This document provides guidance on how to prepare for volunteering overseas. It discusses several important factors to consider when choosing an organization, including checking their track record, effectiveness, and support provided to volunteers. The organization should provide travel insurance, training, security, and clarify what costs they will cover. When preparing personally, volunteers should understand the project's aims, consider practicalities, and have a plan in case all possessions are lost. Asking questions of the organization is important to ensure a good placement. Overall, thorough preparation is key to having a fulfilling volunteer experience.

1. What to prepare when you are preparing
25 October 2017

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!

6. “What are your concerns about
volunteering?”

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?

13. Isn’t any help better than nothing?

14. Caroline Neil

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?

16. Money
 Cash?
 Money belts
 Ankle holder
 Belt/bra
 Sock?
 Washbag
 Safe?

17. You lose everything…

18. Jessica Townsend

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?

22. Questions and Comments?