What DOES a volunteer do?

There are so many volunteer posts available all over the world, that a volunteer can do almost anything. Anything you want - that of course fits in with what the host country or agency/organization needs. Environmental work, teaching, nursing, supplying basic needs, just being an extra pair of hands or an expert in your field. Sometimes you may do all - and anything that is required on that day.

I came to Guyana to work with Youth Challenge Guyana. It is a one year stint for me and I will be advising on how to fund their recently developed 5-year Strategic Plan. And of course, this plan was developed with the help of another volunteer last year. Youth Challenge Guyana (YCG) works with youth across Guyana in three main programme areas - Life Skills and Livelihoods, Education and Health. Guyanese have the opportunity through YCG to also volunteer and work in different regions across Guyana as a Volunteer Teacher. This is quite popular and gives many the opportunity to travel and experience parts of the culture that they may never have known otherwise. Persons are posted for 1yr in a school and many are inspired afterwards to stay for an additional year, or to pursue teaching as a profession and build on the experience they gained.

International Volunteers from Canada, Australia, Costa Rica for example also come to Guyana and volunteer with YCG for 5-6wk projects in one of the above-mentioned programme areas. Volunteers can come and assist with workshops, networking, literacy and classroom support and/or take part in many other projects being implemented at YCG. Other volunteers come for 3mths, 5mths - there are lots of options.

Naturally, there are many organizations you can volunteer with Internationally... depending on your country of origin, language skills, age, expertise. You also have the opportunity to come through Universities for research in developing countries - and at the same time work with an organization there. I volunteered through CUSO International but you all have your choices...

YCG is not the only place in Guyana you can volunteer, and of course you can volunteer in many other countries, including the one where you're already living. You don't have to even go far - unless you want to. 

But, why wouldn't you if you could?

What's a volunteer to do?

Have you ever thought about volunteering? Have you ever volunteered? I remember when I worked in Government back in the day and you would never step forward to volunteer for anything because it probably meant you would get saddled with all the work - for NOTHING!

Then I did a little volunteering here and there where it didn't require too much effort on my part. As long as it was something I could do from home, that was fine. When I worked with the NGO sector however, there were always volunteers around. The work couldn't get done unless someone was giving from their heart. We always had volunteers from the community, from the Peace Corps and also from CUSO. At church, there were always volunteers coming from somewhere to help out with something. It was interesting how these people came to Jamaica to help out. Schools/classrooms were built. Toilets were introduced to some places that never had. We learned new crafts and new skills and made new friends. Some lasted a lifetime (or close).

And now, it's my turn. Now I've left Toronto to come to Guyana to share with others here in Georgetown. Who knew? Was this always a plan? Not really. But it certainly was an opportunity. The good thing is that with all the preparation we had from CUSO International before leaving Canada, you didn't feel like someone just opened the plane door and booted you out. You will never be TOTALLY prepared, but you kind of felt like you had a good idea of what you were getting into.

Getting to Georgetown and meeting other volunteers like yourself, the staff in the VSO (soon to be CUSO) office here and getting further orientation here certainly grounded you a little more. Everyone had to meet, greet, ask questions, laugh together and help each other. It took only a little time to figure out where everything was and what to do. Remember, we had orientation. And company. And you do meet people from here - who are mostly quite nice! ;) And we didn't start working for the first two weeks.

So, what do we do here? We're all doing different things and working with different organizations. All that was decided a long time ago after the first application and before the first interview with CUSO. You fit in where your skills fit, and where you have a comfort level. And the rest you figure out as you go along. If you're lucky (like me) you'll come to a nice tropical country with exotic animals and things to do that will also give you a nice escape when you're not working.

Volunteering overseas has it's challenges:

...leaving your home and your family and friends behind. :(  

...leaving your job and your salary behind. :((

...leaving all the familiar things and comforts that you know :(((     (hot water)

but, it's not all bad,

and has many rewards:

...expanding your horizons

...making new friends

...learning new customs and culture

...expanding your resume and skills

...contributing to international development

...seeing new places

...learning to appreciate home more

for what it's worth....... PRICELESS!                       (Stay tuned for more on volunteering)