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TOR #16 Request for a Volunteer from a university
TOR #16
Request for a Volunteer from a university
The “University Volunteer Network” provides human resources and knowledge resources, through qualified
and experienced volunteers from partner universities. These volunteers serve for six months in developing
countries.
The Universidad Autonóma de Madrid (UAM) acts as the coordinating university of the Spanish University
Volunteer Network currently comprising 24 Spanish universities. To date, 68 assignments have been carried
out. This year, it is envisaged to field 40 volunteers to work towards achieving the MDGs in selected areas of
education, health, environment and Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D).
The volunteers are to primarily support host institutions supported by UNV’s MDG Facility as well as UN
Projects and Programmes engaged in MDGs-related activities. The focus of these assignments will be on
capacity building.
_________________________________________________________________________
Requesting Organization
Name:
Swechha-We for Change Foundation
Address:
B1/46, Third Floor.Malviya Nagar. New Delhi-110017.
Describe the role/mandate of the organization
Year of establishment:
Size of organization:
Number of staff:
2001
8
6 Full-time staff members, 1 intern, 1 Volunteer
Other pertinent information:
Swechha is a non-governmental organization that was launched in the year
2000 as the "We for Yamuna" campaign ("Yamuna" is river's name). In its early days, the campaign lobbied
extensively with various stakeholders, and was recognized and applauded by the Chief Minister of Delhi. A
five-day Shramdaan – a voluntary cleanup of the river at eight different places was organized, which
recognized the work of the campaign. The campaign eventually transformed into a full-fledged NGO in 2001
when it was formally registered. The organization today covers a wide ambit of work, spanning over
ecological, civic and policy level issues striving to build awareness and advocacy among students, civil
society groups, corporate and the media.
Swechha in its initial years had the privilege of functioning from the UNDP office, where Swechha supported
the Volunteer Promotion Unit. UNDP still remains one of our key partners.
The organization is one of the 6 worldwide which has been short listed and profiled this year on CNN
International, on its series called "Be the Change". (For more information, please visit
www.cnn.com/bethechange).
The organization has facilitating and organizing "Yamuna Yatras", which trace the river from its origin in the
Himalayas down to its merging with the Ganges in Allahabad. Swechha has organized several such yatras for
students and young leaders from various countries. Our Yamuna Yatras have been funded by an august list of
Institutions which includes the American Embassy (in 2004) and the European Union (in 2007).(You can
visit the EU-Funded Youth Yatra at www.youthyatra.in). The Yamuna Yatra has been institutionalized at the
Vasant Valley School, New Delhi, where XI standard students are taken for the trip every year.
Swechha’s core belief stems from the words of Mahatma Gandhi when he said “Be the change you want to
see in the World”. We wish to see ourselves and many more young people take charge of their immediate
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Social, Environmental and Political environment, and it is our mission to enable such people achieve their
goals.
Field of activity:
Education and Life-Skills Curriculum.
Environment (rivers and civic waste), Environmental and Leadership
Is your organization assisted/funded by other organizations/companies:
Programs by Funding Organizations and Institutions. The details are as under:
Yes, Assisted for Specific
•
Several premier schools of the Capital are included in this list- The Sri Ram School (Aravali and
Phase III Gurgaon), Sanskrtiti School, Vasant Valley School, Modern School (Vasant Vihar).
•
The Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai- with support from which Swechha introduced its Bridge the Gap
Curriculum to NDMC run Schools in Delhi.
•
The European Union, which supported the Youth Yatra in 2007, along with the British Council.
•
UNDP, which gave immense support and infrastructure to Swechha in its formative years.
Terms of Reference
Assignment title:
Resource Development and Compilation.
Expected starting date: October 2008
Preamble:
As a United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment, this post is based on the values of free will, commitment,
engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism. Volunteering brings benefit to the
individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically, as well as socially. It contributes to
creating social cohesion and capital, through helping to build trust and reciprocity among citizens.
The United Nations Volunteers is the UN Organization that supports sustainable human development globally
through the promotion of volunteerism and mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and
development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. It is universal, inclusive and
embraces volunteer actions in all its diversity.
Volunteerism is diverse and is embedded in all cultures and traditions. In this context, as a United Nations
Volunteer you are encouraged and expected to relate to local volunteerism and to be identified with the
concept. You are expected to regard your national colleagues as peers and together uphold trust as volunteers
among yourselves and within the communities and the organization you are assigned to.
Detailed Terms of Reference:
We would be happy to receive from the Volunteer support in the Programs that Swechha undertakes. A brief
outline of the Activities and Programs at Swechha are as under:
a) Bridge the Gap: this is our core program that works intensively with Schools- bringing
Environmental Education, Life-Skills and Active Citizenship into syllabi that are otherwise oblivious
of the immanent need for them.
b) Gram Anubhav: this again, is one of our interventions in the elite schools of Delhi, where we take
urban students on a 4 day trip into rural India to sensitize and alert them to the harsh realities in which
more than 2/3rds of the country lives.
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c) Yamuna Yatra: the Yamuna Yatra is a journey we take along with participants to celebrate and study
the holy River Yamuna along its banks. We travel the course of the river from its origin at Yamunotri,
through its indiscriminate exploitation in Delhi, and its now diminishing glory along the Taj Mahal in
Agra.
d) Yamuna Walks: Swechha takes groups of students, civil society groups, corporates, and media groups
to visit parts of the River Yamuna in and around Delhi. The Walks are a simple yet effective device to
build consensus and mobilize pressure for issues concerning the river.
e) Monsoon Wooding: this again, is a simple and accessible initiative that involves citizens of Delhi to
make a small change in the Environmental Landscape of the city. We plant saplings of trees in the
monsoon months across the city and encourage people to do the same and nurture the trees they
plant.
f) Yamuna Shramdaan: Shramdaans have been a part of Swechha’s activities since its inception. We
continue to mobilize people to volunteer their labour in order to clean the banks of the river, even if
only symbolically.
The Volunteer would also help in upgrading and sustaining some of the existing Programs, as well as
suggesting to the Swechha Team new initiatives, and assist in establishing them.
Swechha also seeks the Volunteer’s insights, Academic and Facilitation inputs to the Sessions, Workshops
and Events we conduct. It will be especially helpful for the organization if the Volunteer can document his/her
innovations (in design and facilitation) in the written as well as the visual media. This would be of great
help to the organization for future use and reference.
The Volunteer will be responsible for establishing a Resource Center at Swechha. This Resource Center is
essentially meant to upgrade the knowledge, awareness and facilitation levels of the Swechha Team as well
as its Interns and Trainers. The Volunteer could achieve this by keeping the Team abreast of the latest events
and international statistics that are relevant to Swechha’s sphere of functioning, Legislations that affect many
environmental issues we work on, etc.
Support is requested in the following fields:
• Providing logistical and facilitative support to existing Swechha activities.
• Using his/her academic and creative inputs to upgrade some of the activities at Swechha, also enabling
the Swechha Team in the same.
• Researching, Designing and Recording the many National and International events and legislatures
(centered around Environment and Rivers) that affect the issues that Swechha works on. Thereby
initiating and sustaining the Resource Center.
• Using his/her creative inputs to suggest Programs that the organization can take on, that will run
parallel to the ones existing.
The volunteer will be supporting the following area(s) of the MDGs.
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development
Detailed description of the tasks to be carried out by the University Volunteer:
--Designing and Developing Curriculum Resources of the existing Environmental and Life-Skills
Curriculum that Swechha uses with his/her own insights and Learning;
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--Developing and Assisting in the compilation of a Training the Trainer Manual that Swechha is preparing;
--Establishing and Sustaining a Resource Center at Swechha- for its Tainers, Volunteers and Interns both
onsite and online;
-- Adding Creative Value to Facilitation Techniques and Media that the organisation uses;
Assignment target (i.e. capacity building impact):
Capacity Upgradation.
Resource and
Required Volunteer qualifications:
Education:
Language:
Specific skills in requested area:
Facilitation Skills, Documentation and Recording, Presentation
Skills
(e.g. related to education, health, environment or ICT4D):
Computer/software skills:
MS Word, Excel, HTML, etc
Additional skills:
Theatre, Performance Skills, etc.
Other Information:
Masters or Advanced Degree in Social or Environmental Sciences
English
All below fields are mandatory prior to clearance
A) Visa
Please specify type of visa needed for nationals from Spain to enter your country:
□
□
□
Tourist visa (if yes, return ticket needed)
No visa or visa upon arrival at airport
Visa before departure
B) Accommodation
Location of assignment:
Nearest airport:
IGIA, New Delhi.
Type of accommodation 1 :
Rented House close to the office.
Address:
Malviya Nagar
Approximate monthly cost of accommodation:
Rs.8000 upwards for a Rented House in a
Residential Enclave or less for a Paying Guest accommodation ( per volunteer).
Security provision and approximate costs:
Rs. 16,000 approximately.
Means of local transport for the volunteer:
Auto rickshaws and Buses
New Delhi, with some travel
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The accommodation for university volunteers has to be compliant with the Minimum Operating Residential
Security Standards (MORSS). It needs to be cleared by the UN Field Security Officer prior to the fielding of the
volunteers.
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What other facilities will be offered to the university volunteer(s)?
expeditions.
Food during office hours and
C) Local transportation
Means of local transportation for the volunteer:
Approximate monthly cost:
Auto rickshaws and Buses
Rs.1000
D) Security provision
Security provision and approximate costs: Rs. 16,000 (towards the house).
E) Other
What other facilities will be offered to the university volunteer(s)? Access to all the Resources and
Publications that Swechha has and will procure for the volunteer’s assignment.
Signature on behalf of requesting Organization
8th April 2008
(Signature)
(Date)
General Assignment Criteria
Capacity Building and Sustainability
The assignment(s) must clearly focus on capacity building (of local beneficiaries) e.g. on the application of ICT.
An assignment which concentrates on e.g. ICT product delivery, like set up of a network or creation of a
website, without close collaboration with local staff does not qualify. The target group of a particular assignment
should be able to independently apply e.g. ICT for their purposes after the university volunteer leaves. Ensuring
sustainability, further promoting volunteerism, as well as raising awareness about the Millennium Development
Goals in the country of assignment are key criteria, which are common to all assignments.
Host Organization and Living Conditions
The host organization needs to demonstrate that it will provide a necessary enabling environment for the
university volunteers so they can be productive from the start and sustain a positive performance throughout
their assignment. This includes the provision of necessary (e.g. computing) equipment and if need be,
connectivity. It also includes the identification of a direct supervisor for the volunteer.
After completion, please return this questionnaire to your UNV Country Office by fax, mail or email. Thank you!
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