Preparing you for your ICS placement in The Occupied Palestinian Territory

Transcription

1 Preparing you for your ICS placement in The Occupied Palestinian Territory

2 Contents What is International Citizen Service?... 3 Who is International Service?... 4 Our volunteer placements... 5 Medical advice... 6 Palestine Immunisations... 7 When should you get your immunisations?... 8 First aid kits... 9 Additional health care items... 9 Further travel health advice... 9 Visa Consular updates Communications... Error! Bookmark not defined. Example press release Pre Departure Training... 13

3 What is International Citizen Service? International Citizen Service is a global volunteering scheme. International Citizen Service (ICS) is a once-in-a-lifetime volunteering opportunity open to all 18 to 25-year-olds and backed by the UK government. ICS is delivered by a consortium of experienced development organisations which includes International Service. It aims to: Give you the chance to work side-by-side with local volunteers in developing countries, to make a meaningful contribution to fighting poverty, and to gain valuable skills that will stay with you long after a week placement is complete. Give young people aged an opportunity to make a difference to some of the world s poorest people through real development work. Help young people develop important skills such as: teamwork, listening, communicating, project work, and working within a different culture. ICS was launched by the Prime Minister, and is funded by the Department for International Development. Volunteers must commit to all 3 stages of the ICS scheme: 1. Before your ICS placement: Completing your fundraising, country-specific logistics and your training in the UK, so as to prepare you for living and working in a different culture. 2. During your ICS placement: Completing your full week placement overseas. 3. After your placement: completing your Action at Home, taking action back in the UK to share your experience and bring about positive change.

4 Who is International Service? We are an international development charity protecting and promoting the rights of the most marginalised people in Latin America, West Africa, and the Middle East. This is usually (but not limited to) women, disabled people, children and young people, and people living with HIV/Aids. Our vision Is a fairer world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Our mission Is to empower and strengthen individuals, organisations and communities, build capacity, promote inclusion and maximise potential. Our values To respect and value those we work with To act with integrity at all times and to be transparent and accountable in all we do To communicate effectively and openly To value diversity To use our energy, skills and resources to deliver sustainable results To strive for excellence in all we do To encourage innovation and embrace change To work collaboratively with people and organisations To continuously learn and improve To recognise and support the human rights of individuals What we do When people are denied their basic human rights, they are denied opportunities. They become trapped in cycles of poverty and inequality. Our goal is to support people to understand their rights and put them into action - so they are empowered to change their own lives for the better. Through long-term partnerships and projects we work with: Community-based organisations working at a grassroots level Established national and international charities Local, regional and national government departments We help them grow into strong, effective organisations and develop the quality of services they provide to marginalised people. To do this we work through volunteers and development professionals from around the world. They share the skills and expertise our local partners need in order to achieve their goals. For 60 years, more than 5,000 of our volunteers have worked on projects in dozens of countries around the world.

5 Our volunteer placements Our youth volunteer placements are part of our long-term development work. We have designed them with our in-country partners so that you can make a valuable contribution to their work. We aim to tackle the root causes of inequality in order to build societies where everyone's rights are respected and fulfilled. During your placement you will be working alongside staff and colleagues from one of our local partner organisations. Some elements of your work may be very practical and hands-on, working with local people and getting involved with activities and workshops. Other elements of your work may be more office-based because you are contributing to strategic work that reaches many hundreds, or even thousands, of people for example, by doing research, helping create projects, or designing training. Our volunteer placements contribute towards: The Millennium Development Goals ( The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

6 Medical advice All offers of a placement are subject to volunteers receiving medical clearance. This clearance is dependent upon the advice of our medical advisor, and is based upon the information provided within your personal health form and any other medical disclosures. In addition, to ensure your safety and to prepare for your placement medically, you must follow these steps: Go to your GP/Nurse to: - Check your current immunisation status. - Get any free NHS immunisations you may require. - Clarify any other chargeable immunisations you may require, as per the advice within this handbook. If you take regular medication (including the contraceptive pill), or need anti-malaria medication (see the malaria advice below), please also discuss this with your GP/Nurse to ensure you have a supply to last the duration of your placement (it will be difficult to get a supply in country). Confirm you have had the correct immunisations by completing and returning the Immunisation Confirmation Form found here: Immunisation Confirmation Form. You are responsible for returning your completed documents to us by deadline dates which is your Pre-departure training! We will not supply your travel details or flight ticket until you have returned all your completed documents, and you have been medically cleared by our Doctor. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THESE STEPS WILL PREVENT YOU FROM TRAVELLING

7 Palestine Immunisations Our advice is based on our knowledge of our programme countries, and where you will be living/working. We also check the latest advice detailed on the Fit for Travel website. You won t be working in medical/clinical settings, nor will you be working in slums or with displaced populations. You will however be coming into close contact with local people and communities throughout your placement. Vaccinations are available on the NHS through your GP. See your GP first to obtain those which are free. GP surgeries do vary and not all will provide the vaccinations you need for free. Essential immunisations for all volunteers going to Palestine You must have the following immunisations: Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria and Tetanus (given as one vaccine) Typhoid Hepatitis A Measles (usually given as MMR) If you have already had them, get your GP/Nurse to check they are still in-date. If you chose to have extra immunisations, International Service will not reimburse you for those. Other immunisations If you have pre-existing medical conditions, please seek the advice of your GP/Nurse as you may need the following: Influenza Pneumococcal BCG Seek advice from your GP/Nurse.

8 When should you get your immunisations? Once you have completed your initial acceptance tasks, you must get started straight away with your immunisations, following the advice provided to you by your co-ordinator by e- mail/phone! You may need to fill in some forms for your GP, and you may need several appointments (e.g. the rabies course takes a minimum of 21 days). There can also be long waiting lists for vaccines. Some vaccinations need to be in your system a while for them to become effective so it is critical to start as soon as possible. In some cases volunteers have taken over two months to complete the whole vaccination process. It is imperative that you don t leave it to the last minute. We expect volunteers to have completed their vaccinations by Pre- Departure training

9 First aid kits First Aid Kits will be available overseas whilst you are on your placement. There will be one kit in your accommodation for all volunteers as well as one kit at your partner organisation. The Country staff will hold a number of kits so that if volunteers are travelling for the weekend they can arrange to take the necessary first aid kit with them on their journey. During your placement the kit will be replenished as and when necessary. If a first aid kit is lost whilst in the possession of a volunteer you will be responsible for replacing it. First Aid Kits are expensive for us to purchase and we would ask that you respect these whilst in country and use them appropriately. As one group departs and another arrives the kit will be replenished if necessary. This will ensure that each group has the necessary supplies and also means that as a charity we can keep our costs low, whilst not risking the safety of volunteers. If you choose to take your own kit overseas the cost of this will not be reimbursed by International Service. First Aid kits provided by International Service should not be removed by a volunteer at the end of your placement. Additional health care items We strongly recommend that you take the following items with you Insect repellent Hand sanitiser gel / spray Condoms (It is your responsibility to protect yourself. In some of the places where we work there are very high levels of HIV and other STDs) Oral rehydration salts Paracetamol & ibuprofen Diarrhoea relief tablets Constipation relief tablets/powders Anti-histamine tablets (not just for hay fever - they also treat allergic reactions) Further travel health advice A useful NHS website giving you country-by-country information about immunisations, antimalarials, and general travel health: You can also access country-by-country information about health and travel safety from the UK s Foreign & Commonwealth Office at:

10 Visa British passport holders do not need a visa to enter Israel. A tourist visa will be granted when you arrive in country and will terminate when you leave Israel. If you do not hold a British passport or have stamps in your passport from the Middle East please ensure that your ICS Programme Co-ordinator in York is aware of this! It is vital that your passport has 6 months validity left after your date of return to the UK! Consular updates The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to doing its utmost to assist British nationals in serious difficulties abroad. The FCO has staff in 146 cities around the world ready and able to provide assistance when necessary, often in tragic circumstances. As part of its strategy the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is also responding to what British nationals have said about how they want to stay informed about crisis and security situations when overseas. The FCO is updating its systems to offer a wide array of ways to stay in touch on these issues, including via updates of the FCO s country-specific travel advice or by following FCO on social media. So every British National going abroad will have access to up-to-date country-specific travel advice at any time. We encourage you to subscribe to this free service so you will be alerted by when there are important updates. This is a fast and effective method already used by nearly subscribers. Advice to British nationals is published on the FCO travel advice website and updated regularly. You can follow them on and on Facebook:

11 Communications Before you go on placement using the media We proactively seek media coverage on the amazing things our ICS volunteers do during their journey. However, you might be keen to get some media coverage yourselves before heading out on placement, particularly for your fundraising. If you re thinking of considering this, please follow our recommended guidelines below. Why we use the media The media is a powerful platform to highlight the work we do, to raise the profile of International Service and the ICS scheme, to be accountable, and most importantly - to recruit more amazing young people like you! Contacting the media Who you are, the ICS scheme, and what you ll be doing to tackle poverty make for a good human interest story. These are usually attractive to local press and radio, but to get journalists interested you need a good hook. The local lad/lass done good notion is a strong selling point for regional and local journalists. Press releases The way to get your story considered by the media is to send it in the format of a press release. Here are a few things to take into account when writing a press release: They should be around 300 words long. Don t worry too much about getting the headline right; they ll likely write that themselves. The first paragraph should be one sentence that outlines what, when, who, how and why. Paragraphs should be no longer than about three sentences. They should be written in the third person. Opinions should only be expressed in the quotes, the rest of the text should be neutral and descriptive rather than expressive of a particular viewpoint. Any further information that you want to give to the journalist but don t want to include in the body of the press release should go in a Notes to Editor section at the bottom. It s a nice idea to send a photo of yourself as well, if you re happy to do so. We would ask that you run your media ideas by us, to do so please contact our Communications Coordinator Lisa Camps at lcamps@internationalservice.org.uk There is an example press release on the next page, feel free to use it as template.

12 Example press release Personalise the areas in red with your own information From Bradford to Burkina Faso - Local Volunteer to embark on Life-Changing International Development Project (Your name) is on his/her way to (country), to spend 12 weeks volunteering with local people on a project to fight poverty. (Name), who applied through the government funded International Citizen Service (ICS) scheme for year olds, will be working with the York-based development charity International Service on a project to (give brief details of who you will be working with, and the development challenges they face e.g. to help disabled women develop their shea butter business so they can improve their family s income). (Name) hopes to contribute significantly to this development project, before returning to the UK to (what you re doing/future plans). He/she says: I m really excited. This is a great opportunity and could be a life-changing experience. I decided to volunteer with International Citizen Service so I could work on a real development project that will make a genuine difference to the lives of some of the world s most marginalised people. (Name) is currently (give a bit of info about your current circumstances). He/she went to (school/college/work info) is/was a member of (e.g. a club/sports team or something you like about your home town - optional). Prime Minister, David Cameron, has endorsed the scheme, saying: "The service will create thousands of international development champions, bringing together young people from all walks of life. We all know the passion, dedication and skills that young people have to offer; it is this that will be the real driving force to bring about change, and to really help tackle poverty locally." Find out how to get involved with ICS at Notes to Editors 1. Contact (your name) on (mobile phone number) and ( address). 2. Funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), ICS is run by six experienced international volunteering charities (Voluntary Service Overseas, Restless Development, Raleigh International, International Service, Tearfund and Progressio). ICS also works in partnership with Catch 22 and Islamic Relief to recruit and support volunteers in the UK, and with the International Federation of the Red Cross to support young people in developing countries to continue their fight against poverty, beyond the ICS programme. 3. ICS is open to everyone and no-one will be excluded on grounds of cost. All volunteers are asked to fundraise as part of their journey and receive professional support to help them meet their goal. 4. The ICS programme covers flights, visas, travel and medical insurance, medication and vaccines, food and accommodation, and a minimal allowance while overseas. Volunteers receive extensive training and support to achieve the development outcomes of the programme. 5. ICS will deliver three key outcomes: to have a real and lasting impact through sustainable development projects; to help the volunteers, both those from the UK and from developing countries, learn key lifeskills such as teamwork, leadership, communication and project planning; and to instil in these volunteers a life-long commitment to development, becoming active citizens, engaged in their communities and tackling the causes of poverty.

13 Pre Departure Training The pre-departure training is a two-day event full of sessions to prepare you for your ICS placement with us and to get to know your fellow volunteers. Some of the sessions are: Vision, Mission, History. Our programmes and partnership model International Development Volunteering Country introductions Project information Monitoring and Evaluation Culture Social Media and Communications Medical Briefing Security and risk assessment After your pre-departure training we will provide you with a second handbook that will contain useful information for you in the weeks leading up to your departure. This handbook will include advice and information on: Travel Insurance What to pack Flights and baggage Money Arrival in country Action at Home FAQ s Why not take a look at our ICS blogs of what our current volunteers are writing about and what they are doing in their projects by reading their weekly updates.

14 Volunteer Checklist- Pre-departure preparations Category Action Points Completed Paperwork Pre-assessment Complete Application Form Within two weeks of your acceptance call Complete stages 1 to 5 1. Send confirming your acceptance 2. Return your Code of Conduct to your coordinator 3. Return your Volunteer Agreement to your coordinator 4. Complete Emergency Contact Form 5. Confirm your attendance at pre-departure training Verify your referee details with your coordinator Following the two week deadline Your coordinator will confirm when you have completed the relevant paperwork Your coordinator will inform you when they have received both of your references (it is your responsibility to chase your referees or provide alternatives if necessary) Fundraising Within two weeks of your acceptance call Your Fundraising Support Officer will be in touch with guidance as to how to set up your Just Giving page Follow the guidance and set up your Just Giving page Following the two week deadline Maintain regular contact with your Fundraising Support Officer Reach your target in time to meet the fundraising deadlines DBS Pre-assessment Complete DBS link sent by our Applications Officer On your assessment day Bring all relevant DBS documents with you Within two weeks of your acceptance call Your coordinator will process your DBS and track its progress Following the two week deadline When your DBS arrives send the original certificate by recorded delivery to the York office addressed to your coordinator Your coordinator will let you know when they have received it, it will be returned to you at pre-departure training 14

15 Medical Clearance Pre-assessment Complete the Health Form sent to you by our Applications Officer On your assessment day Bring a printed copy of the Health Form with you Following the two week deadline International Service will send your Health Form to our consultant doctor, Dr Susanna Maybin (any information contained within that form is confidential between yourself and Susanna, we will not know that information unless you choose to reveal it) In order to medically clear you Dr Maybin may wish to contact you via phone or . It is important therefore that you respond to her contact quickly Your coordinator will let you know when you have been cleared Vaccinations Following the two week deadline Your coordinator will send you an listing precisely all the vaccinations which you need before you can travel to your allocated country Verify which vaccinations (if any) you have already had by consulting your GP and/or parents Book an appointment with your GP to receive any outstanding vaccinations that you can receive free on the NHS your coordinator to let them know the date of your first appointment Before leaving your first appointment map out all subsequent necessary vaccinations and your coordinator with the date by which you will be fully vaccinated Once fully vaccinated complete and return the immunisation confirmation form to your coordinator via Pre-departure training Within two weeks of your acceptance call Confirm your attendance at the two day training Following the two week deadline Book your travel to the training at the earliest opportunity and no later than a month prior to the training date Complete the KAP 1 survey before training 15

16 Final preparations Post training Familiarise yourself with all the information provided to you including both parts of the Volunteer Handbook, project information and Active Citizenship Packs and Learning Journal Once you are fully prepared to depart having completed all of the steps listed above your coordinator will send you flight details and insurance documents including an essential pre-travel packing list Book your travel to the airport at the earliest opportunity Familiarise yourself with the flight details and insurance documents, print your e-ticket and pack your bags ready to depart Meet your coordinator at the airport as instructed with all the documents you need and have a great placement 16