Evolvet manual

Evolvet
european volunteer coordinators
vocation education and training
Evolvet
Manual for vocational
education and training of
volunteer coordinators in
development projects
Key Action 2 - Strategic Partnerships for Vocational Education and Training
2015-1-ES01-KA202-015929
01/09/2015 - 31/08/2017
Spain, Austria, Finland, Italy, Poland,
Portugal and Slovakia.

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volve

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INDEX
..........................................................................................................................................................................
07 Introduction
..........................................................................................................................................................................
15 Toolkit 1: Understanding volunteering
17 1. Definition of volunteering
17 1.1. The concept of “volunteer”
18 1.2. Who is a volunteer?
18 1.3. Volunteering and traditional values
20 2. Global citizenship
20 2.1. Volunteering as social change of action
21 2.2. Rights and responsibilities of volunteers as global citizens
22 2.3. Why it is important to have volunteers at international level
23 3. Sample models of volunteering classification
23 3.1. Different categories of volunteering
35 Toolkit 1: exercises and practice
..........................................................................................................................................................................
73 Toolkit 2: Volunteering in a globalized world
74 4. Can volunteers transform the world?
75 5. How to live and learn in a diverse society?
75 5.1. What is diversity?
76 5.2. Educational dimension of diversity in the work with volunteers
77 6. How to deal with global interdependencies?
77 6.1. What is globalisation?
78 6.2. Educational dimension of global interdependencies in the work with volunteers
79 7. How to be a volunteer in a development project
79 7.1. What is development cooperation?
79 7.2. What are the challenges in the field abroad and how to deal with them?

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81 7.3. What is the role of a volunteer in a development project?
82 7.4. What is “the personal project” within a development project?
82 7.5. What is the expected behaviour from a volunteer within the Development Projects?
83 7.6. What should a person know about the destination country?
83 7.7. What should volunteers know to protect themselves in the field?
.............................................................................................................................................................................
123 Toolkit 3: Volunteer management in development
124 8. Rights and responsibilities of volunteer organisations and volunteers
125 8.1. Organisation’s rights and responsibilities
131 8.2. Volunteer’s rights and responsibilities
136 9. Building a volunteer coordinator
136 9. 1. The importance of having a volunteer coordinator
139 9.2. What is needed to coordinate volunteers in a development Project
147 10. Volunteer Management Process
148 10.1 Planning and organizing the volunteer management programme in
150 10.2 Preparing the terms of reference for volunteers
151 10.3 Recruiting volunteer
157 10.4 Interviewing and selecting candidates
165 10.5. Preparing volunteers
167 10.6 Supervising and motivating volunteers
169 10.7 Recognizing volunteers
173 10.8 Evaluation of volunteers, overall programme and volunteer programme
..........................................................................................................................................................................
235 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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With the funding and support of:
Fund for Intercultural Education. Poland.
Web: www.miedzykulturowa.org.pl
Platforma dobrovolnickych centier a organizacii. Slovakia.
Web: www.dobrovolnickecentra.sk
Pista Mágica – Associação. Portugal.
Web: www.pista-magica.com
Project and toolkits promoters:
Art in Tanzania Ry. Finland.
Web: www.artintanzania.org
Associazione Internazionale Volontari. Italy.
Web: www.lvia.it
Südwind. Austria.
Web: www.suedwind.at
CONGDCAR (Coordinator). Spain.
Web: www.congdcar.org

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Introduction
Rationale and context
The world of development projects and cooperation is considerably complex as it is its international context
and the programmes and tools that are agreed to improve the lives of communities at political, economic,
social and cultural level. As a consequence, in the last decades, countless international agreements,
conventions and pacts have emerged. On this line a development agenda as a common responsibility of all
humanity has just been approved, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to be reached by 2030.
It is an integral Agenda, which addresses all sectors of traditional development cooperation (such as food,
health or education) but also other new ones that have appeared on the last decades (such as climate
change, forest and seas care, inequality, international migrations, tourism, access to new technologies,
etc.).
Moreover, the last economic crisis has had a big impact on volunteering organisations across Europe and
especially on those working on development projects as private donations and public funding on this field
have significantly diminished in most European countries (making more difficult for these entities to offer
appropriate quality services for their beneficiaries).
All of this promotes enormous challenges for development organisations that entail high qualified staff and
human resources in order to be able to face the responsibility that these entities must assume. Besides this,
the previous scenario described also demands a huge capacity of involvement of humanity (much bigger
than at any other time in the history). World population needs to understand today’s complex international
relations, the impact of human beings on poverty and global inequality, the agreed road map within the
framework of the United Nations for their resolution as well as the increasingly complex actions that give
appropriate answers to globalization and its impact at global level.
At the same time, this globalization brought with it the awareness of the existence of global problems
that must be solved between all the parties involved on them. This has led in recent decades to an
unprecedented proliferation of Non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs) and of spaces that
are formed in their great majority by an implicated citizenship that feels responsible of the destination
of the humanity (citizens that collaborate at different levels and providing a wide variety of knowledge
through all the activities that those development organisations implement).
Undoubtedly, volunteers have become their main fuel as without them, most of the actions of these
entities could not be carried out, both in developing countries and in the awareness of the populations of
developed countries. They are the backbone of the NGDOs’ teams who share their time and skills with the
sole purpose of making a contribution to society and helping those who need it the most. According to this,
in order to continue developing volunteering actions despite the low financial resources available, NGDOs
needed to coordinate their resources and making the most of the gifts received from their volunteers by

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ensuring that they get the support and supervision they need to make the most of their participation. In
conclusion, it is needed to be more cost-efficient by having better trained professionals that could produce
more prepared volunteers on the field.
On the education scope, it must be mentioned that organisations working on development projects are
nowadays acting as both, training providers and employers of professionals on this field. For this reason, it
is important that they work together not only on detecting those competences or skills that they promote
on their own vocational education and training programmes, but also those that they consider essential
when hiring new staff for their teams. This demands the creation of new initiatives on this field that could
provide extra support to volunteering organisations and also to those vocational education and training
centres that aim to offer education on this subject.
However, in order to achieve qualitative solutions to the previous challenges it is important to exchange and
use work-based practices to not only increase the impact of volunteering and its appropriate management,
but also facilitate the transfer and adaptation of training procedures on this field from one country to
another.
As a consequence the project EVOLVET is created as a joined initiative to put together experts and
professionals on volunteers coordination who have been not only able to work together for the creation
of this manual, but have also had the chance of participating on different transnational activities to visit in
situ the reality of other organisations of the same sector and learn on the field about their methodologies.
Build what you want to see in the world.
Jack Dorsey.
About EVOLVET
EVOLVET (European VOLunteer coordinators Vocation Education and Training) was a European strategic
partnership funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission, composed by seven
organisations working with development projects for social inclusion and education from Austria, Finland,
Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain. The project, that took place from the 01/09/2015 to the
31/08/2017, aimed at giving a positive impulsion to the training of volunteer coordinators by providing
a standardised tool-kit containing on-the-job training materials for skills and competences commonly
demanded to volunteer coordinators across Europe, not only for the management of development projects
but also on the concrete education and training of the volunteers taking part on them. Moreover, the
project also run transnational training mobilities that made possible to volunteer coordinators from the
different partner organisations to take part in common education initiatives about volunteer management
embedded within the activities of the project. The creation of such standard pan-European training
materials for professional volunteer coordinators is intended to contribute to improve the transparency
and recognition of their qualifications and competences using already established systems based on
measurable recognitions at transnational level, including those acquired through formal, non-formal and
informal learning. Furthermore, the project was focused on identifying the skills required by professional

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volunteer coordinators on development organisations, what allowed to compose an standard curriculum
of competences for this professional category for being used afterwards for both, vocational education
and training centres (to develop new learning pathways, methodologies and degrees) and organisations
working with projects for local and international development (to detect which competences should be
reinforced on their teams and detect those skills needed for future recruitments).
According to all of this, EVOLVET was not only an innovative project which main objective was to develop
new materials and improve the situation of those professionals working as volunteer coordinators on the
development field, but also a necessary initiative to facilitate the transitions of those learning on training
centres about NGOs management and the real labour market that should wait them after their graduation.
Besides all of this, the project also succeeded in creating new links between organisations of different
countries and sectors working on the same field (local and international development of communities) and
in reinforcing the transnational structures of communication to support projects on this field.
About the creation of this manual
During all the implementation phase of EVOLVET, partner organisations involved on it designed, applied
and evaluated different toolkits focused on the vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators
on development projects. This was not only possible thanks to a transnational cooperative work of
professionals, but also through a constant exchange of practices about their on-going programmes for
volunteer coordinators on their organisations and different transnational training events. All the knowledge,
materials, methodologies and outputs of these experiences have been collected on this manual that was
published at the end of the project and will be maintained online on the website of EVOLVET to guide
those interested on establishing regular training programmes for volunteer coordinators within their local
activities or organisations.
The process for the appropriate creation of this manual was developed along the whole project calendar in
order to offer its participants not only environments for the creation of new training materials on volunteer
coordination, but also the scenarios to test them and the working spaces for their improvement. According
to this, different phases were agreed and carried out in the seven project countries by all its partners and
beneficiaries:

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• A1 - Preparation of the project: design of the project structure, identification of the experts involved on
the creation of the manual and confirmation of all the coming stages.
• O1 - Curricula list of skills for volunteer coordinators on development projects: before the three toolkits
of this manual were developed, project partners worked on detecting which skills or competences a
volunteer coordinator should have according to their experience, several researches within their
organisations and their professional criteria. This list was not only used as a base for the creation of this
manual, but also as a reference for the testing workshops implemented during the project. Moreover,
the results of this stage has been also considered as an open resource to be used by formal education
bodies to design their training degrees about volunteer managers and also by private organisations
looking for new staff on this job category (helping them to define what they would need to demand
during the selection of potential new workers). The conclusions of this work and list of skills obtained
can be found online on this link.
• M1 - Coordination meeting (Spain): involving representatives of all the partner organisations, the aim of
the activity was to present the curricula list of skills for volunteer coordinators on development projects
created before and to agree the responsibilities of each partner on the creation of the toolkits of this
manual (see the resume and description of this activity on this link).
• O2 - Toolkits creation and development: stage used to develop the first version of this manual by the
experts of all the partners of the project. This was possible thanks to a balanced distribution of work
among the staff involved on this task and a transnational cooperation using different online working
tools and communication channels.
• M2 - Coordination meeting (Finland): involving representatives of all the partner organisations, the aim
of the activity was to share among partners the first draft of this manual and to prepare the coming
transnational training for those professional responsible of testing the project materials with their direct
beneficiaries (see the resume and description of this activity on this link).
• C1-Transnationaltrainingcoursefortrainersofvolunteercoordinators(Austria):involvingrepresentatives
of all the partner organisations, the objective of this learning mobility was to teach those responsible of
running the local testing of the manual on how to use its toolkits and transfer the expected knowledge to
the participants who attended the sessions and workshops implemented in all the project countries (who
were volunteer coordinators or potential volunteer coordinators). Furthermore, this activity in Austria
was also used to show its attendees the evaluation system and forms that EVOLVET created to test the
mentioned outputs and how to analyse the results of these evaluations for proposing improvements on
the materials created (see the resume and description of this activity on this link).
• O3 - Visibility and recruitment of participants: during this stage all the partner organisations on their
countries were in charge of selecting participants for the evaluation of this manual (current or potential
volunteer coordinators working on development projects) and preparing the logistics and facilities for
the testing sessions.
• O4 - Local testing of the toolkits for volunteer coordinators on each country: made on the seven project
countries through workshops leaded by the representatives of each organisation that attended the

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transnational training course in Austria (C1). The sessions, with an average duration of 30 hours per
country, were attended by 313 testers who were trained using the content of the toolkits and their
practical exercises to become coordinators of volunteers on development projects. They were also
responsible of providing feedback about the materials used thanks to different group reflections and
paper forms delivered at the end of each testing session.
• O5 - Evaluation of the local testing of the toolkits and analysis of results: all the feedback received during
the local testing of the toolkits was collected by partner organisations on this stage and set together for
the final improvement of this manual and its toolkits.
• M3 - Coordination meeting (Poland): involving representatives of all the partner organisations, the
purpose of the activity was to share with the project staff the conclusions obtained during the testing of
the designed toolkits and agree potential improvements on them before their final publication (see the
resume and description of this activity on this link).
• O6 - Development of the final outputs: improvement of the project materials by all the partners in order
to get the final version of this manual for the vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators
on development projects.
• M4 - Coordination meeting (Portugal): involving representatives of all the partner organisations, the aim
of this event was to resume the project results, evaluate the achievement of the project objectives and
agree the programme of the multiplier events to be done on each partner country afterwards (see the
resume and description of this activity on this link).
• E - Multiplier events: implemented in all the project countries to spread the project results and present
this manual to its potential beneficiaries (members and staff of volunteering organisations working in
development projects or on public administrations responsible of their policies). Attendees were able to
learn about the project, the process of creation of its materials, the Erasmus+ programme and take part
on different workshops about vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators based on the
three toolkits created thanks to EVOLVET. They had also the chance of discussing with the project staff
the transferability of the manual created and its potential use on their entities.
• A2 –Reporting: justification of the project, final evaluation and collection of all its results.

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Besides these stages and processes, it must be highlighted that for the elaboration of this manual several
learning objectives were pursued jointly with all of the project partners which involved a great deal of
coordination and commitment. According to this, it was taken into account the aim of creating an inclusive
material, which would enable any person to be trained but considering also sensitive issues from a very
respectful way (E.g. cultural diversity, religions, sexual tendencies, functional diversity, etc. of all the people
to whom the material is addressed). At this sense, it must be also said that this document reflects the
work and conclusions of its authors and at no point must be considered as a unique approach for the
vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators on development projects, but as a proposal
of methodologies and learning pathways to be adapted afterwards to the reality and target group of the
potential users of this material.

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About the use of this manual
This manual is divided on three separate toolkits containing different information about issues related to
the vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators and managers on development projects.
Each toolkit is divided in:
a) Introduction to the toolkit: brief summary of the toolkit content.
b) Toolkit theory: explanation of the pedagogical approach, description of the toolkit topics and basic
knowledge to be transferred to its potential users and their beneficiaries.
c) Toolkit practice: exercises mixing formal and non formal methodologies to transfer in a practical way
all the theoretical content included on each toolkit’s theory.
Besides this basic structure that can be seen on each toolkit, the reader will be also able to find other
elements that will facilitate the use of this material and its understanding:
Out of these regular sections, the manual also contains a full bibliography at its end and a section related
to the authorship, ownership and legal use of this output.
These green boxes contain the link to the
specific exercise or practice related to a concrete
parragraph or theoretical content of the toolkit.
These orange boxes contain external links to
references or documents that could be suitable
to consult by the manual reader to understand its
content better or increase the knowledge on it.
These blue boxes contain tips, recommendations
or quotations related to a concrete parragraph or
theoretical content mentioned on each toolkit.
Exercise 1.1:
A mosque in Sleepyville
Pág 88
Israel R. (2012). Global
citizenship. A Path
to Building Identity
and Community in
a Globalized World.
Paperback.
“Not being able to do
everything is no excuse
for not doing everything
you can.” Ashleigh
Brilliant

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volve
Toolkit 1
Understanding
volunteering

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“If our hopes of building
a better and safer world
are to become more than
wishful thinking, we will
need the engagement
of volunteers more than
ever.” Kofi Annan
After World War II, a large number of initiatives and international organisations that promoted and
developed volunteering appeared. One of them was UNESCO, which established an institution with the aim
of facilitating the cooperation and coordination of voluntary organisations; CCIVS (Coordinating Committee
for International Voluntary Service). The institution currently joins together approx. 140 organisations.
The creation of the European Union also had an impact on the development of the voluntary movement.
In the late 80’s and early 90’s, the European Commission took some action regarding issues such as of non-
formal and informal learning, mobility, solidarity, tolerance, active citizenship and mutual understanding
among young Europeans. One of such activities was the European Voluntary Service, which was established
as a pilot programme in 1996. In 2007, the “Youth in Action” programme included for the implementation of
activities related to volunteering. In January 2014 Erasmus+ (Erasmus Plus) took over this programme which
listed among its priorities the support for the European Voluntary Service. In 2017, this approach went
further with the so called European Solidarity Corps a new initiative to promote volunteering among young
people in their own countries or in other organisations abroad (on the private and public sector).
According to the Eurobarometer survey of 2007, three out of ten Europeans indicated that they are involved
in volunteering. According to some estimates, the total number of volunteers in the EU ranges from 92-
94 million adults (23 per cent of all Europeans over 15 years of age). In the last ten years there has been
an overall increase in the number of active volunteers and voluntary organisations in the EU. Accordingly,
in 2011 the European Commission launched the European Year of Volunteering, to honour the effort of
nearly 100 million Europeans engaging in volunteering (An initiative also aiming at reducing the barriers to
volunteering and improving its quality in Europe.
Due to the importance and universality of volunteerism, it seems to be vital to standardize the definitions
of concepts associated with this topic. According to this, the first toolkit of this manual was attempted to
define the basic concepts related to volunteering, from its definition, through the presentation of different
categories of volunteers and their role in today’s changing
world.
The idea of volunteering in the modern shape has its roots in
each of the current and ancient cultures. It can be found in
assumptions of Catholic doctrine, UBUNTU people philosophy
or Arab countries religious duties. Regardless of the roots and
approach to volunteering or its implementation forms, three
elements should be indicated to ensure that the action taken can be called volunteering: free will, no
remuneration, work and benefit for others.
Such a definition shows the importance of volunteering as a driving force in the development of local
communities. Volunteering supports local democracies, increases social and economic cohesion of actions
taken, strengthens and builds social relations. Thus it is the engine of development of societies and by
means of local actions it also affects the image of the entire modern world.
Introduction

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This toolkit explores the idea that voluntary work can be taken by practically anyone. A change, whether
local or at global level, can be made by each person: the volunteer. Apart from an attempt to define the term
“volunteer”, this section also isolates and characterizes different categorizations of volunteering: skilled
(skilled online), unskilled, voluntourist, corporate, etc. including other additional types of classifications
based on various factors such as time (full-time - part time, long term - short term, etc.) or age of volunteers
(young -senior). The strengths and benefits of each of these types as well as difficulties and dangers
associated with managing them have been also described.
The chapter highlights the responsibility associated with participation in volunteering. Each volunteer being
involved in a mission or project must be able to look at every single thing from the perspective of others,
taking the importance of cultural and social differences. Volunteers need to take into account that their local
actions can have an impact on the lives of people in other communities or regions of the world and that any
power of change comes a responsibility.
1. Definition of volunteering
1.1. The concept of “volunteer”
The term ‘volunteer’ has been recently introduced in the lexicon of the social sciences and not without
ambiguity and vagueness connected to its original connotation of common sense.
It is agreed almost unanimously that the term ‘voluntary action’ identifies a particular type of social action and
it is often characterized by the gratuity, that is without financial reward some reimbursement for expenses,
stipend-type payments or payments in kind such as provision of meals and transport. Indeed, these kinds of
payments are often regarded as good practice as they make opportunities for volunteer action more accessible
and inclusive. (Treccani, 1996)
The action that qualifies as a form of social altruism or philanthropy (but also, in a broader meaning, social
solidarity) is a type of action that takes “a form of gift generously offered”, although most of the times is
produced and delivered on an organized basis. (Mauss, 1925)
However the gratuity alone does not appear a sufficient criterion to distinguish the voluntary action by other
forms of action (such as leisure) that are not performed in order to obtain in return an economic reward. The
voluntary action goal is in fact geared to produce benefits for the exclusive advantage of individuals clearly
distinguished from those who perform the action and it is configured as a service or distribution of goods to
others, for the common good. It should directly or indirectly benefit people outside the family or household,
even though the volunteer normally benefits as well from the experience. In many cultures, a volunteer is
often described as “someone who works for community wellbeing”.
Thenotionofthecommongoodmaybecontentious.Forexample,whenpeopleparticipateinpeacefulactivism
fororagainstanimalresearchorthebuildingofadam(bothsidesseekwhattheyconsiderbeneficialoutcomes).
These points of view are included in this manual definition and they need to be considered in common good
concept. Activities involving, or inciting, violence that harm society and actions not corresponding to the
values attributed to volunteering are not included in that definition too.

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“Volunteering” can be therefore defined as every action that is
characterized by the “three criteria of free will, non-pecuniary
motivation, and benefit to others” (Hockenos, 2011), even if
volunteerism can be declined in varied forms in very different
social and cultural settings.
1.2. Who is a volunteer?
A volunteer is a citizen whose life (both public and private) is free and not under social or legal
obligations,inspiredbysolidaritypurposes.Therefore,oncefulfilledtheircivicduties,volunteersmake
themselves selflessly available to the community by promoting a creative response to the emerging needs
with priority attention to the poor, the marginalized and the powerless ones. They commit their energy,
skills, time and any mean available, in sharing initiatives implemented preferably through group actions (E.g.
open events in partnership with public and private institutions and social actors) conducted with adequate
preparation and implemented with continuity of interventions at two different levels: immediate essential
services and restoring social justice and freedom in a medium/long period. (LVIA, 2010)
This question appears simple, but scholarly literature and national legal frameworks reveal a multitude
of definitions. In some areas of the developing world the term “volunteer” is a recent import from the
North and it essentially refers to expressions of international volunteering. However, other forms of mutual
support and self-help could be considered under the definition of volunteering (such as the one adopted by
the United Nations General Assembly in 2001, discussed also on the next sections of this manual) and they
deserve to be studied and recognized as such.
Thedecisiontovolunteermaybeinfluencedbypeerpressure,personalvaluesorculturalorsocialobligations
but the individual must be able to choose whether to act. There is no value judgment here on such forms
of service.
1.3. Volunteering and traditional values
Volunteering is an expression of the individual’s involvement in their community. Participation, trust,
solidarity and reciprocity, grounded in a shared understanding and a sense of common obligations,
are mutually reinforcing values at the heart of governance and good citizenship. Volunteering is not a
nostalgic relic of the past. It is our first line of defence against social atomisation in a globalising world.
Today, maybe more than ever before, caring and sharing are a necessity, not a charitable act.
(United Nation, 2001)
Volunteering is one of the most basic of expressions of human behaviour and arises out of
long- established ancient traditions of sharing and reciprocal exchanges. At its core there are
relationships and their potential to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities.
Exercise 1.1:
A mosque in Sleepyville

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Volunteering is not only the backbone of civil society organisations and social and political movements,
but also of many health, education, housing and environmental programs and a range of other civil
society, public and private sector programs worldwide. Moreover, it is an integral part of every society
around the world, often expressed through the giving of one’s time. (UNESCO, 2015, Agree to differ)
Volunteering comes from the desire to act on one’s feelings
about justice and fairness in the face of inequality and to foster
social harmony based on a shared interest in the welfare of
one’s community. In most languages, there are words to express
the concept of volunteering. Often inspired by indigenous
traditions, they describe the principal ways by which people
collectively apply their energy, talents, knowledge and other
resources for mutual benefit.
For example, elements of the philosophy of Ubuntu, common
throughout southern Africa, are found in many traditions
around the world. Ubuntu is caring for one another’s well-
being in a spirit of mutual support. It is based on communal
relationships, human values and respect for the natural
environment and its resources. “Each individual’s humanity is ideally expressed through his or her
relationship with others. Ubuntu means that people are people through other people”. (Zandberg, J. 2010).
Inmanycountries,volunteeringisdeeplyrootedintraditionalbeliefsandcommunitypractices.
Hereafter some significant examples of volunteer experiences from different societies are listed:
• CATHOLIC DOCTRINE - CHARITY
The Catholic Church’s social doctrine proposes the principles and values that can sustain a society worthy of
the human person. Among these principles, solidarity includes all the others in a certain way. It represents
“one of the fundamental principles of the Christian view of social and political organisation”. Personal
behaviour is fully human when it is born from love, manifests love and is ordered by love. This truth also
applies in the social sphere; Christians must be deeply convinced witnesses of this and they must show
with their lives the love, the only force that can lead to personal and social perfection. It allows society to
make progress towards the common good. This love may be called “social charity” or “political charity”
and must embrace the entire human race.
• ARAB WORLD - TATAWA’A
In the Arab world, the tatawa’a means a volunteer act that is not required by religious obligation. In fact,
volunteering has been often associated with the religious duty to help people in celebrations or in difficult
times. It originates from the word (al-taw’a) which means compliance, smoothness and flexibility.
• NORTH OF EUROPE - DUGNAD
The ancient concept of dugnad is an expression of the Norwegian society. It is about the thinking that our
communities are stronger and healthier places when we collectively share our skills and begin to work
Exercise 1.2:
Take a step forward
UNESCO, 2015, Agree
to differ. See document
online here.

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2. Global citizenship
2.1. Volunteering as social change of action
Volunteering represents one of the best examples of civic participation and active citizenship
because it gives people a strong sense of belonging to the community together with a feeling of being useful
and responsible for the wellbeing of others. Besides this, it helps to expand our knowledge by developing
new abilities and skills. For instance, most positively-affected aspects are:
• Volunteering is crucial for active citizenship and democracy, because it puts values such as solidarity and
non discrimination into action, contributing to the harmonious development of different societies.
• Volunteering is a vital element for social progress and to increase social and economic cohesion through
solidarity.
• Volunteering conveys the positive message that everyone has a role to play, that everyone can help
building a better society for the current generations and future ones.
• Volunteering is a great expression of human relationships. People act on behalf of their communities,
because of a desire to contribute and help. (UNV, 2014)
All these aspects became crucial in development projects. Volunteers should promote development process
by working to empower individuals, households and communities through training and by supporting
organized collectives that increase bargaining power. In this context, volunteer action should consider all
the vital aspects of beneficiaries such as vulnerability, social exclusion, and give greater legitimacy and moral
force to their demands according to different development theories - like the livelihood approach or Rights-
based approach to development.
together towards a greater good, with a sense of community to build relationships between neighbours
and community members.
• SOUTHERN AFRICA - UBUNTU
The concept of Ubuntu defines the individual in relation to each others. Ubuntu comes from a Zulu word
and has generally been described as a world-view of African
societies, a philosophy of life, a metaphor that describes
solidarity group where the core is the survival of communities
with a scarcity of resources. Ubuntu does not mean that
people should not enrich themselves, but lead to think with
this approach: “are you going to do this action to allow the
community around you to be able to improve?”
Exercise 1.3:
The sun - What is
volunteering?

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2.2. Rights and responsibilities of volunteers as global citizens
The concept of global citizenship is one of the ideas that the United Nations is actively promoting in recent
years. In the current context of deep global interdependencies, the world community feels the need of
having global citizens able to give a more significant contribution to the interlinked challenges of the 21st
century and to find solutions based on innovative ways of thinking that transcend national boundaries and
ideas.
Global citizens can be defined as those whose actions support the values and practices of the
“glocal community” they are living, according to political, economic, humanitarian valuesoften
influenced by the common ethics and morals that underlie the world’s great religious and philosophical
traditions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and others).
This conception requires the provision of education, training and raising awareness of the new global
citizens, starting at an early age and extending through secondary and postsecondary education, in order to
lead them to fulfil the following responsibilities, well described by Israel R.:
• Responsibility to understand the perspectives of others on global issues that affect their lives;
• Responsibility to respect the principle of cultural diversity;
• Responsibility to understand the many ways in which their lives are inter-connected with people and
countries in different parts of the world;
• Responsibility to work with one another and advocate for global solutions.
Israel R. (2012). Global
citizenship. A Path
to Building Identity
And Community in
a Globalized World.
Paperback.
Exercise 2.3:
Take a step upwards - How
much depends on you?
Exercise 2.1: My social profile
Exercise 2.2: (or 2.2 b): Let ́s campaign with our social profile
Chambers, R., & Conway, G. (1992). Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st
century. IDS Discussion Paper 296. Sussex: IDS, University of Sussex.
Tsikata, D. (2004). The Rights-based Approach to Development: Potential for Change or More of
the Same. IDS Bulletin 35

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2.3. Why it is important to have volunteers at international level
The international community recognizes the role that international volunteering plays in
the global development by promoting intercultural dialogue, reducing poverty, addressing
environmental issues, integrating immigrants, providing job opportunities, contributing
to the personal development, self-esteem and self-confidence, creating ‘social capital’, etc.
Since all these aspects have a positive influence on economic, cultural and social growth, volunteering also
contributes to the Lisbon Agenda and to EU politics.
Volunteering contribution to social inclusion links different generations, different communities and different
cultural and religious backgrounds that can work together for the common good with an approach of mutual
understanding.
In addition to the above-mentioned social aspects, connected to the promotion of values such as the active
participation of citizens and the enhancement of solidarity and democracy, international volunteering also
has economic relevance. In fact, volunteers are economically active (since, in many cases, they provide
services, sell products and create surplus which related costs are covered by their entities, so that they are
not used to create a profit for their members, but and added value for the organisation and a reinvestment
of its sources).
Moreover, non-profit organisations expenditures represent an impressive percentage of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) meanwhile civil society organisations’ recent grow (thanks to the development of new
social concerns and to the tendency of governments to engage voluntary organisations in the delivery of
services) creates new job opportunities. Non-profit organisations are related to the sector of employment
also because they provide valuable training to volunteers (that later find employment on conventional job
markets as a result of the expertise they have gained and of the social abilities they have developed) and due
to their implication in the ongoing education and retaining of unemployed people (for example, they could
help persons with fewer opportunities to find a place in the labour market).
2.3.1. International volunteering as a mind-opening experience
International volunteering is an organized involvement in development projects by volunteers working in
other countries. It includes both short and long-term experiences through either governmental or non-
governmental organisations. The idea of international volunteering pursuits the goal of rooting ideas,
projects, missions and values to promote progress in different territories. As territory is considered the
centre of the action, volunteers work in a defined one trying to animate it and raise awareness of the major
themes regarding human rights, fighting poverty and practising solidarity.
In the last decade the world has assisted to an increased number of volunteers abroad and to the evolution
of the ways they are engaged as fluid scenarios of post-modern society have a high structural and cultural
differentiation. Nowadays there are wide range of viewpoints and moral trends that are not consistent with
a one-way vision. Post-materialism arises in this multi-faceted and various society, where the individual feels
that the great ideologies collapsed. According to these scenarios, the role of international cooperation and
NGOs has fundamentally changed in developing countries. New players have claimed space and ownership,

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from local authorities in decentralized cooperation to associations as the bearers of new demands: fair
trade, sustainable tourism, peace and rights.
Moreover, there are some fundamentals characteristics defining the actions and the policies of international
volunteers. For instance, it is very important to think and to be “glocal”: volunteers are the ‘arm’ of the
association in the territories and represent its operators, volunteers and members. This great principle can
be translated into the search for contacts with institutions, media, cultural and other non-profit associations.
It also translates into the ability to engage and aggregate, to take part with a proactive role in the events
and initiatives promoting a change and a more equitable system in the North as well as in the South (which
is consistent with the values and the mission of the association).
Another fundamental aspect is to be aware of being actors of change and promoters of a different culture:
being actors of change means to promote the public know how and the awareness around the crucial issues
of poverty reduction, international cooperation, development and integration. This is possible whether the
actors of change are people who have familiarity with the territory.
For all these reasons, volunteering abroad is a mind-opening experience that allows meeting other cultures,
languages and ways of life. By experiencing everyday life in an area of need, the volunteer learns to
appreciate his home culture, as well as the benefits of the new one. These volunteer opportunities
often offer additional professional benefits, as well.
Engaging in voluntary actions with an international organisation (association, institution, social movement,
etc.) at international level can be translated into different commitments:
• Personal: an individually lifestyle focusing on adhesion and witnessing the values of the organisation.
• Political and social: participation as a form of active
citizenship which also includes the application of the
organisation’s mission, which speaks of reporting the causes
of injustice.
• A commitment to a designed project: operating with
professionalism, appropriateness in a perspective of “rights
and responsibilities” and defining the relationship with
other social actors (both in the South and North) in terms of
establishing a real “partnership”.
3. Sample models of volunteering classification
3.1. Different categories of volunteering
There are probably almost as many definitions of what it means to be a volunteer as there are people
performing the practice. Depending on who is asked, a new definition of what it means to be a volunteer
and how to categorize volunteers can be found. It is important to understand volunteering according to a
diversity of communication, recruitment and management processes on different volunteering practices.
Exercise 2.4:
Flower power.

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This section introduces a categorization based on volunteering abroad in a development project, but there
are other ways to do it, taking into account other issues related to the volunteering process such as the
location, time, with whom, duration, what type of organisation, project or work, etc. The present categories
are major ones, and organisations can (and must) organize volunteering categories according to their own
policy options, projects, recruitment needs and management style.
3.1.1. Skilled volunteering
These types of volunteering placements were common in the beginning of volunteer travel history.
Volunteering placements were typically from religious organisations offering educational or medical help
in development countries. There are still many international organisations that focus mainly on this type of
volunteering (E.g.: Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders (MSF)). Since those early volunteering days, skilled
volunteering has developed more and more as also younger and older people have discovered volunteering.
Volunteersinskilledplacementstendtohavedeepermotivationforvolunteeringandarealisticunderstanding
of their impact in the community. They have specific education and/or experience for volunteering
tasks. This type of volunteering is quite common in home countries as skilled volunteers are typically full
time workers or retired. As travel related volunteering has
gained popularity also among younger and older volunteers,
some skilled volunteers are also looking for placements abroad,
either short or long term. University students are also looking
for internships (different from volunteering work) or work
experience abroad on their study field and they can also be
placed in skilled volunteer placements.
A NGO abroad offering skilled volunteering placements face several challenges. One of the most commonly
observed is that according to the definition of volunteering, volunteers shall not spend money on their
activities (except voluntourist). This together with the idea of many skilled volunteers who consider their
skills as equal valued to room and board (living expenses), reduce the possibility of receiving from them
any economic support (even if it is open as it can never be imposed to volunteers). Supporting these costs
may be impossible for the host organisation, especially if the main income is volunteer contributions. This
incompatibility may be responsible for reducing skilled volunteering placements availability, although they
could contribute to the community in large scale. Another typical challenge with skilled volunteering is the
preconception or attitude towards their tasks implementation, as they often position themselves as one-
sided knowledge providing and not as bilateral or cooperation issue.
Strengths of skilled volunteering:
• May empower the host organisation programmes and benefit the community (especially in long term
volunteering).
• May support and perform needed complex tasks that host organisation have no resources for. Commonly,
NGO have no funds available to use paid skilled work force.
“Not being able to do
everything is no excuse
for not doing everything
you can.” Ashleigh
Brilliant

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• May potentiate a real difference and large impact in the development project (especially in long term
volunteering).
Challenges of skilled volunteering:
• Short term skilled volunteering placement needs to be very well planned to reflect immediate benefits, as
not well thought through participation will not have enduring and fully realized benefits on the community.
• An attitude of superiority (“my skills are better than yours and you should adapt”) may cause failure on
knowledge sharing and adapting ways of working with local culture and skills.
3.1.2. Skilled online volunteering
Part of the skilled volunteering is performed by people who want to use their skills at home
to support an organisation abroad or in their home country. This online volunteering has become
more popular as people offer help in various tasks in social media, web page development, supporting
visibility campaigns, designing newsletters, promoting activities, fundraising and grant writing, etc. Also
some universities have online volunteering options for their students as practical in the campus training
exercises. The online volunteering presents two major issues to deal with: the first being how to evaluate
the skills of the volunteer; and the second related with how to manage the work and share information
about the targets and goals of the task.
Strengths of online volunteering:
• Easy access to needed skills as location is not an issue.
• Minimum cost for both the organisation and the volunteer due to no travelling involvement.
• Especially beneficial in fundraising and marketing tasks for the development project as volunteers can
perform advocacy and activities where the target groups for these tasks are.
Challenges of online volunteering:
• If volunteers do not visit the development project, there is a risk that there is no clear understanding of
what would benefit most the organisation and the community.
• When the host organisation doesn’t have the capacity to manage and guide the online efforts, the
volunteers lose motivation and may give up volunteering.
3.1.3. Unskilled volunteering
These volunteers could be categorized as “motivational volunteers” as they are usually available to “do
whatever is needed”. These persons are, despite of their academic skills and professional competences,
focused more on volunteering efforts rather than tourist and social related aspects of the volunteering
abroad experience. Typically, they are deeply interested to contribute to the community
(contribution that can become deeper depending on the duration of the placement). Everybody

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can be an “unskilled volunteer” as they don’t necessarily have higher education and experience or they have
chosen not to volunteer on their field of experience/competence, but rather prefer doing something totally
different or new to them. These volunteers need to be trained for their tasks, as they need to make efforts
meaningful (for them and for the NGO) and have a tutor or manager available to direct their work.
Among other examples of this category, there are cases on which unskilled volunteers may choose a
volunteering placement because it is a cheaper way of being abroad or just because they aim to help a
religious organisation. In these cases their primary motivation is saving money or religious values and
secondary motivation is to volunteer. This type of volunteer is, typically, not yet fully in the workforce or
wants to gain experience in a new field. This type of volunteering can also take place in home countries, but
many want to gain experience abroad.
Strengths of unskilled volunteering:
• In well implemented projects, the participation of unskilled volunteers can make meaningful and beneficial
effects for the community.
• In well managed programmes, these volunteers are value-added elements as they provide a much needed
continuity, especially in labour intensive environmental projects.
• Participants will gain skills and get new perspectives and knowledge about the development project.
Challenges of unskilled volunteering:
• When placed on tasks that the volunteer has no skills on, and if not well trained and managed for them,
there is a possibility that volunteer delivers negative impact. It is important to provide proper information,
guidance, orientation and management throughout their placement.
• The potential of volunteers is not fully used for the development project, as their skills could be more
beneficial in other tasks. When placing unskilled volunteers or skilled volunteers on unskilled-based
tasks, a strong coordination is needed, regardless of age, gender, religion, etc., to assure fulfilment of
the tasks and benefits to all (volunteers, project and community) as well as manage motivations. The
volunteer coordinator has to have strong management skills to manage the volunteer’s daily impact at
the placement.
3.1.4. Voluntourists
When looking for volunteers to join a development project abroad, some organisations likely run into
volunteer-tourists. Voluntourism is a rapidly growing phenomenon in the tourism industry attracting
more than 1.6 million international volunteer-tourists annually. Voluntourism involves people often from
developed regions such as Europe, USA, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand travelling to developing
countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa to work in projects focused as teaching, medical or health support
and construction.
Voluntourism is seen as a way to gain more authentic experience compared to mass tourism since
voluntourists are able to become more emotionally and physically immersed in the local culture and

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See website online of the
UK based Tourism Concern
here .
community. Voluntourism can be considered as a form of alternative tourism and it is closely related to
cultural, scientific, educational, adventure and agritourism.
Even if voluntourism is developed since a long time, it started to gain popularity in the 1990’s when the
move from different NGOs to commercial companies (so called agencies) started. Tourism Research and
Marketing (2008, 5) estimates the monetary value of the volunteer market in between £832m and £1.3bn
(US$ 1.7bn–2.6bn) a year. (Tourism Research and Marketing, 2008)
Ultimately volunteer-tourism projects have a positive direct
impact on social, economic and/or natural environments of
the destination and they contribute towards the volunteer’s
personal development. However, voluntourism has been widely
criticized for not only doing more harm than good for the local
communities and environment but also for poorly organized
projects and programmes that don’t meet the voluntourists’ expectations (Vase, 2015).
UK based Tourism Concern has been raising awareness against voluntourism especially in orphanages.
According to their research, voluntourism has “raised the need” for local organisations to pretend to have
orphan care centres but the reality is that the children are not orphans, but bought from their poor parents
to the centres.
Voluntourists are people travelling with the aim to volunteer on their vacation so the activity always involves
a journey outside their home geographical area. These people might also have the intention to
perform other tourist activities while away from home, being actual volunteering a secondary
motive for vacation. This kind of volunteers usually tend to stay for a short period of time and the purpose
of participating in the project is often related to how this will affect their lives rather than the people,
communities or causes that they are aiming to help. Voluntourists may have the will to do good, but because
of the nature of their support (for a short period of time) is required more guidance in which activities truly
support the community.
The most seen profile of voluntourists according to their participation on development projects on the last
years is typically young women ages 20-25 years, from wealthy families having a gap-year from university or
wanting a study-related experience. (Vase, 2015, Tourism Research and Marketing 2008, 5). Voluntourists
could be said to be the shallowest type of volunteers, whose main motivations are self-centered and who
tend to join projects through agencies that are attracting people with heavy marketing and big promises.
(Vase, 2015, Callanan& Thomas (2005, in Holmes & Smith 2009, 35-36). This has made that voluntourism has
gained plenty of positive and negative publicity according to its strengths and challenges that it produces.
Strengths of voluntourism:
• Better understanding on realities and needs of developing countries.
• Great personal learning experience when well implemented.
• Ethical tour trips due to local people involvement on tourism in destination country.
• Accommodation cost is low when volunteering instead of staying in commercial accommodation (Young

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people may choose voluntourism to cut cost of their holiday).
• Possibility of cultural exchanges.
• Assisting communities in destination country when well implemented.
• Can become a source of economic incomes for the entities involved on it (what can contribute to the
hosting entity local programmes).
• Motivation to long-term volunteering based on good experience on international volunteerism. Challenges
of voluntourism:
• Unscrupulous providers and agents in sending volunteers.
• Fake organisations in destination countries receiving volunteers.
• Many of the programmes on destination countries are not adequate for short term and/or non skilled,
non-educated or non-prepared volunteers. Schools and orphanages may be exploited.
• Poorly implemented programmes may wrongly have a negative impact and publicity to others that are
serious on the field and that bring real benefits to development countries.
• Voluntourists’ motivations can be very self-centered as they are looking for an experience for themselves
rather than thinking about the volunteering as a service for the community.
3.1.5. Corporate volunteering
According to an advisory group of non-profit experts and a Technical Experts Group, assembled by the
International Labour Organisation (UN/ILO), definition of “volunteer work” comprehends unpaid non-
compulsory work “that is, time individuals give without pay to activities performed either through an
organisation or directly for others outside their own household.” (ILO, 2011, p. 13).
The same assembly provides some key features and considerations to better understand this definition,
namely about corporate volunteering programmes (ILO, 2011, p. 11-17). :
“(a) It in volves work. (...)
(b) It is unpaid. (...) However, some forms of monetary or in-kind compensation may still be possible
without violating this feature of the definition: (...)
(vii) Corporate volunteering programmes present a different situation since some businesses
provide incentives for workers to participate in such programmes, such as offering paid time
off. Where such incentives exist, the resulting activity violates the “unpaid” provision of the
recommended definition and should therefore not be counted as volunteer work. Rather,
this should be considered a corporate in-kind contribution. On the other hand, where the
encouragement takes the form of organizing employee group volunteer activities without financial
compensation being paid to the participants, the resulting activity does qualify as volunteer work;
(c) It is non-compulsory. (...)
(d) It embraces both “direct” volunteering (...) and “organisation-based” volunteering (...).
(e) It does not embrace work done without pay for members of the volunteer’s own household. (...)

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(f) It includes volunteering done without compulsion in all types of institutional settings: (...).
(g) It does not limit the scope of volunteer work to a particular beneficiary. (...)”.
According to McCurley and Lynch (2011, p. 170-173), “corporate volunteering is becoming one of the great
‘social’ institutions, as many corporations and businesses recognize that like other social institutions, they
have an obligation to contribute to the well-being of the community”.
Corporatevolunteeringisexploredbytheseauthorsasabigissueofthecorporateworld’ssocialresponsibility.
As they refer, companies are now actively structuring and supporting volunteering from within, as they
are no longer apart from the “social world”. Companies want to be present in the community by
promoting volunteering through a wide range of self-structured programmes and projects
that include their employees.
These programmes and projects can go “from simply acting as a conduit for information local volunteer
opportunities up to actively participating as a full partner in providing organized teams of employees who
plan and perform volunteer work.” (McCurley and Lynch, 2011, p. 170-173).
To the companies, volunteering programmes may represent a way to develop employee’s personal
competences and establish strong trust relations between employees and company. To the employees,
volunteeringmaybeawayofskillspracticingor“simplybeattemptingtodosomething‘real’asanalternative
to a boring job.” (McCurley and Lynch, 2011, p. 170-173).
According to the same authors, there are three steps to create an ambient recruitment campaign, something
very suitable to obtain a positive environment to corporate volunteering:
1. Philosophy of involvement: creating involvement is creating an official philosophy statement that
explains how becoming involved is an important value of the group.
2. Early indoctrination: educating the group about the value is the way to get them involved and it is
easiest done early in their membership with the group.
3. Support involvement: building a support system is an effective way to bring people to volunteer,
assisting them on their involvement, ensuring that the volunteers enjoy and succeed at their volunteer
assignments.
Samuel, Wolf and Schilling looked at corporate volunteering from non-profit organisations point of view. In
an article published in the Non-profit Management and Leadership magazine (Nr. 24, 2013), these authors
focus “on the perspective of managers of nonprofit organisations on volunteer partnership projects with
for-profit companies.” (Samuel, Wolf and Schilling, 2013).
Their key findings suggest that non-profit organisations “lack strategic behaviour and management tools for
undertaking volunteer partnership projects with companies.”, although “corporate volunteering is widely
perceived as an opportunity and a promising method of raising donations for non-profit organisations.”
(Samuel, Wolf and Schilling, 2013). Organisations’ managers or volunteer managers are not prepared and,
in many cases, face the lack of a structure and resources to partner with companies and hosting corporate
volunteering programmes.

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Conclusions of the article point into a “key to successful future cooperation” between non-profit and profit
sectors that relies on creating management competences inside non-profit organisations, as well as internal
evaluation and strategy development processes to be able to develop relations based on similar principles
and methodologies.
Strengths of corporate volunteering:
• Recognition of corporate obligation to contribute to the well-being of the community.
• Internal support from companies to employees who volunteer.
• Creating volunteering structured programmes and building support systems.
• People designated to connect employee volunteers and organisations.
• Creating competences beyond the professional context.
• Creating corporate and employees’ engagement and culture of involvement.
Challenges of corporate volunteering:
• Companies using volunteering for the wrong (publicity) reasons.
• Management changes often bring volunteering programme changes.
• Professional engagement often overcomes volunteering efforts.
At the global level, the participation of the private sector in poverty reduction initiatives in developing
countries is an unstoppable and promoted fact from the United Nations through its so called Global
Compact. The globalization of the economy has impacted the company’s overall performance in all its
activities, including its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and, as part of it, its Corporate Volunteering
(VC). (Fundación CODESPA, 2012).
Among the many initiatives that exist to boost economic and social growth in developing countries, one of them
is Corporate Volunteering for Development. Unlike other types of corporate volunteers, VC for Development is
more expensive and the number of employees involved is lower but its overall impact is greater. It is very useful
not only to fight against poverty, but also to promote other dimensions of a company such as its human resources
management or the development of innovative business strategies at a social level. To allow that corporate
volunteering has a real impact on the resolution of social problems, it is necessary to take advantage of the
experience and knowledge in their specific area of the workers involved. The challenge is to see how to direct the
skills of the company and its workers to improve the different global problems.
See website online of the Global Compact here.
Fundación CODESPA, 2012. Voluntariado Corporativo para el Desarrollo. See document online here.

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3.1.6. Other dimensions of volunteering
Categories here presented are not necessarily exclusive as some volunteering positions can have several
dimensions. When doing the categorization, organisations have to consider their own needs and what
is the most important dimension for the positions. Here are some examples of other categories that are
sometimes used by volunteering entities:
Long term – short term volunteering
Long-term volunteers Short-term volunteers
• They often have a strong personal and
psychological investment in their volunteer
role and in the sense of personal worth and
identity gained from their participation.
• They will tend to shape their own job and
determine the duration of their work,
adapting their time and energies to whatever
is necessary to make the cause succeed.
• They tend to be “generalists”, willing to do
whatever work is required and necessary, but
not necessarily in an exciting or rewarding in
itself for the person.
• They are motivated by “achievement” and
“affiliation” and often recognition is best
expressed as a greater opportunity for
involvement or advancement in the cause or
the organisation.
• They want a well-defined job of limited
duration. They want to know at the beginning
of their volunteering what exactly they are
being asked to do and for how long they are
committing to do it.
• They can be considered “focused” because
they are only with the organisation long
enough to learn one job or are only willing
to perform one kind of work. Usually the
more limited the expected time commitment
and the better delineated the scope of work,
the easier it will be to recruit the short-term
volunteer.
Source: Steve McCurley and Rick Lynch, 2011
Group – individual volunteering
Group volunteers Individual volunteers
• They can be created from a hobby club,
family, work colleagues, friends, students etc.
• They want to volunteer together instead of
committing to volunteer individually.
• They can be used in events and situations
where a large amount of volunteers is
needed due to the high support demanded in
a defined period and concrete area.
• They commit to volunteering individually.
• They are placed in a position that requires
one single person.
• They can be part of a bigger team but always
be responsible of their own tasks.
• They require a deeper self-sufficient
commitment of the person.

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Continuous – episodic volunteering
Continuous volunteers Episodic volunteers
• Theyaresimilartolongtermvolunteering,but
without the need for a full time commitment.
• They are interested in smaller and more
manageable commitments.
• They may choose an episodic volunteer task
to test an organisation before they become
involved in significant tasks or projects.
• They can be used for example in crisis and
emergency situations where volunteers are
needed on quick notice.
Full time – part time volunteering
Full time volunteers Part time volunteers
• They assume tasks in a long term or
continuous volunteering context.
• They can exist (E.g. with the UN) and should
work like a work contract in full time (7-8
hours/day).
• They can be a subdivision of long term or
continuous volunteering as it is about time
aspectandnotnecessarilytothecommitment
aspect.
• They can be used in activities or tasks that
require longer term commitment.

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Presence – distance volunteering
Presence volunteers Distance volunteers
• They commit to volunteer individually and in
person, working with target people or in the
field in the back office.
• They are placed in a position that requires
direct intervention and direct contact in the
project.
• They exist due to Internet effect on everyday
life. It should be no wonder that it will
increasingly impact volunteer involvement in
two major ways: 1. more and more people will
use the Internet as their way to find volunteer
opportunities; 2. more and more volunteering
will happen online, as opposed to in-person.
• They are part of “virtual volunteering”
providing a convenient answer for some
problems that have plagued volunteer
management for some time: individuals with
limited time availability, individuals with
heavy travel schedules, individuals in rural
areas, individuals who are home- bound
through age or disability or preference.
Youth – senior volunteering
Youth volunteers Senior volunteers
• They have increased dramatically in the past
ten years as youth was once an uninvolved
segment of the volunteer community.
• It also involves teenagers as volunteers are
already starting on the field on their early
years of the elementary schools.
• Their life and work experience is not very
developed but they offer a high level of
energy and uncorrupted values that make
them a very powerful tool for the change.
• They need a more intense guidance and
mentorship.
• According to official volunteering pro-
grammes (E.x. European Voluntary Service),
all the volunteers up to 30 years old can be
considered under this category.
• They exist more and more, as it has been
seen on the last years how older seniors are
increasing their involvement. This could be
related to the extension of the life expectancy
in the North countries, improvement of
health conditions and established average
age for retirement in most of those areas
that have caused that those retired could still
consider themselves active and with energy
enough to develop volunteer related tasks.
• They offer a wide experience and variety of
skills to volunteer projects but can tend to
provide a unilateral point of view to them
(“I am the one who really knows due to my
life career”). The need to be clearly informed
about their role and impact on the project.

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Work – leisure volunteering
Workplace volunteers Leisure volunteers
• Workplace or professional volunteering that
is considered related to the work or studies
of the individual. It can be seen as part of the
career development of the volunteer or as a
way to shift to a new professional area.
• “Recreational volunteering” or “serious
leisure” are considered in the scope of
volunteering definition as in the coming
decade there will be more people taking that
definition very seriously.
• Vacation volunteering implies leisure time
activities while working for a cause.
• It is also referred to as “ecotourism” and
“voluntourism”.
• It also implies “Migratory volunteering”
following the tendency of animals to move
to other places to survive. It could involve
programmes with seasonal volunteers who
live in different locations and shift their
volunteering as they shift their domicile.
Exercise 3.1: Categorization of volunteers
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XERCISE
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Reference 1.1
Title A mosque in Sleepyville
Overview This activity is very useful to explore and experience disputes generated
by intercultural conflicts or situations (in this case, the building of a new
mosque in a traditionally Christian neighbourhood through the simulation
of a town council meeting).
Goal • Experience real conflicts that can arise in meeting the needs of
multicultural and diverse communities.
• Explore the right to freedom of religion and belief in different contexts.
Also the freedom of opinion, information and from discrimination.
• Develop and practice skills of debate and analysis.
• Promote the acquisition of competences such as active listening, empathy
and assertiveness.
Type of activity Role game, simulation.
Time requirement From 45 to 60 minutes.
Space requirement In a room with some chairs.
Group size At least 8 people.
Material needed • Sheets of paper for name-tags.
• Flip chart paper or a board for the facilitator to write on it.
• A clock or device to manage the time used.
• Small bell for the person on the role of “Mayor”.
• Rules of debate, problem description and roles cards handout (click here
to access to the online materials).
Procedure Before implementing the activity the facilitator must photocopy the role-
cards included on the handout, the description of the problem and the
rules of debate. It is also important to prepare name-tags for the different
parties and groups that will be represented at the meeting so they can
identify each other during the exercise.
Related to Unit 1
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Toolkit
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Steps to be followed to implement the activity:
• Step 1:
The facilitator introduces the activity and describes to the group the topic
of the debate (Construction of the mosque) and context on which they are
supposed to be for the simulation. It is important here to list the different
roles that participants will have using a flip chart so that everyone can see
them. The roles can be randomly assigned or the facilitator can choose
who will be who during the activity. If roles are pointed by the person
leading the activity, it can be a good idea to challenge participants by giving
them roles that are very different to their own personality in order to train
their empathy.
• Step 2:
The facilitator spreads the roles among the participants and makes sure
that before the “Council meeting” everybody can have a “pre-meeting
time” to prepare their strategies, characters and arguments.
• Step 3:
Once all the teams know how to act, they are given with a couple of
minutes to walk around the space if needed and speak with other
participants to persuade them to soften their position about the mosque
construction.
• Step 4:
Participants sit in a circle by groups according to their role and the “Mayor”
opens the “Council meeting”. Already in their role, participants will
introduce themselves and the group they represent. After this, the debate
starts under the coordination of the “Mayor” who should perform the role
of moderator.
Debriefing and
follow-up
At the end of the activity and already out of their roles, participants must
share their feedback about the simulation and the comments or behaviors
experienced on it. Depending on the social context participants work in, it
could be interesting to invite institutional representatives in order to build
a dialogue between citizens and politics and to develop a participatory
decision process. This will be useful in order to learn to take in care different
values of the communities.
Tips for the
facilitation
In order to get a deeper view of the exercise and wider description, please
visit the site of the Council of Europe and its Compass: Manual for human
rights education with young people (2002).

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Reference 1.2
Title Take a step forward
Overview As George Orwell claimed on its book Animal Farm (1945), even if we are
all equal, some are more equal than others. Using a role play this activity
will allow participants to experience what it means to be in the shoes of
someone else in their society and the challenges and obstacles faced by
different social groups.
Goal
• Promote empathy with others who are different but live on a similar
community or context.
• Raise awareness about the inequality of opportunities in society.
• Foster an understanding of possible personal consequences and
prejudices related to varied social minorities, classes or cultural groups.
• Explore and discuss issues such as social inequality as a source of
discrimination and exclusion or the importance of social empathy and
where its limits are.
Type of activity Role game, group simulation, group discussion.
Space requirement A big and open space that could allow participants to make a line and walk
forward during the questions that will be made to them.
Group size From 10 to 30 people.
Material needed • Role cards for participants (Annex 1.2.1).
• List of situations and events (Annex 1.2.2).
• Tape or CD player and soft relaxing music (optional).
Procedure
Even is this exercise include different annexes, it is recommended that be-
fore doing the activity the facilitator reads the cards for participants and
review the list of situations and events in order to adapt them if needed to
the group that will be involved on the activity. Once this is done, role cards
must be printed and cut (one per participant).
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• Step 1:
The facilitator must create a calm atmosphere (E.g. With some soft
background music) and ask the participants for being in silence.
• Step 2:
Role cards are randomly handed out to participants (one per person). They
must keep the information of the cards to themselves and not to show
them to anyone else. It is important to provide them some minutes to sit
down (preferably on the floor) and to read their roles quietly.
• Step 3:
The facilitator asks participants to start getting into role and helps them by
reading out some questions (Pausing after each one to give people time
to reflect and build up a picture of themselves and their lives). Samples of
questions to be used here could be:
- What was your childhood like?
- What sort of house did you live in?
- What kind of games did you play?
- What sort of work did your parents do?
- What is your everyday life like now?
- Where do you socialize?
- What do you do in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening?
- What sort of lifestyle do you have?
- Where do you live?
- How much money do you earn each month?
- What do you do in your leisure time?
- What you do in your holidays?
- What excites you and what are you afraid of?, etc.
• Step 4:
Reminding the people to remain absolutely silent, participants are set in
a line up beside each other (like on a starting line of race). Once they are
ready, the facilitator starts to read aloud the list of situations or events
(one by one and making a pause after each question to allow people time
to step forward and to look around to take note of their positions relative
to each other.).
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Every time those participants can answer “yes” to the statement, they
should take a step forward. Otherwise, they should stay where they are
and not move.
• Step 5:
Attheendoftheexerciseandoncethequestionsarefinished,thefacilitator
must invite everyone to take note of their final positions on the space and
distance with other participants.
Debriefing and
follow-up
In order to obtain an appropriate feedback the facilitator must start the
debriefing by asking participants first what happened during the exercises.
Some sample questions could be:
• How do you see the distribution of participants in the room? Is it fair?
• How did you feel when the others were going further than you?
• How did you feel when seeing that the others were behind you?
• Did you ask yourself why the others were not moving or you were just
focused on going further?
• Did you feel that your role had any opportunity to promote socially?
None? A lot? A few?
• Do you consider that all the basic human rights of all the participants were
respected on the same way?
• How do you feel performing your role? Good? Bad?
• Which kind of feelings did you experience? Frustration? Motivation?
• Have you develop any empathy or shared feeling with your character?
After doing some of these questions, the facilitator can also ask participants
if they are able to guess the roles of each person due to their position on
the room. After several guesses, participants can be invited to introduce
the other their role in the game and encouraged to share their feelings
when walking forward or staying stuck on the same place. The facilitator
can also tell participants to think about real examples or people on their
communities with the same profile as the roles performed and reflect about
how they behave in reality (Do they understand now better their realities?).
They can also share any life stories or anecdotes with the group. It can be
a good moment to explore the concepts of stereotyping and prejudicing.
Finally, the facilitator must ensure that participants understand that the
problems faced by their characters are basically related to a lack of access
to their human rights rather than only be based on their formal rights.
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Here it can be also interesting to show participants the links existing and
relation between social, economic, citizen and cultural rights.
As a follow up of the activity or continuation, the facilitator can also search
for real testimonies of people with the performed profiles to share with the
group or even invite to this (or coming) sessions to representatives of these
minorities on their communities.
Tips for the
facilitation
It must be reminded that the effectiveness of this activity rely on the issue
that participants can really notice the distance between each other. According
to this, the space on which the activity takes place is very important. It must
be wide enough to set participants in a line and long enough to make them
walk as far as needed. If an open or outdoor space is used, it could be useful
to use a microphone or the support of a second facilitator in order to read the
statements aloud and ensure that all the participants can listen them properly.
Even if some roles are here proposed, the facilitator can freely change them
and adapt them to the reality of the participants in order to ensure that they
are familiar with them. This will facilitate the performing of each character
and the impact on the group. However, the facilitator must ensure that only
some of them will answer “Yes” to most of the question in order to respect
the game goal.
Some of these roles can be quite open or will demand that participants add
extra details to the profile of their character in order to answer to the given
questions. For example, we can use as a role “A prostitute of 45 years old and
mother of one child”, but it must be up to the participant to decide other facts
of the life of this person (E.g. Is she coming from a poor or rich family? Does
she have a family? Which is (if any) her academic background? Where is she
living?, etc.). According to this, it could be also interesting to ask participants
how did they create these extra characteristics: where they taken from people
they really know? From a book? From a movie? Could they be real? etc.
In order to get a deeper view of the exercise and wider description, please
visit the site of COMPASITO and its the Council of Europe Manual for human
rights education with children (2002). The printed version of this source can
be found here.
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Annex 1.2.1
Role cards
You are an unemployed single mother.
You are an Arab Muslim girl living with your
parents who are devoutly religious people.
You are the daughter of the local bank manager.
You study economics at university.
You are the 19-year-old son of a farmer in a remote
village in the mountains.
You are a soldier in the army, doing compulsory
military service.
You are a disabled young man who can only move
in a wheelchair.
You are a 17-year-old Roma (Gypsy) girl who never
finished primary school.
You are an HIV positive, middle-aged prostitute.
You are an unemployed schoolteacher in a country
whose new official language you are not fluent in.
You are a 24-year-old refugee from Afghanistan.
You are an illegal immigrant from a poor area of
Africa.
You are the president of a party-political youth
organisation (whose “mother” party is now in
power).
You are the son of a Chinese immigrant who runs a
successful fast food business.
You are the daughter of the American ambassador
to the country where you are now living.
You are the owner of a successful import- export
company.
You are a retired worker from a factory that makes
shoes.
You are the girlfriend of a young artist who is
addicted to heroin.
You are a 22-year-old lesbian.
You are a fashion model of African origin. You are a homeless young man, 27 years old.
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Annex 1.2.2
Region
Read the following situations out loud. Allow time after reading out each situation for participants to
step forward and also to look to see how far they have moved relative to each other.
• You have never encountered any serious financial difficulty.
• You have decent housing with a telephone line and television.
• You feel your language, religion and culture are respected in the society where you live.
• You feel that your opinion on social and political issues matters, and your views are listened to.
• Other people consult you about different issues.
• You are not afraid of being stopped by the police.
• You know where to turn for advice and help if you need it.
• You have never felt discriminated against because of your origin.
• You have adequate social and medical protection for your needs.
• You can go away on holiday once a year.
• You can invite friends for dinner at home.
• You have an interesting life and you are positive about your future.
• You feel you can study and follow the profession of your choice.
• You are not afraid of being harassed or attacked in the streets, or in the media.
• You can vote in national and local elections.
• You can celebrate the most important religious festivals with your relatives and close friends.
• You can participate in an international seminar abroad.
• You can go to the cinema or the theatre at least once a week.
• You are not afraid for the future of your children.
• You can buy new clothes at least once every three months.
• You can fall in love with the person of your choice.
• You feel that your competence is appreciated and respected in the society where you live.
• You can use and benefit from the Internet.
Source: Manual on Human Rights Education with Young People (Council of Europe, 2002).
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Reference 1.3
Title The Sun - What is volunteering?
Overview This activity helps to show that many opinions about volunteering exist and
increases understanding about this concept and how is it seen by others.
Goal • Understand the different definitions of volunteering.
• Recognize participants opinions about what is volunteering and be able
to link them with their realities, personal and professional background.
• Agree a common definition of volunteering.
Type of activity Warming up, group discussion.
Time requirement 30 minutes.
Space requirement Room or open space (E.g. A corridor, large room or outdoors).
Material needed • Round paper pieces shaped and cut as a sun with the inscription inside
of “Volunteering is...”. One or more depending on the size of the group.
• Paper strings (at least 3 for each participant).
• Markers (One per participant).
Procedure
Before starting the exercise the facilitator will set on the floor the round
circle acting as a sun and previously prepared. It should include inside the
sentence “Volunteering is...”.
• Step 1:
The facilitator asks participants to think about how they would finish the
sentence ‘Volunteering is...’ (At least three alternatives or answers per
participant).
• Step 2:
After some minutes, participants are invited to finish the sentence and
write their opinion on their strings of paper (each opinion on one piece of
paper).
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• Step 3:
Once they are ready, the facilitator tells participants to complete the
sentence by attaching their pieces around the Sun. Each new opinion will
became a new ray
from the Sun. According to this, opinions that are repeated or similar
should be joined to previous ones and form a longer ray (the more people
add the same opinion, the longer the ray is).
Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator must start by asking participants to read out loud all. Discuss
how many opinions appeared, how many were similar or repeated. Once all
of them are commented, the group should try to agree a shared definition
for volunteering.
For this part of the activity the facilitator can also search for official
definitions of volunteering in order to compare them at the end with the
one built by participants
(E.g. definitions from United Nations, The European Commission, a
transnational NGO, etc.).
Volunteering
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Reference 2.1
Title My social profile
Overview This exercise has been included on this material as a follow up of the
one called “Make a step forward” (1.2). However it can be also used
independently by asking participants to use their own profiles or
personalities and allow them to introduce each other to the rest of the
group. The original aim of the game is to get more into the character
assigned previously, empathize using the social profile metaphor and
interact with the others to raise the awareness to live in a complex society
with different life styles, feelings and experiences.
Goal • Go deeper into the roles and profiles used in previous activities.
• Promote empathy towards different social minorities and groups.
• Explore the reactions of others towards the assumed role, their prejudices
and stereotyping.
Type of activity Name activity, warming up, group dynamic, role playing.
Space requirement A big room to allow participants to walk around freely.
Material needed • Role cards used on the activity “Make a step forward” (Annex 1.2.1) or
similar ones created by the facilitator (participants can also introduce
themselves if the aim of the exercise is changed).
• Paper (at least one A4 per participant).
• Markers (at least one participant).
Procedure Steps to be followed to implement the activity:
• Step 1:
The facilitator reminds participants that they are going to keep the roles
played during the activity “Make a step forward” in order to implement the
activity. All of them receive a piece of paper (A4) and a marker.
Related to Unit 2
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• Step 2:
Every participant, thinking in the role assigned, describes it using the
metaphor of a social profile and draw on the white paper the following
boxes:
1. A box for the “Profile picture”
2. A box for the “Cover picture”
3. The sentence “I am thinking in...”
4. 3 pictures (drawings) representing the most important moments of the
person’s life.
• Step3:
After each participant has designed a profile of the role given, the group
began to walk freely in the room and to introduce their profiles to other
participants by describing their content and pictures. Everyone must
comment on photos and sentences of others using the markers and writing
“I like” or using emoticons of sadness, happiness next to the photos and
sentences.
Debriefing and
follow-up As a warming up or name activity the exercise does not demand a deep
debriefing. However it could be useful to allow the facilitator to make more
questionsandgodeeperintotheprofilesoftherolesdescribed.Participants
can be also asked about their impressions when the others were introduced
or the reactions of the people who listened their presentations.
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Annex 2.1
Cover picture
Profile picture I am thinking in...
Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3
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Reference 2.2
Title Let ́s campaign with our social profile.
Overview This exercise has been included on this material as a follow up of the
previous one “My social profile” (2.1). If the facilitator has not implemented
the previous one, the exercise “Making links” (2.2 (b)) should be used
instead. The idea is to explore the different reactions and relations of the
actors involved in a community by running a visibility campaign.
Goal • Promote empathy towards different social rules and understand better
their relations.
• Train the capacity of participants to run campaigns or promote the
participation of other in their causes.
• Reinforce the group relations through their interaction and cooperation.
Type of activity Role play, brain storming, group discussion.
Space requirement A big room to allow participants to sit down in a circle. Participants can
write and draw on the floor or using tables if they are available.
Material needed • Role cards used on the activity “Make a step forward” (Annex 1.2.1) or
similar ones created by the facilitator.
• Big papers or flipcharts.
• Sheets to allow participants to make drafts and take notes.
• Markers and pens.
Procedure Before starting the exercise, participants are set on tables or small groups
(4 to 6 people each). Each group should receive some pieces of paper, a
flipchart and several colour markers or pens.
• Step 1:
The facilitator reminds participants to have in mind the roles played during
the activity “Make a step forward” in order to implement this game. They
will be also explained that all are members of a single community and
share a common neighbourhood or area.
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Then, they are explained the main target of the activity: to create a campaign
in order to convince people that they support them to change a social
injustice and solve it. To choose the cause that each group will fight against,
they must agree and select one of the roles that their members played on the
activity “Make a step forward”. For example, if they choose the character of
the 24-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, their campaign could be focused
on creating favourable laws to allow citizens to host refugees on their homes.
To make the exercise easier and increase its impact, it is advisable that the
facilitator set the campaigns on the same environment, society or community
that participants could be part of on the real life (this will help them to create
a realistic campaign and measure its suitability).
• Step 2:
Once each group has chosen the goal of its campaign, using a flipchart they
would need to give answer and show information about the next issues
related to the campaign:
- Goals and objectives of the campaign: How will it improve the situation of
the target group and of the community?
- Sources or support needed: What do we need? Where can we find it?
How the community can contribute? Which could be the role of each
stakeholder?
- Obstacles for the campaign: Which facts could obstacle it? Which social
groups could slow it down? Which are its “enemies”?
- Working programme: Which activities will be done? When do we want to
achieve our objectives? What does it need to be done? Which tools will
be used? (E.g. Demonstrations, a movie, a fair, a research, etc.).
- Visibility: Create a logo, slogan, song, etc.
- Evaluation: How will you measure the impact of the campaign? On which
locations or target groups?
• Step 3:
Once all the groups have had time to finish their campaigns, they are asked
to present it to the others who should be also given the chance to make
questions and comments about the campaign (still on their roles or just
acting as local members of the community without a defined profile). After
all the presentations, all the participants must vote which campaign should
be supported to improve the situation of the community and its members
(the facilitator must remind here that participants cannot vote their own
campaign).
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Debriefing and
follow-up
The debriefing of this activity must be run by the facilitator in cooperation
with the whole group with two main aims. On the one side, exploring
the quality of the campaigns, their message, structure, frankness, good
practices seen to create them, etc. On the other side, to clarify why the
“winner campaign” was chosen and why the other don’t. On this second
point it is important to ask participants about the criteria that they set to
vote: were they thinking about the whole community interest? About the
interests of their characters? About the target group?, etc.
Tips for the
facilitation
An alternative exercise on the same line as this one can be also found
on the students handbook Steps to Campaigning Success (British Library,
Museums Libraries Archives, consulted online in 2016) accessible here.
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Reference 2.2b
Title Making links.
Overview This activity aims to explore the relation and ways of cooperation existing
between the stakeholders of a democratic society by exploring the rights
and responsibilities of the main parts involved on it: citizens, governments,
non profit organisations and media.
Goal • Develop an understanding of the link between rights and responsibilities.
• Provide and improve discussion and co-operation skills.
• Promote civic responsibility among participants.
• Understand the processes to take and agree decisions and procedures in
a democratic society.
Type of activity Role play.
Time requirement 45 to 60 minutes.
Space requirement A big room.
Group size Maximum 32 people (divided in small groups of 4 to 8 people each).
Material needed
• Sheets of paper and pencils for each participant to take notes.
• 4 large sheets of paper (A3) or flipchart paper (one for each group’s
“record sheet”).
• 3 markers, (one red, one green and one blue) for each group.
• 4 balls of wool (a different colour for each group if possible).
• A roll of sticky tape (Scotch tape) for each group.
• Scissors.
• Rules of play handout sheet, one per group (Annex 2.2 b).
Procedure Before starting the activity the facilitator must create small teams of
participants by dividing them in four groups with the same number
of people. Each group will represent the four pillars of democracy:
government, third and non profit sector, media and citizens. Each group
should receive a flipchart (or A3), papers to take notes (A4) and markers of
several colours (red, green and blue).
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• Step 1:
The facilitator introduces to participants the main aim of the activity: to
design a map of the relations between the four actors (groups) that should
exist on a perfect democratic society. Then, participants within their groups
are asked to make a brain storming and discussion about the role and func-
tions that their actor assigned should have on this ideal system. After that,
they should choose and list by order of importance four principle functions
of the mentioned actor.
• Step 2:
After some minutes to agree their functions, each group must create their
“record sheets” using the flipcharts given to them. With a red marker, each
group will write down the most important four functions agreed on the
previous stage of the activity and the name of the stakeholder or actor
they represent. Once this is done, each group must share its “record sheet”
with the others and collect their feedback about it. Here groups will have
the opportunity of changing or modifying their functions according to the
other actors proposals and if they consider it necessary.
• Step 3:
After the step 2, participants go back into their groups and are invited to
think about what they would require from the other actors on the ideal
democratic society created to promote its development. They must use
the green markers in order to write on their “record sheet” the two most
important demands from each of the other teams. These demands will be
presented afterwards to all the participants by each group, but very briefly
as discussions or negotiations about them should take place during the
step 5 and not now. It is important to remind participants that they would
need that their demands are accepted by others, so they should be realistic
and acceptable by the other groups.
• Step 4:
The facilitator spread among participants the rules to play (Annex 2.2 b)
and read them aloud ensuring that they have been understood by all and
solving potential doubts. After that, each group must set its “record sheet”
on the floor of the room leaving a separation of around one meter be-
tween each of them and making a square (see handout). The groups must
also stand on the corner of their record sheets. At this moment, each group
receive six threads of wool, a tape and a blue marker.
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• Step 5:
Following the rules previously given, groups will start to implement the
negotiation rounds among them as society actors. It is important that the
facilitator reminds here that the general target of the exercise is to create a
map or relations so the cooperation between groups is essential. To show
that demands are accepted, threads of wool must be fixed between the
“record sheets” of the groups involved by taping them to the floor.
• Step 6:
Once all the rounds have finished, the facilitator must give participants
some minutes to go back to their starting positions, take a look to the
map created and reflect about its meaning and the agreements achieved
between the different actors existing on the game.
Debriefing and
follow-up To debrief and after participants have had some time to study the final
map obtained, the facilitator must drive a group discussion using questions
about its implementation such as:
• Was it hard to think of the functions that the government, non profit
organisations, media and citizens perform in a democracy?
• Were there any disagreements within the groups about which claims
should be accepted or rejected?
• Which of the claims made on other groups did they not accept as
responsibilities? Why was this? Do you think that such cases would cause
any problems in reality?
• Were there responsibilities that each group accepted but which they had
not recognised before? How do they feel about this now?
• Did the activity show people anything new about democratic society that
they did not know before? Were there any surprises?
• Which rights are at stake in this activity?
• Article 29 of the UDHR states: ‘Everyone has duties to the community in
which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible’.
• Which are the most important duties you have at present in your life?
• What are the roles of the different actors in ensuring that nobody’s rights
are violated?
• What are the different actors’ roles in ensuring that everyone has access
to human rights education?
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As a follow up of this activity, the facilitator can invite participants to
mention other actors that should be involved on the ideal society created
and discuss which role, functions, demands and cooperation could be set
with the already existing groups on that map.
Tips for the
facilitation
In order to make easier the visual interpretation of the map obtained, it is
recommended that each group or actor receives a different colour of wool. That
willmakeeasiertoidentifyagreementsbetweenpartsattheendoftheexercise.
Several guidelines could be also provided by the facilitator to participants
during the implementation of the activity in case they could be stuck on
their role or negotiations with other actors:
• Governments draft legislation, decide on general policy, and ensure that
the country meets its budget.
• NGOs lobby for minority interests, take up issues which the government
(or opposition) fails to address, and campaign for changes in legislation.
• The media reports on government policy, investigates issues, and provides
analysis and commentary.
• The “functions” of citizens include everything that is important in a
democratic society: ideas may range from standing for parliament,
engaging in human rights activism, setting up organizations to protect
particular groups, questioning and becoming involved in political life, and
so on.
At step 5, the negotiations should not be presented as a “competition”, nor
should they occupy too much time. The facilitator must emphasize to the
groups that they should see themselves as co-operating with each other:
the purpose is to establish a society in which all actors work together for
everyone’s satisfaction. Therefore, the transactions should be relatively
quick. According to this, the facilitator should tell groups to accept claims
if they seem to be reasonable, and otherwise to reject them, with any
controversial ones to be discussed at a later stage.

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Annex 2.2 b
Handouts
Source: Council of Europe. Compass – Manual for human rights education with young people (2002).
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Reference 2.3
Title Take a step upwards - How much depends on you?
Overview The main aim of the activity is to make participants reflect on and discuss
about different ways of increasing their own participation in the local
community and the facts that could affect or empower it.
Goal • To consider different degrees of social involvement and participation.
• To reflect on factors which obstacle or facilitate citizens participation.
• To empower people to participate more actively in local life.
Type of activity Role play, group discussion.
Space requirement Any open space or room.
Group size Any (to be done in small groups from 4 to 6 people each).
Material needed • Papers and markers for participants.
• Colour pens or markers for the facilitator (At least three).
• Any of the models current existing of the “Ladder of Participation”
(Annex 2.3.1, Annex 2.3.2 or Annex 2.3.3 depending on the participants
characteristics, learning expectations and age).
• One chair per participant and one table per group to be created.
• Step 1:
To begin with and as an introduction, the facilitator starts and opens
a discussion with the participants asking them if they consider that the
participation in their communities or societies if the appropriate one:
Are there any social groups not participating? Which are the symptoms
of a low participation in society? What are the obstacles or barriers for
this participation?, etc. Answers provided by participants must be written
down by the facilitator in a flipchart that will be set on the activity room in
a visible way for all (so participants can take a look to it during the rest of
the activity).
• Step 2:
The facilitator introduces to the group the Ladder of Participation of
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Arnstein (1969) and explains them the levels or steps that compose it by
providing them a photocopy of the exercise handout or showing it with a
projector. It is important that the facilitator studies properly this model
before the activity in order to solve potential questions that could be made
by participants about it. After this, the facilitator must give several minutes
to participants in order to reflect and write down aspects or their real life
that could be linked with any of the steps of the ladder (Related to their
work, relatives, organisations, neighbors, studies, etc.).
• Step 3:
Participants are put together in small teams of 4 to 6 people each. Sitting
around a table or in circle of chairs, participants must share with the rest
of the members of their team the list of aspects created during the Step 2.
Once this is done, each team will need to create two lists:
- Obstacles to climb the ladder and not allowing going up.
- Enablers that helps to climb the ladder and going up.
• Step 4:
Once all the teams have finished, all the participants sitting in a big circle
will share their lists and teams work done. On the meantime, the facilitator
will use a flipchart to write down their outcomes and creating two big lists
representing the conclusions of all the teams of participants.
• Step 5:
When all the teams have finished, the facilitator must go through the two
lists of items created and ask participants which of the mentioned factors
depend on themselves as citizens (that will be marked in color with a pen
(E.g. blue)) and which are based on external factors out of their control
(that will be marked in another color with another pen (E.g. red)).
Debriefing and
follow-up
For the debriefing of the activity, it is important that the facilitator closes the
exercise by comparing with participants the lists obtained on the Step 5 with the
feedback obtained from them during the Step 1. Several questions that could be
used to guide this discussion could be:
• Did the activity help you to reflect on or clarify your own contributions
during a participative process?
• Did it help with any other issues?
• Why does it matter whether citizens participate actively or not?
• Would people in the group like to be able to participate at a higher level
than they do at the moment?
• What are the reasons for doing so, and what are the reasons against?
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• How do people feel when they are able to participate in a genuine sense?
in other words, when their participation is not just tokenistic?
• Do they regard low participation as a result mostly of internal
(psychological) factors or mostly as a result of external factors?
• How many people feel they could participate more than they do at
present, and how many feel that they will do so?
As a follow up of the exercise, participants can be asked to draw their own
ladders and creating an action plan on their organisations adapted to the
participation of their staff or potential volunteers.
Tips for the
facilitation
Several tips or procedures can be used at the different stages of this exercise
by the facilitator:
- On the Step 1, the facilitator can invite participants to make short role
plays in order to show in a visual way different ways of participation on
their communities (one per step of the ladder).
- On the Step 2, the facilitator must use any of the annexes proposed here
(Annex 2.3.1, Annex 2.3.2 and Annex 2.3.3) or create a new ladder of
participation according to the characteristics of the learners group (and
in order to facilitate that they understand it better). It is important to
remind them that there is not a direct relation between the levels of the
steps and the participation success (the highest does not have to be the
best). A deeper explanation of the Arnstein, Sherry R. (1969) model can
be found online here (A Ladder Of Citizen Participation. Journal of the
American Planning Association, JAIP, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 216-224).
- On the Step 3, the facilitator must remind participants that there can be
a lot of different type of obstacles (E.g. physical, legal, environmental,
cultural, etc.). To explore these obstacles and help participants to reflect
about them, the facilitator can make direct questions to them: Are this
real obstacles? Have you tried to face them? Have you asked for help or
support to overcome them? Are there any consequences if we do not pay
attention to them? From whom?, etc.
- On the Steps 4 and 5, the facilitator could take advantage of the exercise
and evaluate the participation of learners not only on this activity but
in all the training sessions. It could be a good moment to analyze their
motivation and detect potential improvements that could promote their
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Annex 2.3.1
Source: Arnstein, Sherry R. A Ladder of Citizen Participation. JAIP, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 216-224 (1969).
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Annex 2.3.2
Source: Council of Europe. Compass – Manual for human rights education with young people (2002).

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Annex 2.3.3
Source: Council of Europe. Companion - A campaign guide about education and learning for change in
Diversity, Human Rights and Participation (2007)
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Reference 2.4
Title Flower power
Overview The main aim of this activity is to show in a visual way what human rights
represent and how they are seen by all the participants involved on the
exercise.
Goal • Promote understanding about the connection between human needs,
personal well-being and human rights.
• Improve the skills to reflect and analyse of participants.
• Foster solidarity and respect for diversity.
Type of activity Association exercise, handcraft, group discussion.
Space requirement A big room.
Group size Any (small groups of 3 or 4 people each).
Material needed • A plain wall or window with enough space to hang all the drawings.
• Pencils for participant, erasers and coloured markers to share (3 or 4 per
participant).
• Paper (A4) for participants (at least one per each).
• Tape to hang the drawings on the wall.
• Flipchart and markers.
• Step 1:
The facilitator introduces the activity with a short speech about which
basic needs do people have as humans and the importance of covering
them. Even if the categories could be listed by the facilitator, it is important
to allow participants to give examples or concepts under them. Issues that
can be listed here could be:
- Physical needs: related to food, sleeping, breathing, water supplies, being
warm, etc.
- Safety needs: medical support, economic security, physical protections, etc.
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Procedure
- Belonging and being love: having a family, relatives, friends, personal
space, etc.
- Esteem and values: to be recognized by others, independency,
entrepreneurship, beliefs, etc.
- Other that the facilitator could consider important for the concrete
profile of learners in the session or their learning expectations.
• Step 2:
After the group reflection and introduction, the facilitator asks participants
to create in a piece of paper (A4) a flower with eight petals. Each petal will
represent their needs as human beings:
- Basic needs.
- Personal security.
- Economic security.
- Health.
- Friendship.
- Family.
- Esteem.
- Personal fulfilment.
It must be explained to participants that when drawing the petals,
their size must have a direct relation between their meaning and how
important they are for them. According to this, each petal will be bigger
or smaller depending on the consideration of each participant or person.
It is important to remind them that there are as many answers or flowers
as people in the world, and that there is not a concrete way of making the
flowers and decide the size of their petals.
• Step 3:
When the flowers are ready, the facilitator asks participants to write on
each petal concepts, facts or issues that they consider that are related or
important for them under each category (E.g. under economic security
participants can add their salaries, bank support, public funding, family
resources, etc.).
• Step 4:
Once all the flowers are finished, the facilitator must highlight how the
flowers represent each person and ask participants to think about other
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aspects or issues that they think they could complement the flower and
make them “blossom” as human beings. These conditions or facts must be
drawn by participants as leaves of their flowers.
• Step 5:
When the final flowers with leaves are ready, the facilitator with the
support of participants collects all the papers and put them in a wall as a
mural. Once this is done, participants must be provided with some minutes
to see the others work and contemplate it. The flowers can be anonym or
participants can put their name of them (this should be up to them).
• Step 6:
Participants are divided in small groups (3 to 5 people each) and asked to
discuss as a team several questions provided by the facilitator:
- Are there any links between human rights and the flowers and the
leaves? If so, what are the links?
- Are human rights important? Why?
- What do the words “human rights” mean to you?
After some minutes, each group is invited to share with the rest of the
group its conclusions and answers given to the previous questions.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The debriefing of this activity must be focused in both, exploring the
difficulties or process faced by participants in order to create their flower,
and linking it with human rights and their importance. According to this, an
open discussion must be established and guided by the facilitator through
different questions. Some samples could be:
• Can you describe the whole process that we went through to create the
flowers?
• Which were the bigger petals for you? And the smaller?
• Did you have any problems to decide the size of the petals?
• Would you add more petals or needs to your flower as a human being?
• Are there any general similarities between all the flowers? Which are the
main differences between them that you can notice?
• What did you write on each petal? And on the leaves?
• Has the exercise helped you to get to know better yourself and your identity?
• What does it happen if the flower or any of its petals is broken?
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• Which human rights are the most basic and important ones? Why?
• Are any of these rights not covered or available in your community or
place where you work or live?
• Whatcanwedotopromotethesehumanrightsandmakethemaccessible
to all?
• Do you think that the current human rights conventions cover all the
needs that people could have?
Tips for the
facilitation
To motivate participants during the task of creating the flowers, the
facilitator must try to provide them markers of different colours or even
papers so they can make a collage.
It could happen that participants aim to create new petals based on
needs that they could consider out of the eight categories proposed by
the facilitator (E.g. faith security, freedom, cultural security, etc.). In this
case, they must be allowed to include them but it is important that the
facilitator make them share or reflect during the debriefing about these
new categories, why they were included and which kind of needs they
make reference to.
Participants should be aware and the end of the activity about how human
rights are the base for achieving that the needs of everyone are covered.
According to this, participants can be invited to link the exercise and its
conclusions with the preamble of The Universal Declaration of the Human
Rights (click here to access to the plain version of the document) that could
be also printed and delivered to them as a supporting material.
Example of flower model
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Reference 3.1
Title Categorization of volunteers
Overview Categorization of volunteers is very important as it affects the volunteer
recruitment and management later on. It is also essential to consider the
different types of volunteers that can possibly benefit a development
project and plan placements suitable for them.
Goal • Explore different categorizations based on organisations characteristics,
communities needs and possible volunteers available for the positions.
• Promote the understanding among participants about the different types
of profiles and volunteers currently involved on their entities (so they can
easily detect their needs and expectations).
• Invite learnes to check the internal structures of candidates categorization
of their organisations to include on them potential improvements.
Type of activity Group work, brainstorming.
Space requirement Working space that could allow both, to have a whole group discussion but
also to make and work on smaller teams of participants.
Group size 10 to 20 people (that should be divided in teams of 3 to 5 people depending
on the number of participants).
Material needed • Paper and pens to take notes.
• Computer and projector to show presentations and the theoretical
content.
• Markers and flipcharts.
• Step 1:
To introduce the activity, it is recommended that the facilitator carries out
a brain storming together with participants about the different types of
organisations offering volunteer placements and their characteristics.
Related to Unit 3
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The types of entities must be chosen according to the profile of learners,
their learning expectations or the pedagogic objectives that the facilitator
could have towards the exercise. Some examples of entities to have into
account could be: home organisation working with people with fewer
opportunities; human rights NGO offering placements both in headquarters
and development countries; an organisation in a development country
offering volunteering services in clinics or schools; NGOs looking for support
on its management, marketing or fundraising departments; conservation
organisations abroad offering volunteering related to animal protection; etc.
• Step 2:
Once the types of volunteering and development entities have been
described, participants are divided in small groups in order to work on
the activity (3 to 5 people each). Their target (explained by the facilitator)
is to consider and list the different types of categories that could be
created or useful to classify volunteers. It must be explained to them
that categorization is essential for the volunteering management and the
influence that it has on the logistical preparation of development projects
and it success. After the explanaition, participants would be given with 20
or 30 minutes to think on their teams about the volunteer categories and
list them in a flipchart.
• Step 3:
When all the teams have finished their work, the facilitator invites them
to share their categories and criteria by presenting their flipcharts to
the whole group. Here the facilitator can open a discussion about the
similiarities and differences between the different flipcharts obtained and
categories.
• Step 4:
To finish the activity, the facilitator could show to the participants the
theoreticalcontentofthismanualrelatedtothisexerciseandthecategories
proposed on it in order to see if they coincide with their own ones.
Debriefing and
follow-up
As final debriefing, it is important that during the Step 4 the group takes part
in a conclusions discussion to evaluate the exercise and get the feedback of its
learners. Some useful questions to be done during this part or that the facilitator
should consider for it could be:
• Did participants understand the need for categorization of volunteers?
• Did participants consider different motivations and needs of different
type of volunteers?
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• Did participants consider different aspects of categorization? Did they
leave something out?
• Did participants consider creative or new ways of categorization?, etc.
As a follow up, participants can be asked to document the categorizations of
their organisations by taking photos of their volunteers or listing their profiles.
They can then highlight their main points, similarities,differences and share with
the other participants their conclussions. The facilitator should here encourage
participants to provide feedback and additions afterwards.
Tips for the
facilitation
The facilitator must encourage participants during the exercise to think about
the criteria, matching volunteers to placements and how the categorization
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Reference 3.2
Title Cardboards
Overview This activity helps to show that many opinions about volunteering exist and
to increase understanding about what is volunteering among participants.
Goal • Recognize and share participants’ opinions about what is volunteering.
• Makeparticipantsawareaboutthedifferenttypesofvolunteeringdefinition
and explore if they are related to the personal experience or organisational
backgrounds of volunteer managers involved on the activity.
Type of activity Warming up, group discussion, brain storming.
Space requirement Training room with tables and chairs.
Material needed • Exercise cards (Annex 3.2).
• Pens and papers to take notes.
Procedure This exercise can be done in a big group or dividing participants into smaller
teams. However, it is recommended to try to work in small amounts of people
(5 to 7 people groups) to ensure an active participation of all the learners.
• Step 1:
Participants sit down around a table and are given the cards included on
the exercsise (printed and cut). They are faced down on the table and
mixed all.
• Step 2:
One by one and following an order in the group (E.g. clockwise direction),
each person picks up one cardboard, reads it out loud and says if the
sentence is “true” or “false” according to the opinion of this person that
must be properly justified. Then a small discussion can be opened inside the
group to discover the points of view of all its members about the concept
exposed by the card. This process is repated as many times as needed till
all the cards have been read. When participants take a card with the text
“Volunteering is...” they would need to provide their own definition of
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volunteering or use the card to put on the table controversial prejudices
about voulnteering.
• Step 1:
Participants sit down around a table and are given the cards included on
the exercsise (printed and cut). They are faced down on the table and
mixed all.
• Step 2:
One by one and following an order in the group (E.g. clockwise direction),
each person picks up one cardboard, reads it out loud and says if the
sentence is “true” or “false” according to the opinion of this person that
must be properly justified. Then a small discussion can be opened inside
the group to discover the points of view of all its members about the
concept exposed by the card. This process is repated as many times as
needed till all the cards have been read. When participants take a card
with the text “Volunteering is...” they would need to provide their own
definition of volunteering or use the card to put on the table controversial
prejudices about voulnteering.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The whole activity is a debriefing exercise but it is important that at its end
the facilitator asks participants how many opinions appeared, how many
were similar, comment them and present a current existing description of
volunteering (It could be used the one included on the theoretical part of this
manual related to this exercise).
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Annex 3.2
Volunteering is relatively
uncoverced
Volunteering is intended
to help
Volunteering is done without
primary or immediate
thought of financial gain
Volunteering is work,
not play
Volunteering is a way into
workplace
Volunteering is a way to
free vacations
Volunteering is a form of
occupation for unemployed
people
Volunteering is a form
of occupation for
retired people
Volunteering is a way to get
social promotion
Volunteering is … Volunteering is … Volunteering is …
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Toolkit 2
Volunteering in a
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A well-developed system of voluntary work and a broad experience in carrying out volunteer management
are particularly useful in the implementation of development projects. Each development project requires a
wide variety of different skills and the knowledge of the mechanisms of the functioning of the modern world.
Therefore, in the second toolkit of this manual, it is attempted to define the basic concepts and notions
inextricably connected with the involvement of volunteers in a globalized world. According to this, the
next pages will raise the question “Can a volunteer transform the contemporary world?” meanwhile they
provide milestones related to the concept of diverse societies that compose this scenario and briefly describe
those indicators that base their variety (E.g.: genders, religions, languages, etc.). Additionally, the term of
globalization and its positive and negative impact on societies ́ development is comprehensively described.
The toolkit also presents in detail the volunteers’ involvement in development projects, starting with an
explanation of what does the development cooperation consist in, followed by information about issues
related to the participation of the volunteers and finishing with identifying their role in such projects. This
includes a description of the essential knowledge and skills for the volunteer to carry out such projects and
succeed on the implementation of their task and responsibilities. To define this, the next pages also mention
the different stages on which volunteers are involved during a development project (Before, In Action and
After) and analyze the main issues that volunteer coordinators should have in mind when training volunteers
about their new hosting country and the standards or rules for maintaining their safety while staying abroad.
This toolkit also includes a series of practical exercises that allow volunteer coordinators to better understand
what globalization is, how does the modern world work and to experience the cultural and social differences
existing on it (in order to be transferred afterwards to those volunteers under their responsibility).
4. Can volunteers transform the world?
A provocative question stands at the beginning of this unit
and second toolkit of this manual. And it must be denied
immediately. Of course, volunteers cannot change the world,
but their effort makes a difference for the facilities in which they
work, for the people or the environment they are involved in.
With volunteering to understand, implement and inspire.
Volunteers get to know new cultures and different lifestyles. Dive into the lives of the local people. Only by
reflecting and understanding volunteers can use their strengths during their volunteering and
pave the way for a better future for the people and the area (not immediately, but long term).
Moreover, with their own experiences they will be able to inspire their families, friends and colleagues.
Volunteering in a foreign country is a strong experience and will surely leave traces in the lives of volunteers
especially after their return.
“Do a little bit of good
wherever you are; it’s
those little bits of good put
together that overwhelm
the world.” Desmond Tutu,
South African Nobel
Peace Prize Winner
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What does this mean for the work with volunteers? Primarily,
it is important that the volunteers critically questioning their
own intention for the job and getting a clear idea about what
they will expect: Why do I do this? What do I want to achieve?
What am I willing to invest? Where do I go? Can I arrange
myself with the local conditions? Can I adjust sufficiently?
Secondarily, this self study will foster on them skills and
attitudes which are needed for volunteering in a development
project, such as:
• Building knowledge, skills and values that promote a
willingness to take responsibility (in the global context).
• Understanding that people have different points of view,
values and attitudes.
• Practicing change of perspective, assertiveness and empathy.
• Identifying the causes, characteristics and effects of conflict.
• Getting to know ways of resolving conflicts and peace work.
5. How to live and learn in a diverse society?
5.1. What is diversity?
The term diversity has a wide range of used terminology. However, all the current literature shares the
consensus that the concept should be formulated holistically to equally include the variety of dimensions.
Diversity refers to those human identities and characteristics that are distinctive to other people. Here,
diversity may refer to various forms of symptoms and it is not just about the classic visible
difference characteristics such as gender, age or ethnicity, but also about not immediately
recognizable features such as religious beliefs, sexual orientation, cultural background, care
responsibilities or work functions (Schwarz-Wölzl and Maad, 2004: 7).
Additionally two more definitions should be mentioned as a reference to define the point of view that this
material wants to offer and outline about what diversity is:
The core concept of the diversity discourse can be summed up as the recognition of human diversity
and the pluralisation of life forms in their individual, social and political dimensions. Diversity
approaches differentiate themselves from other approaches which define difference as a problem
which has to be remedied. By contrast, differences are viewed here as a source of enrichment which are
worth promoting. (Rosenstreich, 2011: 232)
“You must be the change you
want to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Exercise 4.1:
World game
Exercise 4.2:
Globalisation Bingo

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Diversity stands for social plurality, and for the heterogeneity and variety of life situations and life
plans which are characteristic for late modernist societies. The causes behind this development are
considered to be not merely the diversification of social situations, but also the increasing significance
of globalised mobility. (Eggers, 2011: 256)
According to all of this, different facts or components (As well as its balance or inequality) should be
considered in order to evaluate not only if a community can be considered as diverse, but also how it
accepts and promotes (or not) this diversity among its members and on its policies:
• Gender identities. Also if they influence the role or position of each person in the community at both,
personal and professional level.
• Sexual orientations. Also their recognition, rights or status from the legal point of view.
• Ages. Children, teenagers, youth, adults, elderly, etc. and the relation among them.
• Socioeconomic classes, castes, lineage, tribes, etc..
• Religions, beliefs, faiths and worships.
• Societal inequalities, groups on risk of exclusion or citizens with fewer opportunities.
• Ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and nationalities.
• Languages spoken (both, official ones related to the community and not official but spoken by those who
are part of it).
5.2. Educational dimension of diversity in the work with volunteers
The globalization is increasing, the world population is on the move and societal changes are reasons why
people, families, cities and countries are becoming melting pots of different people, lifestyles and cultures.
Everybody is facing this reality and that is why it is important to foster attitudes like respect, justice, fairness
and equality among learners around the globe. The goal is to promote on them the respect towards
differences, noticing similarities, valuing diversity and reflecting about their own identity. This approach is
based on different main principles:
• Perceiving and recognizing similarities and differences.
• Developing respect for other ways of life, cultures, societies and traditions.
• Learning that diversity is a precious asset and enriching.
• Seeing the influence of habitats and living conditions on
cultures and societies.
• Recognizing and acknowledging different perspectives.
• Providing the ability to investigate the causes of prejudice and
discrimination; being able to reverse these and work actively
against that.
Exercise 5.1:
Barnga
Exercise 5.3:
Surprise, surprise!
Exercise 5.2:
On the pasture

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6. How to deal with global interdependencies?
6.1. What is globalisation?
The term “Globalisation” is relatively new. Remarkably enough it became a well known term illustrating
global relations in politics and the economy within a few years. Meanwhile the term is used without any
hesitation to describe and explain a range of developments, if we look into the past, we can see quite
a lot of examples matching the requirements which nowadays would be considered as consequences of
globalisation.
In most of the cases, globalisation is associated with economic issues such as the borderless trade of goods
and services or the outsourcing of production into so called low-wage countries. In the year 2002 the
OECD defined globalisation as follows: “The term globalisation is generally used to describe an increasing
internationalisation of markets for goods and services, the means of production, financial systems,
competition, corporations, technology and industries. Amongst other things this gives rise to increased
mobility of capital, faster propagation of technological innovations and an increasing interdependency and
uniformity of national markets.”
In reality, the focus on economic relations is insufficient. When talking about the dimensions of globalisation
a lot more perspectives have to be taken into consideration. In the Millennium Report the UN states (UN,
2000): “The greatest challenge we face today is to ensure that globalisation becomes a positive
force for all the world’s people, instead of leaving billions of them behind in squalor.
Inclusive globalisation must be built on the great enabling force of the market, but market forces alone will
not achieve it. It requires a broader effort to create a shared future, based upon our common humanity in
all its diversity.”
The phenomenon of globalisation encompasses various dimensions, besides economy and politics, such as:
• Culture: The process of globalisation could lead (in a pessimistic way of thinking) to a threat for the
variety of cultures. In the current discussion there exists the populist assumption, that increasing global
relations would inevitably lead to a mishmash of culture and would mean the end of unique traditions.
This reasoning is based on the assumption, that culture is something completed and stagnant. In reality
culture is always fluent and subsists on exchange and new influences.
• Environment: The global climate change, the steadily decrease of rainforest or the amount of plastic in
our oceans are phenomena are concrete consequences of the world’s development in the last decades.
The rising consumption of goods, the increasing mobility and the use of dirty sources of energy have lead
to a point, where we more and more feel and experience the negative consequences of globalisation in
our environment. Those problems are no more regional or local. They are global and should therefore
become matters of global responsibility.
• Technological: The great promoter of globalization has been the technological revolution. All the changes
related to ICTs (internet, e-mail, social networks, etc.) have globalized communication and information.

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• Employment: The technological revolution also has direct consequences on work. However, it is not only
about the destruction of employment, it is a much more complex process with important changes in the
relations among companies, technology, trade unions, labor force, national economy, etc. (Castells, M.
2000).
• Migration: Due to economic crises and natural catastrophes, persecutions, wars, etc. globalization has
had an exponential growth in migrations.
In any case, whether one is for or against, globalization is an irreversible phenomenon as explained by Beck,
U. 1998 in “What is Globalization? Fallacies of Globalism, Responses to Globalization”
6.2. Educational dimension of global interdependencies in the
work with volunteers
In our globalised world education can and should help people to meet the challenges they are confronted
with (now and in the future, especially for volunteers working in the global South).
However, the wide variety of personal profiles and learning approaches existing when training potential
volunteer coordinators and volunteers demand the use of interactive and playful methods that could
provide learners the knowledge, skills, understanding and values to contribute to a world, in which global
citizens live together to ensure a liveable environment for themselves and future generations.
According to this, learning procedures on this sense must produce accessible materials for different types
of users that could make them understand that the people, economy, places and circumstances are so
inextricably linked that decisions and events have impact on a global level. The goal must be to make
learners perceive themselves as part of the interconnections previously mentioned and explored during the
implementation of the exercises on this field also proposed on this toolkit. According to this, learners should
have the capacity of:
• Naming global aspects in daily life.
• Realizing that their own decisions have personal and global consequences.
• Recognizing and considering to deal with the connection between their own lives and the lives of others.
• Seeing the world as a global community.
• Being aware that decisions are taken in their country, can also affect people in other parts of the world
and vice versa.
Castells, M. (2000). Globalización, sociedad y política en la era de la Información. See document online
in Spanish here
Beck, U. (1998). What is Globalization? Fallacies of Globalism, Responses to Globalization.
Barcelona. Paidós. (pp. 35-36)

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7. How to be a volunteer in a development project
7.1. What is development cooperation?
José Alonso and Jonathan Glennie (2015) say that is the
“Activity that aims explicitly to support national or international
development priorities, is not driven by profit, discriminates
in favour of developing countries, and is based on cooperative
relationships that seek to enhance developing country
ownership”
According to them, development cooperation is different from international cooperation as the first must be
considered as a part of the second. However, they underline that there are fields of international cooperation
that are not directly related to development such as sharing laws about international flights or adopting
preventive measures against terrorism.
Development projects try to contribute to the
development cooperation, being its “hands”. They can
be implemented by several agents, such as NGOs, religious
institutions, governments, intergovernmental organizations
and enterprises. Often some of them even work together in
a cooperative relationship that wishes to improve developing
country ownership.
7.2. What are the challenges in the field abroad and how to deal
with them?
The challenges in the field are as much diverse as the complexity of the world problems, so there are many
kinds of relief support depending on various factors such as country, culture, religion, political situation and
context, demography, security issues or the problems that their population encounter.
It is important to realize that in the field, the persons who carry out a project face (in a very
brief description) three phases: before, in action and after.
Alonso, J. and Glennie J.
(2015). What is development
cooperation?
“This Earth is our only home.
Together, we must protect
and cherish it.” Ban Ki-moon
Exercise 6.1: The beads game
Exercise 6.2: I agree, I disagree

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Figure 1 - based on the phases from the mission cycle (Fernandes, 2009, p.23)
These three stages must be clearly recognized by the volunteer coordinators and it must be the goal of their
facilitator and trainer to make them able to identify them when working with volunteers:
• Before: the first phase begins before being deployed and not when volunteers travel. What might be more
determinant to volunteers’ experience is how they are prepared (by both, the volunteer coordinator or
themselves). So, before every mobility or action, it is important to make volunteers reflect about their
motivations to be part of a project as a volunteer, search the causes and organisations they want to help to
achieve their mission. Before taking a decision, volunteer should properly evaluate the terms of reference,
conditions and logistics that the organisation is offering them: Do they agree and accept them? To find the
way to be aware about the results of this reflection is essential for volunteer coordinators in order assign
volunteers to concrete projects in an efficient way.
• In Action: it is natural that volunteers get across several challenges during the implementation of a project,
so is important that the volunteer coordinator have in mind and remind them that volunteers should:
- Be able to adjust to the toughness of field work and having the strength to face each challenge.
- Be flexible enough to adjust to different situations that shock with their values and maintain the
equilibrium throughout the time of their assignment.
- Although they are away from their beloved ones and relatives is important that they keep their emotions
under control, with a loving heart towards the ones in need, themselves and even the ones who try to
abort their work.
- Maintain healthy routines such as enough sleeping hours, keep social relationships with people who care
Before
• Reflect on volunteering
motivations and purposes;
• Search for causes, organizations
and jobs;
• Evaluate conditions and logistics
IN ACTION
• Get installed at location;
• Get to know team and related
persons;
• Get the job done (fulfil tasks and
goals)
AFTER
• Evaluate tasks and goals
achievement;
• Return, reintegrate and readapt

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about them (even if it is with their relatives by phone or internet), practice regular physical exercise, try
to establish a clear working schedule (avoiding too much working hours that can lead to exhaustion) and
also not skipping meals.
To take care of all of this and guarantee that volunteers follow these guidelines will contribute to maintain
their lucidness in order to make them take right decisions in a very particular ambience and on their
volunteer assignment (something that can be sometimes out of the control of volunteer coordinators due
to geographical and distance issues).
• After: It is often forgotten by volunteer coordinators to invest time and energy in the ending of the
cooperation and debriefing with their volunteers. If this reflection does not happen, volunteers could
not be aware about what happened during their project and fully realize about the impact that they
had on it (and that the project had on their lives). According to this, it must be an obligation of the
volunteer coordinator to offer volunteers the time and space to make this evaluation possible and ensure
that it is done. During this process, volunteers must be given the time to analyze the profoundness
of their experience in the achievement of their life project. Especially after longer periods of time in
development projects, volunteers may encounter some challenges on the readaptation to their home
places as they may feel maladjusted. Even if this is a natural
issue, volunteer coordinators should always being available
to support volunteers during the time needed to readapt
and readjust themselves.
7.3. What is the role of a volunteer in a development project?
When volunteers are assigned to a development project they will serve the purposes of the organization
who leads the activities and the objectives or goals defined to that specific action. So, it is important,
before accepting the task, to realize if those aims fits with the personals aims of the volunteer.
That combination is the key to the course of the project experience.
“Volunteering fosters empowerment and broad-based ownership, through which even the most
disadvantaged groups can contribute to more stable and cohesive communities. Volunteering is both a
manifestation and driver of social capital and civic participation, involving more people in the decisions that
affect their lives. In particular, it can help disadvantaged populations move from being passive recipients to
becoming engaged actors in their own development. As a component of peace or development programmes,
particularly at the community level, volunteering provides a sense of belonging and ownership, putting
marginalized communities at the centre of their reconciliation and/or development processes. It is also an
important means by which individuals gain the skills necessary to realize their economic potential”.
United Nations Volunteers, 2010
“Poverty is an artificial, external
imposition on a human being;
it is not innate in a human
being. And since it is external,
it can be removed. It is just a
question of doing it.”
Muhammad Yunus

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7.4. What is “the personal project” within a development project?
Decide to choose or not a project is a part of a wider personal
plan from the volunteer’s point of view. According to this, it is
important to make a profound reflection about what
moves volunteers to join on a development or relief
project: what are their motivations and expectations.
For this reason, it is also fundamental that volunteer
coordinators understand that volunteers’ decisions will have
an impact not only on them, but also on those who are closer
to them, their family and friends. Volunteers must be aware
that when they compromise to be a part of a development
project, they decide (even if it is for a short period of time)
to leave “things” behind that when they come back most
probably will have to encounter them again.
7.5. What is the expected behaviour from a volunteer within the
Development Projects?
Among other things, organizations who carry out development
projects expect that their volunteers follow their values, rules
and that they accomplish the terms of reference given to
them. Everybody on the project is expected to do everything
in their power to fulfill the goals defined to each specific
development project. However that doesn’t mean that the
volunteer shouldn’t have or show a critical sense while is doing
it. One of the most remarkable aspects of being a volunteer is the independence generated by
the fact that they exercise their work for no other reasons besides the accomplishment of a
development project.
To have an active attitude and communicate to the volunteer
coordinator and other project staff their opinion will make a
huge difference in the mission of the volunteers. However it
is not an easy thing to do. According to this, it is vital that the
volunteer coordinators train volunteers on how to express
opinions and be prepared to deal with the persons who don’t
receive them well. For this reason, it is important to make
volunteer coordinators also reflect and point those non-admissible behaviors a volunteer could have and
list them for their potential management.
Exercise 7.1:
What are my
motivations?
“We can do anything we
want, if we stick long
enough.” Helen Keller
“I like it when someone tells
me ‘I don’t agree.’ This is a
true collaborator. When they
say ‘Oh, how great, how
great, how great,’ that’s not
useful.” Pope Francis
Exercise 7.2:
Volunteer’s behaviour in

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7.6. What should a person know about the destination country?
In the Before phase volunteer coordinators must properly prepare volunteers, including getting
to know in advance the country they are traveling to and, if possible, the region they will be
displaced. There are many aspects that the volunteer coordinator must motivate the volunteer to learn
such as the history of the country, religion(s), safety guidelines, political situation, climacteric and sanitary
conditions, economic values, culture aspects of the country, etc. To have a deeper knowledge of the country
that volunteers will encounter will make their integration easier.
That knowledge will allow volunteers to behave properly in a different context. For instance if the region
they will be deployed is cold and rainy, they will take the appropriate clothes; if there is no potable water,
they should try to learn how to live in those conditions; if there are rules to dress in an specific manner, they
should consider to follow them; if they do not know the religion, they should study it; and so on.
Naturally, a deep understanding of the country or region where volunteers are going to be deployed will
influence their behavior and the load of work of the volunteer coordinator while they are there. Volunteers
must understand that as foreigners, they are guests of that country. As when they go to the house of a
person they don’t know, they should behave also as guests and being respectful and following the “rules of
the house” (in this case, the country).
7.7. What should volunteers know to protect themselves in the field?
One of the critical issues in a development project
is the personal security of the people involved on it.
It is crucial that their safety is taken in consideration, even
if they go to the field as a group. There are some practical
small things that on this sense volunteer coordinators must
invite volunteers to do even before the trip, such as put on
the suitcase a small first aid kit, in order to ensure some basic
health issues and make an appointment to a doctor specialized
in travels.
The first thing to do at their arrival is that volunteers present themselves at the embassy or consulate of
their country, and if it doesn’t exist, to go to the one who represents it. There they fill the forms requested
so their presence on the area is registered. There they will be also be informed about the evacuation plan
defined, in case there is the need to do that.
It is important that volunteer coordinators shows the volunteers under their responsibility and make them
understand about the security circumstances and the dangers they might encounter in the place they are
deployed, so they can avoid them or act on them.
“Volunteerism benefits society
at large and the individual
volunteer by strengthening
solidarity and
reciprocity among citizens. It
can transform the pace and
nature of development and
peace initiatives.” United
Nations Volunteers

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XERCISE
Toolkit 2
Exercises

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volve
Toolkit
2
-
Exercises
Reference 4.1
Title World game
Overview Own assumptions are not always in line with reality. Based on world’s
population and wealth for certain regions personal assumptions and real
relations are compared. The unequal allocation of wealth gets visible and
allow to learners involved on this exercise to notice it properly
Goal • Participants become aware of their own estimations regarding the world’s
population and wealth and their allocation.
• Those estimations get confronted with the real numbers and allocation
realities.
• Statistical data gets tangible and comparable.
• The unequal distribution of the world’s total wealth gets visible.
Type of activity Simulation game / exemplified game.
Space requirement There should be enough space for the participants to split up into 6 groups.
Group size 10 to 30 people.
Material needed • Region Cards (sheets with the name of the world continents or areas
written on them.
• Chairs (as many as participants)
• Statistical data that could be considered interesting by the facilitator
(Annex 4.1).
Procedure
Steps to be followed to introduce the activity:
• The facilitator spread the region cards (symbolizing the world’s regions)
in the room so that there is enough space in between them (Count the
number of participants and figure out the appropriate allocation of
participants).
Related to Unit 4
BACK TO THE THEORY

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Toolkit
2
-
Exercises
• Explain that there are now 6 region cards in the room illustrating Europe
(incl. Russian Federation), Africa, Asia, North America, South America and
Australia and Oceania.
Steps to be followed to implement the activity
• Step 1: World’s population.
The facilitator tells the participants to imagine that they are 100 % of the
world’s total population. They will be asked to split up and gather around
the region cards, so that the participants (representing 100 % of the
total population) match the real proportions (E.g. 5 will stand on Asia, 3
in Europe, 2 in Africa, etc.). Afterwards the facilitator explains them the
proportion mentioned in the statistical data sheet (see below). Some useful
questions at this stage to make to learners could be: What do you think
about the allocation now in comparison to the one you chose yourself?
Are you surprised by the number of people in any region? Why? Why not?
• Step 2: World’s wealth
There should be as many chairs as learners in the room. The facilitator tells
the people to imagine that these chairs represent the world’s total wealth
(measured as absolute GDP). Then, they are asked to distribute the chairs
around the region cards in the ratio,the world’s wealth is allocated between
the regions. Afterwards they go back to the regions, where they have been
before when representing the real world’s population, and should try to sit
on the available chairs. The logical consequence is that some have got a lot
chairs to sit down (E.g. in North America, where a relatively small number
of people live in great wealth). In other regions there are fewer chairs as
participants and they have to struggle to find enough place to sit (e.g. in
Africa). The unequal allocation of wealth gets visible and experienced.
Some useful questions at this stage to make to learners could be: How do
you feel now? Does anybody feel uncomfortable? Why this distribution?
Debriefing and
follow-up
Out of the reflections made by participants after each step, it is important
that the facilitator explains them the reasons why this exercise was chosen
(To notice the disparity between people’s wealth).
At this stage other types of world maps biased with the factors population
and wealth can be also showed to illustrate participants (they can be easily
found here: www.worldmapper.org). As a follow up of this exercise, the
facilitator can also present further statistical data to the participants or
start a discussion about unequal wealth distributions and possible reasons.

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Annex 4.1
Population
Wealth
Region
Absolute
(in Millions)
Percentage 10P 15P 20P 25P 30P
Europe and Russian
Federation
738 10,1 1 2 2 3 3
North American 358 4,9 0 1 1 1 1
South and Middle
America
634 8,6 1 1 2 2 3
Asia 4.393 59,9 6 9 12 15 18
Africa 1.186 15,9 2 2 3 4 5
Australia and
Oceania
39 0,6 0 0 0 0 1
World 7.057 100 10 15 20 25 30
Source: Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung 2015: http://de.statista.com
Region
Absolute
(in Billion US$)
Percentage 10P 15P 20P 25P 30P
Europe and Russian
Federation
21.987 31,56 3 5 6 8 9
North American 16.831 24,16 2 4 5 6 7
South and Middle
America
5.614 8,06 1 1 2 2 2
Asia 21.678 31,12 3 5 6 8 9
Africa 1.880 2,70 0 0 1 1 1
Australia and
Oceania
1.669 2,40 0 0 0 1 1
World 69.659 100 10 15 20 25 30
Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Handbook of Statistics 2014
www.unstats.un.org
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Reference 4.2
Title Globalisation Bingo
Overview The main idea is to allow participants to use all the room space by walking
around meanwhile they discover more about their colleagues and notice
the global relations that they have and in connection with their everyday
lives.
Goal
• Get to know each other, interests and training expectations.
• Reduce personal barriers and promote the team spirit of the group.
• Get conscious of global influences and the relation to learners’
experiences.
• Introduction to the topic of globalization (or other that could be
considered as needed by the facilitator).
Type of activity Introduction game, name game, energizer.
Space requirement The space should be big enough to allow participants to walk around freely.
Material needed • Bingo Sheets (Annex 4.2).
• Pencils or pens.
Procedure
To begin with, participants receive a pen or pencil and one bingo sheet to
be handed out by the facilitator (one per person).
Then, the facilitator starts the activity by telling participants to walk around
and ask the questions written on the bingo sheets to the other persons (no
more than one question each time they meet someone). If the answerer
can affirm the question, the name of this person is noted on the bingo
sheet and square related to the question done (E.g. Speak Spanish). The
person, who achieves to have nine names on the sheet shouts out “BINGO”
(names can be repeated). The winner might be rewarded with a small price
for the effort.
Toolkit
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-
Exercises
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Debriefing and
follow-up
To debrief the activity, the facilitator tells participants to get back on their
chairs and ask them some questions. The following questions could be
asked:
• Was it difficult to get together the names on the bingo sheet?
• Which were the most difficult ones? And the least?
• Why do you think we have done this activity?
As a follow up and for other sessions or topics, the facilitator can ask
participants to create their own Bingo sheets by giving them empty ones
which content they should agree or decide.
Tips for the
facilitation
It is important to make participants aware about the global relations that
link them: “As we all realised, our everyday life is full of influences from
other parts of the world. We consume Flowers from Kenya, T-Shirts made
in India or listen to South American Tango. This way of living has become
ordinary reality”.
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Annex 4.2
Knows where
his/her mobile
phone was
produced
Knows, who was Bob
Marley
Speaks Spanish Eats regularly
tropical fruits
(e.g. Oranges,
Mangos, Bananas)
Knows where
his/her T-Shirt c
omes from
Has consumed a
“fair” product in
the last week
Goes to work by foot or
bicycle
Has got friends
from other
countries
Has got a
Facebook©/
Twitter©/ Skype©
Account
Has got a car Has already been in a
developing country
Has ever been
out of Europe
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Reference 5.1
Title Barnga
Overview
Barnga is a card game that helps to experience diversity in a very interactive
and accessible way. It simulates many situations where people with a
different set of rules meet. The game makes it possible to experience how
it feels to come to a different place where the “local rules” are not obvious.
The participants deal with the situation in a matter of routine, as they do
not know it is a simulation game. It is possible to self-reflect one’s own
behaviour in dealing with the unknown.
Goal
• Experiencing how to deal with different rules or strangers, who are not
familiar with the “local” rules.
• Promote empathy towards migrating groups and allow to participants
to put themselves in the shoes of other people meanwhile they analyze
their own behaviour towards them.
Type of activity Group simulation, card game.
Space requirement 1 room with 5 tables with 4 to 6 chairs (depending on group size).
Material needed
• General rules on a flipchart or printed on A3 (Annex 5.1.1).
• Flipchart and pen.
• 5 sets of cards (28 cards from Ace to 7).
• 5 different rules, printed (1 copy for each table) (Annex 5.1.2).
• 5 signs with a table number (1 to 5).
• Bell, to mark start and end of a round.
Related to Unit 5
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Procedure
Before starting with the activity, the facilitator must prepare the room with
5 tables and chairs and mark all tables with their numbers (from 1 to 5).
A deck of cards must be then set on each table. A wide space must be left
between the tables in order to allow that participants will not notice what
is going on on the other groups.
Steps to be followed to implement the activity
• Step 1:
The facilitator invites participants to take a seat (they can choose where
to seat but all the groups should have a similar amount of people) and
welcomes them to take part on “Tournament on Five Tricks”.
• Step 2:
Once all the tables are ready and participants on their places, the facilitator
explains the general rules (Annex 5.1.1 Sheet) to the whole group and set
them in a visible place (written or printed). The rules are:
1. You will have 5 minutes to study the rules for and practice playing “Five
Tricks”.
2. Then the rules will be taken away and no verbal communication will be
allowed. From then on, you may gesture or draw pictures (not words!),
but you may not speak or write or use sign language.
3. Then the Tournament will begin. Scoring begins, too.
4. Game Winner: Player with the most tricks in the game. Round Winner:
the player winning the most games in the round. (Usually, several
games will be played during a round).
5. Each round lasts a few minutes.
6. Players move like this at the end of each round:
- The player who has won the round moves up to the next highest
numbered table. If there are more the than 4 players at a table, the 2
players who have won the most games during a round move up to the
next highest numbered table.
- The player who has won the fewest games in a round moves down to
the next lowest numbered table. If there are more the than 4 players
at a table, the 2 players who have won the fewest games during a
round move down to the next lowest numbered table.
- The other players remain at their table.
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• Step 3:
Start of testing round on which the facilitator reminds to participants to be
silent from now on. The facilitator hands out then the rules “Five Tricks”.
Every table should get different rules so the facilitator must ensure that the
other tables do not recognize that the rules are different. As a tip for the
facilitator, it is recommended to print out only one copy of each rule, so it
looks all the same and the person responsible does not have to think about
who got which rule.
• Step 4:
After 5 minutes, the facilitator takes away all the rules from all the tables
and gives permission to start the tournament by ringing the bell.
• Step 5:
After a couple of minutes, the facilitator announces the end of the round.
Winners and losers would need them to change tables according to the
rules. It is important that participants are totally in silence during the
process.
• Step 6:
The facilitator declares the beginning of the second round. From
experience, this is the moment people get to be confused and want to talk,
because nearly everybody feels like being treated wrong. This is the most
important situation in the whole game! The facilitator must remind them,
that talking is not allowed! The strategies are as diverse as the people are:
some want that the facilitator should interfere, some are getting strong in
expressing with gestures, some want to resign, etc. The facilitator must
then stay strong and does not let them talk. It is important to remind them
that they have to solve this amongst themselves and that they are free to
draw signs, but not to talk or write.
• Step 7:
The game is repeated another 3 or 4 rounds. In the end, the facilitator
writes down the overall winner and announces the end of the tournament
(Which also means, that now talking is allowed again).
• Step 8:
Once the game has finished, the facilitator will leave the participants on
their last table but letting them talk for several minutes. They need to
express their experiences in this very moment. Afterwards the conversation
must be brought back into the plenary and the reflection round starts (it
is recommended that participants are seated in a circle and they can see
each other properly).
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Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator will lead a reflection round on which the experiences and
knowledge gained by learners will be compared with real life situations.
According to this, it is important that participants describe first what
happened during the game in order to establish afterwards parallelism
with reality. The facilitator therefore asks questions such as:
- What happened during the game?
- What are the different ways of playing the game?
- How did you feel when you noticed that something was strange?
- How did you feel in the different roles? (E.g. staying on the table with one
or two others (being the majority?).
- How did you feel to change tables?
- How was the feeling/atmosphere on different tables? Did the people
come up with strategies how to deal with the “issue”? What was it?
- What does the game suggest about what to do when you are in a similar
situation in the real world?
- How does this game focus our attention on the hidden aspects of culture?
Afterwards and as a follow up, the facilitator could let the participants
think about real life situations according to the simulated ones in the
game. Some examples:
a) “My mother tongue didn’t help me any longer, because the local people
didn’t understand me” = not understood in this game simulates the speech
prohibition and the difficulty occurring, to explain their own rules.
b) “At one table came together 2 players who were originally from the
same “home table”. Being two they started to push their “home rules”
through” = in reality the example Berlin Kreuzberg might be called, where
the Turkish language has become the language of majority in the daily life.
In a foreign country it is easier for the migrants to “join forces”.
This part and reflection can be also closed with a discussion on volunteer
work which can lead to another chapter and issues:
- How to cope with diversity being a volunteer in a foreign country?
- How to prepare before coming?
- How to manage a volunteer work?
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Tips for the
facilitation
This game can only be played once in order to have this “Aha-moment”
on participants as for them the rules are unknown. According to this, the
facilitator must really make sure beforehand that everybody in the room
doesn’t know the game. It is one of the learning tools of developed by
SivasailamThiagarajan and taken from his main works (Barnga. A Simulation
Game on Cultural Clashes. 25th Anniversary Edition. Intercultural Press.
USA. 2006.).
More Methods by Thiagi group can be found online here.
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Annex 5.1.1
Tournament Guide Sheet
1. You will have 5 minutes to study the rules for and practice playing “Five Tricks”.
2. Then the rules will be taken away and no verbal communication will be allowed. From then on, you may
gesture or draw pictures (not words!), but you may not speak or write or use sign language.
3. Then the Tournament will begin. Scoring begins, too.
4. Game Winner: Player with the most tricks in the game.
Round Winner: the player winning the most games in the round. (Usually, several games will be played
during a round).
5. Each round lasts a few minutes.
6. Players move like this at the end of each round:
• The player who has won the round moves up to the next highest numbered table. If there are more
the than 4 players at a table, the 2 players who have won the most games during a round move up
to the next highest numbered table.
• The player who has won the fewest games in a round moves down to the next lowest numbered
table. If there are more the than 4 players at a table, the 2 players who have won the fewest games
during a round move down to the next lowest numbered table.
• The other players remain at their table.
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Annex 5.1.2
Five Tricks: A card game - easy to learn and easy to play
Cards Only 28 cards are used: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in each suit. Ace is the highest card.
Players 4 to 6 players.
Deal The dealer shuffles the cards and deals them one at a time. Each player receives 4 to 7
cards (depending on group size).
Start The player to the left of the dealer starts by playing any card. Other players take turns
playing a card. The cards played (one from each player) constitute a trick. For the last trick,
there may not be enough cards for everyone to play.
Each player plays only one card one after another. The played cards together make a
trick. Maybe there are not enough cards for all at the last trick. That means the round
before last already determines the outcome.
Winning tricks When each player has played a card, the highest card wins the trick. The one who played
this card gathered up the trick and puts it face down in a pile.
Continuation The winner of the trick leads the next round, which is played as before. The procedure is
repeated until all cards have been played.
Suit The first player for each round may play any suit.
All other players must follow suit. (This means that you have to play a card of the same suit
as the first card.)
If you do not have a card of the first suit, play a card of any other suit. The trick is won by
the highest card of the original lead suit.
Trumps In this game, spades are trumps.
If you do not have a card of the first suit, you may play a spade. This is called trumping.
You win the trick even if the spade you played is a low card. However, some other player
may also play a trump (because s/he does not have a card of the first suit). In this case, the
highest trump wins the trick.
End/Win The game when all cards have been played. The player with the most tricks wins the round.
3 5 6 4 7
2
Ace
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Cards Only 28 cards are used: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in each suit. Ace is the lowest card.
as the first card.)
Trumps In this game, spades are trumps.
If you do not have a card of the first suit, you may play a spade. This is called trumping.
You win the trick even if the spade you played is a low card. However, some other player
may also play a trump (because s/he does not have a card of the first suit). In this case, the
highest trump wins the trick.
3 5 6 4 7
2
Ace
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Cards Only 28 cards are used: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in each suit. Ace is the highest card.
as the first card.)
Trumps In this game, diamonds are trumps. If you do not have a card of the first suit, you may play
a diamond. This is called trumping. You win the trick even if the diamond you played is a
low card. However, some other player may also play a trump (because s/he does not have
a card of the first suit). In this case, the highest trump wins the trick.
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Each player plays only one card one
after another. The played cards together make a trick. Maybe there are not enough cards
for all at the last trick. That means the round before last already determines the outcome.
Winning tricks When each player has played a card, the highest card wins the trick. The one who who
played this card gathered up the trick and puts it face down in a pile.
Continuation The winner of the trick leads the next round which is played as before. The procedure is
as the first card.). If you do not have a card of the first suit, play a card of any other suit.
The trick is won by the highest card of the original lead suit.
Trumps In this game, diamonds are trumps. If you do not have a card of the first suit, you may play
a diamond. This is called trumping. You win the trick even if the diamond you played is a
low card. However, some other player may also play a trump (because s/he does not have
a card of the first suit). In this case, the highest trump wins the trick.
3 5 6 4 7
2
Ace
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Each player plays only one card one after another. The played cards together make a trick.
Maybe there are not enough cards for all at the last trick. That means the round before last
already determines the outcome.
Continuation The winner of the trick leads the next round which is played as before. The procedure is
as the first card.). If you do not have a card of the first suit, play a card of any other suit.
The trick is won by the highest card of the original lead suit.
3 5 6 4 7
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Reference 5.2
Title On the pasture
Overview This exercise can serve as an introduction to many issues that have to do
with exclusion or discrimination, for example as an introduction to the
topic of migration. The feeling of not belonging to a group will be easily
comprehensible and experienced by participants.
Goal • Participants experience the feeling of togetherness and aloneness and
develop empathy for persons who face aloneness.
• They learn that there are different ways to deal with “strangers” and the
strangeness.
Type of activity Simulation game.
Space requirement 1 room with enough space to walk around (tables and chairs must be put
on the side).
Material needed • Scarves (as many as participants).
• Animal cards (Annex 5.2).
• Abag.
Procedure To prepare the exercise, the facilitator must say a day earlier that the
participants should bring a scarf. After this, the facilitator must cut the
animal cards, so that every participant will have one. It must be ensured
that all species are represented and that the “flock size” is different. The
cat should be there only once, from all other animals, there are several. All
the papers must be folded in the middle and stored in the bag.
• Step 1:
Participants received from the facilitator the following introduction:
“Imagine you are animals and you all live on a beautiful farm with big
pastures. But somehow the farmer was not paying attention today and
you’re not only with your own specie here, but with all the animals from
the farm. You urgently need to find your own flock, because it provides
protection and understanding”.
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• Step 2:
The facilitator tells the participants the following rules for the game:
a) No talking!
b) Everyone picks a card from the bag and read it (Make sure no one sees it).
c) Put the card in your pocket and cover your eyes with a scarf.
d) Once I say “Go” the scene begins.
e) Then you have to find your flock just by imitating the sound made by the
animal on your card.
• Step 3:
Then the game begins. It is important that on this step the facilitator
observes and pay a lot of attention to the behaviour of the participants, in
particular of the “cat”. The game is over when all the “animals” have found
their flocks.
Debriefing and
follow-up
To debrief and reflect about the learning obtained by participants during
the exercise, all together will carry out a group discussion that the facilitator
could guide using different questions such as:
- How was the search for your flock?
- What strategies have you used (listen and wait, offensive reach out to
others)?
- How did you find your fellows? How did you feel when you found them?
- How did you react, when you came across other species? How did you
feel?
- How was it for the cat? How did you feel when you realized that there is
no one like you in the room?
- What strategies did you have? Defiance? Resignation? Adaptation?
- What kind of real situation do you think this game represents?
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Annex 5.2
Animal cards
Cow Sheep Pig Chicken
Cow Sheep Pig Horse
Cow Sheep Pig Horse
Cow Dog Pig Horse
Cow Dog Chicken Horse
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Reference 5.3
Title Surprise, surprise!
Overview A game that helps to experience how many unwritten rules can exist. In
each country there seems to be some unwritten rules, that often are not
even noticed, but everyone obeys them. The game makes visible that
in some cultures the rules are the same and other totally different (for
example tell us to do opposite). The exercise allows participants to learn
many rules and experience diversity.
Goal • Raise awareness of different rules of behaviour in different countries.
• Make visible assumed behaviours and standards in a society.
• Promote intercultural behaviours.
Type of activity Socializing game.
Space requirement 1 room with free space.
Group size 12 to 15 participants.
Material needed • Paper (4 sheets for each participant).
• Marker pens for each participant (the same colour).
Procedure
• Step 1:
Each participant receives 4 sheets of paper.
• Step 2:
On A4 pages every participant writes (so that other participants cannot
see it) 4 unwritten rules from their country (one per page) or particular for
their culture (E.g. One should open a gift when they receive it (in Poland),
not to send birthday wishes before exact date (in Germany), etc.).
• Step 3:
The facilitator collects pages and puts them on the floor. Participants walk
around the room and read the rules and try to guess in which country it
exists.
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• Step 4:
The facilitator tells participants to write on each and every page their
guessing.
• Step 5:
Once they are ready naming the country, all as a group check their guessing.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator leads a group discussion and promote using different
questions such as:
- What have surprised you?
- How many rules did you guess? How many did you not?
- Are there any rules that can be seen in more than one country?, etc.
As general conclusion, it must be highlighted by the facilitator that without
knowledge of local customs it is difficult to obey the unwritten rules and
be sure that people behaviour would be accepted. Knowing the rules
enhances the successful communication and work with the members of
a community.
Tips for the
facilitation
While working with a group of participants from only one country the
activiy can be modified. For example, the facilitator can give participants
a list of rules from different countries that has been prepared in advance
or ask them to write rules that, even if they are not from the participants
countries, they are aware to.
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Related to Unit 6
Reference 6.1
Title The beads game
Overview Within the “Bead Game” players swap with specific (later diversified) rules
wooden beads of different colours, representing different point values. The
aim is to acquire by favourable swap higher beads or more beads of the
same colour and thus improve its balance. The players with high score have
in the further course of the game the opportunity to change the rules in
their favour. Power and powerlessness, economic strength on the one hand
and lack of opportunities on the free exchange market on the other hand,
these experiences covers the bead game. The experience that the rich get
richer and the poor remain poor, is to be transmitted and reflected later on
certain policy areas (E.g. The world trade situation in certain countries). The
bead game usually has a strong, especially emotional ego-involvement of
the players and intensive group dynamics result. Herein lays the particular
appeal of this game, which is particularly suitable as an introduction or as
deliberately playful approach to world trade issues.
Goal • Notice about how the global market and commercial relations among
countries work.
• Understand better trade priorities of develop and non developed
countries towards the rise of their societies.
• Explore participants ways of see the world and how the react to others
decisions that could affect them.
Type of activity Simulation game.
Time requirement 70 minutes and 20 for reflecting.
Space requirement A large room, where participants can walk around and chairs for all.
Material needed • Rules of the activity (Annex 6.1).
• 5 times about 50 small wooden beads (for example, for wood chains) in
the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue. If case of need, other colours
can be selected, but then also a corresponding point value assignment
needs to be adjusted and the rules of the activity must be adapted.
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• 20 large wooden balls (“chips”), buttons or coins etc.
• Crepe Tape.
• Markers.
• A bag for the beads.
• Several poster backs (or panel) to write down the scores.
• A kitchen timer or watch to control the time.
Procedure
To begin with, the facilitator writes the rules on a large poster and explains it:
“In the following game you are representatives of different countries. Your
task is, to improve your income, and with that your life situation by the
exchange of beads. Everybody will take 5 beads out of this bag, without
watching. So all players have an equal chance! Keep the beads hidden in
one hand. Depending on the colour of the beads your score is calculated.
The point’s classification is stated on this poster. The trade itself is then
carried out within trading years that I will announce. In addition, certain
rules that we have here in writing apply to the trade.”
After this the facilitator answers open potential questions. Then the code
of silence applies and each participant takes 5 beads out of the bag. Then
all names are listed on a poster. At least 6 columns are provided on the
poster to record the scores. At the beginning the first name and the score
will be recorded.
1st
Trading year
The players have about 6 minutes to swap beads according to the rules.
The facilitator pays particular attention to the code of silence, but also
animates the players eager to exchange with different partners. Then the
facilitator announces the imminent end of the first trading year. At the end,
the scores are recorded.
2nd
Trading Year
Again, the players have about 5 minutes to swap beads according to the
rules. After the end of the second trading year, the players calculate their
new score, which is recorded again on the poster. Then the players will be
divided into 3 groups based on the calculated points.
‒ Group A = group of industrialized countries. Symbol: Square.
‒ Group B = group of emerging economies. Symbol: Triangle.
‒ Group C = group of developing countries. Symbol: Circle.
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Each player receives a piece of crepe tape which the suitable icon
depending on their score. The crepe tape must be visible adhered to all on
the sweater. For the grouping, the easiest way is to call the one third with
the most points to the square-group and the third with the lowest scores
to the circle-group. The rest of the players get the triangle. However the
better strategy is, to distribute the membership by point’s stalls. So the top
group is probably less than a third. If in doubt, the groups A and B are to
be kept small and to make the turning points at distinct points intervals.
According to the previously mentioned labels, the individual groups now sit
together and discuss their experiences (E.g. Chances of affluence increase
in trade, strategic approach as a group, etc.). Rule 3 (code of silence) is thus
cancelled within the group. The groups consider particular which exchange
strategies are most favourable to them. However, everyone is still playing
for themselves and a swap outside the trading years (E.g. within the group)
is not allowed.
3rd
Trading Year
First,asusual,theplayerstradeaccordingtotherules(5min.).Subsequently,
the individual scores will be listed as usual. At this point there will be fast
climbers and losers in each group. The group membership is made visible
again by the crepe tape strips. Then again the individual groups of countries
will sit together.
Here the facilitator informs participants about several tasks that they have:
- The group of A countries should consider how they (quite well for its
own benefit, of course) can bring momentum to world trade. They get
the chance to change two rules or ratings of beads of the game. The
group should internally consult and then within about 5 to 10 minutes
announce the changes. It is also allowed to alternatively introduce one
or two brand new rules.
- The group of B countries may now show each other openly their beads
and they have the opportunity to improve their situation by trading
amongst them (“regional trade”). At the end every player should have
5 beads again.
- The group of C countries can also communicate openly with each other
by showing and trading beads. In addition, this group receives but also a
chip worth 200 points. It is generous development aid for poor countries.
This chip must be somehow accommodated in the group.
4th
Trading year
Before the trading year begins, is announced that all players who have
exceeded a certain score can be obtained as a reward with a chip (= 200
points) for this trade year. The points limit for this award for technological
innovation should be oriented at the score within the group of A countries.
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Then again a trading year begins after the current regulations. Thereafter,
the scores are recorded again after as announced, the chip was dealt to
the fittest. Again, the player may, after the allocation has been made in
the three groups, consult on a common strategy for the next trading year.
Also, the A countries can change two rules or points ratings again. Before
starting the next trading year, the A countries announce the changes.
5th
Trading year
Again trade will take place according to the current rules. Probably it
will prove quickly that only the A countries have interest in trade, while
the other two groups see few opportunities to improve their economic
situation. After 5 minutes, also this year trade is over. The individual score
is recorded again on the poster. The new chips should not be forgotten for
the fittest. The group’s advice separated on the way forward. Again the A
countries get the option to change two rules. However, this time they can
formulate the new rules, after the B countries and the C countries have put
forward their ideas about a design of trade rules.
B and C get approximately 10 minutes to (separately) discuss how they
want to make the trade in the future. Then formulate demands or requests
to the A. Subsequently, the group representatives go back to their groups.
A group reconsiders then again the situation and then after a further 5
minutes, the new rules will be announced by the A countries. Prolonged
negotiations should only be allowed if a majority of players can be involved.
6th
Trading year
The exchange takes place according to the rules currently in force. The
players from group B and C will probably not participate in large part on
trade. After 5 minutes the trading year ends. The facilitator is asking the
players to sit down and record the scores. It probably makes sense to end
the game at this point.
End of the game
First, there is probably a high need to talk to each other. After the
completion of the game and intensive discussions with each other, there
should be a detailed discussion in the plenary.
Debriefing and
follow-up
To debrief as a group, the several questions can be used by the facilitator
to drive the discussion:
• What was the initial situation, how far were rich and poor apart at the
beginning?
• Which poor country became rich and which rich country became poor
during the game? In what way?
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• Which rules have proven to be effective for wealth or poverty?
• What are the A to deal with the opportunities to change the rules? Goods
only selfish interests or even the functioning of the total system in mind?
• How have the rule changes been experienced by the B and C countries?
• When was (Whom?) showed that the constant preference for one group
represents the functioning of the entire system (trade) in question?
• Which ideas for action (E.g. Denial) came up to the B and C countries
minds?
• How was the individual climber or relegated experienced, rated,
pressured?
• Which real life situations do the game simulates, for example, the world
trade situation of “developing countries”?
• Where are the similarities? Where the differences?
This “The Beads Game” was modified from the Welthaus Bielefeld after a
model of the Swiss aid organization “Brotfüralle”.
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Annex 6.1
The rules:
1. The facilitator will announce the start and end of the trading years.
2. During the trading years, it is only allowed to talk with the exchange partner.
3. The beads are to be kept hidden in a hand.
4. Only one bead can be exchanged for a bead.
5. Beads of the same colour may not be exchanged.
6. If you want to trade, give your partner the hand. Only then talking is allowed. Does not constitute an
exchange, the hands may be released only when the trading year ends. Otherwise, you can repeatedly
exchange within one trading year.
7. Who does not want to trade, holds his hands clasped behind his back.
Points system:
Red 50 P
Orange 30 P
Yellow 20 P
Green 10 P
Blue 5 P
Additional points
3 beads of same colour 30 P
Chip 200 P
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Reference 6.2
Title I agree, I disagree
Overview By giving a provocative or ambiguous statement different attitudes and
opinions concerning a certain topic come together. The involved persons
express their attitude and opinion by agreeing or disagreeing to the
statement and according to their holistic point of view and life backgrounds.
Goal • Get into the topic of the toolkit.
• Reflect on global interdependencies and developments.
• Promote assertive communication and active listening.
• Develop empathy and the exchange of points of view towards dialogue.
• Find out different approaches and attitudes concerning a topic.
Type of activity Group dynamic, open discussion.
Space requirement There should be enough space in the room for all participants to move
comfortably.
Material needed • 2 sheets of paper saying “I agree” and “I disagree”.
• Several controversial statements on Globalisation (E.g. Developments,
dimensions, relations, etc.).
Procedure Topreparethespace,thefacilitatorputsthesheetsofpapersaying“Iagree”
and “I disagree” on the floor. There should be enough space between them
so that the participants can stand between them comfortably. With some
imagination the participants can now see a scale with different steps in
between from “I agree” to “I disagree”.
• Step 1:
The facilitator gives a statement (among those previous written down and
prepared about the topic) and asks participants to position themselves
according to their opinion. If people fully agree with the statement, they
move to the sheet saying “I agree”. If fully disagreeing, they move to the
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other side of the room. There are also possible steps in between. If
someone does not fully agree or disagree but tendentially, the person
moves somewhere between the two poles.
• Step 2:
After every person has found a position, the facilitator asks them why they
are standing there. In many cases there comes out a discussion on the
topic. The facilitator should at this moment function as a moderator for
the discussion and also question existing opinions but not giving personal
ones.
This procedure is repeated by using different statements on certain topics.
Every statement is followed by a discussion about positions of members of
a group (E.g. To spot how many people take one and another side) does it
depend on statement?
Example statements that could be used:
- The world became richer in the last 30 years.
- Globalisation made people think more openly.
- In a globalised world we don’t need borders any more.
- Stopping the climate change is an unrealistic goal in a trade-oriented
world.
- Technology will save/is capable of saving mankind’s future.
- Religious beliefs will get less important in a trade-oriented world.
- Multiculturalism doesn’t work.
Debriefing and
follow-up
At the end of the exercise, the facilitator can use different questions to
make participants reflect about what has been learned:
- How did you feel when having to position yourself concerning a
statement “...”?
- Have there been statements where it was easier to find your own
position?
- Was there any statement that was difficult for you? Which one? Why?
To close the activity, the facilitator can highlight:
“As you have seen there can be a lot of opinions and perspectives when
talking about a specific topic. In some cases it’s not always the most
importantthingtohavethe“right”opinionorthemostknowledgeabout
topic, but to take other perspectives and opinions into consideration.”
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Tips for the
facilitation
The facilitator must think deliberately about the statements to use in
advance. Adequate statements depend on the characteristics of the
group. Some might cause discomfort (E.g. Statements concerning religion
or culture). Go through possible reactions to the statements in advance.
This might save the person leading the activity from too confrontational
discussions.
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Related to Unit 7
Reference 7.1
Title What are my motivations
Overview
The decision to apply to a volunteer mission requires a deep thinking about
motivations and implications of that choice. This activity aims to pursue
an internal path to realize the inner motivations to apply to volunteer
assignment in development project.
Goal • Become aware of personal motivations to apply to a volunteer mission
and realise about the implications of that choice.
• Explore the concept of altruism and the real needs of potential people
volunteering.
• Provide participants new competences to face volunteer selection
processes and help them to match placements with the appropriate
people.
Type of activity Groyp dynamic, self reflection, open discussion.
Space requirement Space enough to set tables and chair for all the participants.
Group size Any size.
Material needed
• Printed exercise (Annex 7.1). Same number of copies as participants.
• Chairs (as many as participants).
• Step 1:
The facilitator explains to the participants that volunteer work is driven
not only for altruistic motivations. There are also the selfish motivations.
And it is important that they as potential volunteer coordinators are
aware of that, in order to be realistic. Here, the facilitator must deliver one
worksheet (annex 7.1) per person and ask participants to individually fill
first
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volve
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question the paper in (1. What are my motivations to assign a development
project?).
• Step 2:
After giving some minutes for deeply reflecting and understanding
participants’ self motivations is time to decide what kind of mission they
want to be a part of. So the facilitator must invite here to participants to do
the second part of the exercise (2. Making decisions).
Debriefing and
follow-up
During the reflection of this exercise, participants may share with the
group the difficulties and surprises (if there were any) encountered while
doing the worksheet. It is important that the facilitator really make them
think if those answers given as altruistic motivations are really under these
categories or are selfish objectives. Here a discussion about what does
it really mean to be altruistic can be open. It is also important to show
participants how they could use this exercise on their work as potential
volunteer coordinators and during selection processes.

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Toolkit
2
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Annex 7.1
Worksheet
1. What are my motivations to assign a development project?
2. Making decisions. What kind of mission I want to assign?
• Long or short-term mission?
• In what part of the globe?
• With which kind of beneficiaries?
• In which kind of development project or work (E.g. Health, education, environment, etc.)? Doing what
kind of work?
• With which kind of organisation?
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Reference 7.2
Title Volunteer’s behaviour in development projects.
Overview This activity makes the participants think about admissible and non-admis-
sible behaviours, types of communication and prejudgments. The idea is to
present and discuss a variety of concepts to reach a common understand-
ing on behaviour in development projects.
Goal • Share and assimilate concepts about admissible and non-admissible
behaviours considering the context of development projects.
• Embrace that diversity is a reality and common sense is not equal to
everyone.
Space requirement Room with 4 or 6 tables (able to move) and 24 chairs.
Material needed • Computer or presentation to be showed (also videos showing bad and
good behaviours of volunteers on the field can be used).
• Flip charts and pens to write.
• A visual support to write and share conclusions (board or flipchart).
• Description of concepts taken from this toolkit and section 7.
Procedure
In order to properly prepare the activity, the facilitator must:
• Set tables with chairs in order to create small groups of participants (4 to
6 per tabe). Each table should have a flip chart and something to write
on it.
• Prepare or do presentation to show with a table of contents (E.g.
Presentation of what does it mean behaviour, expectation and admissible
concepts, project mission and objective, etc.). Use the theoretical part of
this section of the toolkit to have an idea about the kind of content that
could be used here.
• Distribute paper sheet to small groups with table to fill. Explain how to fill
it and how much time they have to do it.
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Toolkit
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• Step 1:
The facilitator introduces the exercise using the presentation prepared about
definitions of behaviour, expectation and admissible concepts, project mission
and objectives concepts, communication and prejudgments concepts, etc.
• Step 2:
In small groups (one per table), participants dialogue about all the
categories included on the table given to them and start to fill it in with
their main conclusions.
• Step 3:
Once all the groups have finished, one by one through a spokesperson,
they share with the rest of the participants what it has been written on
their tables. The facilitator writes down the conclusions on a flip chart or
board that could be easily seen by all the participants.
• Step 4:
All the group together read again the final table obtained using their
answers and discuss if they answers are located on the appropriate place
(column of the table), if they should be removed and why.
Debriefing and
follow-up
It is important that as final debriefing of the exercise, on its Step 4
participants try to achieve a common understanding about the concepts
and categories used during the activity. To have a visual support here is
essential for the facilitator (flipchart or board) to compare small groups of
conclusions and promote the group common understanding. They should
also explore and try to imagine how these behaviours or concepts would be
when bringing them to their own organisations and concrete development
projects. Here the facilitator can invite them to share previous (good
and bad) experiences and anecdotes that they could have had on their
volunteering programmes and organisations.
Personal
expectations
Group
expectations
Admissible
behaviours
Non
admissible
behaviours
Types of
communication
Prejudgments

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volve
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Volunteering in a
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Effective use of the volunteers’ potential requires efficient management of the entire process of their
participation in the project, since their recruitment to the end of cooperation. Therefore, each organisation
should develop their own tools and procedures to support the participation of volunteers in projects
undertaken by it. Additionally, it is indispensable to develop cooperation between organisations receiving
and sending volunteers, in order to ensure the quality of the projects with the participation of volunteers.
The challenges in the field abroad depicted in chapter two, affect also the whole process of cooperation with
volunteers, making the role of volunteer coordinator crucial.
The third chapter presents a compendium of knowledge necessary for every volunteer coordinator.
It highlights the stages of cooperation with volunteers and the series of practical exercises useful in the
volunteers training. Moreover, there is a presentation of difficulties that every person managing volunteering
can face as well as some series of specific solutions for managing and preventing problems that might arise.
The third chapter includes an analysis of sending and hosting organisations’ rights and duties, in particular
their responsibilities towards volunteers. It also shows possible elements of Volunteer Program, guidelines
to a fruitful voluntary experience and discusses how to align all stakeholders.
The volunteer coordinator needs skills and competences that would qualify them to manage different
sorts of situations in cooperation with people and institutions. The chapter three displays what skills and
competences in volunteer coordinator would make them a perfect person for the job.
Additionally, basic information about legal conditions of volunteer work in different countries is provided.
It comments the process of planning and organizing the volunteer management program in development
projects.
Thepracticalexerciseswillhelptoprepareforallstagesofvolunteermanagementprocess:needsassessment
and program planning, job development and design, volunteer recruitment, interviewing and selecting
candidates as well as orientation and training, supervision and motivation, recognition and evaluation.
8. Rights and responsibilities of volunteer
organisations and volunteers
Many are the organisations involved in development volunteer projects. From home or headquarter in
developedcountriessendingorganisationsareprovidingvolunteerstodifferenttypesofhostingorganisations
in developing countries. Hosting organisations may be local NGOs or field- organisations of the home-
organisation, but also international NGOs or even commercial intended entities. Volunteering purposed
travel and exchanging is not strongly regulated and, as there are different kinds of bodies involved, it
becomes more and more important for all the parts involved on the field to be committed to good practices
and abiding the laws and/or countries regulations.
Introduction

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8.1. Organisation’s rights and responsibilities
Organisations involved in volunteer’s travelling worldwide to development projects and/or programmes are
bothsendingandhostingorganisations.Majorchallengesarepresentedinthisfield,asdifferentorganisations
(with several target groups and purposes) must observe a common understanding to operate. To give an
example, immigration laws of a receiving country may not have “volunteering” as a visa category, as some
countries equal volunteers to tourists, while others equal volunteering to work. According to this, a formal
commitment about volunteering is then a consequential issue, as volunteers may be considered non-paid
workers in the host organisation. To face this fact, it is important to be clear about an “activity-agreement”
signed by both parties, so that there are no disputes once volunteers arrive to host-organisations and deal
with misunderstandings that could appear about both parts. It is an essential quality point for all who are
involved on the volunteering process to understand and agree on this type of matters by being very clear
about rules and regulations either it is a sending, a hosting or an intermediate organisation.
8.1.1. Sending organisation’s rights and responsibilities
Sending organisations operates on (or from) volunteer’s home country. They could be an operating NGO
or NGO headquarters, non-profits entities, associations, intermediate organisations, development and/or
cooperation bodies and agencies, or even commercial purposed entities.
Sending or intermediate organisations have some major responsibilities:
• Evaluate and confirm that hosting organisations are legitimate operating entities.
• Evaluate and confirm that the placement offered exists and is legitimate.
• Help the candidate to a volunteering position to find a project according to the person’s will.
• Provide correct information (as provided by the hosting organisation) to the potential volunteers about
their placement and the new hosting country.
• Clarify doubts to other parts involved on the volunteering process about its role on it and inform about the
conditions and requirements of the voluntary service.
• Help the candidates to a volunteering position with the travel requirements needed and contribute to
their preparation.
• Provide an “activity-agreement” during the pre-departure process to avoid future disputes between the
volunteer, sending or hosting organisations.
• Offer the training before departure (it can be used to clarify doubts, prepare the stay abroad, address
intercultural aspects of the hosting community or provide conflict resolution skills).
• Give the needed information about the potential volunteer to the hosting organisation.
• Keep up and monitor the volunteering project development.
• Keep in touch with the volunteers abroad and provide them the needed support during their service.
• Provide support when the volunteer comes back to the home country (offering orientation and assessment
about employment opportunities and other ways to grow up professionally)
• Evaluate the experience with the volunteer.

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• Disseminate the project in order to raise awareness about volunteering.
• Aspire to and maintain a service of excellence.
A typical aspect when talking about sending or intermediate organisations is that they are sometimes more
interested in the trade (expressed in quantity) or on leaving the information about volunteer placements to
a secondary plan. In commercial agencies for example, their main interest is focused on sales results and not
so much in the quality of the volunteering service on the hosting organisations, the relation with the target
group and the improvement of the local community.
Some typical situations on this sense could be:
• If the sending organisation is a commercial entity, they are collecting the payment from the volunteer, so
the volunteer is their customer. In these cases the sending organisation is responsible for the payments
and possible changes in volunteers’ programmes.
• If the sending organisation is a university or a similar educational body, they have their own procedures
and requirements that they must communicate to hosting organisations. In this case, there is usually an
agreement between sending and hosting organisations concerning volunteer placements, type of work,
amount of service hours, skills to be gained, etc.
• If the sending organisation is also the hosting organisation (or belong to the same network), the mission of
volunteering in a development project is more coherent, but there are still issues that should be controlled
and caused by cultural differences, legal frameworks in each county, languages, etc.
Besides the mentioned responsibilities, sending and intermediate organisations have some
rights as well:
• Contract with volunteers and hosting organisations the terms of the service to be provided.
• Access to information that could allow evaluating and confirming that the hosting organisation is a
legitimate operating entity and that the placement offered exists and is also appropriate.
• Be provided with information that could help the candidate to find a suitable volunteering position.
• Receive reliable and sincere details about development projects and/or volunteering opportunities
provided by hosting organisations.
• Obtain correct and suitable information about the volunteering candidates.
• Receive data and feedback that could allow monitoring the development of the volunteering project.
• Require the channels and information to be in touch with the volunteers when being abroad.
• Evaluate the experience with the volunteer.
• Receive the results and materials that could make possible to disseminate the project in order to increase
its visibility and raise awareness about volunteering.
• Aspire to and maintain a service of excellence.

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8.1.2. Hosting organisation’s rights and responsibilities
A hosting organisation is an entity on a developing country where the voluntary service takes place. In order
to have a suitable volunteer project and to benefit the local community and society in the appropriate way,
hosting organisations need to be aware about the impact that the initiative could make on the local society
and the project concrete aims to help or support its target groups.
Hosting organisations are mainly NGOs that should have relevant programmes with the aim of giving back
and promote the growth of the societies where they are working, either in the home country or in the
developing country. The focus of these NGOs and their volunteering programmes should be clear, sustainable
and easy to understand.
Depending on the programmes developed by the hosting organisations on the field, the mission and
objectives proposed for them or the kind of volunteering needed and volunteers engaged, the following
rights and responsibilities should be taken into account and applicable by the volunteer coordinator when
designing and implementing a development project:
• Run sustainable and valuable programmes on local communities.
• Establish a clear mission and objectives for the project or programme to be done.
• Work according to the local and international laws and best practices (in terms of both, accountancy and
legal procedures related to the volunteer action).
• Have well organized and really needed volunteering programmes.
• Protect stakeholders from all potential misconduct by volunteers under their supervision.
• Dismiss volunteers that are not compliant to follow the rules agreed for the action.
Be accredited when needed by the international/European body that could supervise the volunteering
project or in charge of monitoring and evaluating its quality standards. Also to have updated all the legal
documents demanded by the mentioned body when being granted or economically supported by it.
• Provide the appropriate conditions for volunteers’ activities throughout their service.
• Offer an adequate accommodation, meals and local accessible transportation for volunteers.
• Ensure and promote the conditions to allow the participation of volunteers with special needs and/or
fewer opportunities.
• Supervise and provide personal support to volunteers when needed (including to take care and guarantee
their safety during the service).
Exercise 8.1: Evaluation of Volunteer Applications
(Alternative)
Exercise 8.2: Creating information packages for volunteers

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• Provide technical support related to volunteers’ tasks, overseeing and monitoring the work.
• Carry out training and integration activities for volunteers upon their arrival to the project.
• Ensure the participation of volunteers in the potential arrival training and mid-term evaluations that could
be prepared and/or demanded by any of the parts involved on the project (Hosting organisation, sending
organisation, granting body, etc.).
• Provide linguistic, cultural and social support to facilitate the integration of the volunteer into the hosting
organisation and local environment.
• Ensure that all the communications with external stakeholders are properly done.
• Promote that volunteers have opportunities to get to know the local people and their culture.
• Invite and promote that volunteers participate in cultural and leisure time activities.
8.1.3. Organisation’s responsibilities towards volunteers
Organisations through their volunteer coordinators, either sending or receiving volunteers in their
home country or abroad, have the major responsibility to ensure that there are formal rules to
be followed, a set of policies and procedures governing the engagement of volunteers. These
formal rules (Volunteer Programme) will allow developing a consistent pattern of volunteer involvement and
establish the procedures for conflict management.
This Volunteer Programme should at least include some essential support documents and information to
have the needed quality (basically the same ones required when operating with activities involving people):
participation forms, position descriptions, evaluation instruments and the data of all the parts involved and
their role (biographical facts and contacts or participants, records of positions and training, hours to be done
and tasks to be accomplished, expenses to be claimed and reimbursed, dates of communications, emergency
contacts, etc.). In case of being properly used and completed, these records and materials will provide a
general overview and history of the project and the volunteers who took part on it (creating a global knowledge
and understanding about it and allowing to other staff of the organisations involved to replicate the activity
reported).
8.1.3.1. Requirements for volunteer integration
To promote the creation of a suitable Volunteer Programme (policies, procedures and supporting forms),
it is fundamental that organisations comply and ensure some requirements for integrating
volunteers, in an effort to reduce mismanagement’ and facilitate the role of the volunteer
Exercise 8.3: Creating In Country Pre Program Orientation
(Alternative)
Exercise 8.2: Creating information packages for volunteers

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coordinator. The basic requirements to have in mind in order to ensure this integration could be:
• Have a good organisational environment.
• Have professionals who could deal directly with the volunteers accepted and work with them.
• Have designated a concrete person or employee for the coordination and management of volunteers.
• Have position profiles established and described for the placements related to the volunteers that will be
recruited.
• Have a system of interviews for applicants that could facilitate their subsequent selection.
• Have rules and procedures established for the work in which volunteers are going to be involved.
• Have means to provide guidance, initial and continuing training for volunteers.
• Have designated the staff for monitoring and direct supervising volunteers.
• Have means and procedures to evaluate the voluntary work.
• Have established forms for volunteers recognition.
• Have special attention to national volunteering regulations.
8.1.3.2. Possible elements of a Volunteer Programme
The elements of a volunteer programme will depend on the shape, size, structure, and purpose of the
program itself. The main ones that could be found in a development project involving volunteers and may
be considered are:
• Overall written organisational policy on volunteering.
• Separate budget for the coordination of the volunteer programme.
• Budgeted funds related to the costs of the individuals and/or volunteers involved.
• Formal staff training in volunteer management.
• Written job descriptions for volunteers.
• Minimum time of commitment for volunteers.
• Use of mass media recruitment techniques.
• Website space for the volunteer programme.
• Organized outreach efforts to diversify volunteer recruitment.
• Formal interview process for potential volunteers
• Criminal record checks of potential volunteers
• Reference checks of potential volunteers.
• Health screening of potential volunteers.
• Probationary or trial period for new volunteers.

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• Signature of an activity agreement between organisation and volunteer.
• Formal volunteer orientation & training sessions.
• Scheduled evaluation sessions with all the volunteers.
• Volunteer involvement in the evaluation on the organisation’s staff.
• System for tracking volunteer hours.
• Annual volunteer recognition event.
• Reimbursement of volunteer expenses.
• Insurance coverage for volunteers.
• Formal volunteer interview before leaving the organisation.
• Preferential hiring of staff among those who previously
volunteer on the organisation or with volunteer experience.
• Use of volunteers to assist the volunteer program manager.
• Use of volunteer management computer software.
8.1.3.3. Once the Volunteer Programme is set
OnceallthepartsareawareabouttheirroleonavolunteerdevelopmentprojectandtheVolunteerProgramme
and its elements have been set, are there any further organisational responsibilities? Effectiveness lies
in standards for volunteer involvement and operation that may be used as overall guiding
principles. Some other factors within the organisation will impact on the ultimate effectiveness of the
Volunteer Programme but the following characteristics tend to occur in successful initiatives on this field:
• Lay the foundation through mission and vision. Be clear about the problem or issue that the organisation
is addressing and make sure volunteers are seen as valuable human resources that can directly contribute
to achieve the organisation’s mission.
• Define criteria for volunteer participation, including the conditions under which the organisation and the
volunteer may end their commitment. Develop policies to guide volunteer activity.
• Create environments in which volunteers could carry out a meaningful work that could help to achieve the
results agreed, for both organisation and person(s) involved.
• Combine inspiring leadership with effective management. Ensure that the volunteer management
procedures are well-integrated at all the levels and in all the parts of the organisation. Guarantee that
those leaders in charge of these procedures work to encourage and facilitate the high impact of the
volunteer involvement.
• Build understanding and collaboration. Make sure that all (paid staff and volunteers) are respected and
empowered to fully participate in all the stages of a volunteering activity planned. Be sure that there is a
conscious and active effort to reduce the boundaries and increase the teamwork between paid staff and
volunteers.
Exercise 8.4:
How is my volunteering
plan?

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• Provide appropriate protections against risks to volunteers and those they serve with a suitable training,
regular evaluation and recognition. Ensure also the appropriate accessibility and participation of the
programme by removing physical, economic, social and cultural barriers to take part on it.
• Learn, grow and change. There should be openness to the possibility of changing, an eagerness to
improve performance and conscious organized efforts to learn from and about volunteers’ experience in
the organisation. There should be a recognition of the value of involving, as volunteers, people from all
segments of the community, including those the organisation seeks to serve. Acceptance and appreciation
are the most important feelings or attitudes towards volunteers.
Besides the mentioned guidelines, some management tips may be also useful in order to deliver a successful
Volunteer Programme:
• Provide correct information about the volunteer programme, ways of working, rules and regulations of
the organisation and the country. Support the understanding of local circumstances as much as possible.
• Evaluate the skills, strengths and interests of the potential volunteers in order to advise them properly
during the service to achieve their expectations by using their most developed skills and motivations.
• When matching volunteers and their skills with a suitable programme, it is recommended to carry out
an introduction and description about the tasks and specifics of the project. This could look different
depending on both programme and organisation, but it is good if the organisation has already a model
about how to do this.
• Implement an arrival orientation in order to specify and agree on what the volunteers will do during their
time in the organisation. To set a model or standards to follow in order to implement this task could be
very important for both, the programme and the organisation.
• Evaluate and follow up the impact of volunteers in the community, collect feedback to improve operations
and help volunteers to maximize their potential impact in the programmes.
• Both, sending and hosting organisations, need to be able to
provide advice and support to the volunteers and their own
staff in case of emergencies. This availability and help is also
essential for other less critical (but still important) situations
like managing the cultural shock of volunteers, dealing with
their homesickness or facing personal problems.
8.2. Volunteer’s rights and responsibilities
From volunteers’ perspective, volunteering in a development project abroad is a potentially
transformational experience. Volunteering offers a chance to engage in an altruistic attempt to explore
the “self”. According to this, volunteer experience cannot be reduced to a tourist visit abroad, but should
be an ongoing process during which interactions occur and the self is enlarged, challenged, renewed and
reinforced (Wearing 2001, 3). Zahra (2011, 90) adds that taking part in volunteering abroad, especially
in a very different environment that the person is used to back home, may change the person’s values,
perceptions of society and self and the view of life.
Exercise 8.5:
Whose responsibility is
it anyway?

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By living and learning about other cultures and people in an environment of mutual benefit cooperation, the
volunteer is able to engage in the development of self which might lead to a transformation (Wearing 2001,
3). The longer the volunteers stay and the more the volunteers interact with local people and culture, the
better they absorb and adopt elements from that environment (Wearing 2001, 9).
8.2.1. Guidelines to a fruitful voluntary experience
In order to have a positive voluntary experience, it is the role of the volunteer coordinator to inform
volunteers during their selection and preparation about some simple guidelines that they should observe
and have into account:
• Volunteers have to be aware and honest about their motivations to volunteer. Looking at things from
outside perspective is of most importance, especially in the case of development countries, because what
is learned about them at home can be very biased, sometimes outright incorrect and surely incomplete.
• Volunteers must do research before choosing a volunteer placement in order to be able to consciously
find one that meets their expectations and limitations. Not everyone can cope with all and everything, but
this should not necessarily stop one from volunteering.
• Volunteers have the responsibility to ask questions and the right to be clarified to ensure they have all
information concerning the volunteer work and position before making the commitment to volunteer.
• After making the commitment, volunteers have the strong responsibility to stick with it. When volunteers
commit to a placement, it means very often that the hosting organisation has started to work on their
participation planning and arrangements. Many potential volunteers don’t see or understand how much
effort a hosting organisation is going through at this point.
• When volunteering abroad, and before travelling, volunteers have the responsibility to acquire knowledge about
the country and culture where they chose to be placed. One can’t prepare for everything, but some information
about customs and language can make the volunteering experience more valuable from the beginning.
• Volunteers have the responsibility to take volunteer placement seriously and work accordingly to the
agreement. When volunteering in a developing country, work culture can be very different from what
volunteer has experienced. Also, volunteers may feel on holiday as they are in a different country and
environment.
• Volunteers represent the hosting organisation as paid employees do, with rights and responsibilities
written on the agreement that must be observed.
• Volunteers have the responsibility to follow rules, guidelines and procedures of sending/hosting
organisations, as in any other work place. Laws of development
countries can be very different from home country and some
work can be very sensitive, for example in fields as human
rights or sexual-minorities.
• Volunteers have the right to give constructive feedback
to both sending and hosting organisations to help them
improve their program and information.
Exercise 8.6:
Organisational climate

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• Volunteers have the right and the responsibility of being open minded and accepting to learn from others,
in a perspective of knowledge sharing and not just “give” knowledge.
8.2.2. Guidelines to align all stakeholders
Since most organisations dealing with human life have to be at the highest quality performance level, and
because “Not everyone can cope with all and everything”, there are several general characteristics that a
candidate to a volunteering position has to have to be able to practice volunteering:
• The person must share the mission, vision and organisational values of both sending and hosting
organisations.
• The person must take responsibility in the “voluntary commitment” on both sending and hosting
organisations.
• The person must accept and comply with both sending and hosting organisation’s rules, regulations,
guidelines and procedures.
• The person must be aware of national volunteering laws and regulations, in both sending and hosting
countries.
• The person must face initial and continuing training as essential for the development of voluntary activity.
• The person must have the ability to work in a team, respecting the existing hierarchies on both sending
and hosting organisations.
• The person must embody the humility to discover and accept
prejudices to be able to “undo” them in order to respect the
beneficiaries and, as such, don’t compromise the action.
• The person must be aware of the physical and psychological
conditions necessary for the volunteering position.
8.2.3. Legal framework from European countries
As it has been previously mentioned on this chapter, to be aware about the different policies and laws
related to volunteering is one of the basics to implement a Volunteer Programme and project in the
appropriate way. The bodies or administrations responsible of this legal framework for the volunteer action
can be different depending on each country and there could be even locations on which these policies are
established only are regional level or not existing at all. As a sample of this statement, this section includes
direct references and documents related to volunteer laws or legal documents from the partner countries
included on EVOLVET. It also provides information about the entities (if any) responsible of these guidelines
or of the organisations that take care of promoting them or covering the lack of a concrete legislation.
According to this, all the materials included here are on the mother tongue of the country on which they
should be applied and must be used only in case of working or implemented a project on those areas.
Exercise 8.5:
Whose responsibility is
it anyway?
Can be also used here
(see page 131)

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8.2.3.1. Austria
Entity responsible: BundesministeriumsfürArbeit, Soziales und Konsumentenschutz.
Documents of reference:
• Bericht zur Lage und zu den Perspektiven des Freiwilligen Engagements in Österreich.
8.2.3.2. Finland
Entity responsible: none.
• Study on Volunteering in the European Union, Country Report Finland.
• Vapaaehtois-toiminnasta iloa monille. Hyvinvointia tukevan vapaaehtoistyön vastuut ja käytännöt.
• Vapaaehtoistyöhön liittyvät lait suomesa.
This file includes links and articles to Finnish terminology and laws for volunteering work. There is no specific
legal framework on volunteering in Finland. Volunteering is regulated by a number of laws.
8.2.3.3. Italy
Entity responsible:
• Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali.
• Forum del Terzo Settore.
• Carta deivalori del volontariato, Roma il 4 dicembre 2001.
• Legge n. 266 del 11 agosto 1991 “Legge quadro sul volontariato”.
8.2.3.4. Poland
Entity responsible: Department of Public Benefit.
• Volunteering in Poland.
• The Act of 24 April 2003 on Public Benefit and Volunteer Work (Dz.U. No 96, item 873, as amended.
• Volunteer Centres per region in Poland (database).
8.2.3.5. Portugal
Entity responsible: Conselho Nacional para a Promoção do Voluntariado.
• Manual de Apoio na Gestão de Voluntariado

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This document also makes reference to other important legislation related to the volunteering law in
Portugal and that should be taken into account by volunteer coordinators working on this country:
- Decreto-lei n.o 363/85, de 10 de Setembro - Regime jurídico do cooperante.
- Decreto-Lei n.o 40/89, de 1 de Fevereiro - Seguro Social Voluntário.
- Decreto Lei n.o 168/93, de 11 de Maio - Voluntariado jovem para a solidariedade.
- Decreto-lei n.o 205/93, de 14 de Junho - Voluntariado jovem para a cooperação.
- Portarian.o685/93,de22deJulho-RegulamentodeExecuçãodoVoluntariadoJovemparaaSolidariedade.
- Portaria n.o 686/93, de 22 de Julho - Regulamento de Execução do Voluntariado Jovem para a
Cooperação.
- Lei n.o 71/98, de 3 de Novembro - Bases do Enquadramento Jurídico do Voluntariado.
- Resolução da Assembleia da República n.o 7/99, de 19 de Fevereiro - Ratificação do Tratado de
Amesterdão, incluindo a Declaração 38 relativa àsatividades de voluntariado.
- Decreto-Lei n.o 389/99, de 30 de Setembro - Regulamentação da Lei n.o 71/98.
- Resolução de Conselho de Ministros n.o 50/2000, de 30 de Março - Composição e funcionamento do
Conselho Nacional para a Promoção do Voluntariado.
- Lei n.o 13/2004, de 14 de Abril - Enquadramento jurídico do agente da cooperação portuguesa e
respetivo estatuto jurídico.
- Lei n.o 20/2004, de 5 de Junho - Estatuto do Dirigente Associativovoluntário.
- Despacho n.o 4456/2005, de 3 de Fevereiro - Reconhecimento do tempo de serviço prestado
por professores/formadores que celebrem contratos de voluntariado comorganizaçõesnão-
governamentaisououtras entidades privadas de utilidade pública.
- Decreto-Lei n.o 176/2005, de 25 de Outubro - Alteração do artigo 4o (Cartão de Identificação de
voluntário) do Decreto-Lei n.o 389/99.
- Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.o 196/2005, de 22 de Dezembro - Linhas de orientação para a
cooperação portuguesa.
- Portaria n.o 87/2006, de 24 de Janeiro - Modelo de Cartão de Identificação de Voluntário.
- Lei n.o 113/2009, de 17 de Setembro - Medidas de proteção de menores.
- Portaria n.o 333/2012, de 22 de Outubro - Programa EscolaVoluntária.
8.2.3.6. Slovakia
Entity responsible: Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.
• Obsah tohto dokumentu má informatívny charakter. 406. Zákon. z 21. októbra 2011.

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8.2.3.7. Spain
Entity responsible: Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad del Gobierno de España.
• Ley 45/2015, de 14 de octubre, de Voluntariado.
• Código Ético del Voluntariado.
9. Building a volunteer coordinator
9. 1. The importance of having a volunteer coordinator
Well-managed volunteerism is a democratic and sustainable approach to achieve real results in cooperating
with communities and promoting their social transformation. Volunteers make societies better, so volunteer
organisations have a duty and responsibility to do whatever they can to promote, recognize, facilitate and
support their work.
Having a volunteer coordinator is important to be able to implement all the responsibilities
that an organisation has to have working with volunteers. Without a volunteer coordinator the
rules, policies and tasks of the institution can be perceived blurry. In general terms, the main lines of action
in which the volunteer coordinator should be involved can be briefly highlighted:
• To set targets.
• To plan.
• To organize.
• To communicate.
• To promote personal development.
• To encourage.
• To monitor.
• To evaluate.
• To recognize.
The support of the institutions is fundamental, as volunteering is an activity that is conducted gratuitously,
although it is not cost-free. It can be offered in both formal/structured ways (E.g. induction, training, one
to one meetings and/or group support meetings) and informal/unstructured ways (E.g. by listening and
communicating with the volunteers on a daily basis). It requires and deserves the targeted support of all
the parties concerned (the volunteering organisations, the government at all levels, the enterprises, etc)
as well as a favourable environment to social policies, including a volunteering infrastructure and all of this
requires funds.

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But it’s important to observe that investing in training for
volunteers has an important economic factor: a research study
conducted by the Institute for Volunteering Research (2011),
“Volunteering European Year of Volunteering 71 works”, shows
in fact that for each euro spent by organisations for supporting
volunteers, they obtain an average return of 3 to 8 Euros.
Furthermore, the comparative project on the non-profit sector has shown that the volunteering sector
accounts for approximately 2-7% of GDP of national economies.
According to United Nations Volunteers Programme, “Volunteerism is indeed a powerful and inclusive
means of engaging people in tackling development challenges worldwide: everyone can contribute their
time, skills and knowledge through volunteer action, and their combined efforts can be a significant force for
achieving peace and development”. A volunteer coordinator in a development project is a person
who is in charge of the administration of the volunteer programme in a hosting organisation/
country. This person acts as intermediator between the
organisation/project and the volunteers. It is a volunteer
coordinators’ task to make the work of volunteers fruitful for the
project as well as to create ideal working and learning conditions
(recruiting, preparation and reflection) for the volunteers at the
same time, attaining both project’ and the personal’ objectives.
The same United Nations Programme makes evident that it is now extremely important to professionalize
the field of volunteer management. Something very well described by USM Muskie School & The Maine
Commission for Community Services (2008):
1. The wave of the future in volunteerism (...) appears to be the trend to an increasing number of older
baby-boomer volunteers. This generation (...) sought and acquired valued credentials and other symbols
of accomplishment and competence. If you want them to volunteer for your non- profit, it would be
good for them to know that you have achieved some measure of competence in a unique field through
the receipt of a credential like a certificate or by enrollment in (...) professional development courses.
2. Professional volunteer managers raise the standards of the volunteer management sector as a whole,
meaning that eventually, there will be a critical mass of professional or certified volunteer managers
who will want to be recognized for their professional accomplishments not only financially, but by also
having a place at the “strategic planning table.” The more professional volunteer managers there are,
the more communities of practice and other peer networks get established. Why is this good? Peer
learning by sharing problems, issues, and solutions is the best way to learn and take advantage of each
other’s experience. Moreover, an organized group of volunteer managers can have a more significant
influence on volunteer policy development, policy implementation, and practice.
3. Increased levels of professionalism lead to an increased interest in figuring out which methods work
best and which don’t, and why. This can lead to research and evaluation, which can be shared with peers
through various publications. This facilitates the movement of the profession of volunteer management
toward an academic context of credit-bearing courses and programs focused on volunteerism.
Institute of Volunteering
Research. 2011. Volunteering
European Year of Volunteering
71 works.
United Nations Volunteers
Programme.

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4. Finally, professionalism in volunteer management provides
a reassurance to clients, consumers, customers, and other
professionals that you can be counted on for competence,
integrity, dedication to a common good, and responsibility
for your own decisions and actions.
9.1.1. The main Responsibilities of a volunteer coordinator
It is useful to highlight that there are two levels of volunteer coordination: the one that coordinate
volunteers from the Head Quarter (HQ) or from the sending organisation, and the other one
on the field.
For that reason it is fundamental to implement good chains of communications among the HQ coordinator,
the local team leader of volunteers and the volunteers themselves, due to the difficulties imposed by the
geographic distance.
In any case the main responsibilities of the volunteer coordinator are:
a) To provide a good pre travel orientation online and if possible in a meeting.
When the volunteers are in the home country it is commonly possible to organize a meeting with them to
discuss about the volunteering tasks, terms, responsibilities and implementation.
If volunteering takes place out of the volunteer’s home country the pre travel orientation can be discussed
using media like Skype, etc. It is important for the volunteer coordinator to learn the background of the
volunteer to place the person in proper duties. The tasks of the placement need to be explained and
developed according to the background of the volunteer.
b) To prepare a good pre programme orientation when jointing the hosting organisation before starting
the volunteering tasks.
Orientation at the hosting organisation needs to introduce the physical surroundings, culture, risks, free
time activities and similar specifically when volunteering takes place in a foreign country. The volunteering
programme tasks and physical places need to be explained in detail. All contact persons need to be
introduced each others.
c) Management of the practical daily tasks of the volunteer.
Volunteers are an invaluable resource, but the management of any resource can at times be problematic.
Problems can still occur even though there have been a fair recruitment and selection process to make
a good match between the volunteer and the task. There will be minor issues, which, although they
do not immediate attention, may require monitoring. At the other end of the scale are the potential or
actual crises that require clear thinking and decisive action. It can be a useful exercise for the purpose of
risk assessment to list the sorts of problems that could potentially occur with volunteers in a particular
organisation (the one on which the volunteer coordinator work). Dealing with this situation obviously
requires a different approach to handling a formal complaint. No set of rules can cover all circumstances
that may arise, so instead of laying down a formal procedure as above, the volunteer coordinator should
USM Muskie School & The Maine
Commission for Community
Services (2008). Professionalism.

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try to specify clearly and concisely the process necessary for the safe and efficient performance of work
and for the maintenance of satisfactory relations with clients, volunteers and staff. Processes for dealing
with problems with a volunteer’s performance should usually be incorporated into standard support and
supervision arrangements, in the first instance at least. Managerial approaches to supervision emphasise
and encourage improvement in a volunteer’s conduct and should not be viewed as a means of imposing
sanctions. Problems with a volunteer’s work should always be addressed on a one-to-one basis and good
supervision should follow a pattern in dealing with problem behaviour.
To make all this possible, it is advisable that the volunteer coordinator prepares a weekly plan (day by day)
and reports it together with the volunteer at the end of the week. This will also help to detect the outcomes
of the activities done and set the guidelines of the tasks to be carried out. It is important to remember that
a programme and specific tasks may need to be continued by another volunteer once the first one is gone,
so the volunteer coordinator must also secure that there would be a continuity on the work done.
Besides all of this, volunteer coordinators must always try to
keep their volunteer(s) safe and sound. It must be remembered
that many of them are young people involved in a totally new
learning process, so they can make various mistakes in their
programme and also during their free time but that could
affect their involvement on the service.
9.2. What is needed to coordinate volunteers in a development
project
9.2.1. General Job description /general competence profile
As it has been seen, volunteer coordinators are persons who are in charge for the administration of a
volunteer programme. It is their task to make the work of volunteers fruitful for the project objectives as
well as to create ideal working and learning conditions for the volunteers.
As a key figure inside the organisation, the volunteer coordinators have to make possible the harmonic
and satisfactory relation between volunteer and citizenship (in the country of residence or the one in
which makes cooperation), at the same time that collaborate in the correct working of the project or the
awareness activity, but always in accordance to the values of their organisation. Even if sometimes the
volunteer coordinator can be a volunteer that counts with more time than others or with the necessary time
to make this coordination, this option is just valid at the beginning of a project. When the dimension of the
activity arrives to a significant scope, it is necessary to count on a professional manager with the appropriate
payment adapted to this professional category and time of dedication.
Volunteer coordinators must have a knowledge and institutional tune. That means that they neither can go
freely in respect to the institutions which depend on, rather is an exclusive volunteering entity or a superior
Exercise 9.1:
The cooperative chairs
game

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organisation that promotes and sponsors. Because the volunteer coordinator is also the link between
volunteer, boards of directors or manager of the organisation, that requires knowing the institution, it’s
planning, reasons to bet for volunteering, etc. At the same time volunteer coordinators must be able to
transfer to volunteers the institution feelings and vice versa. By creating collective consciousness, arguing,
reflecting or agreeing all the actions on the programme, the volunteer coordinator has to find a common
work line with the aims of the entity and the other professionals of the organisation.
In order to achieve these goals, a volunteer coordinator should:
• Know the organisation very well in terms of profile, recruiting, team-integration, compensation policy, etc.
• Be aware about the legal framework in which the volunteers are allowed to work (in all the countries
involved on the project), the current legislation on volunteering and its philosophy (principles, targets,
rights, duties, laws, place and role of volunteer on society, limits, etc.).
• Have a good understanding and insight in the project and/or programmes (in which the volunteers are
going to work), its objectives, structures and timetables as well as the thematic framework.
• Understand the wants and needs of the volunteers and be capable of matching the right person to
be selected for a specific task. Screening (interviews, required background checks, etc.) and matching
volunteers to organisational needs and opportunities are process that should be properly controlled by
the volunteer coordinator.
• Motivate people (volunteers), encourage and empathize well with them. The volunteer coordinator must
have the strength and energy to impulse and generate dynamism and encouragement to the group. Every
coordinator is an animator and in this dimension, the first that must be cheer is the animator.
• Know the thematic discourse the project is based in to support the volunteers on content level in the
process in the best way.
• Have the administrative capacity to organize the volunteer programme (E.g. organize the recruiting,
community outreach to find volunteers, the preparation, the logistic during the process, strategic planning,
financial management and budgeting, etc.) and developing volunteer position descriptions.
• Be able to create the volunteer programme materials (policies and procedures, applications, volunteer
agreements, orientation handbooks, etc).
• Have the training capacity to organize the volunteer programme (e.g. preparation trainings, accompanying
the volunteering by coaching, risk management, etc.).
• Have the monitoring and evaluation capacity to organize the volunteer programme and supervise it.
• Have the capacity of developing recognition measures and systems for volunteering services.
• Have a knowledge in data base management and tracking of volunteer statistics
• Be aware of the organisation (sending and/or hosting) rules, mission, vision, values, targets, history, etc.
Volunteer management professionals also frequently partner with public relations, marketing, and/or
development colleagues on outreach and fundraising activities (Idealist. 2015).
Apart from these general competences volunteer coordinators often deal with global, interconnected issue

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in development projects and it may be helpful for them to be
able to refer to a firm and internalised system of values and
attitudes. Such as: Idealist (2015).
Openness
Volunteer coordinators recognize that
people have different belief systems,
values and attitudes, which lead to different
actions and behaviours; they are ready to think
critically and accept them as
co-existing with their own.
Responsibility
Volunteer coordinators understand the
influence that their choices have on local
and global issues. They believe they can make
a difference and are empowered to contribute
towards a more just,
peaceful and sustainable world.
Integrity
Volunteer coordinators recognize their
own identities, attitudes and values and act
according to them in different, even
challenging situations.
Respect
Volunteer coordinators recognize that
every person is entitled to fulfil their human
rights without intentionally
disrupting or harming other people.
Solidarity
Volunteer coordinators see themselves as part of
the global community. Active solidarity creates
citizens aware of global
realities and engaged in working for a more and
just sustainable world.
Empathy
Volunteer coordinators are aware of the
different needs and feelings of people
from various backgrounds and make conscious
effort to recognize ways of
meeting these needs and respecting the
feelings of others.
There are three types of competencies (Brainia. November
27th, 2015) that can be included in a job description when
talking about the volunteer coordinator profile:
• Skills: abilities needed to execute job duties.
• Knowledge: areas of specialty or expertise.
• Behaviour: characteristics an employee must display in the job.
Brainia. 2015.

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9.2.2. Volunteer Coordinator skills, knowledge and behaviour
A person with adequate competences is one that has required skills, knowledge, qualification or capacity
for some purpose that is properly qualified and/or has the ability to do a job properly (“Competence human
resources”, Wikipedia, consulted on November 27th, 2015). Some key skills are nearly universal to the field.
For example, as relationship managers working with diverse populations (volunteers, staff, board members,
community members, etc), cultural sensitivity and people-skills are vital. We can define them several types of
skills:
Organisational skills
• Ability to keep an overview on tasks and requirements with the project.
• Ability to systematic structure the documentation according to organisational standards.
• Ability to see synergies between tasks and people linking tasks together meaningfully.
Leadership skills
• Ability to lead, motivate and engage a group of volunteers.
• Methodological experience and the self-confidence to conduct teambuilding processes.
• Basic knowledge of group dynamic processes and knows how to face them.
• Ability to understand the group to avoid possible conflicts and deal with them in a constructive and
systematic way.
• Ability to engage the participants in decision making processes and take initiatives through democratic
procedures.
• Awareness of gender equality and inclusive group moderations (group building).
Facilitation skills
• The person is able to plan, implement and evaluate educational events in order to generate meaningful
educational interaction with the volunteers.
• The person has the ability to ensure that all participants get involved and have their say on non verbal
depth handles, or other destructive contributions characterize the situation.
• The person has the ability to set up a situation in order to create consensus and commitment of the
stakeholders involved in the volunteering programmes.
• The person has the ability to organize, facilitate and document meetings and negotiations so that they
turn out to be constructive and objectives-oriented.
• The person knows helpful models, methods and mental aspects to perform meetings and negotiations
effectively and efficiently.
• The person has the ability to coach volunteering projects and programmes by assess and monitor the
learning process and support the volunteers in their individual contexts and experiences.

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Communication skills
• The person is able to handle all types of communication channels and social media tools (phone, SMS,
email, video chat software, social networks, etc.).
• The person is aware of proactive communication strategies and is able to structure, lead, moderate and
document communication results.
• The person is respecting others in regards of different backgrounds.
• The person should develop dialogue skills, such as active listening, respect for others’ opinions and
constructive assertiveness.
• The person should communicate clearly and assertively with others, neither in an aggressive manner that
denies others’ rights nor in a passive manner that denies their own.
• Especially for persons working in development projects in the global South foreign language skills can be
very important. The language depends on the partner countries.
Good communication is the one that achieves the intended audience and results, as outcome of actively
listen and assertively give feedback. These two elements are complementary processes and are able
generate empathy. To communicate a person needs to listen, observe and understand.
a) Active listening is a technique for communication encouragement, it allows to demonstrate interest and
desire to understand the message. People tend to “hear what they want” but the interpretation of the
message may be different from what one wants to transmit. Active listening allows the receiver to show
the sender that there are conditions for understanding the meaning that he wants to convey and that
there is an effort of doing a proper interpretation of the message being transmitted, avoiding mistakes.
Active listening techniques:
• Show interest.
• Clarify.
• Reformulate.
• Check the perception of feelings.
• Summarize.
b) Assertive communication: Communicate effectively and be assertive is to say the right thing, the right
way, at the right time, on the right place and to the right person. Although mastering it is not always easy
and evident, there are several advantages of assertive communication:
• Focus on communication goals.
• Honest attitude, respectful and objective.
• Constructive relational behaviour.
• Increased self-esteem and self-respect.
• Increase in positive responses and respect for others.
• Reduction of insecurity, dependence and vulnerability.
Exercise 9.3:
Building Communication
Skills

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Knowledge on development projects and management
• Knowledge on concepts of humanity, world society, globalization processes, as well as on general
global coherences of development, north-south-relations and postcolonial theories, and complex and
interrelated social, economic systems.
• Knowledge about global communalities and differences, lifestyles, cultures, religions and generations.
Be conscientious that mutual understanding can be achieved by observing cultural, languages and codes
variety, similarities and differences, respecting diversity.
• Knowledge and/or experience with the organisation, its mission, and the cause/issue it is addressing to
recruit volunteers very well related to needed profiles.
• Ability to place the own development projects and programmes critically in the development discourse.
The thinking in alternatives is an important added value.
• Knowledge of the legal framework in which the volunteers are allowed to work in the developing countries.
• Awareness about working in groups of divers identities (related to culture, values, gender, religions,
lifestyles) and deal with these manifold diversities, celebrating diversity in terms of cultures, perspectives
and worldviews, challenging stereotypes and prejudices in terms of cultural backgrounds and attitudes
and gender balanced language.
• Thepersonunderstandsthatallknowledgeisincompleteandisalifelonglearnerinthefieldofdevelopment
issues.
• Knowledge and experience, if possible, in development projects of different projects, either through
knowledge about what the project requires from the volunteer’s perspective or personal experience
about volunteering in a development project.
• Understand the project or programme in which volunteers are going to work, its objectives, structures and
timetables as well as the framework.
• Understand the wants and needs of the volunteers and ability to match the right person to be selected
for a specific task.
• Understand the absolute need to motivate people (volunteers) and empathize with them without “extra-
effort”.
• The person knows the main project facts: budget line, budget, project personnel, objectives, activities and
milestones, timetable as well as demands on human resources.
• The person knows the thematic framework and the development context of the project.
• The person is able to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate the outcome of the work of the volunteers
in the project in order to achieve (and support) the project objectives.
• The person knows the main instruments of project management: strategic planning tools, logical
framework, instruments of time management, instruments of monitoring and evaluation, working with
indicators, instruments of impact measurement.

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Behaviour
a) On professional level:
• Strong judge of character (this is subjective, matching volunteers with compensating work/tasks and
objectives relies on instinct and the ability to “read” people).
• Leadership experience.
• Knowledge of volunteerism and volunteer management practices.
• Conflict management skills (in addition to avoiding and/or alleviating conflict, volunteer management
professionals need to know how manage and how to let volunteers go).
• Ability to multi-task.
• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Experience developing and implementing project plans.
• Programme management, including budgeting and financial oversight.
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a larger staff team.
• Familiar with diverse technologies and software (this is especially important to organisations that use the
Internet to recruit and/or communicate with volunteers).
• Ability to connect with diverse types of organisations (schools, businesses, government, faith
organisations, etc.).
• Public speaking and facilitation skills.
• Marketing and public Relations abilities.
• Fundraising and grant writing knowledge.
• Supervisory experience.
• Multi-lingual.
b) On personal level:
• Competence on self-reflection:
- The person is able to reflect on the role as a program coordinator and facilitator.
- The person is able to work on inner convictions, towards understanding different positions, to
empathize with others and to reflect consciously on the leader professional role.
• Critical thinking and analysis:
- The person is able to leave pre-built patterns to look at issues from different perspectives and draw
their own conclusions.
- The person has the ability to think outside the box.

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• Self-Empowerment and thinking/acting in alternatives:
- The person has a good self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect and respect for others; all this is based
on a differentiated understanding of values and attitudes.
- The person has the ability to make decisions based on facts from different perspectives and on own
values and attitudes.
- The person is able to express opinions (based on facts, values and attitudes).
- The person is well oriented in the development discourse and knows alternatives to the mainstream
discourse as well as options for actions.
• Open mindedness:
- The person is willing to include the proposals of the volunteers own considerations and considers them
as equally important.
- The person is open (and curious) to new information, cultures and events with a critical open mind.
• Act in the sense of social justice and sustainability
- The person shows coherent behaviour and brings her/his
owns words to live in order to stay authentic.
- The person sets an inspiring example for living social
justice and sustainability.
Exercise 9.2:
The Strongman – A
Volunteer Coordinator

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10. Volunteer Management Process
This is a scheme that synthesizes the 8-stage process of volunteer management, as it is understood
by this manual and its authors. All are connected and very important for the volunteer to feel welcomed and
part of the organisation (sending and hosting). The first stages are essential for the organisation itself. They
will help to establish the needs and also to decide the volunteer profile that is needed.
Among the different classifications that exist on the volunteer management cycle, this section has been
composed according to the combination of the volunteer management process proposed by McCurley and
Lynch(2011),itsprinciplesandcombinedwiththeexperiencesoftheentitiesinvolvedontheimplementation
of the EVOLVET project.
Figure 1 - Volunteer Management Process (Steve McCurley & Rick Lynch, 2011, p.21)
Needs
Assessment &
Program Planning
Interviewing &
Matching
Recognition
Job Development
& Design
Orientation &
Training
Evaluation
Recruitment
Supervision &
Motivation

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10.1 Planning and organizing the volunteer management
programme in development projects
To be aware about the needs of each organisation is the base for the creation of a volunteer programme.
Knowing what is needed, the entity would be able to create a specific profile of volunteers to cover the areas
where they will work.
A strong impact volunteering programme is not something that arises spontaneously. Managing
volunteers cannot be an amateur activity without concerns for rigor, commitment, efficiency
and quality. Goodwill is not enough, there must be some entrepreneurial spirit and resilience, along
with specific expertise, competences and method, leadership and awareness for planning importance to
implement and manage an effective volunteer program. A well-designed volunteering programme is the
result of a maturation process and many decisions are to be taken before integrating volunteers.
Even more, a well-thought-out volunteering plan and standardized procedures allow having a closer
relationship between the volunteer manager and volunteers. It improves coordinators effectiveness and
lets them more time so as to make a closer relationship with the volunteer.
Planning a strong impact volunteering programme includes the creation of the Mission (the strategic
engagement of volunteers in a cause) and the Vision (the strategic involvement of volunteers on Mission’
prosecution). Social nature organisations must be focused at ensuring sustainability, making the maximum
use of resources and having the highest impact among its beneficiaries. The involvement of competent
volunteers, in significant numbers and effectively managed, will enable organisations to better address their
challenges, with greater coverage and higher quality. The investment on strategic planning is crucial for the
process: only by knowing where to go is possible to trace the route to follow.
Inordertosetanyoptionaimedatthevolunteeringmanagementit’snecessarythesupportfromthetechnical
staff and the government bodies inside the organisation.
Believing in the importance of this aspect and allocate enough
resources to it is essential for a subsequent development of
the management and good volunteering politics.
There are many things that must be thought at this stage. To
begin with, the next questions must be done:
• Does the organisation have a holistic view about what the volunteering represents?
• Is the hosting organisation ready to receive volunteers?
• Is there a proper environment and space for volunteers?
• Will volunteers be valued and welcomed?
• Who will be the person responsible for volunteers? Whose role it is to manage volunteers on a day-to-day
basis?
• How will the needs of volunteers be met?
• Does the organisation have a volunteer policy document or guidelines in place?
Buenas prácticas,
Observatorio de
TrabajoSocial - OTS, Fund.
“laCaixa”, 2007, p.18.

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• Does the organisation have a clear and up-to-date role description and a profile of suitable volunteers?
• Is there a proper plan of volunteer support and supervision in place?
By answering these points, the volunteer coordinator should know whether the organisation is able to host
volunteers and start recruiting. However, in order to give answer to all these questions an analysis of the
volunteer organisation must be implemented to acquire to obtain an holistic approach of its context.
One of the most famous methods to do this is the SWOT analysis (SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats). It has been utilized as a tool to identify positive and negative factors that
promote or inhibit successful implementation of social change efforts within any kind of organisation.
The SWOT analysis is a part of the planning for social change process and will not provide a strategic plan if
used by itself. After a SWOT analysis is completed a social change organisation can turn the SWOT list into
a series of recommendations to consider before developing a
strategic plan. SWOT analysis (Wikipedia. April 2016)
According to all what has been previously mentioned,
organizing a strong impact volunteering programme includes:
1. Understand the complexity of a volunteer management
programme and create the organisational conditions to
implement it. It is advisable to analyze the predisposition of
the different groups: technical staff, managers, other volunteers, to assess the actual capacity of reception
and the recruitment of future volunteers.
2. Clarify why the organisation wants/needs volunteers and involve staff in defining tasks that can be carried
out by volunteers.
3. Work with top management support to be able to create and maintain all conditions for effective
volunteer program execution.
4. Work in a positive organisational environment, with favourable conditions to implement and execute the
volunteer management programme. The organisation must find itself in a stable and peaceful period of
time.
5. Define adequate policies and procedures to volunteer management. For example, it’s important to count
with a medical insurance for the international volunteering against accident risks and all damage incurred.
To obtain the corresponding identification credential for the exercise of the activity and being recognised
as it for the authorities and for the society on their whole. To have free access to the acts in which they
can provide their help as volunteers.
6. Set a monitoring and evaluation systems to verify that conditions for volunteers’ integration and
involvement are created, maintained and accomplished.
7. Value how much budget the organisation has to management the volunteering. On the one hand, it is
necessary to be well equipped with the necessary resources to carry out the activity entrusted and on the
other, the costs incurred in the performance of volunteer activities should be rewarded.
Exercise 10.6:
SWOT analysis

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10.2 Preparing the terms of reference for volunteers
Anefficientvolunteeringmanagementprogrammestartswithneedsidentificationandvolunteer
positions definition: only by knowing what is needed is possible to trace the profile to look
for. Designing rewarding positions is of the most importance, due to the creation of value-added tasks for
volunteers. For example, “hiring” a person with knowledge in development cooperation or with skills in a
foreign language for an specific profile.
Involving the entity’s staff on volunteer positions definition is the first step to the programme’s success.
Insteadof“inventing”positions,thestaffclearlyidentifiesrealoperationalneedsandtasksthatcanbecarried
out by volunteers. This involvement has other advantages, such as understand volunteers’ management
process from the beginning, orientation and support for volunteers, time to carry out functions that they
not yet had the opportunity, fulfil real needs, achieve results, avoid conflict and stimulate gratitude.
Volunteer positions must be formally drawn up prior to start the programme, but they should not be
considered as something unchangeable, as the volunteer programmes are as successful as volunteers are
motivated to carry out the work that needs to be done. Volunteer positions should meet organisations’ and
volunteers’ needs: negotiation should happen to meet all parts interests at all time.
Volunteer position should include:
• Title: the name of the function.
• Purpose: the result that the function expects to achieve.
• Suggested activities: what is to be done to achieve the purpose?
• Indicators: criteria to measure how the results are achieved.
• Requirements: skills, attitudes, knowledge desired and/or requirements of conduct or clothing, possible
legal requirements such as record/child protection documents.
• Timeframe: estimated number of hours and/or commitment period and schedule.
• Location and work environment: job location and description of: with whom, where, who are possibly
others working in the same environment.
• Supervision: staff members responsible for monitoring, troubleshooting and supervision.
• Benefits: training, insurance, parking, reimbursement, events, etc. It must be also considered when it
comes to this point that the candidates should be aware about the non tangible benefits that the volunteer
action could provide them, such as:
- Gaining knowledge on the North-South relationships.
- A participation in a multiple dialogue with overseas people that struggle for the same Human Rights.
- Getting, thanks to their actions, a more supportive, fair and peaceful world.
- Learning about the kind of the volunteering they are in.
- Developing lots of human qualities and even, professional education like communication, organisational and
teamwork skills.

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- Recognition, friendships, fun, etc.
- Personal growth.
Certain aptitudes are relevant to make a profile of the volunteers in the organisations which work for the
social change, such as: creativity, pluralism, to be able to work with other entities, to be opened to dialogue
and have interest to take part generating ideas and promoting actions.
10.3 Recruiting volunteerS
Recruitment is the process whereby people know they can do anything they want to do, and not a process
of persuasion. It has to allow conciliation between two types of needs: volunteers’ motivation to carry
out their tasks and organisation’s results to achieve. Recruitment can be seen as a filter: identify
and separate, from the universe of potential volunteers, who best meets organisation’s needs.
Effective recruitment is to attract a sufficient number of volunteers who meet the requirements and, worse
than rejecting candidates, is accepting them when and where there is no place for them.
The literature on recruitment of volunteers in general identifies different types of recruitment. McCurley,
Lynch and Jackson (2012) present a 5-type classification for the volunteers’ recruitment process:
1. Mass recruitment: used for a volunteer’s position that can be done by most people. Specific skills are not
required or tasks can be taught without much time investment.
2. Focused recruitment: determined by the type of people who would really like to do the tasks that need
to be done. Highly motivated persons with the adequate profile.
3. Concentric circles recruitment: used to replace volunteers who leave the organisation. It is based on the
network of contacts of other volunteers and staff.
4. Environmental recruitment: determined by the focus group to reach. A closed system of people who have
a high degree of identification and connection (it does not work for all groups).
5. Intermediated recruitment: used to recruit volunteers through groups created to engage volunteers (E.g.
volunteering platforms, on-line data bases, organisations, etc.).
10.3.1. Preparing of a recruitment process
Finding the appropriate volunteers according to an organisation needs implies an active process of
spreading the word about the volunteering opportunities and searching for the right people. Before starting
Exercise 10.1: The phases of Volunteer Management Process
Exercise 10.2: Preparing a volunteer job description

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to work on advertisement vacancies, the staff responsible of this process should first think about who the
organisation wants to attract and why volunteers might want to work for it. The more you know about
the motivations and interests of potential volunteers, the better you can target your advertising
and recruitment. To find out more about what attracts and motivates volunteers, it is always useful to
work with the feedback of previous volunteers on the same entity or position, ask current volunteers on
them or review applications from people who have expressed interest in being a volunteer before.
In order to reach this objective and get the desired information, a participative methodology is always
suggested. This can be done, for example, throughout little workshops and interviews in order to collect
and analyze opinions, ideas and expectations from the different people related to the entity (E.g. hired staff,
advisors, partners, volunteers, etc.).
The advertising and selection process is the start of the organisation relationship with the volunteers. The
aim is to find suitable people so there should be a good fit between the hosting organisations’ expectations,
the roles which are available and the volunteers’ motivations and interests.
According to this, it is important to have in mind the types of volunteering that could exist in an organisation
because each one of them would be related to different target groups and the recruitment must be oriented
towards them:
• Short term volunteering, workcamps or sustainable voluntourism: for this type of volunteering recruitment
wealthy crowds, with the legal age and enough free time (At least from 2 to 5 weeks in order to move
away) are needed. In this case, magazines and internet advertisement may be useful.
• Support or technical volunteering: the first one is focused on the technical management of projects, so
people who want to acquire knowledge about the coordination, scheduling, following up and evaluation of
the projects must be found. The second one also requires having special knowledge in some professional
area, like teaching, medicine, etc. Both are normally promoted among college and degree students,
vocational training centres, associations of professionals, etc.
• Awareness volunteering: it is targeted to people who are interested in learning the complex and unfair
international relationships and the reality of other countries and people. It requires high- creative
volunteers who should be able to communicate and convince the public. They may be communicators,
community managers, writers, actors, etc. Therefore, they need to have basic notions and be interested
in learning more about the development and cooperation, thus, the volunteering training acquires
more importance. Likewise, almost all the organisations promote the participation of volunteers in the
development education activities, which it could be associated to a transforming practice, starting from
the supposition that as the actions recipient or the promoter, the volunteer has to be involved in the
topics that will be taken into consideration.
• Management, administration and logistic volunteering: Business Administration students and alike may
be a good option. Also those people retired from the bank or business sector are quite good potential
candidates.
• Government bodies volunteering: volunteers do not only need to have enough freetime and a high
involvement on the service, but also a high identification with the values of the body or those related to
the role offered on it.

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• CyberVolunteering: to be made online, those volunteers on this category tend to be responsible of
updating social networks, blogs and/or websites of organisations. According to this, these digital channels
and media are very efficient in order to recruit them.
Once the type of volunteering that the organisation aims to
recruit is defined, there are several facts to have also into
account for this stage.
Proper timing
The timing of the recruitment campaign will be
influenced mainly by when its target audience is most likely to see and/or hear the message (E.g.
If University students or school leavers are demanded, the placements should be promoted and published
in summer or early autumn).
It is also important to think about the time of the year. In general, potential candidates are thinking about
volunteering options when they set up their plans for the coming calendar or school year (January/February
or August/September). School leavers are more suitable to address for volunteering from May to July.
Considering the general structure of developmental projects, long term campaigns started 4 to 6 months
before placing the volunteer in the hosting country must be implemented in order to have time for a proper
preparation phase for the volunteer and longer administration
processes.
A good recruitment message
An essential tool used in the recruitment of volunteers is the
“call for volunteers”, a short but clear description of what
the volunteer placement and hosting organisation offer to
potential volunteers.
Once the call for volunteers is ready, the next question is how to make sure that the message reaches the
volunteers targeted. There are different ways to promote the call for volunteers and they could be more
or less efficient on each context but there are always some concrete milestones to follow when writing an
advertisement as it must:
• Have a clear heading.
• Have a sub-heading that attracts the reader’s attention.
• Have a brief statement about the organisation and its purpose or activity.
• Clearly and briefly describe the role, tasks and dates of the volunteering service.
• Describe the benefits of volunteering in that concrete organisation.
• Make clear the essential requirements demanded for the position in order to ensure the reception of
applications from people who can meet them.
Exercise 10.7:
What is your experience
with recruitment?
Exercise 10.8:
Where and when
do you advertise for
volunteers?

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• Be clear on the process that the applicant needs go through to apply (E.g. Send a CV, motivation letter,
police report, medical report, etc.).
• Use the logo of the organisation and bold design to make that the advertisement stands out.
• Include the name of organisation and the name of a contact person. Make sure that the call includes the full
contact details of the person responsible of the recruitment to solve further questions from potential volunteers.
Once the call is ready, the volunteer coordinator must be aware that the coming recruitment process and
selection of volunteers should be done on the basis of their skills, experience and qualifications for the
position and avoiding any discrimination against an applicant. It is useful to check if the advertisement and
recruitment complies with the human rights act.
Characteristics of a good recruitment Message
McCurly, S. and Lynch, R. (2000) say that the opening of the
message should be interesting enough to entice the
potential volunteer to continue reading or listening.
The body of the message is appealing enough to interest the
potential volunteer in considering the volunteer opportunity or, at least, in contacting the organisation to
get more information. Boring messages are only likely to appeal to boring people.
The body of the message should present information in order that psychologically matches to how people
will think about the offer:
• Need: Is there a problem?
• Solution: Can this work help to solve it?
• Fears/Questions: Will I be capable of helping with it?
• Benefits: What’s in it for me?
• Contact Point: How do I get involved?
As a will first decide whether the organisation is worth volunteering for and then decide whether they can
fit the entity into their schedule and lives. The need to be stressed may be the one of the organisation, its
clientele or a perceived need/benefit for the volunteer. According to this, when writing the message, the
volunteer coordinator must be sure that it:
• It is easily understood. The Message is intelligible and avoids jargon, unless it is included for a specific
reason. The Message has been tested for ease of comprehension by someone other than its author. Please
remember: what can be misunderstood, will be.
• It gives a complete picture (E.g. problem, type of work, requirements, timeframe, person to talk with, etc.).
The Message doesn’t make that the potential volunteer has to do any extra work in order to understand
what is going on.
• The contact information for the Message gives the name of a person, preferably including their first name,
not just the name of the organisation. Volunteering is a personal decision and people like to talk with
other people about it.
European Court of Human
Rights. Council of Europe (2002).
European convention on human
rights.
See document online here.

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Recruitment methods/channels
In order to achieve a good recruitment there has to be a flawless communication and a well-thought- out
message (How it is going to be spread, who it is going to be directed to, it is going to be verbal or written,
etc.). Logically, depending on how the message is and which channels are going to be used, different kind of
campaigns or recruitment programmes should be used.
There are plenty of creative ways to get potential volunteers and make them feel interested in the work
of an organisation or its programmes. According to McCurley, Lynch and Jackson ́s (2012) and Macmillan
Cancer Support (2012) the main categories to classify the volunteers’ recruitment process and that the
volunteer coordinator should consider could be describe as:
• Word of mouth: one of the simplest and best ways to get the message across is by word of mouth. Make
sure everyone in the organisation (E.g. Staff, beneficiaries, board, volunteers, etc.) know that volunteers
are looked for so they can tell their family, friends and colleagues. This task is usually performed by either
committed volunteers or hired staff. This job is about an accessible activity to any person and its main
quality is its quickness and low-cost.
• Awareness activities in the street: albeit it involves punctual volunteers, they propitiate, on the one hand,
the citizen participation in solidarity activities and, on the other hand, they expand the knowledge people
have about the organisation.
• Volunteer centres and websites: in case that it hopefully exists a volunteer centre in the area that can help
the organisation to find volunteers. They can also place an advert for the vacancies that the organisation
offers or put them on their newsletters and announcement boards. In some countries there are national
volunteering recruitment websites. Also keep in mind other websites that could be used in the area or
region of the organisation to advertise vacancies on (E.g. Youth Ministry Website).
• Posters and flyers: make them simple, eye-catching and include clear details of the roles that the
organisation is recruiting for and the skills it is seeking. Think about where to put posters and distribute
flyers for maximum impact. Ideas might include:
- Pinning posters to notice boards around health services such as hospitals
- Leaving flyers at public places such as universities, libraries, schools, job centres, post offices, civic
centres, shopping centres and supermarkets.
- Posting flyers through letterboxes or putting them inside newsletters or free newspapers.
- Giving flyers and posters to people who have regular contact with your local community, for example
religious leaders.
- Handing out flyers at local community events.
• Open meetings: holding an open meeting means to meet with many potential volunteers in an informal
setting and it is a very successful method when an entity has to recruit. Thanks to it the volunteer
coordinator can come to the citizen in a very directed way, who have little knowledge about the entity and
its activity beforehand. Be sure to publicise the meeting properly and be aware that different groups of
people are free at different times. Holding a day and evening session on the same day maybe a good way
to make sure everyone has got a chance to attend. Five tips for a successful open meeting:

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- Start by explaining the purpose of the service and the ways volunteers can help.
- Highlight how volunteers can benefit, such as gaining career experience, developing skills and meeting
new friends.
- Hand out a pack to prospective volunteers that includes an application form, a role description and the
contact details of the volunteer coordinator.
- Record the contact details of prospective volunteers and the role they are interested in.
- Give people the chance to ask questions at the end of your meeting.
• Social networks and media: use social media for creating posts or ads for promoting and thanking
volunteers. Create short videos and photos of volunteers on spot and post them on social media.
Testimonies of real people while volunteering are powerful means to promote volunteering and attract
new people to an organisation.
• Electronic or print press, articles in newspapers: they are often effective, but have a huge cost unless the
articles are agreed to fill up the empty space that the newspapers leave in some editions. It is better to
agree interviews and articles, as they are usually more directed and obtain better results. They can be
either local newspapers or national ones.
• Website and newsletters: advertising on the organisation ́s website is a key step to promote volunteering.
The volunteer coordinator must make sure that there is a space or section on the organisation’s website
devoted to volunteering where all the volunteers and potential volunteers are informed about all the
aspects of volunteering in the entity’s programmes. On this space all important documents for volunteers
can be stored such as volunteer role descriptions, advertisement, pictures, videos, articles about
volunteering, templates of code of ethics, contracts, etc. If the organisation sends regular newsletters they
should be also used for advertising the volunteer opportunities. Other options might include:
- Stalls at (local/national/international) markets or events.
- Presentations to local groups, presentations in schools.
- Direct mailings.
- Email signature messages.
• To promote practices for college or degree students: the promotion of these spaces has several advantages
for the entities. On one hand, new spaces for the young professionals to take part are opened everyday
and, on the other hand, how an organisation works could be there taught in detail. They are very useful
to show which role could a person develop in the future or which knowledge could acquire in this field by
going deeper in the diverse thematic that the entity works in. For the people who have got a scholarship
is a personal and professional growth source, it lets them progress on multidisciplinary areas and acquire
communication tools, like teamwork, planification, etc. Afterwards, those people are likely to keep linked
to the entities as a collaborators or volunteers, because a bound between the person and the organisation
has been created, thanks to the values and the work shared during the training grantee.
Planning a volunteer recruitment campaign using a marketing approach
There are three main points that the volunteer coordinator should have in mind to plan an efficient

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recruitment campaign by giving it a marketing approach:
• Try to be as specific as possible about the target group (the more accurate the aim is the more likely the
organisation is to hit its target). Coordinators may want to develop more than one ‘advertisement’ if they
identify a number of distinct groups to target.
• Tend to use any media (print, broadcast or electronic) that the organisation really has access to, depending
on the volunteer coordinator opinion and criteria about which one could be the most suitable to the
particular target group that it has been identified.
• Include images as well as a written or verbal message in the
advertisement, because images can have a powerful impact,
but be careful about stereotyping and try to avoid it.
10.4 Interviewing and selecting
candidates
Candidates interview is crucial, as it allows to conciliate the organisation’s needs and the
volunteer’s motivations, creating the grounds for a pleasant working environment. Interviewing
candidates is:
• To assess the ability and willingness of a candidate to fit productively in a function within the organisation,
instead of examine the candidate’s suitability for a job.
• A subtle process to better understand the person, with the ultimate goal of integrating that person in a
situation that will be rewarding for the volunteer and the organisation.
• To be able to identify the background and experience of the candidates and recruit, offering a position
that will raise the will for engagement within the organisation.
There are several elements that are involved in an interview process and that the volunteer coordinator
should take care of:
• The interviewer: a person that knows and is committed with the organisation, its projects and operational
work, able to take appropriate decisions, motivational and empathic, with a knowledge on non-directive
interview techniques, controlling different types of questions and able to follow an interview’s agenda.
• The location: a reserved location is advised due to exploration of personal characteristics. A public place
or an open office can cause constraints on the candidate. A schedule should be arranged so that there are
no interruptions.
• The preparation: the interviewer should prepare some information and materials of the organisation and
its projects, a list of possible volunteering positions (and their necessary requirements), an interview form
and a registration form.
• The interview: it could be divided in.
- Starting:itisimportanttostartitwithawelcomespeechandanexplanationabouttheinterviewobjectives,
organisation and interviewer. Also it must give the candidates the change to introduce themselves.
Exercise 10.9:
Recruitment message –
what to say to the right
audience?

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- Conducting: exploitation of candidate’s interests and motivations and discussion of available positions and
respective characteristics and requirements.
- Closing: time to resume, explain and clarify. Here it must be decided if it is a “go”/”no go” for both parts
and which position will be filled. According to the decision taken, this part will also used to decide and
share the next steps and procedures to be done.
Essential steps must be followed by the volunteer coordinator and staff responsible of preparing and
conducting an interview:
• Make a clear schedule of the interviews: decide the period for the interviews along with the organisation’s
team and announce it in a public call for volunteers.
• Prepare the interview guide: once the interviewers are face-to-face with the candidates, it is useful to
have an interview guide that will to begin the conversation and allow that all the interviewers teams goes
on the same direction.
• Prepare an interview form for writing down answers: it can be very useful to have an instrument for
collecting and retaining the information obtained from potential volunteers in the same way for all the
interviews conducted.
• Selection panel: it is recommended that the volunteer coordinator compose a small group of people, rather
than just one person, to recruit and select volunteers (or employees). Ideally at least three people should
be involved in selecting volunteers, no matter what selection process it is used. Besides the volunteer
coordinator of the organisation, think about including people on your selection panel who:
- Understand the role and tasks that volunteers will perform.
- Are in charge or managing, coordinating or supporting volunteers.
- Are experienced volunteers or on this field.
- Could represent the board, members or supporters of the organisation.
10.4.1. Screening volunteers
The mainprinciple of volunteers’ selection is based on the meeting of the organisation’s
expectations and needs and volunteer ́s expectations, interests, motivation and abilities.
Volunteers should not be placed in a position for which they have not got an appropriate interest,
competences, time or motivation. The selection of volunteers should be aimed to reach a win-win
situation for both parts involved. Some positive experiences (Observatorio del Tercer Sector, 2006)) point
out the need of including the volunteering policies in the human resources policies (procedures and
specific actions for the volunteering must be adapted considering them as integral part on the global
organisation).
There are several reasons why an organisation has to screen the volunteers especially in development
education and development projects. According to them, the organisation should be responsible of creating
and maintaining a safe environment for beneficiaries, volunteer, staff, and others involved in work.

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This means to ensure that the appropriate match is made between the volunteer-task-client. The more
vulnerable the client or the riskier a volunteer has been assessed a position, the more vigilant the volunteer
coordinator and entity should be in the screening process.
There are key principles underpinning the selection process or volunteers:
• Having the wrong volunteers is worse than having no volunteers at all.
• Organisations must take all reasonable steps to prevent unsuitable people from volunteering. It is essential
that procedures are in place to detect such mismatches (and, if possible, to re–direct the potential
volunteer to a more suitable programme).
• The selection process must be appropriate to the role and rigorous enough to help the organisation makes
the right choice, but not unnecessarily bureaucratic.
• All volunteers must go through the same selection procedures for the same roles.
• Volunteers should have equality of opportunities. An applicant cannot be asked the age or discriminate
on the basis of gender, disability or ethnicity. Volunteers need to be a good fit for, and able to perform,
the volunteer tasks. Asking for information about disabilities or limitations is allowed in relation to health
and safety risks.
• Be honest from the start. Make it clear to all volunteers that there is a selection process, and that not
everyone will be selected. (Volunteer Now, 2012)
When screening the volunteer coordinator and organisation’s team have to be aware of different
motivations for volunteering, especially the problematic ones in order to avoid conflicts in the volunteer
management in field. There are many reasons to volunteer.
One study devoted to reasons for overseas volunteering listed 10 good and 10 bad reasons to volunteer,
usually for prolonged periods (6 months or more) overseas. But these reasons can be used to help in the
decision to volunteer even in one’s home city.

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Volunteers seem to encounter the most problems if they are focused only on their own agendas or are
trying to save a world in a few weeks. Many individuals who volunteer do hope to make major changes
where they serve and to lift people out of poverty and save them from their fates. These volunteers will be
most disappointed. There might be also other problematic candidates for volunteering:
• People who are not able to define the limits their work and family mean for them (perception of available
free time).
• People without resources to renew their internal power.
• Self-sacrificing types of personalities (badly interpreted sometimes by religious attitudes).
• People who compensate their personal traumas and problems.
• “Researchers” or people looking for sensations usually with a topic they are focusing on.
• People who do not respect authorities.
Ten good reasons to volunteer: The list of 10 bad reasons:
1. To get to know another culture.
2. To have a better perspective on the impact
of wealthy countries on other parts of the
world.
3. To put concern for others into action.
4. To share skills and expertise with those
lacking but needing these skills.
5. To gain experience and knowledge in one’s
field of expertise.
6. To learn a foreign language.
7. To learn more about oneself.
8. To be inspired by those in developing coun-
tries.
9. To become an advocate for changes at
home.
10. To live out one’s faith and religion through
good deeds and working for justice.
1. To escape a bad relationship or personal
problems.
2. To save poor people or lift them out of
poverty.
3. To assuage guilt.
4. To travel purely for personal enrichment.
5. To avoid losing a position.
6. To avoid failure in some setting.
7. To copy others who are doing it.
8. To make religious converts.
9. To impress others.
10. To deal with personal problems like alco-
holism.

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10.4.2. Selection methods
There are many instruments that have proven to be useful in the selection of volunteers. In most cases, these
instruments are not used individually, but organisations prefer a combination of them in order to ensure that
all the information needed for the final decision was obtained from the candidates. Selection criteria should
be developed for each volunteer position. Selection relies on a number of instruments which may include:
Application forms, checks, interview, observation of volunteers in orientation/ training, observation during
probation or providing taster visit and opportunities during formal or informal supervision or in evaluation.
• Application form: they present several important advantages as they provide specific information,
represent a centralized way to collect and retain information for all volunteers applying so they can help in
structuring the themes for subsequent selection interviews. These forms are used as a mean of gathering
the information needed in order to guide the candidate towards the volunteering position that suits the
person best. Forms also give a pre-assessment base for the deeper screening process and can serve as
starting points for interviews when discovering motivation, abilities, and interests of volunteers. (Adolfová
and associates, 2016)
• Checks: they requirement of volunteer appointments will depend on the organisation’s volunteer policy.
They may include:
- References.
- Police reports.
- Proof of identity.
- Qualifications.
- Work history.
- Relevant medical history.
Depending on the role or position, the organisation may have to carry out checks to find out if successful
applicants have a criminal record and a relevant medical history. If they do, the selection team would need
to make a fair decision on whether it makes them unsuitable for the role (Commonwealth of Australia and
Volunteering Australia, 2003). References can confirm the existence of skills identified by other methods
and at the same time can offer relevant information concerning the candidate, which cannot be captured
through application forms or interviews.
• Interview: it is the one that offers the most complete information about a candidate for a volunteering
position. Selection interview is a two-way route, a reciprocal process that let the organisation obtain
the information needed from the candidate, but at the same time offers the person interviewed the
basic elements that define the mission, vision, activities, beneficiaries, etc. of the organisation. (Adolfová
and associates, 2016). The people on the selection panel need to understand the volunteer
roles and tasks and be able to define and agree on questions and selection criteria. They also
need to have time to be involved in reviewing applications, short listing, interviewing and/or reference
checking, depending on the process. People doing the interviews should have good knowledge about the
organisation, ability to communicate with different types of people, ability to listen and ask right questions

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Exercise 10.10:
Choosing the proper
selection method
according to plan, ability to say “no”. When the volunteer will work with clients in difficult situations, the
role and presence of a psychologist is vital in a recruitment process (BrozmanováGregorová, Mračková,
2014). Panel members must keep all the information they see and hear confidential.
- Inform volunteers even from the recruitment announcement about the steps of selection, including the
period for interviews, if this is the case.
- Estimatehowmuchtimewillbeneededforeachinterview.Whensettingupaninterview,itisrecommended
to leave at least 5-10 minutes between interviews to debrief or in case they run over time.
- Decide on a date to hold the interviews that all the panel members can attend. Invite the listed applicants
to come for an interview, giving them notice and time to prepare themselves.
- The setting for an interview should be welcoming and tidy, with access for those with physical difficulties.
It should also be a place where you can conduct a private conversation and won’t be interrupted.
- Design the interview as a two-way communication process. Create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere,
reassure the volunteer on the need to have a sincere and honest approach (valid for both parts), allow
time for the volunteer to formulate answers.
- Allow the volunteer to ask questions during the interview as well.
- Take notes during the interview to allow the selection team to look back and assess each applicant, once
all interviews are done.
- Use open questions and “proof” questions (E.g. “Can you tell me something more about it?”).
- Listen to the volunteers, what they speak about but also when they are not speaking.
- Pay attention to the volunteer’s feelings and thoughts.
- When ending the interview thank the applicants for their time and find out if they have any further
questions. Make sure that the selection team has the information needed to make an appropriate decision
about the applicants and they fully understand what the role entails.
• Observation of volunteers in orientation/training: this selection method aims to observe volunteer still
at the training. Trainers and volunteer coordinators might use specific training exercises for considering
whether a candidate is the right person for the volunteer position. After the training, both trainers and
volunteer coordinators can still decide about volunteer ́s selection.
• Observation during probation or providing taster visit: this selection method aim to observe the
potential volunteer during the first encounter with the beneficiaries. The taster visit or probation itself
calls to probe the volunteer experience. If the volunteer or observer which might be staff, trainer or/and
volunteer coordinator thinks that this position is not suitable for the candidate and the expectations might
not be met even in the future (so they can all decide about not
involving the candidate into the volunteer activity).
• Opportunities during formal or informal supervision
or in evaluation: even after several visits and volunteer
involvement, both volunteer and staff (E.g. volunteer
coordinator, supervisor, mentor trainer, etc.) might see that
the candidate

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is not the right person for the volunteer position. They might have an informal or formal discussion about the
volunteer involvement at some volunteer formal or informal session/supervision and evaluation. According
to the results of these processes it should be decided about finishing the contract with volunteer or not.
10.4.2.1 Screening questions
There are four groups of questions you could use for screening volunteers which uncover the
volunteer’s motivation, abilities, interests and personality. (BrozmanováGregorová, Mračková
2014). It must be noted that several authors who analyze the volunteering and its motivations point out
that these could be multiple and they are not always all which are expressed explicitly (Arias, B., Boni, A.,
and others. 2015, P.20). According to this, the next categories could be Highlighted)
• Questions uncovering the motivations:
- Why have you selected our organisation/this volunteer activity in our organisation?
- What do you expect from this volunteer activity? What do you think/expect you will do?
- What is the most interesting point for you on this activity/in our organisation?
- How would you describe our clients or environment we work in?
• Questions about personal values:
- Would you describe the importance that volunteering have for you, in the following items:
a) Works for the future generations and acts in a responsible way.
b) Means sensitivity towards other people feelings, necessities and life (sense of a global humanity
with common necessities and rights).
c) Shows your own worth and your individuality.
d) Teaches to live with social differences and resolves conflicts in a non-violent way.
e) Critical awareness; investigator and non-conformist attitude.
f) Promotes commitment with social justice and equity: interest and concern about global issues.
g) Promotes commitment with justice and a fair world.
h) Promotes effectiveness sense and the idea that everyone can have an impact on others’ lives.
i) Works towards a social change.
• Questions concentrating on free time activities and interest:
- What do you do in your free time? Which are your hobbies?
- How much time are you able to volunteer per week/month?
- How much time do you spend at work per day?
• Questions focused on skills and experiences:
- Which are your skills or abilities you could use in our organisation?

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- Can you list the types of activities you like doing? What kind of activities you prefer to avoid?
- Have you volunteered before? What is your volunteer experience?
- Have you some experience in negotiation and to reach compromises?
- Which way do you think people could be influenced and leaded into a change?
- Do you fancy discussing? Do you consider you are skilled to speak your mind?
- Do you consider yourself a creative person? Would you like to take part in supportive projects, proposing
original, different ideas?
• Personality and attitude questions:
- What are your strengths/weaknesses?
- What would you do if....? How do you solve this situation...?
How would you proceed?
- What do you do when a situation is different than the one
you have expected to be?
- How do you feel when...?
- What do you think about....?
10.4.2.2 Acknowledging applications to be a volunteer
The selection procedure will usually lead to a clear–cut outcome. Respond to everyone who applies to
be a volunteer in your organisation, no matter what selection process it is implemented. Use
a letter or an e-mail, depending on how the organisation receives the information and its usual processes.
It is important to thank everyone for their interest and their application. Prompt, courteous and respectful
responses help maintain a positive view of your organisation in a community. (Creative New Zealand, 2014).
If the applicant is suitable, an appointment should be arranged for an orientation session/training. If only a
limited number of volunteers at the time can be used, but the entity could need more volunteers later, ask
applicants for consent to keep their details on file so they can be contacted in the future.
10.4.2.3 Contacting an unsuccessful applicant having to say ‘no’
If no match can be made, the selection team and volunteer coordinator face a much less enjoyable part of
the recruitment process: turning down an offer of help. When telling an interviewee their application wasn’t
successful, be honest about the reasons why this decision was taken. Although it can be difficult to say
no, taking on someone who is not suitable for a role inevitably causes problems.
As with the matching process, there is no magic hint to make this step easy and it’s tempting to hope that
people will forget or just lose interest if they are not got in touch. However, it can be quite a challenge for
some people to undergo a selection process, and they deserve to be given a decision (even if it’s not the one
they want). (Volunteer Now, 2012)
Exercise 10.11:
Asking the right
questions

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If the applicant is unsuitable, or if doubts about suitability persist, options to consider include:
• Arranging for work on a trial basis.
• Directing the applicant to a more suitable placement.
• Suggesting further training.
• Wait–listing the applicant for a more suitable position in the future.
• Where applicants are unable to be placed within the organisation, it is important that they receive
feedback about why not.
Volunteer Now provides some tips for saying no:
• Don’t put off telling volunteers for too long - this will only add insult to injury.
• Be clear why you are turning down the offer. Is the problem with the volunteer or the role? Is there any
way to overcome this?
• While there is no need to spell out the volunteer’s shortcomings, if a volunteer asks a straight question,
try to be honest. Don’t get caught up in elaborate ‘explanations’.
• Be caring and sensitive. Provide every opportunity for the volunteer to ‘save face’. Emphasise your
appreciation of their offer. Acknowledge any negative feelings s/he expresses. Is there anything you can do
for the volunteer - redirect to other types of work; suggest
relevant training; identify other ways to meet the needs
they had hoped to fulfil through volunteering?
However, don’t just pass your ‘problem’ onto someone else.
(Volunteer Now, 2012)
10.5. Preparing volunteers
Volunteers should be prepared for a proper and effective performance of their duties, under penalty of
having behavioural and executional levels totally inadequate for the organisation’s goals. Volunteering
requires commitment with the organisation and responsibility towards its beneficiaries, so preparation is a
facilitating factor for volunteers’ integration and adaptation.
The elements and stages that can be part of the preparation process of volunteers for a development project
could be:
• Orientation: process of preparing volunteers for a clear relationship with the organisation (E.g. Welcoming
volunteers, explaining the foundation and practical arrangements of the organisation, expectations on
their contribute to the organisation’s purpose, etc.). The importance of orientation can be translated in
three questions:
- Why should the volunteer work in the organisation? (cause orientation): presentation of organisation’s
history, mission, vision, values and goals, the problem/cause they address, the target group, projects and
services, competition and differentiating factors.
Exercise 10.12:
Interview

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- How will the volunteer work in the organisation? (system orientation): presentation of organisation’s
general procedures and regulations and volunteer management programme and processes.
- How does the volunteer fit within the organisation’s team? (social orientation): presentation of internal
teams, operational staff and volunteers, and description of the organisation’s culture.
• Training: Process of creating or mobilizing capacities and competences to the most adequate performance
of the volunteer work in the organisation. There can be:
- Initial training: general training about roles, responsibilities, expectations, etc.;
- Specific training: prepares volunteers for specific tasks and conditions related to their positions or projects.
• Coaching: process of teaching and renewing skills that can be done in formal training sessions or
individually. A proper coaching process follows three steps:
a) Demonstration of competence to be learned or improved;
b) Observation of volunteer trying the skill;
c) Feedback and analysis to understand how and why.
• Counselling: process of troubleshooting, problem solving or behaviour improvement through the
volunteer, supporting the person to recognize the problem and take responsibility for their resolution or
improvement, helping volunteers to find out how to improve their performance.
• Mentoring: process of volunteers integration using a method that simultaneously makes volunteers feel
welcome/belonging and improves their knowledge/skills through the establishment of formal relations
with more experienced volunteers. Mentors provide personal connection to the organisation, encouraging
and supporting the newcomers.
10.5.1 Volunteer information kit
Volunteer information kit can be a useful tool for interested potential volunteers to ensure
they are provided with all information needed for applying into development programmes.
Volunteer information kit is a clearly written tool provided to potential volunteers.
An information kit may include:
• Details about the organisation, such as its mission, purpose, history and the programme in which
volunteering is involved.
• Management chart for the organisation and lines of communication.
• The types of volunteer positions available.
• The nature of volunteer work.
• The amount of time the work will require.
• In the case of international volunteering, information about the hosting organisation that manages the

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local project (including the details of the supervisor who attends any problem of the volunteering in the
hosting country).
• Information about the money that is given to the organisation, transport, food, accommodation and
training and how much. Also how much of the money paid by the volunteer (if any) the organisation
invests in the local communities and the projects with which the person collaborates.
• Information about all kind of public or private aids for the expenses of the volunteers.
• Group of rights and duties which correspond to the both parts in relation to the current regulation.
• Causes and forms which can lead into a disassociation from the organisation.
• Application form.
• Experience and skills required.
• Information about any compulsory training sessions and the time they will occupy, both before the
position begins and during its course
• Instructions on how, when, where and to whom applications should be made, including name(s) and
contact details.
• It can be interesting to facilitate contacts of other volunteers that have had a similar experience in this
project, community, region, etc.
10.6 Supervising and motivating volunteers
10.6.1. Supervision
Efficient volunteer coordinators need management skills as they may have to directly supervise volunteers
or at least make sure that the staff designated to supervise those volunteers works with them conveniently.
Knowledge, however, is needed to manage direct relationships or to manage relations between volunteers
and those who have a direct connection to their work.
A key feature of the coordinator’s job is to work indirectly through other people, making sure
that things are done, enabling others to do their job and achieving results through them. Manage
people successfully involves ensuring that they want and are able to do the work that needs to be done. The
role of volunteers manager is to create the conditions that encourage them to do the work expected, giving
them different degrees of empowerment accordingly to their capacities.
In this sense, Mc Curley and Lynch (2011), describes four levels of control to characterize the different types
of authority that volunteers have to define their responsibilities.
1. Authority to define tasks with no obligation to report to the coordinator or supervisor.
2. Authority to define tasks reporting progress to the coordinator or supervisor.

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3. Authority to suggest the tasks’ definition.
4. No authority to tasks’ definition.
As volunteers gain knowledge and experience during the implementation of a programme, they can move
from a more comprehensive to a more relaxed level of control. That means that they are doing their work
properly and manage to get more confidence and auto reflective. A self-confident volunteer is much more
productive than a person who doesn’t have a particular self-concept as that person presents and performs a
work which is sure about and try to give as much as possible.
Organisations can achieve better results with autonomous volunteers, giving them authority to decide (within
limits) how they will achieve the results for which they are responsible. The volunteer coordinator becomes
a source of assistance for the volunteers, more than a controller, allowing them to feel more involved and
spending less time making decisions about their work.
However, level 1 may have the following drawbacks: on the one hand, volunteers may feel that their work is
not valued and on the other hand, they can go disconnecting from the organisation. Supervision contributes
to make progress towards the target and have the possibility to make any kind of change if necessary.
According to this, it is important to establish checkpoints and a calendar with scheduled control sessions.
The supervision can also contribute to detect how volunteers feel with the tasks performed and to detect
if they are bored in their current position or are already prepared to occupy another position more related
to their knowledge and experience gained. Thereby they will also increase their performance and improve
their motivation. In this way, the volunteer coordinator can relocate the volunteers and make them feel
comfortable in their job, increasing their motivation to continue collaborating with the organisation.
The volunteer coordinator has to empower volunteers primarily by encouraging their participation. Different
types of questions can be used to achieve this goal, allowing volunteers to express their points of view. A
good coordinator acting as supervisor does not have all the answers but encourages the participation of
volunteers in the management of the affairs and generates a greater confidence in themselves. It is essential
that the volunteers consider themselves as a part of the organisation in order to help them to feel welcome,
respected and motivated to continue the work in the future.
To carry out an effective supervision of volunteering, two conditions must be met. One, volunteers feel that
their work is valued because they have the constant attention of their supervisor. Two, all the volunteers
participate in the decision making and the activities with the same status.
In relation to international volunteering, supervision is more complex and generates problems of
communication, satisfaction and performance between volunteers and the headquarters. The main obstacles
are logistical and interpersonal issues. To deal with these difficulties, which means working away from the
headquarters, efforts must be concentrated mainly in three areas:
A.Bonding.Strengtheningpersonalrelationshipsthatimprovecommunicationinbothdirections,headquarters
and field staff.
B. Communication. The coordinator must make a special effort to communicate the decisions made, ask
the volunteers for their opinions, give visibility to the progress made in the organisation and the work
performed by the other volunteers in the central office.

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C.Monitor. The autonomy and independence that characterizes
international volunteering can be counterproductive for an
efficient management if there is no constant monitoring by
the coordinator.
10.6.2 Motivation
Motivation is an essential aspect when working with volunteers as they could have a different one to carry
out their performance in the organisation. This is why entities must make big efforts and devote its time to
the motivation of those aiming to cooperate with them.
There are several theories about motivations. Herzberg (1959) classifies the factors that influence
motivation into two major groups: hygiene factors (external factors such as physical conditions of work,
safety, organisational procedures, relationships, etc.) and motivation factors. These ones are those that
constitute the motivation itself and act once the external factors are fulfilled. The motivating factors are:
• Achievement or fulfilment, the opportunity to do interesting things.
• Recognition of a job well done.
• Interest in one’s own work, stimulating tasks that allow one to
develop.
• Increased responsibility.
10.7 Recognizing volunteers
Demonstrating appreciation for and recognizing volunteer contributions to the organisation
is important on many levels. It helps to improve volunteer programmes and retention rates, and will
bring new ideas and points of view that may improve the organisation. Keeping volunteers avoids having the
permanent effort to recruit, integrate and prepare new ones. A motivated volunteer is that one who wants
to do the work that needs to be done within the organisation’s spirit and guidelines.
Volunteers want to enjoy their experience and feel their efforts are appreciated. At the same time, saying
thanks and formally recognizing volunteers is important to keep them motivated so they’ll keep volunteering.
Volunteers are ambassadors (representing the organisation during programs, at events, etc.) and their
volunteer experience will directly impact the way in which they represent or personify your organisation
and its mission.
Trouble keeping volunteers can be a sign of motivation problems. A motivated volunteer is someone who
has a volunteering experience that allows to find the match of the most rewarding individual motivational
needs with those more productive for the organisation. The most often reasons of volunteer burn-out and
leaving defined by J.Tošner and O. Sozanská are:
• Too large difference between volunteers expectations and reality.
Exercise 10.3:
A supervising plan
Obra Social, Fundación “la
Caixa”. (2009). Manual de
Gestión del Voluntariado.
in Spanish here)

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• Feelings their help is useless.
• No feedback and no appreciation.
• Tasks are too homogenous, routine and there is no explanation why.
• No support from other volunteers, staff, executives or tensions between staff and volunteers or between
volunteers/staff themselves.
• No possibility for the personal growth.
• No or little options for initiative and creativity.
(Tošner and Sozanská, 2002)
Motivation is crafted by rewarding volunteering experiences and systems that allow the volunteers meet
their needs. Volunteers must receive their “motivational remuneration” (recognition) in relation to the
valuable contributions they provide in the course of their experience. As each volunteer is unique, each
one has a kind of “motivational remuneration” that may change over time and have different combinations.
Depending on each motivation’s source, there is an adequate recognition or set of recognitions.
David McClelland, John Atkinson et al classified volunteer motivators into three main types: achievement,
affiliation and power-oriented.
• Achievement: Volunteers motivated by achievement welcome challenges and are result- oriented, risk
takers and innovative. They often prefer working alone, like well delegated tasks, concrete feedback and
a hands-off management style.
• Affiliation: Volunteers motivated by affiliation measure success based on relationships, such as working
with a wide variety of people. They support others in achieving goals and are sensitive to the feelings and
needs of others. In contrast to achievement motivated individuals, they may not focus on the goals, but
rather sacrifice goals/timelines to the relationships they are developing, trying to keep everyone happy.
Affiliators tend to seek/need approval and often take criticism poorly.
• Power: Volunteers motivated by power thrive on the opportunity to make a difference in others’ lives.
They like to use their influence and skills to bring about change. They are opinion shapers, and articulate
and charismatic leaders. Sometimes power is viewed negatively, but in this case of power motivation, it is
the use of personal power for the benefit of all.
(McClelland , Atkinson, Clark and Lowell 1953)
It is important to realise that a volunteer’s needs may change over time and their motivators may be a
combination of types and change over time as well. The art of further motivating volunteers lies not only in
knowing how to tap a given motivator, but in being able to figure out what combination of needs a particular
volunteer has. Each motivation style requires a different recognition plan. If people are rewarded in a way
that is significant or relevant to them then the recognition process is most effective. Volunteer coordinators
need to make every effort to use personalized recognition to build an ongoing relationship with each
volunteer. Recognition should be given on an ongoing basis and be integrated into the overall experience of
each volunteer. In such way recognition should take into consideration all three motivation styles:

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• Achievement: Goal attainment and measurable results motivate achievers. They like awards that detail their
involvement with a project. They value documented recognition like letters that can be used in personnel files.
• Affiliation: Individuals motivated by affiliation measure success based on relationships. They like thank-
you notes, small gifts, social get-togethers, name badges, team projects, special event T-shirts, etc.
• Power: These individuals are motivated by the opportunity to
make a difference in others’ lives. They like public recognition,
praise for their work in front of others, reference letters,
leadership roles, the opportunity to be listened to and see their
ideas put into action.
UNH (2011).
Working with Volunteers:
Volunteer Motivation,
Recognition and Retention. (See
document online here)
Volunteering Australia (2003) comes with some good practice examples of recognition and rewards you can use:
Start off on the right foot
• Match the volunteer’s desires with the organisation’s needs.
• Develop a volunteer policy for your organisation.
• Accept that an individual volunteer’s ability to commit may change over time.
• Ensure volunteers have adequate space and equipment to do their work.
• Ensure a safe and healthy working environment.
• Ensure confidentiality for your volunteers.
• Provide a clear role description for every volunteer.
• Make sure new volunteers are welcomed warmly.
• Give volunteers a proper induction.
• Provide car or bike parking for volunteers.
• Devote resources (time and money) to volunteer support.
• Maintain Occupational Health and Safety standards.
• Provide the opportunity for volunteers to take leave of absence.
• Have a vision for volunteer involvement in your organisation.
Easy every day and cost. Free ways to acknowledge your volunteers
• Always be courteous.
• Always greet your volunteers by name.
• Say ‘thank you’ often, and mean it.
• Recognise that volunteers play a unique role.
• Be honest at all times.
• Help volunteers feel good about themselves.
• Create a climate in which volunteers can feel motivated. Do not overwhelm volunteers.
• Always be appreciative of volunteers’ contributions.
• Give volunteers a real voice within the organisation.
• Tell volunteers they have done a good job.
• Suggest sources of help and support for personal problems.
• Know the volunteers’ names, the names of their partners, kids or pets and ask about how they are.

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Ways to show you value your volunteers’ input
• Ask volunteers for ideas of how the organisation can show it cares.
• Encourage them to sit on committees and attend meetings.
• Allow volunteers to take on more challenging responsibilities.
• Encourage volunteer participation in planning that affects their work.
• Enable volunteers to ‘grow’ on the job.
• Send articles about your volunteer(s) to the (local) newspaper or run them in your newsletter.
• Include their name on a program they helped organise.
• Ask volunteers to share their ideas.
• Share the results of program evaluations with volunteers so they can see their impact on clients
and programs.
• Review the progress of volunteers on a regular basis.
• Provide constructive appraisal.
• Allow volunteers to get involved in solving problems.
• Learn what motivates each volunteer, and make your recognition appropriate to what he or she
thinks is important.
• Give volunteers tasks in which they will be successful.
• Make sure the volunteers are doing work that is meaningful to them and the community. Pro-
mote volunteers to other roles that take better advantage of their talents.
• Highlight the impact that the volunteers’ contribution is having on the organisation.
• Always have work for your volunteers do, and never waste their time.
• Provide meaningful and enjoyable work.
• Give volunteers an opportunity to debrief, especially if they work in stressful situations.
• Let volunteers put their names to something they have helped to produce or to make happen.
Use surveys as a way of eliciting your volunteers ́ views.
• Take the time to explain and listen to volunteer’s ideas and concerns.
• Ask volunteers to give presentations or lead meetings.
• Ask volunteers to train other volunteers, for example, older volunteers to mentor the young.
Make sure the volunteer coordinator is easily accessible.
• Supervise volunteers work.
• Set up a volunteer support group.
• Do not impose new policies and procedures without volunteers input.
• Ask volunteers opinions when developing new policies and strategies.
• Maintain regular contact with volunteers, even if they work off.
• Use quotes from volunteers in leaflets and annual reports.
Some tips that may involve a slight cost
• Provide excellent training and coaching.
• Reimburse out-of-pocket expenses.
• A personal note to say ‘thanks’ for a job well done.
• Thank them in a newsletter.

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• Pay registration fees (or part of) for continuing education classes or conferences.
• Have a letter to the volunteer from (or a visit with) a person who has benefited from the volun-
teer’s services.
• Let the volunteer really see, hear and feel the end result of their work.
• Have staff and clients write comments and quotes about the difference volunteers make, and
have these printed in a booklet and share data on a recognition event.
• Create a volunteer notice board.
• Provide free refreshments during coffee and tea breaks.
• Nominate your volunteers for community awards.
Annual/one-off recognition ideas
• Conduct an exit interview when a volunteer leaves.
• Feature your volunteers at special events throughout the year.
• Farewell volunteers when they move away from the area or leave the organisation.
• Provide letters of reference.
• Recommend volunteers to prospective employers.
• Help interested volunteers prepare their resumes, emphasising the skills they have developed
through their volunteer work.
• Send birthday cards.
• Present volunteers with a special memento recognising their service to the organisation.
• Present special awards for 1,3,5,10 and more years of service.
• Nominate a volunteer of the month, put up their picture in your office and send it to the
• Local newspaper.
• If you work with children, ask them to make thank-you cards for volunteers.
Exercise 10.5:
Why are you
unmotivated?
Volunteering Australia,
2003. (See document online
here)
10.8 Evaluation of volunteers, overall programme and
volunteer programme
The evaluation of volunteer experiences provides important feedback for volunteer coordinators, an
organisation, administrators, managers and individual volunteers about volunteering programmes and
processes. Volunteer coordinators are often asked to demonstrate the value of their programme. By
evaluation, the information about volunteers programmes and its outcomes or impact can
be collected in order to improve effectiveness, to reduce uncertainties, make corrections and
learn. Evaluation must be at the end as well as at the beginning of the volunteer management cycle.

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Evaluations should be conducted consistently, preferably on an annual basis or six months basis depending
on the length of volunteer involvement and the length of volunteer programme.
Evaluations of volunteer experience brings the following benefits:
• It collects information on the volunteers’ performance (delegated tasks, volunteers’ achievements and
development, and project’s implementation) in a regular manner.
• It assess to what extent the goals set regarding volunteers’ development has been reached and what has
to be improved.
• It assess whether the action taken was a proper and efficient one for the volunteers or not. If it is seen that
simply something does not work, the action must be redefined.
• It helps assessing the structure and impact of the organisation. Is the way the organisation works efficient
and effective?
• Regular evaluation, at different stages of the volunteer and organisation cooperation, gives the volunteer
coordinator the big picture and, as a result, more control over the whole process.
• It assesses the effect of organisation ́s activities, defines recommendations and has an impact on future
actions.
AsFisher&Colestatevolunteercoordinatorsshouldconsiderevaluatingthreecomponents:theperformance
of the individual volunteer, the efficiency of the overall program and the effectiveness of the volunteer
program.
• An evaluation of the contributions of a volunteer should involve opportunities for self- evaluation by
the individual volunteer as well as external evaluation by appropriate paid staff and coordinators. The
evaluation should look at whether the goals of the volunteer position have been met.
• Efficiency of the programme means an examination of the tasks volunteers perform, their satisfaction with
the programme, their retention, and the effectiveness of paid staff’s participation and support.
A process evaluation also examines the coordination and administration of a programme, the adequacy
of supervision, the effectiveness of training, the level of staff and budgetary support available and
performance expectation. It reviews lines of communication and accountability and identifies potential
sources of internal conflict. (Fisher & Cole, 1992, p. 140)
• Programme effectiveness includes two components: results (outputs) and outcomes. “Evaluation of results
looks at the direct outputs of a programme, the products and services that a program provides.” (Fisher
& Cole, 1993, p. 140). This type of evaluation usually includes the numbers of clients served, programmes
conducted, and services provided. This evaluation looks at the external effectiveness of the programme
(how the program met its goals and objectives).
Volunteer coordinators may also document the numbers of volunteers recruited, trained, placed, as well as
the hours contributed. Information about the time commitment involved, and suggestions for improving
and expanding the programme should be collected.
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the volunteers, beneficiaries/community and the staff (including the volunteer coordinator). By gathering
information from all of these target groups, a more accurate evaluation of the total volunteer experience
may be achieved.
• What is evaluated by a volunteer and how?
a) On the level of the performance volunteers can evaluate and measure:
- Fulfilling their own expectations (regarding the role).
- Lessons learned and competences gained.
- Difficulties and challenges as well as successes.
b) On the level of efficiency volunteers can evaluate and measure:
- Fulfilling their own expectations (regarding management, line manager and other staff involved,
beneficiaries, etc.),
- What should be changed or future expectations towards role, management, colleagues, policies, trainings etc.
- Useful and not useful moments, tools, support.
- The possibility of future involvement of volunteers at the same place/back home/ at another deployment.
Useful tools which can be used in the evaluation process are personal interviews and anonymous
questionnaires.
• What is evaluated by the beneficiaries or members of the community to whom volunteer is serving and
how?
a) On the level of the performance the staff or volunteer coordinator can evaluate and measure:
- What is useful/what is not (activities done by volunteers), what should be changed.
- Expectations and recommendations towards the future work of volunteers.
b) On the level of efficiency beneficiaries and members can evaluate and measure:
- Satisfaction with the volunteers (communication, performance, reliability).
c) On the level of programme ́s effectiveness beneficiaries and members can evaluate and measure:
- Performance and impact on the beneficiaries. What has been changed/done by volunteer involvement?
What is the difference in comparing when the volunteer is not there?
Tools which can be used in evaluation process are interviews and (anonymous) questionnaires.
• What is evaluated by the staff or volunteer coordinator and how?
- What is useful/what is not (activities done by volunteers), what should be changed.
- Expectations and recommendations towards the future work of volunteers.
b) On the level of efficiency beneficiaries and members can evaluate and measure:
- Satisfaction with the volunteers (communication, performance, reliability).

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c) On the level of programme ́s effectiveness beneficiaries and members can evaluate and measure:
- Performance and impact on the beneficiaries. What has been changed/done by volunteer involvement?
What is the difference in comparing when the volunteer is not there?
Tools which can be used in evaluation process are interviews and (anonymous) questionnaires.
• What is evaluated by the staff or volunteer coordinator and how?
- Fulfilment of qualitative and quantitative indicators/performance objectives stated at the beginning
when planning volunteer programme.
- Unexpected good results, difficulties and challenges.
b) On the level of efficiency the staff or volunteer coordinator can evaluate and measure:
- Change of staff attitude towards volunteering/volunteers in the organisations involved.
- Difficulties, risks and challenges when working with volunteers.
- What should be changed (in terms of management, policies or support).
c) On the level of programme ́s effectiveness the staff or volunteer coordinator can evaluate and measure:
- What other activities should be done by volunteers, new task assignments, needs assessment.
- Volunteer contributions to the goal of organisation or services
provided, volunteer contribution on the
improvement of quality services provided.
Tools which can be used in evaluation process might
be interviews, (anonymous) questionnaires and regular
monitoring.
Exercise 10.4:
A short guide to
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Title Evaluation of Volunteer Applications
Overview The idea of the exercise is to practice the volunteer application evaluation
by using real candidatures and emails that could open among participants’
discussions and exchanges of practices on the development of recruitment
processes of volunteers.
Goal • Evaluate what types of volunteers apply to a position and find the most
suitable ones for an entity.
• Identify those skills among candidates in a selection process that could be
better to build a balanced team or propose target activities for them that
could increase the impact of a development project.
Space requirement A seminar room with chairs and tables for all the participants.
Group size From 4 to 6 people (if the group if bigger it can be divided by smaller teams).
Material needed • Pens and papers for all the participants.
• A flipchart or board as visual support for the participants (a projector or
computer can be also used).
• Printed copies of the sample emails and answers to candidates that
can be found here (as much copies and samples as considered by the
facilitator). They can be also showed with a projector.
Procedure Before starting the activity, the facilitator must divide participants in small
groups of 4 to 6 people each that should be sat around one table. They will
be provided with pens, papers and the printed materials needed for the ac-
tivity (see “Materials needed” section). These materials can be also shared
through a presentation with a computer so the facilitator can implement a
whole group cooperation.
Related to Unit 8
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• Step 1:
The facilitator explains participants that they have received different
samples of emails and candidatures that normally organisations get during
a selection process. Their task will be to analyze them inside each group
and answer several questions related to each one (that could be written in
a board or given to participants as photocopies by the facilitator):
- Is this email from a voluntourist, unskilled volunteer or skilled volunteer?
- How did you evaluate which category the applicant belongs as above?
- What may be the weak points for this applicant?
- What may be the strengths of this applicant?
- Would you need more information about the applicant?
• Step 2:
Once the previous work is done, the facilitator will read aloud the emails
and answers. After reading them, time will be given to each group to share
their conclusions related to that email and candidate. As a big group, all
the participants must check if they have agreed on the identification of the
candidates and if they consider that the answers provided to them on the
handouts are the appropriate ones, why or how they could be improved.
Debriefing and
follow-up
It is important that during the Step 2 of this exercise participants discuss
not only if the answers given to candidates were the appropriate ones,
but also if emailing is a suitable tool to evaluate a volunteer candidate.
The facilitator must also here invite participants to share their experiences
on this kind of processes and describe which systems are used on their
organisations for ensuring a valid recruitment.
To closetheactivity,the facilitator must remind participants the importance
of being very empathic when answering candidates and that they should
always ask for more information about the proposed volunteer when
needed. As volunteer coordinators, it is also important to tell participants
that emails should content as much information as could be needed for
the candidate and being very clear with sensitive issues (E.g. Try to get all
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Reference 8.2
Title Creating information packages for volunteers
Overview One of the responsibilities of the hosting organisation towards the volunteer
is to provide accurate information about the volunteer placement,
organisation, country, etc. In this exercise, participants need to think through
what information is needed by the volunteer at what stage and how to best
deliver it.
Goal • Make participants evaluate what information is needed by the volunteer
at different stages of a project preparation.
• Analyse the best ways of delivering information to volunteers during their
preparation.
• Reflect about the potential profiles of volunteers and if they could influ-
ence their preparation.
Type of activity Mapping exercise, group discussion, team building.
Space requirement Working space that has enough room for having a group discussion without
disturbing others or one large room for everyone and smaller rooms for
the group work.
Group size 5 to 20 people (that should be divided in teams of 4 to 6 people depending
on the number of participants). Ideally the number of participants should
match with the number of groups (E.g. 4 people into 4 groups).
Material needed
• Big pieces of blank paper (flipcharts) and markers.
• Tape or glue.
• Sample cards in English (to be translated by training organisation).
- Annex 8.2.1: Types of volunteer cards (printed and cut).
- Annex 8.2.2: Information headlines cards (printed and cut).
- Annex 8.2.3: Empty cards (printed and cut).
• Empty map template (Annex 8.2.4) (printed or it can be made in a flipchart
by participants).
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• Step 1:
Thefacilitatorintroducestheactivitybyhighlightingnotonlytheimportance
of using suitable info packs for volunteers but also the timing and phases
that must be established to provided them the information and materials
needed to take part on a volunteering project (E.g. travel info, work
agreement, code of conduct, etc.). Here, the facilitator must also present
to participants the different organisations’ roles and responsibilities (see
theoretical part related to this unit and exercise that can be resumed or
included in a computer presentation).
• Step 2:
Participants are divided in small groups (4 to 6 people) and explained
the different materials to be used during the exercise. Each group should
receive:
- Annex 8.2.1: Types of volunteer cards (printed and cut).
- Annex 8.2.2: Information headlines cards (printed and cut).
- Annex 8.2.3: Empty cards (printed and cut).
- Annex 8.2.4: Empty map (printed or it can be made in a flipchart by
participants).
The target of the exercise (explained here by the facilitator) is that each
group complete the empty maps given with the cards provided. On the
upper line of the map, they would need to set the types of volunteers
cards (Annex 8.2.1). The other sections of the map will be used to set the
information headlines cards (Annex 8.2.2) depending on the time on which
potential volunteers should get these elements according to their profile,
type of project and preparation time. As the exercise includes different
types of volunteers, participants can work with all of them or only with
some depending on the time available. Where to set each card must be
discussed inside each group and agreed by all its members. If any elements
are missing, participants can use the empty cards to write them and add
them to the map template.
• Step 3:
Once all the participants have worked on their maps, they will be invited to
stick the cards on them and present them and their conclusions to the rest
of the group (team by team). As an extra part of this activity, the facilitator
can invite groups to exchange their maps and discuss if they agree with the
work done by the other learners or if they would make any changes.
• Step 4:
The facilitator guides a conclusions discussion and evaluation to get the
feedback of participants about the exercise.
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Debriefing and
follow-up
As final debriefing, it is important that during the Step 4 the group takes
part in a conclusions discussion to evaluate the exercise and get the
feedback of its learners. Some useful questions to be done during this part
or that the facilitator should consider for it could be:
• Did participants understand the different roles and responsibilities of the
organisations involved in a volunteering project?
• Did participants consider different motivations and needs of different
type of volunteers?
• How did participants divide the multitude of information? Did they leave
something out?
• Was any information added that was not in the cards?
• Did participants consider creative or new ways of delivering the
information or the time to do it?
As a follow up, participants can be asked to document the way of providing
information to volunteers in their organisations. They can then highlight
their main points, similarities, differences and share with the other
participants their conclusions. The facilitator should here encourage
participants to provide feedback and additions afterwards.
Tips for the
facilitation
It would be good to have minimum 2 facilitators for this exercise. Do help
groups get going with the mapping, if they have difficulties to start. In case
it seems too difficult, provide simple examples. This exercise also includes a
supportive annex and example of map completed for the activity facilitator
(Annex 8.2.5).
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Annex 8.2.1
Types of volunteer cards
Short-term volunteer of 18 years old
Long-term volunteer of 25 years old,
graduate of social work
Group of big corporate volunteers
Family of 2 adults and 2 children between
10-14 years
Web developer willing to commit 4-6 hours
a month
Senior citizen who is retired
Young person of 15 years old who goes to
the school on the mornings
An unemployed girl of 29 years old who still
lives with her family
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Annex 8.2.2
Information headlines cards
Organisation code of conduct Project target and objective
Local culture What to bring
Project needs and requirements Work agreement
Accommodation and food Travel information
Volunteer positions/opportunities Cancellation policy
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Annex 8.2.3
Empty cards
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Annex 8.2.4
Empty map
12 – 6 months
6 – 3 months
3 – 1 months
Project starts
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Annex 8.2.5
Map sample for the facilitator
Short term volunteers Long term volunteer
Senior citizen who is
retired
12 – 6 months Volunteer positions
Project needs and
requirements
6 – 3 months
Project target and
objective
Work agreement
3 – 1 months
Work agreement
Travel info
What to bring
What to bring
Project starts Project placement
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Reference 8.3
Title Creating In Country Pre Program Orientation
Overview This exercise aims to create and process a specific in country orientation at
arrival of the volunteer. Participants need to explore and understand that
preparation is the base of a good project implementation and avoiding risks
or conflicts between the parts involved in this kind of initiatives.
Goal • Get a new volunteer accustomed to the physical surroundings, possible
risks, cultural issues and a programme placement.
• Understand the importance of a good preparation to avoid problems
during a project implementation.
• Exchange good practices among professionals on the orientation of
volunteers to development projects environments.
Type of activity Mapping exercise, group discussion, group work.
Space requirement Working room that has enough space for having a group discussion with-
out disturbing others or one large room for everyone and smaller rooms
for group work.
Group size 4 to 20 people (Form groups of 4 to 6 people depending on the number of
participants).
Material needed • Computer and projector.
• Papers and pens to take notes.
• Flipcharts and markers.
• Presentation and example of an orientation plan. The facilitator can
also create or use other kind of examples (good or bad) to generate a
discussion between participants). Sample presentations that can be used
here:
a) Sample 1 (click here to download).
b) Sample 2 (click here to download).
• Printed material (theory of this manual) for creating a discussion (if
needed).
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• Step 1:
In order to introduce the activity the facilitator explains to participants the
importance of providing volunteer with a detailed infopack and materials
before their departure and at the arrival to a hosting organisation.
• Step 2:
Apresentationorexampleofanorientationplanispresentedtoparticipants
in order to be analysed (the one attached to this exercise and included
on its materials can be used). The target of this presentation is to open a
debate about it and those elements that an appropriate orientation plan
should have.
• Step 3:
Participants divided in small group (4 to 6 people) are asked to continue
with the previous discussion and list those issues that an orientation plan
should include. Once this is done, they should create an structure, map or
summary of an orientation plan for one of their volunteer programmes or
organisations (they can also agree to do a plan for an invented position in a
development project). If time and equipment is available, participants can
also prepare this material as a presentation to be showed.
• Step 4:
Participants show their presentations to the rest of the groups and discuss
after each of them the strongest points of each of them, missing parts,
similarities, etc.
Debriefing and
follow-up
As a debriefing of the exercise, the facilitator can invite participants to list
all together in a flipchart the conclussions of the activity and elements that
a perfect orientation plan should have. Once this is done, the facilitator
could also present here the content and recommendations made on
this manual and related to this exercise (printed or in a presentation). It
is essential that all the participants get awareness about how to develop
good volunteer pre programme in country orientation and its importance
for the implementation of a development project
As a follow up of the activity, the facilitator can ask participants to create
new flow charts or orientation plans for their own entities and projects to
be supervised afterwards by the person leading the activity (this work can
be also done at home after the training session).
Tips for the
facilitation
It would be good to have minimum 2 facilitators for this exercise if the
number of working groups is high as they could probably demand regular
advice.
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Reference 8.4
Title How is my volunteering plan?
Overview
The exercise is a team or group reflection based on the assess proposed by
the authors of the EVOLVET manual about the plan for volunteer involvement.
Goal • Recognize an organisation’s capacity to integrate newcomers.
• Train participants’ skills to analyze the internal structures of their
organisations.
• EstablishthestartingpointforeveryNGObeforedevelopingavolunteering
plan.
Type of activity Group discussion, brain storming.
Space requirement • Training room with tables and chairs.
• List of questions (Annex 8.4).
Group size 10 to 30 persons.
Material needed • Paper and pencils.
Procedure Before starting the activity, the facilitator must have in mind that the
purpose of the exercise is to review and considered different issues
and points related to the organisation on which participants (volunteer
coordinators trainers or volunteer coordinators) are involved. According to
this, it is needed that participants are aware about the real situation of
their entities and the reality of its volunteering programmes. If possible,
it is recommended to have among learners groups of people belonging to
the same entity, so they can work in small teams on its analysis.
As the list of points to check is very long, the exercise can be implemented
with two approaches:
a) Participants from the same organisation can be sat together, given the
list of questions to answer and discuss them. During this time, they would
have the support of the facilitator who will solve their doubts, give them
advice or examples of good practices to find the suitable solutions to the
issues presented.
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b) The session can be used to present the list of questions and solve
potential brief doubts of participants about how to fill it in. Once all is
clear, participants would take this list as homework and give answer to its
questions with the rest of the staff of their entities.
In any of the cases, it is important that once all the teams have finished to
give answer to these questions (in or out of the working space), they are
provided with a time to share their results with the rest of the participants.
This will create a space of peer learning that will make possible to exchange
good practices among professionals on the volunteering field, get advice
from them, promote that participants help each other and reinforce the
cooperative spirit of the group.
Debriefing and
follow-up
During the presentation of each entity (or answers to the annex questions
related to it), the facilitator together with the other participants must
evaluate if the quality of the current volunteering structures of each entity
is the appropriate one. If not, all as a team (participants and facilitator)
should work on providing the best advice and procedures to support those
participants that could need it.
For those participants who are currently creating their volunteering
programmes and starting to build them, the list will be seen as a way to
design, discuss and agree the most suitable conditions that their entity
should achieve to have high quality procedures on this sense.
The facilitator must in any case highlight that “If you have not completed
the items on the list, then you still have preparations to finish before you
and your organisation can effectively involve volunteers”.
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Annex 8.4
Check list to revise our volunteering plan
• Do we have a clearly defined mission with long-range goals which relate to the community?
• Have staff and volunteers been involved developing the plan to accomplish these goals?
• Have they discussed the involvement of volunteers in accomplishing the mission of entity?
• Is the volunteer work to be done meaningful or significant to the entity, programme and clients?
• Can the need for the job be adequately explained to a potential volunteer?
• Can we describe how this job contributes to the mission of the organization?
• Can the work be done by a volunteer?
• Can it be reasonably split into tasks that can be done on evenings, weekends or part-time?
• Are the needed skills likely to be available from volunteers or can people be easily trained in the
knowledge and background needed?
• Is it cost effective to have the work done by volunteers?
• Will we spend more time, energy and money to recruit, orient, and train volunteers than we would
if we utilized staff?
• Are we looking at involvement on a long-term or short-term basis?
• Is there a support framework for the volunteer programme in existence?
• Do we have a person ready to act as Volunteer Programme Manager?
• Do we have volunteer programme policies and procedures included in the organisation plan and
budget?
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• Is our staff willing to have the work done by volunteers?
• Does all the staff understand their roles in relation to the utilization of volunteers? Can we explain to
volunteers which of their roles will be developed by working with other staff?
• Can we identify volunteers with skills to do the job?
• Are they likely to be available in our community?
• Will people want to do this volunteer job?
• Is it a rewarding and interesting job or have we simply tried to get rid of work that no one really
wants to do, paid or unpaid?
• Do we know what we will do with the volunteers after we get them?
• Do we have adequate space for them?
• Do we know who is in charge of them? Does that person know what they are doing?
• Do we know how we will evaluate success and how and to whom feedback will be given?
• Is the organization committed to the involvement of volunteers or is someone just looking for a
“quick fix” solution to their problem?
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Reference 8.5
Title Whose responsibility is it anyway?
Overview In this exercise participants are asked to evaluate different conflict situations
and think about the roles and responsibilities of all the parts involved on it.
Goal • Train the evaluation and analysing skills of participants and their capacities
to identify on the field problems.
• Provide solving conflict skills according to the roles and responsibilities
of each party involved in a confrontation (and in a development project).
• Allow the exchange of good practices, procedures and measures taken to
solve them.
Space requirement A working room that has enough space to carry out a group discussion. As
part of the activity must be done in small working groups, the room must be
big enough so they can work without disturbing each other (this can be also
solved by having other smaller rooms or spaces to allow this work in groups).
Group size No concrete size. Participants must form groups of 3 to 4 depending on the
total number of participants.
Material needed
• Chairs for all the participants.
• Papers (A4) and pens to take notes.
• Atrezzo or any kind of stuff that participants could use for their role play
and prepare their characters.
• Projector, speakers and laptop to show the videos.
• Videos downloaded to avoid problems (they can be also seen online)
based on real experiences of the partners of EVOLVET:
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Procedure Before starting the activity, the facilitator must ensure that all the
participants in the room understand the roles and responsibilities that all
the parts have in a volunteering development project. According to this,
it is recommended that the facilitator prepares a presentation about this
content according to the level of knowledge that learners could have on
the topic. If they are very experienced staff on volunteering development
projects, the presentation could be very brief. However, if they are new on
the field, it should be much longer (See the chapter 8 of this Toolkit 3 in
order to obtain the needed information on this sense).
• Step 1:
Once the facilitator has introduced the topic to participants through the
previously mentioned presentation, the videos included on this material
are showed to participants in order to present them two real examples of
- Video 1: Volunteer wants to go.
- Video 2: Volunteer bad attitude.

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problems or bad attitudes related to volunteers that are on the field. After
each video, the facilitator will lead a brief discussion among participants to
analyze what they have seen on the video and what happened on it.
• Step 2:
The facilitator divide the group in smaller teams (of 3 or 4 people depending
on the number of learners) and assign to each one of the previous videos
(it is not a problem if several teams are assigned with the same video as
their implementation of the activity will be always different). It is explained
then that participants must analyze again the videos and prepare a role
play of maximum 5 minutes showing a similar situation to the one that
appears on their video and a potential procedure to solve it. It is important
to highlight here that participants should involve in the performance to
all the members of their teams and take into consideration all the parts
involved in a volunteering development project and their responsibilities
on it. The facilitator should also remind here that, if possible, they base
their performances on real situations that they could have lived within
their organisations so it could be easier afterwards to analyze how the
issue was solved (or not) in reality.
• Step 3:
When the time to prepare the performances is finished, each team will
carry out its role play that will be discussed by the whole group. The
process will be the same with each performance:
a) Implementation of a role play by a team. If a video camera is available
(or using a mobile phone), it is useful to record the plays, ask participants
themselves to take a look at them later and comment during the final
reflection of the activity if they would change something.
b) Open brain storming to ask participants not involved in the performance
which was the problematic showed on the role play.
c) Direct questions to the team who performed the role play to see if
there is something that the group missed or if they want to provide more
information about the issue showed.
d) Invite participants to analyze how the situation was solved, provide
alternatives to this and mention which parts existing in a development
projectshouldbeinvolvedonthisresolutionandhow(Hostingorganisation,
volunteer, sending organisation, volunteer coordinators or intermediary
organisation (if any)). If the performance is based on a real situation, the
facilitator should invite the person that lived it or was part of it to share
with the group how the problem was managed in the real life.

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Debriefing and
follow-up
The activity already includes a small debriefing through the analysis of the
videos and performances done but it could be still interested to close the
whole activity with a big reflection by making questions to participants such
as:
• Did you understand the situations presented and differences between
them?
• Were you able to detect the different motivations and responsibilities of
parties involved on them?
• Do you usually use creative or new ways for solving this kind of situations?
Which ones?
• Was the blaming game played or were the situations solved with good
understanding?
• Did you acknowledge any responsibility of the volunteer?
As a follow up of the activity, the facilitator can invite participants to share
real problems or situations that they have faced as volunteer coordinators
within their entities and how they were solved.
Tips for the
facilitation
Videos are provocative for a purpose and can be a bit shocking for some
people. It is also important to remind participants about the time for their
performances as plays tend to go on longer than expected when they are
based on improvisation.

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Space requirement Empty training room or open space.
Material needed • Chairs for participants.
• Pens and papers to work during the activity.
• A board and markers for the facilitator.
• Step 1:
The facilitator explains to participants the aims of the activity and
divides them on small groups (4 to 6 people each). The idea is that each
group simulates both, the good and bad way to manage and settle an
organizational climate. According to this, they will be given with some time
(around 20 minutes) to discuss on their groups what they will perform and
how. Here are some examples that could be also provided by the facilitator
if needed:
- Example 1. A set of 2 or 3 people (entity staff) that have a “good” attitude
towards a third part (volunteers) and prepare, for instance, a nice welcome
reception to a group of volunteers. After that, the role play is repeated but
with a set of 2 or 3 people (entity staff) that have a “bad” attitude towards
a third part (volunteers) and do not welcome the new group of volunteers
or do it wrongly.
Reference 8.6
Title Organizational climate
Overview The activity helps to simulate a “good” or “bad” organizational climate and
allow participants to explore alternatives to solve it towards the benefit of all
the parts involved on it.
Goal • Recognize a group capacity to integrate newcomers.
• Exchange good practices among peers about the incorporation of new
members to their organisations.
• Detect the deficiencies of entities’ staff and overcome them by exchanging
methodologies and procedures.
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Procedure • Example 2. One volunteer manager receives a group of volunteers (2 or 3
people), explains the procedures of the organisation, shows the facilities
and introduces them to the staff and other volunteers. The role play is
repeated but doing the opposite: no one to receive properly the new
group of volunteers. For instance, letting then wait for a long time before
someone comes along (a person who is not the volunteer’s manager and
who distributes a leaflet and some tasks to do, sending them directly to
the work stations).
• Example3.Asetof2or3people(staffmembers),includingthevolunteer’s
manager, have a “good” appreciation attitude towards a third part
(volunteers) and prepare, for instance, a nice ceremony to deliver some
“recognition award” to a group of volunteers. After that, the role play
is repeated but with a “bad” attitude towards a third part (volunteers),
simulating for instance an office with 2 or 3 staff members in which just
one member of these people delivers some certificates with not much joy
or even knowing who the volunteers are.
• Step 2:
Once the performances are ready, the small groups implement their role
plays one by one. After each, a group discussion is opened by the facilitator
using similar questions for each performance:
- What has happened during the performance?
- Which problems or attitudes were showed in the first version but not on
the second?
- How did the staff solve the bad organisation climate?
- Had volunteers any responsibility under this problematic and to overcome
it?, etc.
To resume all the feedback of participants during this reflection, the facilitator
can use two flipcharts. One on which the good procedures and solutions will
be written down. Another one on which bad behaviours or processes will be
listed.
Debriefing and
follow-up
As the implementation of the activity already include an evaluation of
the work done by participants, the debriefing part should be used to go
again through the two lists and flipcharts created during the Step 2. Here
participants must be invited to add more elements to both lists or share real
experiences or situations that they could have faced on their entities and
related to bad organizational climates and their consequences.

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Reference 9.1
Title The cooperative chairs game
Overview The idea of this game is to use a quite known traditional game (the musical
chairs) but with a cooperative approach that could motivate the interaction
among learners taking part on it.
Goal
• Develop strategic thinking, listening to directions and explore social
comfort.
• Promote the cooperation among participants and their team spirit.
• Allow to the facilitator to detect the different personalities or roles of
participants before involving them in more challenging activities that
could require to a team work.
Type of activity Energyzer, group dynamic, conflict solving.
Space requirement Arrange chairs in a circle with the seats facing outwards. Starting with
enough chairs for everyone (at least one chair per person).
Group size Large group (7 people or more).
Material needed • One chair per person.
• A cd player or mobile phone to play music.
Procedure The facilitator asks participants to put themselves around the circle of
chairs and explains that they should walk (dance) around the perimeter
of the circle, making a line and on the same direction meanwhile music is
played. If the music stops, each participant must sit on a free chair and not
touching the floor with the feet. This procedure will be repeated during
several rounds.
On the first round, the facilitator must play the music and participants start
to walk. Then, the music is stopped and learners have to find a chair for
each of them. On this round, all of them will find a place as there are as
many chairs as people.
Related to Unit 9
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Before starting the second round, the facilitator removes a chair. That
means that this time when the music stops, there would be not enough
chairs for everyone. Contrary to the traditional game of the musical chairs,
on this case participants can share chairs. That means that they are not
disqualified if they do not have a chair, just pushed to occupy one with
another person.
The game continues increasing the difficulty as after each round the
number of chairs decreases but the people to use them will be the same.
At this stage, it is important that the facilitator reminds participants that
they can sit on the chairs, stand on them, sit one over the other, etc. But
never touch the floor with the feet. According to this, the participants must
work to find a cooperative way to all be in the available chairs till only one
chair is on the circle.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator must notice that after each round the game becomes more
and more difficult. According to this, enough time must be provided to the
group on the last rounds of the game as they would need to agree how all
the group can occupy the few chairs available. These group discussions or
strategies agreements are an excellent field on which the facilitator could
detect those roles existing in the group (E.g. Who is good giving orders,
who cannot accept them, who is an active listener, who is very impulsive,
who is a leader, etc.).
This exercise helps the group to discover and discuss about volunteering
coordination capacities and teams management. According to this, at its
end, it is recommended that the facilitator invites learners to explain what
happened on the game, which strategies did they use, who was leading,
if it was a cooperative work or one person was just giving orders, etc. The
facilitator can also highlight here concrete moments of the game on which
a participant or several ones could behave in a positive way towards the
benefit of the group. Each participant may have it’s own experiences and
perceptions that will be able to share and enrich with other’s experience
and knowledge. Then, all these competences must be highlighted again
by the facilitator and linked with those needed to be a good volunteer
coordinator.

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Reference 9.2
Title The Strongman – A Volunteer Coordinator
Overview Activity helps to recognize which skills, knowledge and moral values a
volunteer coordinator should possess and represent.
Goal
• Recognize how many different skills a volunteer coordinator should have.
• Prepare a list of competences to promote among learners.
• Explorehowparticipantscouldimprovetheirpreparationandprofessional
profile towards their work as current or potential volunteer coordinators.
Type of activity Group discussion, handcrafts.
Space requirement Room or open space.
Material needed • Markers and tape.
• Large pieces of paper (each piece bigger than a person).
Procedure Before starting the activity the facilitator must divide participants into
smaller groups (5 to 6 person in every group).
• Step 1:
The facilitator explains participants that each group has to obtain a human
silhouette by drawing around one person on a big paper (one of the persons
of the group). The shape created on the paper will act as the model of a
volunteer coordinator. It can be advised to participants that the best way
to do this is by setting the paper on the floor and asking one person to lay
down on it.
• Step 2:
Once each group has its shape on a paper, they must discuss inside their
teams which characteristics a perfect volunteer coordinator should have
and include them on the model. The facilitator will invite them to write:
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- Next to the head of the model: knowledge that a volunteer coordinator
should have.
- Next to the hands: skills needed for this role.
- Next to the heart: moral values demanded for the position.
If there is time enough, the facilitator can also propose groups to decorate
their shapes with drawings that could represent the concepts written
(E.g. if hard worker is written, participants can draw a hammer or a strong
muscle on the shape´s arm). They can also try to find a name for the perfect
volunteer manager created.
• Step 3:
The facilitator asks participants to hang up the drawings in a wall and invite
groups (one by one) to introduce their models and conclusions. Once all
have been presented, the facilitator must use a flipchart to create a three-
column list about the characteristics that a volunteer coordinator should
have: one for the knowledge pointed by participants, another one for the
skills mentioned and another one for the values required for the position.
Debriefing and
follow-up
With the list described on the point 3 finished, the facilitator must open a
discussion with participants about the main skills, knowledge and moral
values of a volunteer coordinator (especially those that appeared in most
of the models). At this moment, the whole group could be also given the
chance of adding information that could be missing. Taking into account
that the learners of this activity would be trainers of volunteer coordinators
or volunteer managers, it is important that, as a follow up of the activity
(in the same working place or out of the session) the facilitator invites
participants to self-reflect about which of the mentioned competences do
they have, which ones they would need to improve or which ones they
should acquire to develop their work on the best way.

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Reference 9.3
Title Building Communication Skills
Overview Thisactivityhelpstorecognizeandimprovecommunicationskillswithinthe
group in a very visual and enjoyable way. It is a good metaphor to see how
a message is transferred and replicated within a volunteer management
process and development project.
Goal • Detect the elements needed for a good communication and how to
improve them.
• Recognize the roles and responsibilities of each part involved in a
volunteer development project towards a good communication between
them.
• Explore and find improvements on the communication structures of the
organisations of those participants involved on the activity.
Type of activity Energizer, group dynamic, group reflection.
Space requirement Open space or big empty room.
Group size 4 to 20 people divided in groups of 4 people if possible (if the number of
participants requires it, 2 people can take the same role inside a team).
Material needed • Training room with tables and chairs.
• Children’s building blocks (E.g. LEGO ©). 10 bricks of several sizes and
colours per group.
Procedure
• Step 1:
Participants are divided in groups of 4 people. The facilitator explains that
each person in the group must assume one of the four roles that will be
played during the activity with the aim of building together and replicate
a bricks structure:
- The architect: is the only person who sees the model to replicate and
creates the orders or instructions to do it.
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- The messenger: is the person who transfers the instructions of the
architect to the bricklayer.
- The bricklayer: is the person who builds with bricks a model of the
structured demanded by following the instructions of the architect
brought by the messenger.
- The observer: is the person who monitors and reports the activity by
taking notes of all the behaviours, good practices or problems that could
be seen during the exercise.
Here the facilitator can play with two options to assign roles:
a) Let participants decide inside each group who is who.
b) Assign the roles according to the characteristics of each group member. If
this is decided, it is recommended that the facilitator assigns to participants
roles that are not easy for them or far from their personality, so the exercise
will be more challenging.
• Step 2:
Participants are placed on the working room. Architect and messenger in
one side. Bricklayer in another side and far enough to not see the model
showed to the architect. The observer is free to move and walk around
the space. All are informed that they have a limited time to complete the
exercise (E.g. 15 minutes).
• Step 3:
The exercise starts. The architect receives a model made out of 10 bricks
and study it in order to produce a list of instructions to replicate the
model. Instructions made by the architect are orally transferred to the
messenger who will run to the bricklayer in order to communicate them to
that person. The bricklayer must try to replicate the model of the exercise
using the instructions received.
During this process, the messenger can make as many travels as needed
by the architect. There is also a possibility or game variation on which the
architect can also see in the distance the model construction and provide
rectifications to the bricklayer during the construction but only using the
support of the messenger. The size, number and colour of the bricks can be
also and important fact to be decided by the facilitator in order to include
more or less difficulty to the activity.
All the important moments, misunderstandings or problems suffered and
how they were solved are reported by the observer and written down for
the debriefing of the exercise.

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• Step 4:
When the working time has finished, groups are brought together and
invited to compare the initial model given to the architect and the one
finally built by the bricklayer.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The activity must be closed with a group discussion on which each team
should show its model to the other participants and try to explain their
differences or success. Here the notes taken by the observers are essential
to understand what happened during each stage of the exercise. It is
important that the facilitator make participants reflect about the basis of a
good communication and how it could influence the implementation of a
volunteering development project. The person leading the activity can also
highlight the similarities between the four roles involved on the game and
the parts that are in a volunteering project. As a follow up of the activity,
the exercise can be repeated but changing roles so participants can see
what to be on each position means.

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Reference 10.1
Title The phases of Volunteer Management Process
Overview
The exercise will allow the volunteer manager to acknowledge the phases
of volunteer management and be aware about the steps to go through in
order to obtain an appropriate coordination system of volunteers.
Goal • Understand the sequence of the process of volunteer management
(phase by phase).
• Exchange good practices on the implementation of the different phases
of the sequence previously mentioned.
Type of activity Group dynamic, group discussion.
Space requirement An open space.
Group size Groups up to 16 people maximum (per group).
Material needed
• A4 sheets where is printed/written in each one the name of one phase of
volunteer management:
- Planning.
- Job development.
- Recruitment.
- Interview.
- Orientation.
- Training.
- Supervision.
- Recognition
- Evaluation.
Related to Unit 10
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• Step 1:
The facilitator gives one sheet to one participant with one phase of the
management process (it is not needed that all of them get one paper) and
set them in a line. If the groups are not very big, the exercise can be also
done by putting the papers in a line on the floor.
• Step 2:
The facilitator explains to the groups the goal of the activity: to put the
sheets in the correct sequence of the volunteer management process.
Here it is important to highlight that all (participants with and without
paper) can talk and being part of the discussion to agree the order of this
papers. The order cannot be decided randomly and it is important that
participants defend and reason their answers (the facilitator can help here
to drive the discussion if learners are getting lost but never giving opinions
that could influence their decision).
Debriefing and
follow-up Once the group(s) has agreed one concrete order of the elements given,
participants can share their reflection about the sequence of the volunteer
management process. As they will be invited to offer their personal point
of view, it is natural that their opinions are different among them.
For instance, according to the authors of this manual, recognition comes
before evaluation.
The participants may say that recognizing can only takes place after the
evaluation, and they are completely right. However, the authors explain
on this material that the most effective way to recognize is the daily
gratitude attitude shown to the volunteer. So, taking that in consideration,
recognition should come first.
This moment or discussion can be also used by the facilitator in order to
ask participants how these processes or stages are carried out within their
organisations in order to promote an exchange of good practices and a
peer learning among them.

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Reference 10.2
Title Preparing a volunteer job description.
Overview The exercise provides participants with a tool to learn how to create a
volunteer job description and to do it on the appropriate way by analysing
the context of their organisation and needs.
Goal
• Learn how to prepare a suitable volunteer job description.
• Explore the characteristics of a volunteer position and adapt them to the
reality and needs of the recruiting or hosting organisation.
• Analyse the real needs of an entity towards a volunteer placement.
Type of activity Written Exercise, group discussion.
Space requirement Training room with space enough to set tables and allow participants to
work on small groups.
Group size Group discussion, individual work or work in couples.
Material needed • Flipchart papers and makers to write on them.
• Chairs and tables for participants.
• Handouts with questions (Annex 10.2.).
• Examples of volunteer job descriptions made by the facilitator to show an
example of the final result expected (optional).
Procedure
• Step 1:
The facilitator divides participants in small groups or in pairs to carry out
the activity. It is important to highlight that participants are going to work
on a concrete position not given that they would need to invent or think
about. According to this, if the learners group involves participants who
belong to the same volunteer organisation, it could be interesting to invite
them to work together as they should have a more accurate perspective
about the needs of their entity and the specific characteristics that this job
position should have.
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• Step 2:
Participants are given the exercise worksheets where they have to follow
the following instructions:
1. They have to list all activities currently done or could be done by
volunteers on their organisations.
2. 2They have to choose one activity and then create a volunteer job
description according to the structure included on the handout.
• Step 3:
Once all the previous work is done, each group or pair must resume their
answers in a visual way using a flipchart and colour markers.
Debriefing and
follow-up
Participants are encouraged to present their job descriptions and work
done using the flipcharts created on the Step 3. The facilitator is keeping
attention on the details. The job description should be clear and detailed. It
is important here to make participants notice that the volunteer should not
replace the staff in the organisation but being a support to it. As a follow up
or when dealing with a lot of participants that all belong to the same entity,
the facilitator can encourage learners to make a volunteer job description
for each volunteer position in the organisation.

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Annex 10.0
Preparing a volunteer job description.
1. list all activities currently done or could be done by volunteers
2. Choose one of the activities and prepare job description. Use the tool below:
Name of the volunteer position:
List all the activities currently provided by
volunteers in the hosting organisation:
List activities the volunteers should/could do but
haven´t been involved into yet:
What kind of tasks/activities should a
volunteer in this position fulfil?
List of tasks/activities of a volunteer according
the needs of the organization and its
beneficiaries (Including flexible elements).
Purpose or the result that volunteer/s
expect/s to achieve.
Qualitative and quantitative.
Which kind of tasks/activities should a
volunteer in this position fulfil?
List of tasks/activities of a volunteer according
the needs of the organisation and its clients
(Including flexible elements).

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Indicators on expected results outcomes.
How will they be measured?
When, for how long, frequency, worked
hours?
Minimum and maximum number of hours a
volunteer will spend in activities.
Day, morning, evening, once a week, etc.? Is it
a one time or a long term activity?
Is flexibility required?
Is regularity required?
Details of leave (EU Aid).
With whom?
Will the volunteer cooperate with employees
of the organisation?
Will the volunteer work alone or with other
volunteers?
Is the independence needed or will the
volunteer work in a team?
Team description and management
description.
Where?
Exact place or facilities where the volunteering
is.
What are the requirements towards
volunteers?
Demography (age, education), skills, attitudes,
knowledge desired and/or requirements
of conduct or clothing, shared values,
personality, etc.

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Expectations /Benefits.
What does this position offer or does not
offer to a volunteer? Does it offer a personal
or professional development? What will the
volunteer learn?
Is there any insurance covered, parking,
reimbursement, events, any recognition etc.?
Training and care.
Is there any training the volunteer should
participate in? What about supervision/
mentoring/support?
What about further education?
Funding.
What is paid by the volunteer (is there
anything the volunteer should pay for)?
What is paid by the organisation/programme?
Selection of volunteers.
What will you need volunteer to provide you
with and go through?
CV/questionnaire/references/police check/
interviews/training, etc
Which will be the competences developed or
gained through volunteering?

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Reference 10.3
Title A supervising plan
Overview The exercise provides participants the scenario to practice and improve
the skills to manage and deal with a supervising plan of an international
volunteer experience.
Goal • Simulate the monitoring of international volunteers taking into account
the three main areas of supervision for this type of volunteering and the
four levels of control or authority.
• Promote an exchange of good practices and procedures among
professionals on the management of international volunteers and
conflictive situations.
Type of activity Role play.
Space requirement Big training room or open space with chairs for all participants.
Group size 12 to 24 participants (to be divided in four teams).
Material needed • Papers and pens.
• Atrezzo for the performances (optional).
• Papers to assign roles. Each paper must include one of these statements:
1. Authority to define tasks with no obligation to report to the manager or
supervisor.
2. Authority to define tasks reporting progress to the manager or supervisor.
Procedure
• Step 1:
In order to be sure that participants really understand what they would
have to do during the activity, the facilitator must introduce them (briefly
or in deep using a presentation or handouts) the four levels of control or
authority seen in the theoretical part of this manual related to this exercise.
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Procedure • Step 2:
Participants are divided into four groups (similar number of people
per team). Each team would be assigned with one of the four previous
categories using small papers given to them. It is important that they do not
see which papers are received by the others so they must keep it secretly.
The categories given would be:
1. Authority to define tasks with no obligation to report to the manager
or supervisor.
2. Authority to define tasks reporting progress to the manager or
supervisor.
Taking into account the different levels of control or authority received,
each team must prepare two situations (one positive and one negative) in
which issues of connection, communication and monitoring are addressed
in a transnational development project. They would decide inside each
team which roles do they consider needed to perform the situation on the
appropriate way (E.g. an international volunteer, hosting organisation staff,
a supervisor, etc.). Participants should have around 30 minutes to prepare
the situations so it is important that the facilitator reminds them to use
improvisation even if they agree the main script of each situation.
• Step 3:
Each group performs the situations rehearsed for all the participants. Here
performers can even ask for the interaction of those who are watching the
performance. The rest of the participants who are not acting would need
to guess which of the previous four categories is represented by the group
on the stage.
Debriefing and
follow-up
Participants are encouraged to take into account the situations that may arise
in overseeing international volunteering. The trainer has to take into account
the different levels of control or authority and the adaptation of the different
strategies of connection, communication and control.
As a follow-up the facilitator has to encourage participants to make a proper
supervising plan and tools to detect all the conflictive or positive situations
that intervene in the best performance of voluntary action.
If there is time available, the facilitator can also invite participants to share
real situations that they have lived on their organisations related to the topics
of the activity and how conflicts or situations were solved or faced (so a peer
learning and exchange of good practices among professionals is promoted).

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Reference 10.4
Title A short guide to evaluation.
Overview The exercise provides participants a tool to start to prepare the evaluation
of a volunteer experience and the environment to self reflect about how to
implement it on their organisations.
Goal • Prepare a starting worksheet for the evaluation of volunteer experience.
• Promote the cooperative thinking of professionals on the design of
volunteering management processes.
Type of activity Brain storming, group discussion, written exercise.
Space requirement Training room with chairs and tables for all participants.
Group size 6 to 20 people (to be divided in pairs or smaller groups).
Material needed • Flipchart papers.
• Handouts with the exercise questions or a flipchart with them (up to the
facilitator).
• Step 1:
The facilitator divides participants in small groups or pairs. If there are
participants from the same organisation, it could be important to put them
together on the same groups. Then, the main goals of the activity detailed
before on this sheet are introduced to the group.
• Step 2:
Participants are given the exercise questions that they have to answer
to implement the activity. They can be given through printed handouts
prepared by the facilitator or just showed using a flipchart or presentation.
Questions are the following ones:
- Who are the beneficiaries or recipients of our service?
- What is the goal or purpose of our service?
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- Which indicators could tell us if we have accomplished the goal?
- How will we obtain information about the indicators? (Method or tools for
gathering information).
- What will tell us if we have reached our goal? Level of outcome desired
(E.g. Percent of beneficiaries attaining goal).
• Step 3:
Participants must discuss on their teams the potential answers to these
questions and take notes about then. On this moment, the facilitator gives
to each group or pair a flipchart to create an “evaluation work sheet” on
which they would need to write down the answers to the given questions.
Debriefing and
follow-up
Participants are encouraged to present their evaluation work sheets. It is
important here that they also describe briefly the context on which the
entity related to the questions works. The trainer is keeping attention on
the details, specifically on the indicators, method or tools and desired
outcomesofanevaluation. Thoseparticipantsnotpresentingtheevaluation
work sheet on that moment can also cooperate by making questions or
suggestions to the procedures presented.
As a follow-up, the facilitator has to encourage participants to make a proper
evaluation plan and tools for gathering the evaluation data (during the last
part of this session or afterwards with the teams of their organisations).

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Reference 10.5
Title Why are you unmotivated?
Overview The exercise helps to describe and collect reasons why volunteers end up
unmotivated and identify ways to avoid this situation.
Goal • Share recognition and motivating elements available for volunteers in the
volunteer management process.
• Promote the cooperation of participants (volunteer coordinators) working
with the same type of volunteers and situations but on very different
environments that could provide varied alternatives to similar conflictive
situations.
Type of activity Brainstorming, group discussion.
Space requirement Training room with chairs for all participants.
Group size From 5 to maximum 15 people.
Material needed • Flipchart papers.
• Text about volunteer recognition or theory of this unit included on the
manual.
• Makers and pens.
• Step 1:
The facilitator makes a brief summary of the recognition theory included on
the EVOLVET manual and explains it to participants. After that, participants
are asked whether they have ever interacted with unmotivated volunteers,
and if so, they are invited to mention what were the causes behind the lack
of motivation. All the ideas are collected by the facilitator on a flipchart
paper.
• Step 2:
Once the flipchart is ready, participants are asked how these situations
of non motivation can be solved. Facilitator leads the discussion in the
direction that solving the situation now it is a bit late and it would have
been important to avoid it. How? By not letting all the leading causes to
happen
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Procedure and relating to the step of the volunteers motivation as an ongoing activity
throughout their entire involvement in the organisation.
• Step 3:
On a different flipchart or paper, the facilitator points out motivating
elements for each step of the volunteer management process (previously
explained in other exercises included on this manual). Here the facilitator
caninvitelearnerstomentionthosephasesinordertoseeiftheyremember
them properly and their order inside the whole management process.
• Step 4:
The facilitator opens a discussion on difference between motivation and
recognition. Together the participants must make a list of recognition
actions to be also written down in a flipchart.
Debriefing and
follow-up
Debriefing and reflection are involved in the procedure questions and
whole exercise. Besides this, the facilitator has to encourage participants
to make a recognition plan for their own organisations (inside the session
or out of it with the teams of their entities).
Tips for the
facilitation
This exercise is a brainstorming exercise so the facilitator must always try
to collect as many ideas as possible from the participants and set them in a
place visible for all of them during the activity (E.g. a flipchart).

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Reference 10.6
Title SWOT Analysis
Overview The exercise provides participants (volunteer coordinators) the tool
to identify the internal and external factors (strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats (SWOT)) that are favourable and unfavourable
to establish the basis of potential voluntary plans and programmes.
Goal
• Share and review a structured planning method that evaluates those four
elements of a volunteering development project (strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats (SWOT)).
• Improve participants’ critic and creative thinking.
• Reinforce the risks prevention plans of volunteering organisations.
Type of activity Work in groups, brainstorming.
Space requirement Training room with chairs for all participants
Material needed • Flipchart papers and markers for them.
• Post its or paper notes (also a tape in this case to stick them) of at least
four colours (here blue, green, yellow and orange are proposed but they
can be different),
• Add SWOT matrix examples already made from reality or found on
internet (optional).
• Step 1:
The facilitator introduces to participants what is the SWOT method and its
purpose. Depending on the participants’ knowledge this explanation can be
longer or shorter and can be supported with visual examples.
• Step 2:
Participants are divided in several teams. There are two possibilities for this
division:
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a) Create four groups and select one leader per group (one for each
characteristic of SWOT) (option recommended and taken for this
explanation).
b) Create two groups and select one leader per group (representing internal
and external factors of a SWOT).
• Step 3:
The facilitator explains participants that they have to develop a SWOT
analysis about the volunteering programme of an organisation (it can be
an invented one or one of the entities that participants belong to). Here,
each group will receive post-its or paper notes of one of the four different
colours used on the activity and some pens. Depending on the colour of the
notes and in relation to the topic addressed (organisations’ volunteering
programmes in development projects), participants would need to write:
- Blue colour for strengths.
- Green colour for opportunities.
- Yellow colour for weaknesses.
- Orange colour for threats.
The facilitator must advice participants to write in the papers simple and
short ideas of 3 lines maximum per note or post it.
• Step 4:
Once all the groups have reflected and written their ideas about the section
of the SWOT parts assigned to them, the facilitator sets a flipchart with the
structure of a SWOT matrix. Then, the cards or notes are collected by the
leader of each team who reads them aloud and stick them on the matrix
(Each colour of the part it makes reference to), putting together ideas that
could be similar.
• Step 5:
When all the groups have shared their reflections and the SWOT matrix
is full, the facilitator asks participants if there are other themes to be
mentioned or forgotten. If there are many different topics, the facilitator
can do an exercise of priorities. The facilitator must always finish asking if
all participants agreed with the SWOT created. Some questions to be used
on this stage could be:
- What are the main strengths of our organization on volunteering
management? And the weaknesses?
- What is the most important and why?
- What can we do to develop our strengths and avoid the threats? Etc.

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Debriefing and
follow-up
Even if the whole activity is a debriefing exercise, at its end the facilitator
can invite learners to discuss and evaluate the valorisation of SWOT
characteristics on volunteering organisations and programmes. As a
follow up of this activity, the facilitator has to encourage participants to
make and action plan of their own entities, volunteering and development
programmes.

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Reference 10.7
Title What is your experience with recruitment?
Overview The exercise allows participants to share their own volunteer or staff
experience with volunteers’ recruitment and discover the procedures of
other entities on the field.
Goal • Share and review the good and bad recruitment techniques and messages
used on the volunteering field.
• Exchange good practices and experiences of participants on the
recruitment of volunteers.
Type of activity Introduction dynamic, group discussion, brainstorming.
Material needed • Flipchart and markers.
• Bad practice examples of volunteer campaigns from the country or area
on which the participants work.
• Computer and project (to show the bad practices previously mentioned
if they are images or online materials).
Procedure
• Step 1:
The facilitator invites participants to recall the time on which they were
recruited to be a volunteer or a staff member:
- Can you remember the technique used to recruit you?
- Can you reconstruct how did you feel about the form of recruitment used?
- Can you remember your initial response to the “invitation”?
The different types of recruitment methods mentioned here or the ideas
shared can be written down on a flipchart by the facilitator.
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• Step 2:
The facilitator shows some bad practise examples of recruitment techniques
(videos, leaflets, posters, banners, etc.) previously searched. To find them,
the facilitator must give priority to samples taken from the same context,
area or working field of participants (so they can be familiar to them and
analyze them better). It is recommended to add some fun to the exercise by
showing some weird or totally wrong practise examples.
• Step 3:
After all the examples have been seen and discussed, all the participants
will start a brainstorming to list the “dos and don’ts” when working on a
recruitment campaign of volunteers that must be written down in a flipchart
by the facilitator.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator can open at the end of the exercise a discussion about what
participants have learned about good and bad recruitment techniques
through their own experience and what they will bring home to their
organisations. Questions that could be used here:
- Which recruitment techniques are not appropriate for your volunteer
opportunities or organisations?
- Which recruitment messages would you never use?
- Which technique would you never use?
- What are the common points in all these experiences?, etc.

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Reference 10.8
Title Where and when do you advertise for volunteers?
Overview The exercise provides participants advertising methods and proper timing
available to use for volunteer recruitment.
Goal • Reflect about the variety of recruitment techniques, importance of
effective advertising and suitable timing when recruiting volunteers for
development projects.
• Exchange good practices among entities taking part on the activity about
the previously mentioned issues.
Type of activity Brainstorming, group discussion.
Material needed • Flipchart and markers.
• Summary or presentation about the theoretical part of this manual re-
lated to the exercise.
Procedure
• Step 1:
The facilitator explains participants that besides exploring the recruitment
message, it is important to analyse all the factors related to this process and
which will enable organisations to find the right volunteers. According this,
it is important to pay attention to all the conditions that can influence the
success of a recruitment campaign (In this case, when and where).
• Step 2:
The facilitator draws in a board or flipchart two columns or parts. On one
of the parts, “when” is written. The facilitator asks participants different
questions to get as many ideas as possible and which answers will be written
down on this part of the flipchart or board:
- When do you look for volunteers?
- What is a proper timing?
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- How much time does organisation need for advertisement of long term
volunteer opportunity?
- What is the time of the year when people or concrete target groups are
more likely looking for volunteer opportunities?
• Step 3:
On the second part or column of the drawing previously done by the
facilitator, the word “where” is written. Participants are asked then:
- Where do you advertise for volunteers?
- Which channels do you use?
- How do you choose the place to advertise?
- Do you only use one channel or several ones?
The facilitator must try to get as many ideas as possible and write them
down on the flipchart or board. It is important to invite participants to
think and be as much creative as possible whilst recognising that whatever
methods of advertising are chosen need to be adapted to the means of the
organisation and to the target group which is advertised.
• Step 4:
The facilitator concludes the exercise by providing participants with the
information given on the theoretical part of this manual related to this issue
and compares it with the flipchart created during the activity.
Debriefing and
follow-up
During the debriefing, the facilitator must create a discussion to make
participants reflect about what they have learned, what they will bring
home to their organisations, etc. Some questions to be used here could be:
- Which recruitment time and channel methods would you use in your
organisation?
- Which recruitment methods are not appropriate for your volunteer
opportunities or volunteers?
- When is the proper recruitment timing for the concrete volunteer
opportunities of your organisation?, etc.
As a follow up of the exercise, the facilitator has to encourage participants to
makeaplanabouthowtousethesuitablemethodsandconditionsseenathome.
Tips for the
facilitation
The person leading the activity must constantly try to involve all participants
into brainstorming by using supporting questions such as: What other
method did you used or see? What else can be done? Can you think about
other ways to...?, Etc.

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Reference 10.9
Title Recruitment message – what to say to the right audience?
Overview The exercise explores with participants ideas for a good recruitment
message provided by a suitable recruitment technique to the right
audience.
Goal • Get participants to create a clear recruitment message by using a proper
recruitment technique to the right audience.
• Draft an advertisement or a spoken radio ad or a video.
• Promote group interaction and creative thinking.
Type of activity Group dynamic, role play, drawing exercise.
Group size No concrete limit (groups from 3 to maximum 5 people must be created to
develop the activity).
Material needed • Papers, pencils and markers.
• Colour-box and coloured papers.
• Old magazines and scissors.
• Study/theory/texts and good practice examples from the country/region.
Procedure Steps the be followed to implement the activity:
• Step 1:
The facilitator explains participants that they are going to create a
recruitment message while using the concrete techniques and address it
to the right audience. It is important that the facilitator highlights that the
message needs to be interesting enough to entice potential volunteers to
keep reading or to link them into get some more information. Here a brief
introduction of the main theoretical parts of this unit can be done.
• Step 2:
Participants are divided in small groups (3 to 5 people) and demanded to
draft an advertisement for a volunteer position in their organisation. They
can either create a web banner, video, radio advertisement or poster/
leaflet.
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They can use all the materials available in the working room (E.g. papers,
markers, pictures from old magazines, mobile phones, computer, etc.).
They can choose the position to be advertised and the target they want to
attract. They should have around 30 minutes to prepare this material.
• Step 3:
Groups are asked to gather together and show their ads or work done to
the whole group.
• Step 4:
Once all the groups have shared their work, the facilitator lets participants
reflect about each of the works and give a feedback about them (E.g.
Errors made, good practices seen, etc.). The facilitator can conclude the
experience by providing participants with good practise examples and good
recruitment campaigns from the country or region.
Debriefing and
follow-up
To lead the debriefing of this activity (already included on its Step 4) the
facilitator can use questions such as:
- How did participants feel about the ads?
- Would they address the right audience?
- Is the message clear enough?
- All the information needed by potential volunteers is available?
- Is the technique suitable for the audience chosen?
- Any other feedback?
As a follow up of the exercise, the facilitator has to encourage participants
to make a plan for creating recruitment messages and possibly involving
some media specialists into campaigns of their own organisations.

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Reference 10.10
Title Choosing the proper selection method
Overview This exercise invites participants to share expertise on various forms of
selection process and to consider the best option for their organisations
and for their volunteer positions.
Goal • Consider screening process options and decide upon appropriate method
for organisations.
• Promote the exchange of good practices and processes used by volunteer
organisations on the recruitment of candidates.
Type of activity Introduction exercise, group discussion, brainstorming
Material needed • Flipchart and markers (or a board).
Procedure
• Step 1:
The facilitator asks the group to think about their application process and
the procedures used on their organisations for volunteer candidates: What
methods do you use in your screening process?
• Step 2:
All the answers given by participants are listed in a flipchart by the facilitator.
If the group did not come up with some methods, the person leading the
activity can bring them to the group.
• Step 3:
Once a list of methods is obtained, the group as a team must describe which
are the advantages of each of the methods listed: What are the benefits of
every of these methods? What else you might use? What other benefits
you might consider?, etc.
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• Step 4:
Using the theoretical content proposed on the unit of this manual related to
the exercise, the facilitator concludes the brainstorming by telling the group
about the importance and the reasons of the appropriate screening process
for volunteer roles and positions.
Debriefing and
follow-up
As a debriefing of the activity the facilitator can ask participants for their
feedback or thoughts about the use of screening methods and which ones
are applicable to their volunteering programmes on development projects.
They can be also asked to prepare a list of screening methods that they
would use for their concrete entities and volunteering placements.

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Reference 10.11
Title Asking the right questions
Overview This exercise explores with participants a set of questions and their
categories that can be used in the screening process of volunteers for
development projects (either in the application form or in the interview).
Goal • Plan an effective interview and application form procedure with use of
right questions.
• Think about the importance of building questions in concrete ways and
the different procedures to categorize them.
Type of activity Work in groups, brains storming.
Material needed • Papers and pens to take notes.
• A handout or presentation to share the theoretical content of the unit
and sample questions included on it.
Procedure
• Step 1:
Using the theory described on this manual and unit related to the exercise,
the facilitator explains participants that there are four key groups of
questions they can use in the screening process when preparing an
application form or an interview for volunteer candidates.
• Step 2:
The facilitator divides participants in four small groups (4 to 6 people each)
and assigns each team a group of questions (E.g. Uncovering motivations
questions to team number 1, etc.). Each group would need to write down
in a flipchart as much questions as possible for discovering volunteer
motivations related to the category assigned.
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• Step 3:
All the teams are brought together and asked to share their questions and
flipcharts to the whole group.
Debriefing and
follow-up
The facilitator must open a discussion about all the questions created and
mention potential questions which were not brought by participants. It can
be also asked to participants about what methods are applicable to their
organizations´ volunteer positions.
As a follow up of the activity the facilitator can invite participants to
prepare a structure of application form and an interview for their volunteer
screening process.
Tips for the
facilitation
Some questions might not be put in a correct way by participants in relation
with their final aim. According to this, it is recommended that the activity
facilitator has an expertise on volunteers or staff screening processes.

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Reference 10.12
Title Interview
Overview This exercise allows participants to experience and reflect about the
interview process of volunteers thank to a simulation and role-playing.
Goal
• Understand the reasons and benefits of interviewing volunteer applicants.
• Prepare participants for conducting selection interviews.
Type of activity Role play, brainstorming.
Material needed • Papers and pens to take notes.
Procedure
• Step 1:
The facilitator launches some questions to participants in order to introduce
the exercise:
- What is the purpose of an interview to volunteer candidates?
- What are the key characteristics of people conducting interviews?
- What are the essential steps of conducting and preparing interviews?, etc.
The group must be involved in a brainstorm which results will be written
down in a flipchart by the facilitator. Once this is done, the facilitator should
resume all the information obtained and mention the essential steps for
interviewing included on the theoretical part of this manual related to the
exercise.
• Step 2:
Participants are divided in small groups (3 to 5 people each) and asked to
do a role play exercise.
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Their objective will be to prepare and conduct an interview to an imaginary
volunteer candidate. The performance must include a person playing the
volunteer role and person/s playing the selection panel. The simulation
must be played inside each group several times to let participants play
both roles. The facilitator must encourage learners to play a suitable as
well as not suitable volunteer candidate so the can get a deeper learning
experience.
• Step3:
All the groups are brought together and asked for feedback from all
participants on both roles. The facilitator can also invite groups to perform
their interviews in front of the whole group to have a wider analysis and
feedback of the work done. This would also allow participants to obtain an
external opinion of their work done.
Debriefing and
follow-up
When asking for feedback on both roles, different questions can be done
by the facilitator:
- How did you feel as a panel member/a volunteer?
- Which was the most difficult aspect? And the easiest one?
- What have you found out/learned?
- How would you react if this candidate comes to your entity in the real
life?, etc.
As a follow up of the activity the facilitator can ask participants to prepare
a plan for interviews in their organisations and think about aspects related
to it such as suitable environment, selection panel they would have and a
plan for acknowledging the volunteer about a result.
Tips for the
facilitation
Ask for as much feedback on the role playing as possible. Interview is one
of the key tools of volunteer screening process.

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Authors and creators of this material by alphabetical order:
Alžbeta Brozmanová Gregorová
Alžbeta Frimmerová
Armando Guimarães
Ewa Pytlak
Franz Halbartschlager
Kaja Krolikowska
Kari Korhonen
Marjut Valtanen
Monica Macciotta
Naiara Ortíz
Nicoletta Gorgerino
Sónia Fernandes
Sonia Pereyra
Susana Godinho
Susanne Paschke
Vanessa Marotta
Yanitza Torres

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volve

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volve
“This product was one of the final intellectual out-
puts of the project “EVOLVET” funded with support
from the European Commission and the Erasmus+
programme. This publication reflects the views only
of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
Visit www.evolvetproject.eu to access to all the in-
formation of the project and download its materials.”
Manual for vocational education and
training of volunteer coordinators in
development projects /
2015-1-ES01-KA202-015929”
european volunteer coordinators
vocation education and training
Evolvet
www.evolvetproject.eu

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