembers:
I went by myself and knew nobody who was going. There was slight trepidation at spend-
ing 12 days in the very close company of 12 or so individuals from various countries whom
I’d never met. In reality it was a great way to meet a diverse group of people from different
walks of life. We all jelled incredibly well and some close friendships were made. This
certainly heightened the enjoyment of the expedition. When I did the Oman expedition it
was a reunion with six of the 12 from the Altai trip.
But sometimes you’re not so lucky. David Grassham volunteered in the Indian Himalaya
and says with regret:
Unfortunately, our group did eventually split. Three girls tended to spend time only with
each other, which was a shame. Even through I did get on with everyone, if you volunteer
with a group it is possible that you may not like some of the other members. In our group,
one particular person did seem to be disliked by quite a few others.
Meet the Organisation
As part of your research, try to meet representatives from the various charities or sending
agencies that have volunteer programmes you’re interested in. Many of these organisations
hold regular information or briefing evenings, which are publicised on their websites, and
many also attend the travel shows.
For UK residents, there’s a special recruitment and volunteering event for the not-for-
profit sector that takes place in London called Forum 3 (www.forum3.co.uk) This takes place
annually, usually in October, and is a good place to meet many of the European and
international volunteering organisations mentioned in this book. Unfortunately, there is
no such organised event in the US or Australasia.
Summary of Questions
To recap, here are the key questions to ask all the organisations you may be interested in
volunteering with. Depending on their answers, you can then make your choice:
~ Organisation What are your aims and objectives? Are you a charity, not-for-profit
organisation or limited company? How long have you been established? What are your
policies on ecotourism and ethical tourism and how are they implemented?
~ Selection process What are your selection criteria and processes? Will the interview
be in person? What is the average age of volunteers? If I am working with children or
vulnerable adults, will I need to have a criminal records clearance?
~ The programmes Do you work with local partner programmes? If so, how many part-
ner programmes do you currently work with? How many of these partner programmes
have you worked with for more than three years? How do I know I’ll be working on
a worthwhile, sustainable project that is needed by a local community? How will my
work be continued after I leave? How many volunteers do you place annually? What
job will I be doing and can you give me a brief job description? How do I know that my
volunteering won’t take a paid job away from a local person? What is the time frame of
the volunteer project I’ll be working on? What hours will I work? Will I need to speak
the local language? What will the accommodation be like? Can I volunteer with another
person? Can I talk to some returned volunteers?
~ Costs What exactly is included in the costs? Do you make a financial contribution to
your volunteer programmes and, if so, exactly how much is this? Can I see a breakdown
of where my money goes? Do you help with fundraising? (Only ask this if you’re volun-
teering with a charity.)
~ Pre-departure What briefings, training and/or cultural orientation sessions are there?
~ Health and safety What health and safety and emergency procedures do you have in
place? Are there staff members on site or do you have local representatives? If so, how
far will they be from where I am volunteering? What medical care is available?
~ Debriefing Is there any support and debriefing procedure when I get home? How can I
stay in touch with the organisation?Do You Have What it Takes?
So, what qualities or skills make a good volunteer? Let’s ask the experts – those that have
‘been there, done that’ and have heaps of advice and learning to pass on.
Poonam Sattee, who volunteered in Guatemala with street kids, suggests these are the
qualities you need:
A good sense of humour. Lots of patience. An open mind – particularly to new ways of
working, cultural norms, values and traditions. An ability to speak the language – if you
are learning the language as you go along, it can be frustrating for you and the people you
work with if you spend more time trying to understand what has been said than getting
stuck into work. Also important are enthusiasm, initiative and dependability (the more
you show the more responsibility you will be given).
Patience is a quality that comes up time and time again. Jacqueline Hill, who volunteered
in Bangladesh, had to find plenty of patience, along with some other key qualities:
Flexibility and adaptability are key. These are the qualities that I developed hugely while I
was away. Also important are appropriate self-confidence, the ability to work with others
and not only accept, but make the most of, differences in approaches and ways of working.
You need to build relationships too, often without the help of a common language. I found
I had to ‘switch off’ quite a lot to generate the patience needed to get everyday things done.
Everything took so much longer and was so much more complicated and difficult than at
home – particularly anything to do with officialdom. Another thing I learned in Bangladesh
was to ask for help. The ability to listen and think are much more important than telling
other people what to do or rushing in and doing things.
Keeping an open mind was important for Poonam Sattee and was also key for Kerry
Davies, who volunteered in Cambodia:
A good volunteer should approach their placement with an open mind. Cambodian logic
is not generally the same as that of UK people. It is important to remember that your
colleagues are all highly intelligent and have survived many atrocities in their life. They
don’t need anyone patronising them or thinking they are superior because they have had
the luxury of an education. Cambodians have a great sense of humour and a smile speaks
a thousand words. It takes a long time to fit in and gain their trust, but when you do the
rewards are well worth the wait.
A New Zealander, John Gordon, worked as an agricultural tutor in Bougainville for the
Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA, p131). He agrees that patience and respect are important:
You sow seeds, plant cuttings and graft on new ideas but whether they ‘take’ or not is part
of someone else’s future.02: Choosing Your Volunteer Experience:Do You Have What it Takes?