Do you stay in the group or with a staff member at all times?
Posted by Dave Smith 8 years 9 months ago
Answers
It was a mixed set up; as a communications officer, volunteer manager (VM), I spent a lot of time at field base working alongside permanent country staff, as well as fellow volunteer managers. When on project support visits, we would travel mostly with other VM's as well as deputy operations managers (also a volunteering role) and occasionally permanent staff, and would stay in projects with volunteer groups.
The project manager VM had a different experience, whereby they would stay in villages with their groups over the course of three phases, composed of 19 days each phase - depending on requirements and planning they may or may not swap teams and phases, but generally everyone got to move around. Volunteers always stay with the group but again, can swap projects every phase.
Also to note that on the adventure trek phase, we had a Tanzanian guide and trek expert that had done the route many times, not only leading the way but also dishing out nature and wildlife related knowledge every day.
It was a mixed set up; as a communications officer, volunteer manager (VM), I spent a lot of time at field base working alongside permanent country staff, as well as fellow volunteer managers. When on project support visits, we would travel mostly with other VM's as well as deputy operations managers (also a volunteering role) and occasionally permanent staff, and would stay in projects with volunteer groups.
The project manager VM had a different experience, whereby they would stay in villages with their groups over the course of three phases, composed of 19 days each phase - depending on requirements and planning they may or may not swap teams and phases, but generally everyone got to move around. Volunteers always stay with the group but again, can swap projects every phase.
Also to note that on the adventure trek phase, we had a Tanzanian guide and trek expert that had done the route many times, not only leading the way but also dishing out nature and wildlife related knowledge every day.