(February 2008)

Wales’s programme for tackling poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, whilst developing the skills of managers in Wales, gets underway this week with the first cohort of candidates ready for departure. The first seven volunteers to take part in the Welsh Assembly Government’s International Learning Opportunities programme will be leaving Wales this weekend for eight weeks sharing their skills in sub-Saharan Africa. The volunteers will spend two months working with colleagues in public and voluntary services in Zambia and Cameroon, sharing best practice, skills and experiences.

As part of the Wales for Africa Framework, the International Learning Opportunities scheme gives managers in the Welsh public service the chance to share and enhance their skills with colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa. The scheme is run by Public Service Management Wales in association with leading international development organisation VSO.

As well as being able to share their skills in sub-Saharan Africa as part of strategic long-term development programmes, Welsh managers will also benefit from personal development opportunities and challenges. Managers can expect to develop their leadership skills in a challenging and rewarding environment.

Two of the volunteers, Margaret Griffiths from the Wales Audit Office and Polly Ferguson from the Welsh Assembly Government will be working as part of a group of public service managers from Wales to develop an institutional development toolkit that will be used to assess the performance of local authorities in Cameroon.

First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan said: "This new skills development programme is a great example of what we are trying to achieve through the Welsh Assembly Government's Wales for Africa framework. This scheme will offer benefits for both Wales and Africa. Not only will the Welsh volunteers be able to share important skills and best practice with their African counterparts, but the volunteers will also gain valuable experience which will help them in their jobs when they return to Wales."

Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of VSO, said: "We are delighted to be able to contribute to the success of International Learning Opportunities, a creative, practical way of working towards sustainable solutions for complex problems. Public services are vital to the development of every country, and this partnership means that Wales has a real opportunity to contribute to tackling poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals."

International Learning Opportunities is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government's Wales for Africa Framework. VSO's 50 years’ experience of tackling poverty through volunteers mean the placements are based on real community needs that will benefit from the volunteers' skills. For more information visit www.wales.gov.uk/psmw or call 029 2068 1343.

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For more information about VSO contact Abigail Fulbrook in the VSO Media Office on 020 8780 7410 or press@vso.org.uk