VSO China Strategy VSO China Strategy

Transcription

1 VSO China Strategy VSO China Strategy

2 Contents Foreword VSO 3 What we do 3 How we do it 3 VSO in China Who we work for 4 Where we work 4 Country facts 4 Our focus 5 Partnership: the way we work 6 VSO from China 6 Youth and youth exchanges 7 Volunteering Expo 7 Valuing Volunteers research 7 VSO 2

3 Foreword VSO VSO is a leading, independent, non-governmental organisation (NGO). We believe that change happens because people make it happen. Providing food, infrastructure and machinery is important, but we believe people are the key to overcoming poverty. That s why we work through volunteers. Drawn from many countries and all walks of life, they give their time, their expertise and their passion. Volunteers share their skills within carefully selected partner organisations, ranging from grassroots groups to government ministries, in their home country or abroad. It s a powerful, cost-effective way to create lasting results. What we do VSO has had a programme in China since 1981, largely education-focused, but also works in health and livelihoods. Recognising that the context of development in China has clearly changed over the last three decades, VSO is now refocusing its programme to be more aligned with the China of today. Our exciting and challenging programme in China: promotes and supports Chinese people to engage in their own development, through volunteering in China and overseas from China shares knowledge and best practices of volunteering, brokering partnerships and providing a range of consultancy services and international volunteer accompaniment to government, non-government and corporate sectors contributes to the development of policy and learning of best practices that encourage volunteering, corporate social responsibility and international cooperation. How we do it Through improved effectiveness and efficiency of volunteering inside China we increase the capacity of local volunteering organisation networks to improve poor people s access to quality basic services and information and ideas linking them to the wider world. We build and share a knowledge base with government, non-government and corporate sectors, and contribute to policy development and strengthened partnership among these three sectors. VSO 3

4 VSO in China China s economy has grown at an astonishing rate of 9.8% for the last three decades and the development context has dramativally changed since VSO started working in the country. China is now the world s biggest contributor to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and plays an increasingly important role in international development in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia. Since 1981 VSO China has brought more than 750 international volunteers to China to work in its education, health and livelihoods programmes and in partnerships promoting volunteerism. Volunteers have spent an average of two years in their placements, which makes a total of more than 1,500 years of expert volunteering in China. That is an immense achievement. The time is right for VSO China to build on this volunteering expertise and reach out to the large numbers of people living in poverty in China. The programme puts people right at the centre of VSO s engagement in China by promoting volunteering to fight poverty within China and in the least developed countries in which China has an interest. Through an increased capacity of volunteering organisations and the engagement of all sectors of society, VSO China aims to create a network of 1 million Chinese people all passionate about social and harmonious development and working together at community, national and international level through volunteering. Who we work for (target population) VSO China recognises the immense achievements of China in leading the world in reducing rural poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It values the government of China s 12th Five-Year Plan and its goals of increasing the capacities of social organisations to regularly mobilise ten percent of the population for social development through volunteering. China is still a developing country, with arguably ten percent of the world s poor. The China programme recognises the relative disadvantage of rural populations, but also that of migrant families and the urban poor, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and the youth (particularly in psycho-social wellbeing and reproductive health). Importantly, volunteers will also benefit from the increased opportunities for participation in development of their own communities and those of others. Where we work From 2011 the China programme will initially focus on the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing and Xi an and build on that with more cities in both the eastern and western provinces. Country facts: Population: 1.4 billion Official language: Mandarin Chinese Human Development Index (HDI) 101 (UNDP) GDP per capita: US$4,428 (World Bank) Below US$1.25 PPP poverty line: estimated 120 million 4

5 Our focus Supporting people to engage in their own development VSO has put people at the centre of development for more than 50 years. Through volunteering, we offer a unique approach to development and are passionate about supporting people in engaging in their own development whether by volunteering in their own community or in other communities in other parts of the world. VSO offers a range of individual and group volunteering opportunities through its programmes in China. It also supports volunteerism in China more broadly, through the capacitybuilding of other volunteering organisations, with the support of international, expert volunteers. Volunteering Youth programme People First Volunteering outside China Corporate volunteering Knowledge brokering, training and consulting VSO has more than 50 years of experience in organisational development and volunteer programme management, as well as in establishing partnerships that work in development. We are open to share our knowledge through web-based guides and best practice, through regular training events and consulting services. With decades of international development experience and an excellent record in brokering relationships between government, non-government and corporate sectors, VSO offers unique insights and professional knowledge in volunteering and development. Online resources Knowledge Training volunteer programme and organisation development Consulting CSR and sustainability partnerships Policy hub VSO operates in 37 countries around the world, promoting volunteering and working with research institutions, development practitioners and governments to create and share best practices and policies for sustainable and equitable development. It understands that progress towards harmonious societies is only possible through working together. VSO does this in China through its annual volunteering expositions, which bring together government, nongovernment and corporate sectors to promote volunteerism and corporate social responsibility. It is also involved in positive engagement and discussion with stakeholders in China, learning from development experience in the countries where VSO operates and where China has overseas development interests. 5

6 Partnership: the way we work There are several ways that people and organisations can work in partnership with VSO China. Partnerships for development VSO China is progressively extending its programme of NGO capacity-building to more than 50 NGOs in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi an, Chengdu, Kunming, Chongqing and other major cities. In each city, the programme will focus on the capacity-building of (at least) one local volunteering centre and several NGOs, representing the needs of a broad range of least advantaged groups. It functions across the development sectors of health, disability, HIV and AIDS, education, livelihood development and the environment. VSO China places international volunteers from its worldwide pool of experts in these organisations with a primary focus on organisational and volunteer programme development. We then compliment these full-time volunteers with part-time, local professionals (corporate volunteers). We broker opportunities for company staff to get involved in general support and capacity-building of NGOs or in community events and community volunteering. Partnerships for development provides companies with an affordable approach to demonstrating social responsibility. It also allows them to be part of a larger programme with a clear development effect and gives them the opportunity to enhance employee job satisfaction, recruitment and retention and the development of core skills in communication, teamwork, project management, problem-solving, and conflict negotiation. Employees also benefit from a range of soft skills, particularly in building self-confidence. Training and consulting VSO has more than 50 years of experience in organisational development and volunteer programme management, and in establishing partnerships that work in development. We share our knowledge through web-based guides and best practice, through regular training events and through consulting services. VSO China is equipped to actively provide excellent training and consulting services to companies in: volunteer programme development and management volunteer management systems approaches to working with social organisations organisational learning systems organisational leadership and development. We can deliver training tailored to an individual organisation s needs for 20 or more staff members. We also offer employee volunteering programme development consulting and mentoring, delivered through experienced staff and volunteers. VSO from China After 30 years of bringing more than 750 expert volunteers to China, VSO now recognises the talent and interest that exists in China for international development through volunteerism and is including Chinese volunteers in its international volunteering programme. VSO now recruits Chinese expert volunteers to serve in less developed countries in Africa and Asia. VSO currently has Chinese volunteers in Africa in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia (and soon in Sierra Leone and Ethiopia) and in Asia including Nepal and Bangladesh. VSO VSO China will undoubtedly benefit global development and the world s poor and provides a great opportunity to demonstrate social responsibility through the sponsoring of one or more volunteers or by getting directly involved with short-term executive or staff volunteering. Such support can be reported in both China and the host country and is a great opportunity to link corporate sustainability programmes to community development. 6

7 Youth and youth exchanges VSO s youth programme has directly engaged with over 1,500 youth volunteers in international exchanges between 37 UK communities and 37 countries around the world, including China. Each group volunteers more than 6,000 hours in local communities. The third exchange between the UK and China in 2010 resulted in 740,000 media mentions including social media, TV, radio and print media. Youth is a central part of VSO China s strategy; through the continuing and broadening of exchanges between China and the EU, North America, Asia and Africa, as well as nationally; and through domestic programmes that focus on youth life skills, health and psychosocial wellbeing. Foreign and domestic companies as well as foundations and institutional funders can get involved in our youth and youth exchanges programme through sponsorship. Volunteering Expo Launched in 2010 and successfully continued in 2011, the Volunteering Expo is a unique event in China. It gives space to government, non-government, corporate and academic sectors to debate the challenges and opportunities for volunteering for harmonious development in China. It also allows for networking and the showcasing of volunteering initiatives. Timed to coincide with International Volunteer Day each year, it is a moment to reflect, be inspired and challenge ourselves to further develop volunteerism in China and overseas from China. In 2011 the theme was Partnerships for Development. This is an outstanding event, widely covered by national media and reaching out to tens of thousands of people through its website and social media connections. Valuing Volunteering research Valuing Volunteering is a partnership between VSO China, the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Sussex in the UK. Alongside other global and local VSO partners, the partnership will work to understand the social and economic impact of volunteering on poverty. The three-year project will be delivered through an innovative and cutting edge methodology called systemic action research and will start in China and five other countries in Asia and Africa early in Valuing Volunteering will research differing forms of volunteering across China to understand both the social and economic benefits of each. One very important aspect of this in China will be corporate volunteering. This 6 9 month research aims to understand the effect of corporate volunteering in China and to build a collection of case studies of companies working with communities through employee volunteering. Our impact The China programme s impact is capacity and opportunity. Capacity for organisations from all sectors to benefit less advantaged people in China (and overseas from China); and opportunity for individuals to fight poverty through volunteering in their own community and others. Our ambition is to be a network of 1 million people, committed to development and the fight against poverty both at home and abroad; with a particular interest in education, health (including disability and HIV) and sustainable and secure livelihoods. We absolutely believe in and are committed to volunteering in China and the benefits it can bring to the least advantaged people, including: people with disabilities, people at risk of or living with HIV and AIDS, the rural as well as urban poor, migrant populations (particularly women and children) and youth. Through that network of 1 million people, we know we can improve the lives of millions of others. 7

8 VSO China Room 601, Suite 1, Building D Lanchoumingzuo, Chaowai Da Jie Chaoyang District Beijing, China T vsochina@vsoint.org VSO International Carlton House, 27a Carlton Drive London SW15 2BS, UK +44 (0) Published June 2012