Sharing good practices and expertise is an important matter when it comes to volunteering projects and dealing with international volunteers inside your organisation. The outcome of a volunteering project concerns indeed both the volunteers themselves and the organisations involved. Whether the project is a short-term or a long-term one, it represents a real challenge for the unknown and potentially problematic elements that each adventure brings.
For this reason, Open Space Foundation, an organisation based in Bulgaria supporting youth initiatives, has released a book on short-term volunteering as a door for development. The aim is sharing good practices on the basis of their gathered experience over the last eight years.
The purpose of the book, called “Short-term volunteering as a door for development“, is to give useful information. The target is any organisation that wants to know more about what dealing with international volunteers means. In fact there are not-written challenges they may face, in terms of reputation and also on the human side. It focuses also on how to get prepared and to be able to make the best out of the program’s provisional accomplishments. The beneficial effect of hosting international volunteers is indeed achievable but it does not have to be taken for granted.
It is important to point out that the book covers several and detailed topics. They concern both Short-term and Long-term projects, including:
- The accreditation process step by step (now called Quality Check)
- The further steps in terms of partnerships, applications and selection process;
- Any aspect concerning the preparation of hosting volunteers (the agreement, the infopack, living basics);
- What must be considered upon arrival, the scheduling, the mentor;
- How to boost motivation;
- What comes next: the effects on the organisation after the conclusion of the projects.
The book is available both in English and Bulgarian and it is free to download.
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