Monday, October 22, 2007

Preparing partners and placements

Proposition

By Margie

That regional groups of volunteers can organize workshops for new partners in preparation for their work with their in-coming volunteers.

Suggested workshop topics

  • what VSO stands for,
  • how VSO works,
  • where VSO is working,
  • working with VSO volunteers,
  • potential issues that may arise while working with volunteers,
  • how to best address issues as they arise
  • best ways to maximize the presence of a volunteer in an organization,
  • expectations setting or leveling-off of expectations,
  • and others?????????

Volunteers may even invite any or all of the existing partners in the area to join during the activity so that they themselves can share their own experiences and/or difficulties encountered while working with volunteers.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Wrap Up

Pic by Linda

In the main, a very happy conference!!! Although the feed back form was crude...a blank piece of paper..... the over all impression of the event was good. Only the toilets and showers came in for a bit of stick!!!

Recommendations for next time.

1. Try not to finish day to quickly

2. Include more plenary sessions

3. Follow up actions, nominate people for actions, (Done)

4. Give feed back

5. More energisers

6. Stricter time keeping

7. More discussion opportunities

8. Involve more people in planning (Humm)

9. National volunteering under represented

10. 2 days is enough

Seeking Solutions - Mail and Communications

Volunteer Mail.

Challenges

1. Mail late or does not arrive
2. Countryside volunteers not in UB often to collect mail
3. Cyrillic address not possible for all friends and family to use


Solutions

1. Countryside volunteers to open local Post Office box
2. Take a photograph of your cyrllic address and email to family and friends
3. System fix for out of town mail delivery.

Recommendations

1. VSO should collect all parcels from Post Office for out of town volunteers
2. Secure post should be part of support from Programme Office .
3. More effective communication from UB needed to countryside volunteers.
4. Do not rely on internet alone for communications


Volunteer to Programme Office Linkage.


Challenges

1. Linking volunteer clusters with each other and the programme office

Solutions

1. Nominate one volunteer to represent each cluster.
2. Cluster reps. to ‘meet’ in January and pre conference events in May and October
3. The responsibility for facilitating the ‘meeting’ and progressing issues arising to be rotated between cluster reps. David to do the October facilitation.

Recommendations

1. Review and consolidate the remit of the cluster representative.
2. Cluster reps to organise their own activities as they see fit.

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Seeking Solutions –Exchange visits and conference policy

Objective : Clarify Exchange and Conference visits approval.

Outcome : Devise an equitable policy for VSO support of exchange and conference visits

Issues:

Fund allocation (both local and international visit)

1. No guidelines for how to organise or who will pay

2. Differing PM support for visits

3. No budget for visits

4. Cost of air trips from Dornod discourage visits

5. Devising a fair policy

Process suggestion:

  • Create a form (similar to PC05 one?) that identifies purpose, participants, brief description, evaluation criteria and funding requirements. (amendments to current form). Current form will be required to be filled by partners as well (Mongolian translation required).
  • It would be requirements for vols to submit at specific times of the year for budgeting purposes.
  • There will be two deadlines (based on the two arrival periods of vols each year). These deadlines are suggested to be end of July and October (based on budget cycle)
  • Following exchange an evaluation of exchange would be completed by vols and submitted to the PO. This report will be based on the original request form.

How does the program office choose?

Based on scheduled submission dates it will not be first come first serve

  • Option #1: Is there a per volunteer budget reservation like PC05? If not all volunteers request then this ‘pot’ of money can be made available to those you have applied.
  • Option #2: There is a finite amount budgeted – it is a competition for these funds. The PO would be required to evaluate and choose the exchanges that will receive funding. Suggestion to have a transparent rating mechanism so that vols can understand why some exchanges are funded and some are not.
  • Option #3: PO staff are able to adjust the budget based on the number of request. Therefore justified requests can be funded.
  • Option #4:Partial funding of an application is an option for PO staff.

International Exchanges

  • VSO Mongolian does not budget for the support of international exchanges.
  • International exchanges will be handled differently (budgetary) with more involvement from VSO UK. Guidelines are available for those wishing to make a request for an international exchange.

Shadowing during ICT

  • Suggestion: shadowing volunteers for one or more days as part of ICT – this would require an increase to the ICT budget.

Differences in program areas:

  • Each program area will receive a finite amount of money for exchanges – not all PA receive the same amount
  • Over time the amount of funding given to each PA will change based on the needs of those placements and the goals of VSO.

Broad suggestion – Budget transparency. Each PA would make budget available for all to see. (then we can understand why some funded and some are not)

Policy on visiting conference

- Long distance travels by plane for conferences will be paid by VSO, but anything arranged for between vols (like exchanges) will be cheapest transportation

- Don’t change policy in current group of vols. If changes in policy are made, introduce these to the new vols in ICT. Then, everybody knows what to expect from the PO.


Follow up action : Work these ideas into a policy document

Action by : Programme Office

Friday, July 6, 2007

Can You Help?

1 - Gek and Lotus Products

Gek was well pleased with the helpful suggestions and advise she received from fellow volunteers. Some of the ideas have already been discussed with the Lotus Centre director, Didi.

2- Life Skills

A small group had a chance to go through the Peace Corp publications on life skills workshop guides. These were found to be excellent and very practical to use. If you would like a copy of the 12 books on CD please contact David at david.whitworth1@btinternet.com. Thanks to Hazel for bringing these to our attention.

3- Mongolian Management

It was clear pretty early in the discussion that there is no golden bullet to harness the "no plan" Mongolian approach to project implementation. The search goes on!!!!




Seeking Solutions - Accommodation

Objective: Find Solutions to UB Accommodation Problems

Outcome : Acceptable, workable accommodation policy for UB placements

Rent issues

Because of accommodation rent rises,

  • Poorly funded partners cannot afford rent rises
  • Differences in standards of accommodation are being experienced

It was clear that these issues only relate to accommodation in UB.

Solutions

  • Volunteers to share accommodation
  • Accommodation sought in outlying areas of UB
  • Use Ger accommodation

Relate issues

All Placement documentations for UB should mention sharing accommodation with another volunteer. Placement documentation should ask whether volunteers are willing to share with opposite sex or staying in a ger.

  • Ideally accommodation should be allocated before end of ICT, so that vols can settle and start work promptly
  • PO encourage partners to pair up over accommodation arrangements. Pairing should happen after vols have been accepted to be able to match same sex/age etc.
  • For short term volunteers the PO will continue to provide shared accommodation e.g a VSO rented flat

Follow up action : Inform VSO London of the new accommodation reality for volunteers in UB

Action by : Alison

Monitoring Evaluation.

Objective: Promote cross programme area working, Facilitated Volunteer to programme office working

Outcome : Improved placement management support documentation

The conference was fortunate to have attending Paul Wooster who is responsible for Secure Livelihoods and Monitoring and Evaluation in VSO Manila.

Four separate session were held on various aspects of the information flow in VSO Mongolia.

  1. Programme area review documentation
  2. Information gathering
  3. Partnership review and planning documentation
  4. New partner evaluation and needs analysis documentation
The session proved productive in recommending amendments and additions to the existing information systems for monitoring and evaluating VSO volunteer placements and partners in Mongolia. From Paul we learned that M & E processes are being developed in all VSO Programme Offices worldwide. The fruits of our deliberations will by felt by us all as the Programme Office incorporates appropriate recommendations into their information gathering systems.

Follow up action : Revise the management documents and information flow for VSO Mongolia.

Action by : Alison

Disability Workshops

Objective: Raise Awareness of the disability issues in Mongolia

Outcome : A handbook to promote main streaming disability in all placements

The two linked disability workshops gave the opportunity for awareness raising amongst volunteers on disability issues and the opportunity then to make suggestions on how the Disability Handbook could be enhanced. The first session included three contributions from Mongolian associations working in different areas of support for the disabled in the country.

From the response to the second session, the points were well made by our guest speakers. The suggestions made by the conference are to be considered and some of them will be incorporated into the Handbook .

Our thanks are due to............... for giving of their time to prepare and deliver the briefing sessions.


Follow up action : Edit the Handbook and distribute.

Action by : David and Lindsey


Friday, June 29, 2007

Conference Over

The Venue. All to ourselves.

The weather was excellent allowing out door sessions.

And meals, although it was too hot on this day.

Over the next blogs the conference outcomes will be posted, one conference session. If you have anything to add or contest, please use the comment option at the bottom of each post. Ta.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Security on the Streets

(Contributions from, Alison, Mary, Maarten, Joe and David.)

The Bump.

The Targets

Mostly your pockets or to cut a bag strap.

Modus Operandi.

This can involve up to four individuals working together. First you know, you are being sandwiched between two guys. This distracts you and gets them in close. Favored places to bump are crowded areas, narrow doorways/passages but can be effected in the open at the kerbside when you stop or hesitate in crossing the road. These thefts are usually targeted, ie the thief has seen an opportunity you have presented to him.

See It Coming,

  1. Be alert in likely black spots. State Store, Post Office, Black Market, Tourist Street, on busses, stair ways, and bus stops.
  2. In smart places, be aware of people who look out of place.
  3. Be suspicious if someone is staring at you but don’t not be distracted.
  4. In the open, watch your shadow if it falls in front of you. Seeing a shadow next to yours, move to the side and if your new friend follows, then be alert. If two shadows follow, turn round and shout…. Loudly.!!!!!

Reduce the Risk

  • Use only two strap bags, such as a small rucksack, using both straps.
  • Do not show where you keep your stuff.

  1. don’t answer the phone and put it back in your pocket
  2. don’t take out money and put it back in your pocket.
  3. have money in you hand for the bus fare/shop purchase etc.
  4. if someone warns you about pick pockets, don’t check your pockets.
  5. make sure your pockets don’t bulge, expect if you want they to!!!.
  6. wear a body belt under your cloths for large amounts of money.
  7. keep money in your brae, up your sleeve or top of your socks.

Stings

If they are intent on robbing you, try to make sure they get nothing,

  1. Put a bulge in your trousers. Something like a packet of tissues, large kerchief or toilet roll tube. Looks like a wallet from the outside!!!
  2. Safety pin the pocket with valuables. No defense against a razor cutting the pocket though.
  3. Have your phone and keys on a cord attached to your cloths. Not your wallet, your friends might talk!!!


The Dip


The Targets

Hand bags and back packs.

Modus Operandi

Usually, a lone thief and the theft is achieved by stealth from behind. More often than not these thefts seem to be opportunistic. The thief is dipping your bag on the off chance.

See It Coming,

Be alert in likely black spots. State Store, Post Office, Black Market, Tourist Street, stair ways, on busses and bus stops

In the open, watch your shadow if it falls in front of you. Seeing a shadow next to yours, move to the side and if your new friend follows, then be alert. If two shadows follow, turn round and shout…. Loudly.!!!!!

Reduce the Risk

  • Use only two strap bags, such as a small rucksack, using both straps.
  • Wear the rucksack in front of you with both straps in use.
  • Tie the zip pulls together on the pockets.

Stings

If they are intent on robbing you, try to make sure they get nothing,

  • Leave one pocket slightly open with perhaps a bottle of water sticking out, giving them a target.

To bring list.

The timetable for the conference has been sent to you by email. First up is the reception at the Ambassador's Residence, Tuesday evening. 18:15 at VSO office to walk to the compound.


  1. Beer/wine/water/soft drinks – Particularly wine if that is you tipple.
  2. Nibbles – crisps, crystalised dried fruit, Pringles etc.
  3. Torch – There is very little or no light after dark. Only the stars and moon.
  4. Towel – Hand towel supplied by the camp.
  5. Insect repellent – Not sure if the insect army is awake yet. Best be prepared.
  6. Toilet paper – you never know when……….!!!!
  7. Home comforts – There is no shop near so bring chocolate, favourite drink, biscuits, etc. No night raids on the camp kitchen as happened at Harbourne Hall!!!!!


If you can bring some,
  • Balls of all sizes, for football, volley ball, basket ball, golf.
  • DVD’s of recent films – to show at conference or swap
  • Cards – for cannaster, bridge, snap
  • Board games – chess, draughts, back gammon
  • Soduku grids – for a competition.
  • Musical instruments you can play – guitar, trumpet. Nice to hear live music.
  • Bow and arrows – archer competition.
  • Good books – lots of places to sit on your own and read a good book but also the conference is a good book swap opportunity.
  • Any thing else that comes to mind

We can organise impromptu competitions, depending on your mood, one on one or SL v Health AND Education.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Progress update - 31/05/07

Urnaa and I had a meeting with the manager of the conference Ger camp to sort out a few details, food, accommodation etc.

All looking mostly good,

  1. Toilets will be ok but showers might be a bit flaky. Some times cold.
  2. Hand towels are provided in the gers
  3. Some renovation work will be going on in the games room and is not likely to be finished.
  4. We have asked if there is a local person who could lead the mediation sessions but it isn’t looking good for this activity. Is anyone out there able and willing to do the job? Or can anyone suggest something equally calming to do in the time slot?
  5. We will have a disco till 11 pm on the first night and a khorkhog(?) with a DIY entertainment on the second night.
The timetable for the event is nearly sorted and will be sent to you nearer the date.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

June Conference 2007 - where

Boy, did we suffer for you!!!! Sods law dictated that one of the days we chose to go searching for a conference venue was wet, windy, damned cold and then SNOWY. At the bottom of this post is a very brief summary of the places we visited, but we are going for,

Bayan Khongai

A typical ger camp layout with accommodation gers, sleeping 4 to a ger, grouped around a larger restaurant ger. With 38 of us, we will most probably have the whole camp to ourselves. That should destroy the silence!!!!


This camp is near the top of a hill 1 hours drive from VSO to the north west of UB. The off road bit to the camp is a little rough but mercifully short, passing by farms growing potatoes and other veg,

Showers and toilets are housed in the end section of this new-ish looking block. The charming lady we met at the camp declined to show us inside the block because the showers are under repair. But we were told that they would be ready for our visit.

The new block also has houses a smart bar which we can use a conference room when we all need to be together

The restaurant ger is large enough to take us all at one sitting. The quality of the food is untested as it has not being practical to visit any camp for a food tasting session. Shame really, that is usually a perk of this sort of job!!

Loads of space outside, including a hard court for ball games. Depending on the weather, most of the meetings etc can be outside.

So, there you have it, Volunteer Conference, Mongolia, 2007 - venue.

The Runners

We visited 10 ger camps, of which 4 were either under total renovation or new builds, not completed. Places to avoid, I think!!! Of the others.

  • per person conference, (ie total cost divided by number attendees), costs based on the item costs given on the visits.
  • times based on VSO jeep times
  1. Gatchuurt Ger Camp – came in at $37/person conference. Nice location by the river and plenty of space. The camp for 180 people had one shower. The camp is used by weekend revellers from UB. Ok….where is the gate!!!! – 30/40 mins to UB
  2. Batan Khongai – came in at $48/person conference. Great location on a hillside with no other camp insight. Good facilities and accommodation. Flexible and good conferencing facilities. – 60/70 mins to UB
  3. Ovoogiin Enger – came in at $51/person conference. Known to some of you as the country side visit on our first day in Mongolia. Nice setting and facilities very good. Conferencing facilities a bit limited. – 50/60 mins to UB
  4. MIAT Camp – came in at $65/person conference. Gers with own ensuite bathroom and toilet. Conference facilities flexible and good recreation options. – 20/30 mins to UB
  5. Terelj (Cannot remember the name) – came in at $80/person conference. Traditional camp with good accommodation. Typical of those in the Terelj Park,. No roof on the toilet/shower block!!! The season starts in a couple of weeks, doesn’t it? - 90/110 mins to UB
  6. Terelji (Ayanchin) – came in at $85/person conference. This was nice. And I mean very nice. Just opened last year. An American/Mongolian venture. We would have had the place to ourselves………but too much for our budget. Gek and I vowed to return (I will do a post on it soon.) - 90/110 mins to UB

Monday, May 14, 2007

The Where, an update -15th May 2007

Well, it is still in flux. We did a day out visiting 8 ger camps from the south west, along the river south of UB, round to Gatchuurt and ending in Terelj. The challenge is to find a place with conference friendly facilities (as opposed to conference facilities), within a 2 hour drive from the VSO office, at price we can afford, with accommodation for 35+ and reasonable facilities. Struck out.

We have a couple of new out of town options to pursue but we are now looking at conferencing facilities in UB for the first two days and spending the third day out of town. This will mean switching the agenda days around a bit. Ideally we need to resolve ‘The Where’ ASAP this week. So, if you have a view, please let me know. I have had nearly 70 emails so far about VolCon2007………never had such an active in box. Keep them coming.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Suggested Topics

Some suggestions for the blanks in the planned events. Green indicates already acted on. Please let us know likes and dislikes from the list or suggest new sessions.

Sessions on,
  • Adult learners and the cultural issues. (from Cielo)
  • Like skills training for socially disadvantaged (from Cielo)
  • Distance learning in Mongolia, now and the future (from Hazel)
  • People management in Mongolia, Hare and tortoise, go for the immediate before the important. (from David)
  • People Management, motivation, team building (from Zoe)
  • Hello/goodbyes?? (Formal welcome to all the people who came in Feb. and goodbye to those going in the next few months) (from Pam)
  • Have some of the sessions outside? (from Pam)
  • Some kind of session/activity (do not ask me what!) to integrate PO and vols: team building or some such like. (from Pam)
  • Objective/outcome: maybe change to: disability session is to make vols and PO want to do something about mainstreaming disability (from Pam)
  • Policy on exchange / joint working of volunteers ( From Maarten)
  • Policy on visiting conferences and attending trainings. ( From Maarten)
  • We would like to know the roles and responsibilities of the PO staff. As we understand there is some information in the vol room on this, but this does not help us, being 650 km away. ( From Maarten)
  • We would like to know when new volunteers arrive, their names and where they are to work.( From Maarten)
  • There has been a long delay in the supply of medical equipment and water filters. Because this concerns our health we would like to know what procedures have been put in place to prevent the actual problems happening again. ( From Maarten)

Fun

  • Maybe some game- time (I’m thinking Frisbee nothing over exerting) in the afternoon before we start afternoon sessions or just some free time might be nice. (from Pam)
  • Horse riding time?! (from Pam)
  • Have one of the lunches as a picnic? (from Pam)
  • Evening fun- pub quiz/ karaoke? (from Pam)
  • Definitely some free time to relax together in afternoons. (from Pam)
  • something fun and creative- like zoe could teahc us weaving or gek painting? (from Pam)
And more?

Conference Aims

We should apply the KISS principle to this.

Conference Aim

Promote communication within VSO Mongolia.

Conference Objectives
  • Facilitate volunteer to volunteer, volunteer to programme office and programme office to programme office networking.
  • Promote cross programme area working.
Conference Outcomes.
  • Work towards mainstreaming disability in all placements. (Promote cross programme area working)
  • Review and develop placement management support documentation. (Facilitate volunteer to volunteer, volunteer to programme office and programme office to programme office networking)

What we have and what we have to do.

Resouirces available
  • 4 facilitators, Rolsalyn, Gek, Urnaa and David
  • VSO Office support
  • Email
  • Blog
  • Mobile phone
  • Budget - Travel, 2 nights accommodation, 2 dinners, 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts, stationary.
  • >40 participants
What is needed.
  • Venue, Ger camp close to UB won the vote. (4 to 9 to 1 )
  • Conference aims – ICN seems to be the nature of the proposed agend so far.
  • Entertainment
  • Workshop facilitators
  • Guest speakers
  • Who is coming?

How to organize.

Given the short time till the conference, 6 weeks, and the number of person hours available, we need to try a different approach. If a collective effort can be used to put detail on the “What is Needed” the 4 facilitators will endeavour to make it happen!! Royslan, Gek and Urnaa volunteer to help facilitate. Gek did volunteer honest.

The four of us live/work close by each other which will help. So, the approach is you guys help with proposals and the diecision making using texting, emailing and bloging. We will implement your proposal/decissioins, using email and the blog to update you on are progress and asking for help.

Ok, this should be interesting.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Dates but No Where

Ok, we have a dates but no where.

There seem to be three choices
  1. In UB
  2. Within 1-2 hours drive from UB, local ger camp
  3. In the countryside more than 3 hours drive, ger camp or town
We need a decision fast. June is tourist time so will have to move quickly to get a booking for 45 people!!!!!!!!

Please vote for one of the above ASAP on the 'comment' option below this post . We will close the vote on Wednesday 2nd May.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Things that need organising.

This is a first attempt at breaking down the jobs that need to be done to make the June Conference happen.
  1. Find a venue and negociate terms, logistics etc.
  2. Arrange transportation for vols and others.
  3. Fix an agenda, Organise speakers, including non VSO guest speakers, for agenda.
  4. Locate recourses to deliver for workshops
  5. Entertainment organiser for the conference (good job this one!!!!!!! )
If there is a job not listed here please let me know.

It would be great if two or three people could volunteer to work on each of these jobs. Perhaps people who life close to each other or see each other on a regular basis?

Volunteers and Agenda

Conference Dates - Wed. 20 to Fri 22 June 2007.

We need ,
  1. a few people to volunteer to help organise the event and
  2. suggestions on where to hold the event
  3. conference topics and items for an agenda.
Please use the comment option with this post or create a post of your own.