What is the VSO Diaspora Volunteering Initiative?

Alongside its established international volunteering programmes, VSO aims to mobilise Diaspora communities to contribute to community development and to fighting poverty and disadvantage through the unique contribution of Diaspora volunteers who share their skills and commitment in their countries of heritage.

VSO works in partnership with UK based diaspora organisations, sharing our experience of international volunteering to support them in developing their own volunteering programmes.

Diaspora individuals can also apply to volunteer on VSO’s programmes, but may also find suitable placements with diaspora organisations.

VSO is currently working with 13 diaspora organisations on programmes in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Guyana, Ethiopia, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Why the VSO Diaspora Volunteering Initiative (DVI)?

It has been established because VSO recognises there are many diaspora communities in the UK who are already offering financial and professional support to their countries ‘back home’ and have particular interest in using their skills and commitment in their countries of heritage and may have their own contacts, programmes and ideas.

According to International Organisation of Migration (IOM), the contributions made by the diaspora in their host countries is needed to be highlighted more by combining it with theoretical and empirical framework to bring their success and development.

Research with diaspora communities showed that they would value VSO’s support in enabling them to develop structured volunteering programmes in their country or continent of heritage, drawing on VSO’s experience of volunteer management, its understanding of diaspora and development issues, its experience of providing capacity building support and its empowering approach based on partnership working.

VSO volunteers work alongside local colleagues to share their skills and expertise. However, many of these local colleagues subsequently migrate from the developing to the developed world. By encouraging diaspora to return as volunteers, VSO is addressing some of the negative effects of this ‘brain drain’ and therefore contributing to ‘brain circulation’ through the diaspora volunteers returning on a voluntary basis to transfer knowledge and skills.

Who are Diasporas?

VSO recognises that what is or who is the Diaspora is very much a contested concept. As a working definition, features of Diaspora groups include:

• Self-definition – those who see themselves as part of the Diaspora. Diaspora is not synonymous with BME, as some BME do not see themselves as Diaspora.
• De-territoriality – must have current or distant origins in a country other than the UK.
• Homogeneity – must be a group/organisation not individuals. However the group is again not synonymous with race or ethnicity e.g. you can have Asian Diaspora from East Africa.
• Hybridity – must have emotional, family or financial links with country of origin.

Evolution and expansion of the programme

In 2005 a needs assessment carried out by VSO, Diaspora organisations requested support from VSO in areas – such as capacity building in fundraising, financial planning and management; developing organisational structures; building up skills and knowledge of volunteering programme management; enhancing engagement in dialogue with key stakeholders and building up coordination, networking and sharing of skills.

The initiative has been received with enthusiasm by diaspora organisations.

Four of VSO’s national partners agencies in Canada, Kenya, Philippines and India have shown great interest in the project and have shared the UK research with partner organisations. VSO Canada is currently piloting a programme for Canada-based Guyanese to volunteer in Guyana.

From February 2005 to date VSO has engaged with over fifty diaspora focused organisations in the UK. However, for the pilot phase (2005/07), VSO focused on financial and technical support for four diaspora focused organisations.

By early 2008 VSO had extended resources and training to thirteen other diaspora organisations. The work has helped enhance the international volunteering strategies of these organisations. The number of organisations is set to grow.

DFID Diaspora Volunteering Programme Launch in partnership with VSO

Diaspora organisation and community members gathered to celebrate the launch of a three year Government funding programme supporting Diaspora volunteers returning to their countries of heritage to share key professional skills. In attendance was Shahid Malik, MP.

For further information, contact Alache Ode (Diaspora Volunteering Initiative Partnership Manager) or Evelyn Rodrigues (Diaspora Volunteering Initiative Partnership Officer)