2. Introductions
Marcus Wootton Caroline Neil Jessica Townsend
• Middle East
• North and Sub-Saharan
Africa
• Former Soviet Union
• South America
• Africa – Malawi
• Nepal
www.rpspartnership.com
info@rpspartnership.com
• Southeast Asia
• Sub-Saharan Africa
www.rcpch.ac.uk
Marcus.Wootton@rcpch.ac.uk
jessicajanetownsend@gmail.com
3. Today
How can I prepare for volunteering?
What organisation should I go for?
What should I expect an organisation to prepare for
me?
How should I prepare personally?
4. Today is a toolkit
Preparation and planning
Provoke thought!
5. Who are you?
Please raise your hands if…….
You have volunteered overseas before…
You are thinking about volunteering overseas…
You really aren’t sure if you should volunteer
overseas and are hoping that this session will help
you decide!
If you weren't expecting a third option!
7. Why preparation matters
A good placement can be
one of the most important,
fulfilling and life enhancing
things you will ever do
8. Why preparation matters
A bad experience can be
crushingly disappointing
not only for you
but also those who you are
with and working with….
9. Before you go….?
What is the remit of the
organisation?
Does it align with your
own views, and outlook?
Even as a volunteer you
will be representing the
organisation
10. The organisation?
What is their track record on:
Supporting volunteers
Achieving their aims
Improving outcomes for patients
Can you talk to a previous volunteer?
11. Are they effective?
How long has the
organisation been working
there?
On what evidence are they
basing their intervention?
12. What else to ask
What countries do they
work in?
What areas of what
countries do they work in?
What people in what areas
of what countries do they
work in?
15. What should the organisation provide?
Travel insurance?
Insurance for equipment?
Life assurance?
Contingency planning? Flights and pick ups? Secure
accommodation?
Training – do you need travel safety training?
Personal security – money etc
Equipment to take?
19. What is the aim of the project you are working
on?
How does it fit into the organisation purpose?
Why are you going?
Practicalities of volunteering?
Top tips – professional
Top tips – personal
People and contacts
20. And finally…..
Don’t be afraid to ask about money and who is covering
what
Interviews and meetings aren’t just them assessing you!
A bad placement can be worse than no placement
A reputable organisation should be able to answer any
reasonable question adequately
21. Today
How can I prepare for volunteering?
What organisation should I go for?
What should I expect an organisation to prepare for
me?
How should I prepare personally?