1. Five principles that
should change the way
international volunteer
programs are designed.
When we talk about international
volunteering, the discussion is
usually framed around an individual
volunteer’s contribution and
experience. We talk about the benefits
of volunteer programs in terms of
civic engagement or people-to-
people links. We even evaluate these
programs with such measures as
volunteer numbers and satisfaction,
risk management or alignment with
aid program thematic areas.
Isn’t it time to change the conversation?
For meaningful change to occur,
success needs to be defined by
the achievements of our partner
organisations and, ultimately,
the communities they serve. For
Australian Red Cross, volunteering is
the means through which we support
our partners’ right to lead their
own development. This approach
guides the way we deliver the
Australian Volunteers for International
Development (AVID) program, the
way we engage with overseas partner
organisations, and the way we
measure value and progress towards
development priorities.
A contemporary approach to
sustainable development recognises
that market mechanisms and policy
will never be enough on their own
to achieve development goals.
These goals can only be achieved
when people and communities
are empowered to drive their own
solutions; when they can access
support and resources in times of
vulnerability, and build resilience to
future crises.
How do we shape an international
volunteer program so that it leads to
human development and local self-
empowerment rather than imported,
pre-determined solutions? Our design
for the AVID program is characterised
by five key principles.
International volunteering:
shifting the focus to
communities and their needs
Red Cross
Program Design
1. Working with multiple partners to
achieve shared goals
Working intensively and sustainably with a few strategic partners yields stronger
results than scattering volunteers across a vast range of partner organisations.
Red Cross partners with local organisations that have a wide reach and impact
within their communities. We take this approach further by engaging with
a cluster of organisations working across one or two thematic areas. For
example, preventing violence against women is a thematic area: our partners
offer counselling and employment services to survivors, peer education for men
and boys, and legal aid to see cases through the formal justice system. Engaging
with each of these partners, and supporting them to engage with each other,
increases their collective impact to achieve social and systemic change.
Australian Volunteers for International Development
is an Australian Government initiative.

2. 4. Selecting volunteers for the way they work
Careful selection and preparation of volunteers is essential.
Our volunteers are highly skilled, but they must be more
than that. They must be able to facilitate other people’s
achievements over their own. Adaptable enough to work
outside a defined role profile where necessary. Resilient
enough to cope with setbacks and work respectfully with
colleagues at their own pace. Collaborative enough to
identify opportunities for partnership.
5. Evidence informing strategy
This approach requires a strong and robust
evidence base. Both research and the collection
of meaningful data is needed to chart
direction and inform policy and process.
Red Cross delivered strong results for partner organisations through the AVID program in 2014/2015: from improvements in
disaster management in the Philippines, to private and public sector partnerships to reduce vulnerability in Vanuatu, to the
use of first aid to save lives and contribute to more sustainable humanitarian organisations in Mongolia and Timor-Leste.
Volunteering is a vast resource for social, economic and environmental transformation. A structured, thoughtful and
long-term design for the AVID program can make the most of this resource to achieve sustainable development goals.
Aarathi Krishnan
November 2014
redcross.org.au follow us
2. Assignments building upon each other
We support partner organisations over a long period, through cumulative
volunteer assignments that build upon one another, often working across
different parts of the organisation. Over time, these inputs lead to stronger
organisations that are better positioned to meet the needs of their communities.
3. Partners leading their own development
Partner organisations must always be in the driver’s seat. They make the
decision about who works with them, and in what capacity. They are
the key actors in our relationship, and not passive ‘beneficiaries’. Their
strengths and priorities must be recognised; our engagement should
be based on an intimate understanding of their long-term goals. This
is fundamental to the way Red Cross operates, and provides a valuable
measure for the AVID program – how well it can support local partners to
be well-functioning organisations in their own right.