Our Vision for Volunteerism
Over the past several years, OneVillage Partners has seen the growth of communities wanting to express their voice and needs. Communities, with the help of volunteer-leaders are staking a claim on their future and tackling issues they care about head on. Leveraging the transformative power of volunteer-leaders in Sierra Leone is one way citizens make positive, lasting impacts in their homes and communities.
Historically in international aid, there have been tendencies to underestimate the skills and intelligence of those they are purported to help. However, as we have seen, volunteers often possess specialized skills and attention for their communities which staff do not. One avenue we have curated to encourage community engagement is through volunteer leadership. At OneVillage Partners, we have over 215 active volunteer leaders trained to be a voice for their communities. Groups of women and men volunteer-leaders are trained to design, implement, and monitor projects that promote the self-defined vision for their community.
Why volunteerism?
Volunteering is an avenue that we see as having long lasting benefits to the individuals involved as well as the wider community. It builds on wellbeing, connection and wider purpose. As we aim to decolonize OneVillage Partners and build on partnerships, we see that volunteer-leaders that participate in our programs provide fresh perspectives and insights to what they need in their communities. They are able to take up space, dream up solutions and connect with other communities (locally and regionally). Volunteerism shows a different side to aid and non-governmental organization that donors and institutions do not see. When we consider its social value, there is usually tension between the experiences of the volunteer and the organization that trains them. Volunteers often feel the need to choose between monetary security or doing good for their community, which can lead them feeling unsatisfied or confused.
We at OneVillage Partners have a vision to go beyond that. We want to curate a community of volunteers who have the choice to embrace their role from the starting point of our programs to the end. We see our volunteer-leaders as the heart of the organization, and by focusing on them, we are able to enable the most effective involvement.
Lansana Alpha - COmmunity Action Group Volunteer, Grima
Our Vision for Volunteerism in Sierra Leone
We want to see volunteerism at a national sphere in Sierra Leone. We hope to see volunteering become culture, ingrained in how organizations operate as an effective way to make a difference in the lives of communities and the individuals. Here are some ways organization can foster effective volunteerism among community members:
Enable volunteers and program participants to feel free to move between organizations and projects. Change is welcome because that is how connections are built.
Prioritize volunteer-leaders’ voices to be embedded in leadership and design of initiatives.
Advocate for national policies and initiatives that support volunteerism to enrich lives and communities.
As Hawa Gbondo simply puts it:
“I am proud of what we have learned from OneVillage Partners. If villages like ours realize what they can offer in their own progress, they will not wait for NGO supplies and handouts.” - Gbeka Community Volunteer and Member
We believe that if we continue to encourage and foster our volunteer-leaders and partnerships, we will not only see a change in our partner communities, but also in the collective and social psyche in Sierra Leone.