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Preparing for the programme
The VSO training process ensures that you are given the personal and professional support you need to be effective in your overseas placement. With 50 years experience of sending volunteers overseas, VSO has identified baselines of training that we feel are needed in order for both volunteers and local partners to work together successfully.
For all VSO volunteers there are four training courses that meet these baseline requirements and which are therefore considered a compulsory part of preparation to be a YfD volunteer. In addition, we offer a range of optional work focused courses and self-learning packs that can supplement or adapt existing skills and knowledge. All training courses are held in the VSO Training Centre in Birmingham.
Training courses are not country specific, which means that when volunteers are matched to a placement they are expected to undertake their own country focused self-briefing. VSO has two Information & Learning Centres (in London and at our Training Centre in Birmingham) to support you in this, as well as a volunteer website, the Volzone.
Country specific training will be provided once you arrive in your placement country.
The four pre-departure training courses are:
- Preparing for Change Training Course, 25th – 27th April 2008
This course provides an opportunity for volunteers to explore their motivation for wanting to volunteer with VSO and examine their expectations and concerns about going overseas. This course is designed to support volunteers in developing a better understanding of their personal needs and the skills required for successful adaptation to new situations. The course also provides fundraising and global education support. - Volunteers and Development 10th – 14th July 2008
This course allows volunteers to explore cross-cultural issues and begin to identify how they relate to their role as a VSO volunteer with the YfD programme. It is also designed to increase volunteers’ awareness of development issues in order to maximise their effectiveness as contributors to development and promote international understanding. - Health and Security Briefing – range of dates available (last half a day)
This workshop covers personal health, well-being and safety whilst volunteers are overseas. It explores general health care and precautions, as well as day- to day strategies to minimise the risks to personal security. - Skills for Working in Development – range of dates available (lasts 4.5 days)
The course aims to help volunteers adapt their existing skills to working in a development context, placing emphasis on integrating action, theory, reflection and planning through active and experiential learning. It offers volunteers the opportunity to design and practise participatory tools and facilitation skills as well as looking at how volunteers can increase their impact through working with multiple stakeholders.
Selected volunteers will be provided with more information about these course in their acceptance packs.
Amy Merone, YfD volunteer in Nigeria 2006 – 2007:
For me the training has easily been the best that I have attended and I have subsequently used training techniques that I learnt prior to going overseas, time and time again in workshops in Nigeria. The emphasis on participatory approaches to development is fantastic and it really is great fun. It makes me smile to think about all the crazy workshops and activities that I have been involved in, as a result of the training with VSO. I can honestly say that on the day I left for Nigeria I felt that VSO had prepared me as much as was possible for volunteering overseas.
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