Despite policies having been put in place to address youth issues, the current situation remains dire for young people in the country. Seventy per cent of the country’s youth population is unemployed or underemployed and 50 per cent illiterate or unskilled, according to UN figures (1). Tensions erupted in September last year in Bo, Sierra Leone’s second largest city in the south of the country, where a political rally turned into a riot and young people reportedly ransacked some parts of the town.

The UN has recognised that ‘large numbers of unemployed youths are a potential source of insecurity given their vulnerability to recruitment into criminal and violent activities’ (2).

VSO is working with local partners in Sierra Leone to help provide young people with the skills they need to secure a decent livelihood for themselves. But without a development focus on creating decent jobs and ensuring people have the skills to do them, there are concerns that the conditions for instability could be being created all over again.

William Dauda, Livelihoods Programme manager for VSO in Sierra Leone, said:

“Huge numbers of young people in Sierra Leone lack job opportunities, skills for employment or capital to start a business.

“Young people are a potential resource for growth and social development if productively employed. But they could also be a source of devastating social tension, conflict and instability if they are left jobless and without hope.

“In the north where we work, hundreds of job-seeking young people have moved to the area from other parts of the country, most lacking the skills and education to secure gainful employment. Many have stayed for months with no work. They are frustrated and with elections scheduled for November 2012, there are some concerns that this frustration could spill over into unrest.”

A UNDP District Based Youth study in May 2011 highlighted youth employment challenges in five districts in Sierra Leone. The study revealed that most young people in Sierra Leone do not have a basic livelihood or employable skills and further lack the knowledge, training and capital to start up or sustainably manage a business.

The situation is not unique to Sierra Leone. Over 75 million young people were unemployed worldwide at the end of 2010, according to figures from the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Many more in developing countries are underemployed “working poor”, forced to take whatever poorly-paid work they can get and subsisting below the poverty line of $2 per day. VSO is calling on world leaders to take urgent action on jobs in developing countries, placing decent work at the heart of efforts to spur global economic recovery and eradicate poverty.

Lisa Horner, Policy Manager at VSO, added:
“We need to get the world working. Poor people want to work their way out of poverty and the global economy needs the boost that their labour could provide.

"But leaders in developing and advanced economies need to work together to ensure that trade, investment and development policies focus on generating productive employment for the world's poorest people.  This simply isn't happening at the moment."

VSO is working in Sierra Leone with local NGO partners like Binkolo Growth Centre, MADAM and Future In Our Hands, who operate in Sierra Leone’s least developed northern regions. The area has a heavy concentration of unemployed and under employed young people who are desperately seeking jobs with two mining companies, UK-based London Mining and Africa Minerals, which have been operating in the area in the last 2 years.

Abdulai, 28, now works in cassava production after receiving training at Binkolo Growth Centre. But until then he had almost lost hope. He said:

“I spent four years in Freetown where I lived on the streets. The only way I found money to survive was to do odd jobs carrying things, doing work for anyone who would pay… We would sometimes steal bags, money, or things that were worth money that we could sell, just to survive. I didn’t feel good about it, but I had nobody else there. We did not feel good about ourselves; a man without a job does not feel good. We were trying so hard to find work. 
 
“ I went back to Binkolo because my mother sent for me; I returned to find out my father had died during the war… Since 2007, I have not really been doing anything. It is very rough for young people here – so many are unemployed. Every day they come here to Binkolo searching for work… but most of my friends don’t have a job.  Many get in trouble with the police for stealing.”

Later this year VSO will launch a new public campaign focusing on jobs in the developing world, with specific attention paid to the situation for young people and women.

Based on a recent assessment by Ranaw Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Center, medicines and ready-made food are urgent necessities. These include:

1. food such as rice, drinking water, canned goods, milk, instant meals and ready-made snacks

2. non-food such as blankets, mosquito nets, slippers, sleeping mats, clothing for children, clothing for adults and new under-garments 

3. toiletries such as bath and laundry soaps, toothpaste, toothbrush, sanitary napkins and diapers for children

4. kitchenware such as cooking pots, ladles, cups, drinking glass, eating utensils, water containers, pails and dippers

5. first aid such as rubbing alcohol, cotton, betadine, bandage, plaster, gauze bandage and basic medicines

The Department of Health has recently declared an outbreak of leptospirosis in Cagayan de Oro. About 200 people are confined in hospitals with symptoms of the disease. In Iligan, hospitals and medical centers are in dire need of tetanus toxoid and other medicines.

Relief operations are likely to continue over the next three months as families have absolutely no means to start anew. VSO Bahaginan will continue to raise funds for medium and long-term interventions.

Typhoon Washi struck from 16-18 December devastating the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. A total of 1,200 are known to have died in the floods.

Donate to our appeal

You can make a donation to VSO Bahaginan’s relief operations and our medium and long-term interventions, at www.justgiving.com/vso-flooding-philippines If you have a credit or debit card, you can donate any amount. When you use JustGiving, remember that you are donating in British Pounds.

10 GBP = about 670 PHP
20 GBP = about 1,340 PHP

Alternatively, if you are in the Philippines you can make a cash donation through VSO Bahaginan Foundation, BDO SA Acct 1630-0381-11 or BPI SA Acct 0273-3551-11.

Philippine authorities have given permission to EcoWEB, in Iligan, to lead this project and potential collaborators are now discussing the next steps. The city government has donated a parcel of land for the new settlement.

The project will enlist psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors to provide psychosocial and resettlement support to the typhoon survivors. The project will need architects, engineers, construction experts and planners to help build the houses.

Typhoon Sendong struck from 16-18 December devastating the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. The logs in Iligan pummeled many flood victims to death at the height of the flash floods. A total of 1,200 are known to have died in the floods.

The illegally cut logs now clog five kilometres of Mindanao's coastline. Volunteers have started scouring the area for suitable lumber.

Donate to our appeal

You can make a donation to VSO Bahaginan’s relief operations and our medium and long-term interventions, at www.justgiving.com/vso-flooding-philippines If you have a credit or debit card, you can donate any amount. When you use JustGiving, remember that you are donating in British Pounds (GBP).

10 GBP = about 670 PHP
20 GBP = about 1,340 PHP

Alternatively, if you are in the Philippines you can make a cash donation through VSO Bahaginan Foundation, BDO SA Acct 1630-0381-11 or BPI SA Acct 0273-3551-11.

As the organisation marked International Volunteers Day it unveiled Mari Simonen, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, as the new Chair, together with six new board members who bring to the international development charity their experience in campaigning for women's rights, helping people access better health services and improving education opportunities in developing countries.

In a further sign of this growing internationalisation, VSO will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding today at the United Nations headquarters in New York with US volunteering organisation Peace Corps, as part of events organised by UN Volunteers to mark the tenth anniversary of International Year of Volunteers. The agreement will promote greater joint working and skill sharing between the two organisations in selected projects around the world.

VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne said:

"VSO is changing – from a UK-based volunteering organisation to a global development charity which engages people from all over the world in the fight against poverty. I'm excited to be working with the new trustees, all of whom are from outside the UK and nearly half from the global south. Their appointment shows how we’re implementing this more global approach at the highest level.

"In the long term we want to grow the VSO federation internationally. I'd like to see more VSOs, in more countries, providing a local presence that keeps us truly relevant in the countries where we work.

"The same global approach applies to our volunteers themselves: a VSO volunteer is now just as likely to be someone from Kenya, India or the Philippines as they are someone from the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands.

"We’ll never lose that focus on people sharing their skills with people in other countries, with all the benefits that it brings to volunteer and partner alike. We now want to build a network of volunteers which stretches all over the world."

The new trustees are:

• Anjali Sen, South Asia Director, International Planned Parenthood Federation, a network of 151 associations providing sexual and reproductive health rights 

• Nthobi Angel, Chair of KasigoTiso Holdings, one of South Africa’s largest black-owned investment companies. She has extensive knowledge of the African continent and is a director of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) 

• Rasheda Choudhury, Executive Director, Campaign for Popular Education Bangladesh, and former government advisor 

• Pamela Culpepper, Senior Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion at PepsiCo 

• Wayan Vota, Senior Director of Inveneo, a social enterprise focused on getting the tools of ITC into rural communities in the developing world

• Tom Carver, Vice President, Communications and Strategy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an award-winning journalist

They will join the existing trustees:

• Grace Aguiling-Dalisay, Professor at the University of the Philippines and a lifelong volunteer 

• Mark Astarita, Director of Fundraising, British Red Cross and Chair of the Institute of Fundraising 

• Sir Andrew Cubie, Vice Chair, consultant to law firm Fyfe Ireland WS, Chairman of the Court of Napier University and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework 

• John Bason, a former VSO volunteer who is now Finance Director of Associated British Foods

• Kibaya Laibuta, Chartered Arbitrator and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Commissioner with the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution

The new Chair of VSO's International Board, Mari Simonen, said: "VSO's mission and vision are international, so it is only right that the Board reflects this. We have brave ambitions and big challenges ahead, so VSO needs to continue to grow to meet these – we will do that best if we are truly international.

"It feels very complementary that I bring to this position all the experience and skills gained during my 31 years at the UN. Working for the UN gives you a very global perspective and this echoes the direction VSO is taking.

"Change starts with one person, one person at a time. If you join up individual actions you create a movement, with everyone having an important role to play. It is easy to get lost in so much poverty, with problems seeming too big and too far away: we must realise that what we do every day has impact."

New trustee Anjali Sen said:
"The planet is a better place whenever somebody, somewhere, resolves to make her or his ideas and effort count -voluntarily – and make a difference. Passion and energy flows. This is the spirit of volunteerism.

"I want to be a part of an organisation that brings more and more people’s ideas, passions, energies and efforts to the fore, to make this planet a better place to inhabit for now and for the future to come. I will do my bit."

VSO has more than 50 years experience of empowering people to tackle poverty. The organisation is increasingly focused on strengthening systems, developing policies and building capacity in the 34 developing countries where it works, while continuing to deliver services directly where that is what is most needed.

The new board of trustees will take responsibility for continuing this approach of fighting poverty through people, a strategy which in the last year has seen volunteers support 26 million people in the world’s poorest countries.

"This innovative partnership will enhance the effectiveness and impact of both Peace Corps and VSO," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "We will share best practices in programming and training, strengthening our united efforts to combat global poverty. We are proud to mark the tenth anniversary of International Year of Volunteers by recognising the contributions our volunteers are making around the world with local communities."

"VSO and Peace Corps both share a belief that volunteering can have a real and lasting impact on poverty," said VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne. "We're quite different organisations in terms of our history, governance and the volunteers we work with, and this means each agency can complement the work of the other rather than overlap. This agreement builds on existing work to share skills, training and materials so we can be more effective in the benefit that we bring."

The partnership was first announced during President Barack Obama's state visit to the United Kingdom in May 2011. The agreement will draw on the shared resources of both organisations, helping to ensure VSO and Peace Corps volunteers can continue fighting poverty and creating sustainable solutions to many of the challenges faced by local communities around the world.

Peace Corps and VSO have worked together informally for more than a decade. In Tanzania, for example, VSO and Peace Corps collaborate closely to improve the English capability of Tanzanian teachers, and share materials, skills and accommodation to improve in-country training for volunteers. Building on this foundation, Peace Corps and VSO will explore how they can collaborate further on volunteer programmes, such as education, health and HIV and AIDS projects across the developing world, and on supporting local citizens to shape their future and the future of their countries. The partnership will also see knowledge sharing on training and other support functions.

The Peace Talks Watch is a consortium of civil society groups in Mindanao whose task is to monitor developments of the peace negotiation process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines  and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF) for one year or from June 2011-June 2012. This move follows the earlier statement of Dean Marvic Leonen, chair of the GPH peace panel that there will be an agreement signed within the year to address the Bangsamoro problem in Mindanao.

CSO-FP is a member of the Change for Peace campaign network together with other civil society groups led by Mindanao Peoples Caucus of Davao City. CSO-FPis one of VSO Bahaginan’s partners in developing peace-building programs in the country.

Jun Enriquez, managing director of CSO-FP reported that CSO-FP will act as facilitator of all development information on the GPH-MILF peace talks. Specifically, Enriquez committed to document the process particularly highlighting the countdown to the agreement signing.

Regular meet-ups will be organized with the media to inform them of developments as well as to serve as venue for feedback. Roundtable discussions and symposia in schools and consultations with the community will also be done to share information on the peace process. All relevant updates will be cascaded to concerned groups through press releases taking into consideration the official media release of the GPH-MILF peace panel.

A peace caravan to highlight the Peace Talks Watch led by the Ranaw Confederation for Peace of Marawi City was also held in June. Coming from Marawi, the caravan passed Iligan City and Lanao del Norte. Members of the MILF also joined the caravan as confirmed by Col. Daniel Lucero, Commander of the 103rd Brigade in Campo Ranaw, Marawi City.

Entitled ‘Attracting Employee Volunteers’, the session aimed to educate participants on the various ways of drawing employee engagement through volunteering. Ventura who is one of the pioneer beneficiaries of VSO Bahaginan’s Volunteer Management Systems course was also joined by Ronald Allan Victorino of Petron Foundation in this session.

Highlighting VSOB’s role in the success of their volunteer programs, Ventura shared his learnings from the VMS course particularly on placement development, volunteer selection, volunteer support and evaluation.

The VSO Volunteer Management Systems Course is a three-day learning experience that aims to build the capacity of participants to set up management systems for their volunteer programs. The course is a step-by-step guide in developing policies and procedures for managing volunteers. It is open to all volunteer program coordinators and people involved in working with volunteers.

VSOB also exhibited its various training courses from the Learning Hub through the CSR Expo booth. VSOB's booth was graced by CSR praticitioners, government officials, students and supporters including singer and composer Noel Cabangon. For more information on VMS and available corporate partnerships, please contact Norie Garcia on +63 2 3746450 to 52 loc 36 or email bahaginanrg@vsobahaginan.org.

In an effort to continually engage VSO Bahaginan’s supporters and communicate VSO’s new global strategy of putting people at the center of our work, Mayne addressed a crowd of around 25 heads of NGOs, government and private corporations over dinner at the Sky Lounge of the Export Bank building at the heart of Makati’s central business district.

“We are in the business of changing people’s lives… Our strategy is to grow and expand, to network with the business community as well as friends in other sectors because we believe it is necessary to partner to make a better world,” said Mayne.

She added, “The very heart of what we do is that we believe to achieve social progress, to fight poverty, we have to change what people do. We need to push people to do something different to make a better world. And the only way to influence this kind of change is if they are inspired, if they are encouraged by another person.”

Attended by industry leaders including AO Capital CEO Jaime Gonzalez who is a strong supporter and consultant of VSO Bahaginan; National Movement for Free Elections chairman Jose Concepcion, Jr. also known as the grandfather of Philippine volunteerism; Metro Manila Development Authority general manager, Undersecretary Corazon T. Jimenez; Mark Dia of Greenpeace and Gianna Montinola of Hands On Manila, the event also highlighted VSO Bahaginan’s contribution to nation-building for the past ten years.

VSO Bahaginan executive director Malou Juanito underscored the organization’s role in promoting ‘brain gain’ as opposed to the public’s earlier perception of ‘brain drain’ due to the international volunteering program.

Juanito shared, “At the onset, VSO Bahaginan’s international volunteering program was perceived as promoting ‘brain drain’ as we send skilled Filipinos overseas to help other developing countries instead of our country. Now, after ten years, we’re proving detractors wrong as we see our returned volunteers back in the Philippines, engaged in their communities and more equipped with new learning and confidence gained from engaging with various cultures.”

Juanito ended with a call to VSO Bahaginan’s friends and partners to continue to work together to build a stronger Philippines empowered by volunteers.

The evening also featured two short videos produced by VSO Bahaginan’s resource generation unit showcasing the benefits of volunteerism and highlighting the call to engage with VSO Bahaginan and other organizations in promoting volunteerism as a means to end global poverty.

The first video showed various volunteering icons in the country talking about their reasons for and thoughts on volunteering. This was produced and directed by Jay Abello under 7th Films.

The second 3-minute video produced by Campagins & Grey features in great creative detail VSO’s work as generating a ripple effect in the world of international development. Both films may be viewed on VSO Bahaginan’s YouTube channel.

Mayne concluded, “We share skills and we continually raise expectations to inspire, to push others to take charge of their life and to make a difference in this world. We stay relevant—changing with the time and developing different ways of working with communities. And we make this sustainable by putting people at the center of our work.”

The 10 British volunteers are part of the International Citizen Service (ICS) Youth Action, a new initiative funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) that will give thousands of 18-22 year old across the UK to join in the fight against global poverty.  

They will be joined by 10 Filipino youth professionals from Quezon City and Hagonoy, Bulacan. 

For 12 weeks, the volunteers will live, learn and volunteer together on a range of community based action projects.   Two teams of young people aim to work effectively together to deliver real impact at community level – be it through supporting service delivery, through advocacy or peer education activities or through youth-led community action research around themes of health, human rights, environmental protection, climate change, and youth participation. 

Volunteers will receive in-country training in participatory community development approaches in order to support them in their placements and project work. 

VSO, an international development organization that works through volunteers in fighting global poverty, heads a consortium that is piloting the ICS in 21 countries.  In the Philippines, VSO Bahaginan, an NGO that implements a range of innovative volunteering for development programs and a member of the VSO Federation, serves as the focal point for supporting young volunteers to take action for development. 

VSO Bahaginan and Visayan Forum, an NGO known for its advocacy and action against human trafficking, have been partners in strengthening its volunteering program in support of its wide range of services for victims of human trafficking.

The Local Government of Hagonoy, Bulacan and VSO Bahaginan are collaborating for the first time to widen the reach of Hagonoy’s health education campaign against leading diseases such as tuberculosis  and promote healthy lifestyles especially among the youth. 

Sixty more British youth volunteers with their 60 Filipino youth counterparts will be working with LGUs and NGOs in Bohol, Cebu, Davao, and Samar in the coming months.

On midday of June 23, Emma and ten other Randstad employees donned their running shoes and VSO-Randstad branded t-shirts and jogged around Sydney for 30 minutes. Emma shared, “This is an annual event that Randstad head office does so we jumped in this year. I think it’s a great annual raising awareness event and we’ve got three locations in the city where people can donate money as well.”

Emma and her colleagues were able to raise A$200 for VSO in addition to valuable interest raised from staff to do international volunteering. She added, “We had a great time. It’s a fairly small group but hopefully the word will keep spreading and next year, the event will be bigger.”

Emma Kirkwood is the regional human resources manager of Randstad Australia and the first Randstad   Australia BP volunteer recruited through VSO Bahaginan.  She successfully finished a 6-week assignment as capacity building advisor to two NGOs in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Attending the recent Executive Course on International and National Humanitarian Interventions in Disaster Management hosted by Miriam College, VSO Bahaginan associates Jay Ancheta, Judah Aliposa and returned volunteer James Zamora are now engaging local community partners to champion projects on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable to climate change, particularly susceptible to multiple climate hazards like tropical cyclones, floods, sea level rise, landslides and drought. Over the last decade, the Philippines ranked 10th in the 2007 Global Climate Risk Index.

The course gave the participants an overview of the global and regional impact of climate change and an understanding of the geo-hazards in the Philippines including government's disaster preparedness and mitigation plans. It also touched on humanitarian standards, principles and health emergency management systems, best practices in addressing the needs of the marginalised and vulnerable, and strengthening disaster work with volunteers.

“The course was an opportunity for VSO Bahaginan to map out local resource and opportunities for partnerships, especially in areas where partners and national volunteers can work together to contribute to community disaster preparedness,” National Volunteering Programme Officer Jay Ancheta said.

Volunteers working with local agencies

VSO Bahaginan aims to organize groups that will provide community education and disaster-preparedness training to partners and communities. One of these partners is the Lanuza Bay Development Alliance (LBDA) in Surigao del Sur, Mindanao. LBDA is working with government and non-government organisations to develop an integrated municipal forest land-use plan that will allow standardised approach in managing natural resources of the seven municipalities facing the Pacific Ocean.

Another partner that stand to benefit from the training soon is the Matarinao Bay Management Council in Eastern Samar, Visayas which mobilises local volunteers working with key government agencies in conserving fisheries and aquatic resources, and empowering women and men for alternative livelihoods.

Jay added, “Volunteers are crucial in the work of partners in order to build disaster-resilient communities.”

In a statement announcing six key joint initiatives the leaders said that: “The US Peace Corps and VSO will jointly promote volunteering and active citizenship through people to people exchanges. They will work together alongside local communities and organisations on development priorities and they will enhance their effectiveness by sharing best practice in training, systems and innovation.”

For more than fifty years, Peace Corps and VSO have been leading organisations fighting global poverty through volunteering.  Collectively, they have 10,000 international volunteers working in 95 countries and a network of more than 250,000 returned volunteers. Each organisation works in complementary ways, so providing opportunities to work together that enhances our effectiveness in transforming lives across the world.

Peace Corps and VSO have worked together informally, on a small scale, for more than a decade. Building on this foundation, they will explore how they can collaborate further, on volunteer programmes, such as education, health and HIV/AIDS projects across the developing world, and on supporting local citizens to shape their future and the future of their countries.  The partnership will also see organisational learning on training and other support functions.

VSO Chief Executive Officer, Marg Mayne said:

“This is a landmark step forward for VSO and our transatlantic friends, Peace Corps. We both have a shared insight and commitment to engaging people in the fight against poverty. Peace Corps and VSO will support each other’s efforts to develop volunteer programmes that are more effective in engaging poor communities in shaping their own future.

“The announcement today will allow us to increase the reach of our education, health, HIV/AIDS, youth development, gender and climate change programmes. Our valued volunteers will continue to work alongside poor communities and local partners on key development priorities, as well as support them in building a lasting legacy of local volunteer networks.”

Peace Corps Director, Aaron S. Williams said:

“This innovative partnership will enhance the effectiveness and impact of both Peace Corps and VSO.  We will share best practices in programming and training, strengthening our united efforts to combat global poverty.  We are proud that President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron recognise the contributions our volunteers are making within local communities around the world.”

Ends

VSO Media contact: Krista Eleftheriou on krista.eleftheriou@vso.org.uk, +44 (0)20 8780 7265, +44 (0)7738982122.

Peace Corps Press Office: pressoffice@peacecorps.gov, +1-202-692-2230

The Gualandi Volunteer Service Program (GVSP), a partner of the national volunteering program of VSO Bahaginan, aims to empower the deaf community by advocating for inclusion and assisting the deaf in their quest to participate in the development of their own communities. Over the years, GVSP’s work continues to receive positive feedback as it works to fulfill the goal of strengthening their access to information and communication at the local and national levels, and the promotion of the Filipino Sign Language (FSL).

So, how is it possible? A hearing volunteer of GVSP appears on a TV inset at the lower right corner of the television screen allowing the deaf to understand the news through watching the FSL interpreter. Hearing volunteers commit five times a week and are trained to interpret as effectively as possible. 

Because of this work, deaf people in Cebu and in the region are able to appropriately respond to local events, thereby, increasing the opportunities of deaf people to participate in development as volunteers. They no longer just sit with the family and pretend that they understand the news. They can now interact with their family while watching the news and react to it by doing something in their schools or in their work places. On weekends, deaf people find time to interact with each other and have a discussion about what they learned from the news. GVSP maximizes these opportunities by channeling the energies of deaf people for various volunteering opportunities. The project is also able to influence their own families and relatives in mainstreaming disability.

VSO Bahaginan's national volunteering program is supporting disabled peoples organization (DPOs) in capacity building. Kabahagi Fellows – who are volunteer mentors – assist in the training needs of DPO leaders and disabled persons. The Kabahagi Fellowship is an innovation of the National Volunteering Program, where people (including persons with disabilities) are able to share their skills through volunteering and help in contributing to VSO’s goal of fighting poverty and disadvantage. 

The Carood Watershed was assessed by the IMFN in March 2009. It was assessed against the principles of partnership, landscape, commitment to sustainability, governance, program of activities and knowledge sharing, capacity building, and networking. IMFN concluded that the proposed Carood Watershed Model Forest has a strong potential to become a unique and innovative member of the network. A regional Model Forest team was created to spearhead the implementation of the Model Forest approach in the Carood Watershed. The Carood Watershed covers an area of 20,000 hectares.

IMFN is a global community of practice whose members and supporters work toward the common goal of sustainable management of forest-based landscapes through the Model Forest approach. The IMFN is comprised of all member Model Forests in existence around the world. Model Forests are based on a flexible approach that combines the social, cultural and economic needs of local communities with the long-term sustainability of forest landscapes.

VSO is not new in the Model Forest approach. CUSO-VSO has developed an exciting project in collaboration with the IMFN, which provides opportunities for Canadian volunteers to share their time and expertise in two tropical rainforests in Cameroon.

VSO Bahaginan is also involved in IMFN’s work in another watershed in Ulot, Samar Province.

VSO Bahaginan believes in the value of volunteering, and the role of volunteers in the conservation, protection and sustainable management of natural resources. VSO Bahaginan is working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Province of Bohol through the Bohol Environment Management Office, the municipalities and other public and private players to support the work of international and national volunteers for the conduct of programmatic activities that will strengthen the Carood Watershed Management Council. This collaborative work of local and international agencies will hopefully provide real long-term sustainable development for the people in the Carood Watershed.

Mr. Amess spent two weeks in the Philippines as a VSO Bahaginan volunteer to support the advocacy of Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) for a positive practice environment (PPE) which would mean better work conditions for Filipino nurses in order to provide quality health services to the people.

“The Filipino nurses are the finest nurses in the world. They just don’t realize the power that they have” said Mr. Amess, “they are the best advertisement of your country.”

Mr. Amess identified crucial issues and concerns of the nurses in the country. One of the issues raised is the unemployment and underemployment of nurses evident with the lack of available positions in the hospitals, lack of plantilla positions for nurses in public health, contractualization of nurses through job-order schemes and rampant practice of hiring paying “volunteer” nurses in exchange for alleged training experience. He would like to address these through creating more plantilla positions in public health services especially in rural areas, enact legislation to prevent hiring of “volunteer” nurses and institutionalize mechanisms for Nurse Entrepreneurship Program which was started by the Department of Labor and Employment in January 2010.

He’d also like to address the non-implementation of decent wage and due benefits according to approved laws through the immediate implementation of the Nursing Law of 2002 and full implementation of the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers.

Another issue raised by the volunteering parliamentarian was the lack of monitoring plight of Filipino nurses overseas as some become victims of illegal recruitment agencies or unfair labor practices. Because of this, he’d like to implement the World Health Organization Code of Ethical Recruitment of Health Professionals which will involve different accredited nursing organizations in the drafting of bilateral and multilateral agreements with countries needing Filipinos nurses.

These issues and recommendations were results of the series of meetings he attended with different government agencies throughout his stay. He met with various government agencies and organizations such as the Department of Health, Ifugao local chief executives, Philippines Overseas Employment Administration, and the Department of Labor and Employment.

“I am privileged to work with PNA in order to strengthen their advocacy and lobbying work for better quality of health services for the poor people in the communities. I’d also like to thank VSO Bahaginan for giving me an opportunity to do volunteer work to help the Filipino nurses as they are some of the most caring and hospitable nurses I’ve ever met. There is a need to create more opportunities for them locally to avoid depletion of the supply of nurses in the Philippines,” said Mr. Amess.

Mr. Amess’ work with PNA is part of his involvement in the Parliamentarian Volunteering Scheme organized by VSO Bahaginan, a development organization that is helping to alleviate poverty through a range of volunteering programs and raising awareness about development issues such as right to health. The Parliamentarian Volunteering Scheme of VSO engages influential public servants as catalysts for social projects to achieve rapid progress in a short amount of time. Mr. Amess’ particular work with PNA forms part of VSO’s Valuing Health Workers advocacy which supports achievement of health related Millennium Development Goals focused on improving quality of health care

The aim of all VSO work in health is to achieve stronger, more inclusive and accessible health systems so that the poorest and most vulnerable populations can realize their right to health. VSO Bahaginan implements volunteering and advocacy programs to bring the voices and expertise of health workers in to the attention of policy makers to suggest solutions.

VSO Indonesia currently has international volunteer professionals working with partners in local government institutions and NGOs in Nusa Tenggara Timur and South Sulawesi, on livelihoods and disability projects.

In 2009, VSO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dirjen Binapenta. According to the MOU, VSO will manage a pilot project sending Indonesian volunteers overseas. The project will be evaluated at the end of the Indonesian volunteer’s two-year term.

We believe that Indonesian professionals are able to take up this important role of making changes for a better world, through sharing their knowledge, talents, experience and skills with local organisations and communities in other developing countries.

The recruitment criteria, terms and conditions and mechanism will be the same as those used in other VSO recrutiment bases. The volunteer benefits package is designed so that the volunteer will not lose money or make a profit from volunteering. VSO Indonesia and VSO Bahaginan in the Philippines, (the closest VSO recruitment centre in Asia) will manage this pilot project.

The project started in August 2010 and the recruitment process will consist of application and selection between September and October 2010. The deadline for submitting application forms is 3 September 2010.

The five Indonesian volunteers are expected to start their overseas postings between November 2010 and March 2011, depending on them being matched with available placements in VSO partner organisations in other developing countries.

Next to the valuable contributions volunteers make during their placements, they return to their own country equipped with invaluable professional experience, a wealth of memories, and a whole new perspective on life. It will be a great contribution to the development of Indonesia and its skilled workforce, if Indonesians volunteered their time and skills as VSO volunteers.

VSO is distributing information about this pilot project through mailing lists, Internet job sites, as well as a video advertisement at the Kota train station in Jakarta. This video advertisement has been made possible through our collaboration with QSi Holding Limited and their representative in Indonesia, PT Delphi Utama.

VSO's response to the disaster

VSO immediately contacted all its partner organizations to check their status. Only one organization, the Participatory Welfare Organization (PWO) in the District Layyah Punjab Province, was badly affected. Their areas of work are near the bank of River Indus. The sudden water surge in the river destroyed hundreds of villages. PWO is a very active relief organization and started the rescue efforts by arranging rescue boats.

VSO also works closely with the National Volunteer Movement (NVM), a government body. Its national volunteers moved immediately to provide support to rescue work in Peshawar city and in northern areas.

NVM mobilised their volunteers to man the various collection points for relief goods and distribution to needy people. They have been providing cooked food to people in Peshawar, and have made a plan to arrange a crash course for local people of affected areas in coordinating the relief activities and managing the relief operations. In the next phase VSO will help identify people through our Resource Bank to provide training in damage assessment at various locations.

Now the flash flood have receded, there is fear about the looming threat of epidemics, such as malaria or cholera caused by standing slush in the affected low-lying areas.

If you are a Chinese professional and are looking for a change in 2010, you can now apply to volunteer with VSO to make a real difference, not only to your life, but also to the lives of some of the world's poorest people.

By sharing your valuable skills, you'll help disadvantaged communities in some of the world's poorest countries. As well as gaining new skills and experiences, you will return equipped with invaluable professional experience, a wealth of memories, and a whole new perspective on life.

VSO started its work in China in 1981. VSO believes it is the right time for Chinese volunteers to represent China in international development. 

VSO is urgently in need of volunteers with a variety of skills and level of experience and qualifications such as health, HIV and health project management, small business advising, NGO management, natural resources management, and IT.

Apply now if you are:

• at least 26-years-old, with a college degree

• have at least three years professional experience, is able to communicate in English

• available to live in a developing country for six months to two years. 

For inquiries, call +86 (0)10 6553 1947 extension 28. To apply, send an email with your application form to vsochina@vsoint.org by 12 July 2010, and indicate “Volunteer Application” in the subject of your email.

This initiative is supported by China International Centre for Economic & Technical Exchanges, Beijing Volunteers Federation, Volunteer Committee of China Social Work Association and endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce of P.R. China.

With an aim to replicate and top aforementioned success, VSO Bahaginan once again stages the VSO Kabahagi Run for 2010. It will take place on April 25, 5am at McKinley Hill, Taguig in partnership with the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA).

Celebrating nurses and volunteerism

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) is another organization that strongly believes in the power of volunteering and our recruitment partner. The overarching theme for the run is to celebrate the spirit volunteerism of the Filipino as manifested in the volunteers that VSO sends to international placements in developing and underdeveloped countries who share their skills in the service of others.

The run also pays tribute to Filipino nurses here and abroad who keep Filipinos and other nationalities healthy and safe. For PNA the run serves as PNA’s opening salvo as it celebrates the International Day of Nurses on May 12, 2010. 

Partners

Supporting this run are our partners: Pocari Sweat as the main beverage partner, URC, Men’s Health, CHEERS Foundation, IP Ventures, First Metro Travel Inc., ROX, Chris Sports, and many more.

Registration

Registration fee is P450. Interested runners and supporters may register at at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street, Global City and at the VSO Bahaginan Office, 305 Pacific Corporate Center, West Avenue, Quezon City, PNA office and CHEERs Foundation Office. Onsite registration is also allowed.

Mark Aethen Agana, South Cotabato; Margarita Victoria Caballa, Metro Manila; Joseph Eduard LarañO III, Iloilo; Desiree May Llanos Dee, Metro Manila; April Karnette Maniacup, Pampanga; Karl Benson Molina, Rizal; Joshua Francisco Neo, Bicol; Christina Lucia Marian Palami, Leyte; and Anthony Ross Zuniga, Rizal—have been chosen from all over the country to represent the Philippines as Team 107 in the next UK/Philippines exchange. 

Global Xchange, which is an initiative set up by VSO in partnership with the British Council and VSO Bahaginan, is a volunteer exchange program which gives young people from the Philippines and UK a chance to work together to develop and share valuable skills to make a practical contribution where it is needed in local communities.

Set to work as a team for three months in London, United Kingdom and another three months in Cebu, Philippines, these youth members will live with local families and work with local community organizations to address the pressing issues on disability, secure livelihood, and environment. 

Tessie Bugarin, Team 107’s Project Supervisor, will help them adapt to their new environment and learn as much as possible from their experiences.

“I had a hard time choosing the candidates for this batch. Everyone was excellent in his/her field of work.  I am confident they will do well in the exchange,” said Bugarin.

Meanwhile, the team is preparing for the soft launch of their campaign The Butterfly Effect Project which aims to mobilize the youth to promote and support volunteering through Global Xchange. This project seeks to advance the knowledge and awareness of the youth, by encouraging them to participate in meaningful activities to serve as a generative force in human resource development committed to the values of volunteerism, social transformation, equity and diversity.

“I am thrilled and excited about the team’s bright ideas. Their energy and vigor make me feel younger. Truly, the youth is an asset to our organization,” Happy Ballesteros-Raagas. Resource Generation of VSO Bahaginan Foundation, Inc., said. 

There is barely a week before they take flight to Hounslow, London—their first community. Everyone is excited.  The whole country will be with them on their journey.

Over the three days, there will be a learning exchange between partners and returned volunteers about youth leadership and participation and peacebuilding. The participants will also be designing a strategy for continuing engagement of returned volunteers.

The conference organized by Kapamagogopa Inc and Global Xchange through Voluntary Services Overseas(VSO) Bahaginan with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency and CUSO-VSO (Canada) is dubbed as “Ang Pagtatagpo” and will  be held in Mactan Island, Cebu on February 19 to 21, 2010.

The three day event will provide returned volunteers with a platform for continuing engagement in such areas as recruitment and fundraising and to assist Kapamagogopa and VSO Bahaginan in the promotion of volunteering for development.

On the last day, there will be a community action day to boost the spirit of volunteerism already present among returned volunteers together with a local environmental campaign in Olango Island, home of the largest concentration of migratory birds from Siberia, Northern China and Japan. The participants will be planting mangrove trees and conducting a cleanup of some of the beaches. The opportunity will also serve as a reunion gathering for Kapamagogopa and Global Xchange returned volunteers for the first time.

The campaign aims to send a loud and clear message from citizens to leaders of rich and poor countries to take urgent action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Last year, the Philippines campaign topped all countries in terms of number of people mobilized—3.2 million Filipinos. This year is another chance for you to make yourself be counted. 

Stand up, fight poverty in three easy ways:

1. Vote

Fill out the I Vote for MDGs formand submit to the Stand Up Secretariat on or before October 18.  Results of this survey will be presented to the presidential candidates in a forum on October 20.

2. Click

Stand with us by registering your email below any time between October 16 and 18.   A few clicks and you would have already taken a stand against poverty.

3. Run

Join the fun run with other MDG advocates on October 18 in Makati City.  Check www.un.org.ph/standup for final details.

For questions or inquiries, please get in touch with Rachel Nalus Quintos at 3746450 to 52 ext 30 or email marketing@vsobahaginan.org

This decision comes three years after a high level panel first recommended the creation of a unified women’s agency and follows committed lobbying from hundreds of NGOs and their supporters around the world.  Thousands of VSO supporters across the UK campaigned for this agency through the charity’s Help Women Help the World campaign and overseas staff and volunteers got involved by lobbying their UN Permanent Representatives.

However, while VSO welcomes this decision, it is also urging the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to act swiftly to ensure the agency is operational during 2010 and has the budget and mandate to enable it to genuinely change the lives of disadvantaged women.

Commenting on the decision VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne said: 

“This is an historic moment for women around the world and the efforts of the numerous campaigners and organisations calling for this resolution have been justly rewarded.  But let’s be realistic, this agency has its work cut out.  Persistent inequalities and discrimination have led to women being amongst the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the world and it will take money, clarity and commitment to really have an impact. A UN women’s agency has the potential to change lives but VSO will be watching closely to make sure its creation does not become embroiled in bureaucracy and political game playing.”

VSO believes a functioning and effective agency must be funded to at least $1bn a year, with expert staff and adequate resources to run programmes on the ground that will improve women's lives. It must have strong leadership along with a willingness to listen to the women’s organisations and charities operating on the ground.

Currently over half a million women die in childbirth or pregnancy every year because they can't access the healthcare they need. Every day hundreds of women are the victims of rape and sexual violence in conflict zones like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Three-quarters of people infected by HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa are female and the majority of children out of school are girls.

Catherine Hine, Director of VSO Tajikistan, said:

“It is exciting to hear from everyone we speak to here, about the key role that VSO can play in Tajikistan. And there is no doubt that VSO volunteers can make a difference. This beautiful country has been hit particularly hard by the global economic crisis, climate change and the decline in post-Soviet essential services.”

In 2009, with support from United Nations Volunteers, VSO Tajikistan conducted the first ever study of volunteering in Tajikistan contributing to VSO’s program areas. Its key focus areas will be helping communities living in poverty to effectively manage natural resources to reduce the risk and impact of natural disasters.

VSO volunteer, Steve Stevenson, is currently working as Natural Resource Management Adviser with the Central Asian Mountain Partnership in Dushanbe:

“The Tajiks I have met are hospitable, keen to learn and very cooperative. The challenge lies in the multiple issues that require an integrated approach such as disaster management, pasture management, soil erosion and health care issues. A visit to the rural, mountainous areas brings home the extent of these challenges. “

VSO Tajikistan will also be focusing on improving access to healthcare services at community level for vulnerable groups. VSO currently has a volunteer, Jo Baker, an Organizational Development and Advocacy Specialist, working with the Association of Parents of Disabled Children (APDC).

As Sabohat Hakim Zoda, Director of APDC, explained:
“We wanted to know how things are done in other places and to share experiences. We wanted to learn how to advocate for disabled children.

“Jo’s help will mean that we can build our capacity and expand our work. We want to be able to stand up for the rights of disabled children effectively,” she added.

In the future, VSO Tajikistan will work in partnership with local organization to help people living in poverty earn a decent and consistent livelihood through improved understanding of markets and business planning.

“I feel privileged to be able to work alongside our Tajik colleagues and support them in meeting the very real challenges that Tajikistan is facing right now. Despite our short existence in Tajikistan, VSO’s specialist volunteers can already feel that they make a difference and change lives here,” Said Catherine Hine.

Choosing to go the less traveled path often leads to great heartbreak or indescribable rewards. Luckily for Marilou Pantua-Juanito, VSO Bahaginan executive director, it is the latter which she continues to reap.

“The growth of VSO Bahaginan has been phenomenal,” enthuses Pantua-Juanito. “Volunteerism is such a beautiful experience and I’m excited that more and more people are joining our cause and even more are learning the true value of volunteering.” 

Pantua-Juanito has walked the walked, so to speak. As far back as the early 80s, she served in Occidental Mindoro as executive director and founder of the Mindoro Institute for Development for the empowerment of farmers at the grassroots level. It was through her work among poor Mindoro farmers that she first encountered a VSO volunteer, a British national teaching agricultural farm systems. She was surprised to realize that VSO volunteers were “skilled professionals”, something that distinguished the organization from the legions of others. Still, her own call to VSO would come at a much later date.

After a brief stint in Manila, Pantua-Juanito then devoted 11 years of her life helping rehabilitate Cambodia and its people by working for various NGOs as community development specialist. She recalls the effects of war, which she continually faced in her work, as devastating. Still reeling from the destruction left by the Khmer Rouge, many children were orphaned by parents who had been killed in a conflict that decimated an entire generation. At a later point, she worked as local capacity building adviser to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to build participation of villagers with local officials to develop their communities.

Like the communities she served, life for Pantua-Juanita and her family was very basic and humble.  For baths, her family used basins outside their house like ordinary Cambodians.  Birthdays were not celebrated—most people were unable to commemorate them.  Yet her family learned that uncelebrated birthdays still held tremendous meaning. Now aged 17 and 12 years old, her kids still “don’t celebrate it [in the normal manner]” instead opting to donate for a particular community endeavor or outreach program on the day itself. In the Pantua-Juanito family, birthdays are about the person--not what he is to receive, but rather what he can give or share to others. She is of course exceptionally proud of her kids.

In 2001, Pantua-Juanito’s commitment to VSO finally began. Having devoted a good share of her life to Cambodia, she accepted the chance to return home as program manager for VSO South-South program in Manila. Pantua-Juanito was then the lone employee but as a firm believer in VSO’s mission of “sharing skills and changing lives”, she was determined to get VSO off the ground in the Philippines. Her hard work ended up paying off. When VSO Bahaginan moved from being a south-south program to an independent development agency, (it became an autonomous agency) she was appointed as its executive director. Starting off with just one person, the office has now grown to a staff of 17.

VSO is the only international development organization of its kind, which is committed to fighting global poverty and disadvantage via a wide range of volunteering development programs. It has over 1,500 professional volunteers in over 40 countries. Through VSO’s unique approach to international development, professional volunteers work hand-in-hand with local communities to make a difference at grassroots level.
VSO matches the right person with the right skills to the right place and the right program with each of its placements in various parts of the world.

While other charities have their own volunteering advocacies, VSO Bahaginan’s differs greatly because its volunteer assignments are tailored to the individual. Their Global Xchange Programme (GXP) is a short program that lasts for six months. Catering to students and the youth, it involves living in host communities in the Philippines and the United Kingdom for three months each in the given six month period.  Meanwhile, the International Volunteer Sending program is for professionals who are willing to take a year or two off from their careers. Pre-departure training is given and includes an exercise that determines true willingness to leave behind loved ones for an extended period of time.

Initially, people think of volunteering as a way to give of themselves to various communities. But most volunteers end up coming away with so much more than what they initially brought in. They become intimately connected with the communities they serve and with strangers who eventually become close friends. Volunteers get a deeper perspective on life, gain insights into society and culture and discover a latent resilience in themselves. 

“What we do here is brain gain, not brain drain,” says Pantua-Juanito. This is why VSO Bahaginan accepts volunteers from all professional fields except primary school teachers. “We have a shortage of teachers here in the Philippines, “ says Pantua-Juanito, “sending them out would be to our own disservice.” 

The International Volunteer Sending program has had much success in the Philippines.  So far, it has already sent over 400 volunteers to 34 developing countries on assignment in the areas of health, business, management, natural resources, education and livelihood development. VSO Bahaginan belongs to a prestigious group — along with the UN – as it is only one of two organizations in the country that sends volunteers abroad. 

Despite being just over seven years old, VSO Bahaginan has a vast area of responsibility. It currently supports the National Volunteering programs of VSO in South East Asia, China, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. It is also an active participant in Mindanao. VSO Bahaginan remains the only organization to send foreign volunteers to Mindanao for peace and development and interfaith dialogue. Finally, VSO Bahaginan also organizes programs to promote volunteering on a national level. Through forums and workshops conducted by returned volunteers, as well as a certificate course in volunteer management (Volunteer Program Development and Management or VPDM), VSO Bahaginan is working to make public service an integral part of Filipino lives. 

Being known for bayanihan, Pantua-Juanito believes that Filipinos have a penchant for volunteerism, “We have the skills, not the money. This is considered Philippine’s development assistance to poor countries. Filipinos have the ability to empathize and adjust easily to others and to a situation. Filipino volunteers are more resourceful and are able to mobilize programs within communities.” But Pantua-Juanito feels that Filipino notions of volunteerism as being “tiga-linis, tiga-alaga, tiga-buhat, helping people cross the street, and other similar chores” are in need of updating. And that is exactly where VSO comes in. 

As more and more Filipinos become advocates of genuine change, volunteerism awareness is on the rise. In fact, VSO Bahaginan is getting more inquiries about its volunteer programs. “I am positive that this will further pick up,” enthuses Pantua-Juanito. “Individuals, schools, organizations and corporations are beginning to reach out to us. “

As a living example of how volunteerism can change lives, Pantua-Juanito shares some of her greatest lessons from working in post-war Cambodia. She realizes that everyone is just a passerby in other people’s lives:

“The fact that we are passersby does not hinder us from contributing towards enabling a positive change in ourselves, in others and in society. Being somewhere for only a short while is reason all the more to forge paths out of poverty and disadvantage and towards empowerment.” 

This continues to drive Pantua-Juanito at VSO Bahaginan, where she is committed to turning volunteerism into a well-traveled path for Filipinos from all walks of life.

VSO Bahaginan, the Philippine resource base of VSO, is one of the most active members of the Federation today. One hundred of the almost 2,000 volunteers deployed yearly in the 42 developing countries where VSO works, are from the Philippines. These volunteers spend at least six months to two years in host countries where they work together with local communities, focusing on immersive capacity-building on areas of need identified by the organization, such as education, health and social well-being and livelihood security. The ultimate aim of these missions is to build collaborative community-based frameworks for development that are sustainable, humane and sensitive to a locality’s specific problems.

VSO envisions a brand of development that is truly multi-lateral, separating it from the ethnocentrism of many international outreach programs. Federation director Brian Rockliffe, who was in town recently to celebrate the charity’s 50th year, describes the organization’s work: “Working with VSO provides a means of breaking down barriers in the collective consciousness- in today’s world, there is no more us and them. Today’s problems are shared dilemmas, and if we are to overcome them, we have to work together.”

VSO and business: Partners in social and economic development

Volunteers from the Philippines are sourced not just from individual professionals but also  from private businesses that enter into strategic partnerships with VSO Bahaginan. Among its current international business partners are Accenture and AstraZeneca. On the occasion of the organization’s 50th anniversary, VSO officers and representatives of prospective corporate partners came together to celebrate the organizations’ milestones and discuss future plans at a dinner hosted by Jaime Gonzales, CEO of Export and Industry Bank, as a show of support to VSO.

“Export Bank is a business enterprise, but we all have to pitch in,” said Gonzales. “At the end of the day, if [the problems of poverty and social disadvantage] aren’t addressed, it comes around and affects your business.  Any program that improves the wellbeing of low-income communities comes back around to benefit our whole society, including the business sector.”

Through the Support VSO Bahaginan program, volunteerism is just one click away. Driven by the recently hatched partnership between VSO Bahaginan and AsiaPay, the new payment scheme allows both individuals and corporations from any location to make donations using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB and Diners Club via Asia Pay. In the interest of giving donors convenience and flexibility, contributions can also be made through PayPal.

Guaranteeing donors foolproof security against theft and fraud, AsiaPay gives real time confirmation. Its system is security and fraud detection-enabled, issuing alerts on donor identity and multiple credit card use after every transaction. Additionally, AsiaPay offers blocking features that prevent the misuse of stolen credit cards. 
 
Donations coursed through this program will help support the efforts of VSO volunteers engaged in various community-building projects all over the world. Donations coursed through the new payment scheme go towards preparing VSO volunteers for their assignments. This includes vaccination, workshops, and training sessions. The support enables volunteers to live away from their families, communities and support groups for as long as two years. 

Your donations can also help support development programs in the Philippines like the PEACE project, secure livelihood programs and disability programs in Visayas and Midanao.
 
VSO Bahaginan, the Philippine arm of international organization VSO, places working professionals in a variety of short or long-term assignments in developing countries. VSO volunteers deliver a breadth of service in the areas of business, and management, education, health, natural resources, social work, IT, communications and other technical fields to facilitate capacity building and empowerment in places that need them the most.  VSO is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary of making a difference in developing communities all over the world. This year promises to be a banner year for VSO Bahaginan, which has a number of exciting fundraising events lined up to engage Filipinos in the volunteer experience.

This commitment was further demonstrated when AstraZeneca formed an alliance with VSO Bahaginan for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program last November 2007. Through its partnership with VSO Bahaginan, AstraZeneca intends to develop a vehicle that will channel employee efforts to something that will contribute positively to the community.

“AstraZeneca is a company that is innovative with the products it develops,” shares Allan Knox, president, AstraZeneca Philippines. “We are passionate about our patients and our doctors, but more importantly, we have more passion for our community.”

VSO Bahaginan will help AstraZeneca strengthen its CSR program that is in line with VSO’s own development goals of health and social wellbeing. It has pledged technical assistance to facilitate AstraZeneca’s CSR and employee volunteering policy programs. According to Robby Nazal, VSO program director for National Volunteering, “Employees should be proud to belong to a company that has a well aligned policy and program of corporate responsibility,” he said.

As part of the partnership, AstraZeneca will help bridge VSO Bahaginan to the medical community. The pharmaceutical company will assist VSO Bahaginan with the development and production of its leaflets and brochures. It will also actively promote VSO health placements in their network of doctors, nurses and physicians by including VSO materials in their daily distribution of literature. This way, interested members of the medical community can find out about international volunteering opportunities with VSO Bahaginan.  

Knox disclosed that the CSR policy would definitely be related to healthcare. He envisions volunteering programs that aim to support some of the healthcare issues that are especially relevant to the Philippines. Projects that the company is interested in are: indigent children, mental health, TB and dengue cases.

Although the partnership is young, Knox expects that it will go a long way. In the future, AstraZeneca hopes to find healthcare partners that they can support through VSO’s network. AstraZeneca is also looking to VSO to help them manage their staff’s volunteer efforts.
 
“We don’t like giving cash or products because they disappear. We would like something constructive and that has some life span. I want a program that will have an impact. I know it may take a while but the challenge is finding the right idea that works.  That’s why, AstraZeneca needs VSO to help because we don’t know where to start,” Knox said.

AstraZeneca is optimistic about its partnership with VSO Bahaginan. As early as now, they are looking at the possibility of extending the currently one-year partnership to three years.

Knox states, “Combining VSO’s brand of public service with AstraZeneca’s medical expertise is the best way for AstraZeneca to participate in the Filipino community. VSO Bahaginan, VSO for that matter, has a long distinguished history in project and volunteering management. ‘Sharing skills, changing lives’ after all is at the heart of everything VSO Bahaginan does. With them, we will show Filipinos that AstraZeneca Cares means that meeting the needs of patients and doctors is at heart of everything we do.”

The film, Panudlak is a documentary on Filipino volunteerism in Cambodia through the experiences of Manuel Reyes, an organization and project management adviser, and Debbie Satentes, an education adviser. Volunteerism in this documentary was associated to the process of planting, with the use of dramatic metaphor in the practice of “panudlak”, a Hiligaynon term for beliefs and rituals in anticipation of a good harvest.

When Manuel saw the murky brown waters of a river in Cambodia, he resolved to forget about his homesickness and instead focus on helping the underprivileged improve their living conditions through the various projects he spearheaded. Meanwhile, Sally found her strength by saving many lives as a municipal health officer. She championed the cause of good health by taking good care of the locals and keeping them well-informed about various diseases.

Reyes and Satentes expressed fulfillment after their volunteer experience. “I feel brilliant! My accomplishments in Cambodia stood out as opposed to when I was back home in the Philippines where everyone else is good and my accomplishments are just as good as everyone else’s,” Reyes said.

On the other hand, Satentes said, “I thought I will feel isolated and I won’t be able to mingle with them but I was able to learn their language and was able to mingle with them.”

While the first film talked about the fulfillment of being a volunteer abroad, the second film, RV Diaries, revolved around the stories of return volunteers. Sally, James, Ging, Bong, Norie, and Allan proved that volunteerism can be more rewarding than high-paying jobs abroad by taking the chance to be a volunteer once again whenever they are given the opportunity.

As depicted in the two films, Filipino professionals view volunteerism as a way to gain skills and experience, but more importantly, to uplift the morale of others and of one’s self. Non-government organizations like VSO Bahaginan help individuals fulfill their desire to serve others and reap the rewards of volunteerism by preparing a clear objective and program for them so that their skills are fully utilized and that they perform according to their area of expertise.

Volunteerism develops social consciousness in an individual. It makes him an integral part of the community by participating actively in what may seem like small initiatives that however, create a big and lasting impact altogether. Indeed, the two films became a medium for others to consider becoming a volunteer and make a parallel and long-term commitment beyond the widescreen.

People know that volunteerism is an expression of lofty ideals; but only a few know that it’s one of the best career-defining experiences, especially for those who are in transition and in search of new work environments. Volunteering enables the job seeker to gain valuable professional experience and establish contacts in a new field. It is an excellent way to make a difference while advancing your own career objectives.

"It is a win-win situation," said Lynn Berger, an American career coach and author on the subject. "You feel good by volunteering and learn about yourself at the same time." This is the experience of hundreds of Filipino professionals who have volunteered overseas through VSO Bahaginan.

VSO Bahaginan is a development organization committed to fighting poverty and disadvantage through a wide range of volunteering development programs, including international volunteering and national volunteering. It recruits, matches, trains and sends skilled Filipino professionals to work as volunteers in over 40 developing countries, mostly Asia and Africa.

Two of VSO Bahaginan’s Filipino volunteers who enhanced their careers through volunteerism are Marilyn Canta, an associate professor at the College of Arts and Letters of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, and Ela Sarmago, supervisor of the Program Coordination and Network Division at the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA).

Canta was a volunteer librarian in Mozambique for a year, from June 2007 to June 2008. Being a volunteer, according to Canta, is something out of the ordinary.

 “To a certain degree, you realize that you're trying to achieve similar goals with other people but are faced with similar problems — a lack of human and material resources, low level of skills, corruption, etc. Then, you begin to empathize with them and learn to appreciate their efforts to change their worlds,” Canta said.

Canta developed a lot of values essential for the growth of her career through her experience as a volunteer: tolerance, empathy, humility, and what it means to work with others.

“Being able to relate to an entirely new group of people different from what I have been accustomed to and establishing friendships with them can only contribute to making us better and mature human beings,” Canta added.

Canta also cited reasons why she thinks a company is more likely to choose a job seeker with a volunteer experience over someone who has none: “I think I'd recognize the ‘sense of service’ in someone who's had volunteer experience. The ‘sense of service’ means a commitment and capacity to give off one's fullest to a job because it contributes to a ‘greater good’,” Canta explained. Aside from this, a volunteer, she said, also has leadership qualities and the ability to work well with individuals. “He/she is most likely broad-minded and receptive to new ideas,” she added.

The acquisition of these traits, among other reasons, is why Canta strongly recommends volunteering to everyone. “It’s a good experience to encounter new cultures and broaden one’s horizons. Moving out of a ‘routine/regular’ job, even if only temporarily, can also open up new perspectives on looking at the world and invite you to evaluate your own goals in life,” she said.

Going through the same career enriching experience brought about by volunteering, Sarmago was a national volunteering adviser in Mongolia from April to October 2005. She said that VSO opened her eyes to the many things that could be done in the spirit of volunteerism.

“For some time, I’ve been thinking of doing volunteer work for me to better appreciate what international volunteers experience during their placements. An opportunity to do that was presented to me by VSO,” said Sarmago, who volunteers because of three things: to improve one’s self, help others and learn.

Six months in her volunteer placement was enough for Sarmago to reap almost as much benefits for herself as the organization is getting. Faced with a mission she believed in, she is grateful for the challenges and the great responsibilities that came with volunteering, giving her the flexibility to do things like conducting an impromptu workshop. Volunteerism, she said, brings to the front traits that a company is looking for in an employee such as the grace to accept additional work, not being after monetary gains, and the wider exposure of work experience for a volunteer who had operated outside his usual range of work.

As individuals who volunteer start to see positive benefits to their professional and personal development, they get a bigger sense of achievement. They learn great respect for and understanding of other cultures, become passionate about helping others and doing good, while boosting their experience, skills and career prospects and receiving incentives in the form of certificates, rewards, qualifications, and better jobs.  All these prove that one really gets what he gives and that goodwill truly begets good results.

This is actually good news for a lot of mid-career professionals who are stuck, unhappily, in their jobs thinking it is too late to transform their careers. Volunteerism can be the key and Filipino volunteers of VSO Bahaginan have proven it. To date, nearly 500 Filipinos have been sent overseas as volunteers. Meanwhile, over 200 volunteers have returned and are now following better career tracks and living more meaningful lives.

Be a VSO Bahaginan volunteer and make a difference in people’s lives – especially your own.