AIDSbuzz

Volunteers from abroad

• Attracting volunteers from abroad can be very beneficial for an organisation. They can bring a large range of skills and experience, as well as international exposure of the organisation’s work.
• International volunteers, however, need much more management and organisation. - Acceptable accommodation needs to be found and transport to and from the organisation’s areas of activity must be arranged.
• Several organisations such as Lean on Me and God’s Golden Acre (both in Kwazulu-Natal) offer accommodation and meals and charge for a particular volunteering experience. Other organisations (like Voluntours) offer custom volunteering experiences for which they charge a fee. This covers board and lodging and provides a contribution to the organisation in which they are placed. Volunteers therefore provide manpower and skills, as well as much-needed revenue for the organisations.
• A good insurance policy is essential; alternatively organisations must ensure all volunteers have their own comprehensive insurance.
• The organisation should get all volunteers to sign an indemnity form stating that the organisation cannot be held responsible for any injury or theft that may occur.
• If the work involves children then it is recommended that some form of child protection policy be signed. Standard policies can be obtained from organisations like Save the Children.

Potential Problems With Volunteers

• Many organisations do not have a proper volunteer management programme in place. Volunteers can then become more of a problem than an asset. Volunteers need to be shown what to do, supervised and actively managed
• Volunteers, in turn, need to be reliable and commit to regular times, even if it is only a few hours every week. Some volunteers think that because they are not being paid they can choose to turn up when they want. No organisation can be effective if it cannot rely on its workers. However volunteers providing certain skills, such as auditing or financial skills, can offer flexible time commitments as the work can be done any time
• A high turnover of volunteers is acceptable for certain programmes such as building projects, feeding stations or big events. It is not as appropriate for organisations caring for children. Children need time to develop bonds with their carers, to whom they then become attached. A high turnover of volunteer child caregivers, if they are the main caregivers, can be very traumatic for children. However if the main caregivers do not change, additional volunteers can add stimulation, new ideas and skills, and fun to a child’s life. And that is highly desirable

The Starfish Foundation – a case study

The Starfish Foundation, which funds and supports many different organisations working with orphans and vulnerable children, has recently had to reassess its policy towards volunteers wanting to work with the children. The Foundation receives hundreds of requests from overseas visitors wishing to volunteer for short periods. Due to the difficulties of managing the requirements of these volunteers, such as accommodation and transport, combined with the additional workload on the project staff, the Foundation has stopped placing volunteers directly in any of its projects. There are also growing concerns about the rights of the children that need to be adequately addressed. The Foundation is therefore currently working on developing a structured volunteer programme with other partners, which will give volunteers a chance to help as well as adding value to the children’s lives.