NGO Development Mentor
Colonia, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia
AVI has negotiated this assignment in good faith with the Host Organisation, and the information contained
was correct at the time of acceptance of the request. However, while AVI takes responsibility for matters
under our direct control, all assignments and arrangements are subject to change due to the inherent low
levels of predictability in developing country environments. This assignment may be amended or withdrawn
to reflect changes in circumstances.
General Details
Assignment Title
NGO Development Mentor
Host Organisation
Yap Chamber of Commerce (Hosting on behalf of Multiple
NGOs)
Website of Host Organisation
N.A.
Duration of Assignment
18 Months preferred, but 12 months may be considered
Start Date
Pre-departure Briefing Date
AVI Assignment Code
10533746
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Host Organisation Overview
Yap Chamber of Commerce works to develop the private sector in the country, including representing
its needs and interests to the government. It has two staff members and many members. It works with
at least six different non-government organizations in Yap State:
Yap Women’s Association advocates and mediates for women’s and children’s needs and interests.
It is an umbrella organization with 73 women’s groups that are registered with it. At the moment it does
not have any employees, but it will gear up again once the construction of its multi-purpose centre is
completed. It previously employed seven people.
Yap Fusion develops, sells, and disseminates products and information on blending traditional and
modern arts and foods to improve health, develop the local economy, and reduce reliance on imported
goods. It has one part-time staff member and five members, and caters to all of Yap.
Our Youth are Promising (OurYAP) advocates and mediates for youth. It currently has one full time
staff member and 73 members.
The Human Trafficking/Rights Office raises awareness and advocates for laws and policies that
protect women, children, elderly and disabled people. It doesn’t have any full-time employees but it
has seven members who volunteer their time.
The Yap Area Health Education Centre offers continuing education programs to health professionals
and also implements some community awareness outreach programs on health issues. It has five staff
members, including a doctor and a nurse.
All of these organizations rely on donors for their funding.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Assignment Overview
This assignment will work with at least six different non-government organizations in Yap State of the
Federated States of Micronesia. The Yap Chamber of Commerce will be the home office for the
Volunteer, who will also spend time working in the offices of the other organizations and with their staff
members.
There is a lot of potential for non-profit, non-government organizations to contribute a great deal to
development in Yap, complementing the programs and services of the government. To achieve this
potential, however, Yap NGOs need to develop their still basic capacities in many operational and
program areas. There isn’t anyone available locally in Yap with the broad experience and knowledge to
help the different organizations develop their capacities in so many different technical areas.
Therefore, these NGOs are seeking an Australian Volunteer. All of these organizations are quite small,
and many are still quite new, and cannot fully occupy the time and energy of a full-time Volunteer.
Instead, the Volunteer will work with all of them to address priority capacity building needs that they
identify together during the initial phase of the assignment. If several organizations identify a similar
capacity need, the Volunteer might organize group training programs. If an organization has a unique
capacity building need, the Volunteer will develop a program of training, mentoring or coaching for its
staff. An ideal Volunteer candidate will be an “all-rounder” with experience in the general management
of a non-profit organization or public administration. The Volunteer doesn’t have to be an expert in all
areas to be able to contribute to capacity improvements as several of these organizations are in the
very early stages of their development and/or have new and relatively inexperienced staff members
who are learning on the job. The assignment is a challenging and exciting opportunity for a Volunteer
to contribute to the development of NGOs that can do so much good for the people of Yap.
Assignment Objectives
•
Assist each organisation to develop their operational and/or program management capacities
to improve their performance in operating efficiently and delivering services.
•
Assist each organisation to develop a 3 to 5 year staff organizational and staff capacity building
plan that also identifies common capacity building needs, and an action plan for the
organizations to follow to achieve their capacity building goals and objectives.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Volunteer
In consultation with their line manager and relevant stakeholders, volunteers complete a work plan in
the first three months of their assignment. The duties below are an indication of the type of work that
may be involved in meeting the Assignment Objectives:
•
Meet with the staff of each organization to identify the three top priority areas for building
capacity during the term of the Volunteer’s assignment.
•
Assist each organisation to develop their draft plans to build the priority capacities identified
using some combination of training sessions, coaching and mentoring, including work to be
done by the Volunteer or other specialists or training programs available in Yap or through online, self-study courses. Present the draft plans for approval by the organizations and produce
a final plan incorporating their input.
•
Assist with Implementation of the capacity building plans, modifying as needed based on
monitoring and evaluation of results and lessons learned, keeping the directors of the
organizations informed and involved.
•
In the last six months of the assignment work with the leaders and staff of the organizations to
develop their 3 to 5 year staff capacity building plans. The plans should include guidance
about the steps the organizations can take to achieve their goals and objectives, including
identification of possible sources of assistance and funding.
•
Meet regularly with the directors of the participating organizations to review progress, lessons
learned, challenges and strategies to overcome them, etc., as well as to ensure that all
organizations believe that the distribution of the Volunteer’s time is equitable.
•
If time is available, work with the directors of the participating NGOs to reach out to other
NGOs and civil society organizations to determine if they want to participate in the collective
effort to develop capacities.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Assignment Information
Line Manager
The Director of the Yap Chamber of Commerce will by the line manager, but will regularly consult with
the directors of the other participating organizations in regards to managing the work plan of the
Volunteer.
Staff Supervision
The Volunteer will not supervise any staff member in any of the participating organizations.
Hours & Days of Employment
From 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday
The expectation is that the volunteer will work the equivalent of a 5-day week to a maximum of 40
hours per week.
Leave Entitlements
Same conditions and terms as local colleagues apply, including national holidays. However, as a
minimum, volunteers will accrue 1 week of leave for each 3 months of work.
Other Conditions
There might be some occasions when the Volunteer might have to attend meetings or special events of
the participating organizations at night or on weekends.
Language Skills and Level Required
The colleagues of the Volunteer will be reasonably to very fluent in English, so learning Yapese will not
be absolutely required. However, the more Yapese that is learned will help with the volunteer’s
integration into the workplace and community. A willingness to learn at least some of the local
language, such as basic greetings, will be greatly appreciated.
Language Support
AVI provides language support during the in-country orientation period. Most often additional resources
for further development later in the assignment will be available if required.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Living as a Volunteer
Yap is the most traditional of the four FSM States. Strong cultural and traditional norms are maintained
amongst its approximately 12,000 residents, which are immediately evident from some of the traditional
dress and stone money. Chiefs, elders, and others with traditional titles, roles, and responsibilities hold
the most power and authority in society; land is also integral to the culture as it is directly linked to
these roles.
Systems of law, government, and administration are modelled after the United States, so Yap appears
very Westernized. However it is not, and things move with a much slower pace (and a different route)
than in the West. Gender roles are quite separate and distinct in many settings, and men and women
tend to not hang out socially. Women should not go out exercising in the early morning or evening by
themselves, and women should dress modestly, always covering the thighs, even when swimming.
The Host Organization’s staff members will be able to help familiarize the Volunteer with local
custom/culture/language as this knowledge will greatly help a Volunteer integrate more smoothly into
the work and social environments.
Yap has the same general security concerns as most of Australia and the precautions are the same as
one would take at home.
There are a small number of grocery, clothing and hardware stores. Western food items are available,
at least at times, for higher prices than in Australia. If a food item is really necessary and not available,
most (except for fresh fruit and vegetables) can be ordered from on-line vendors in the United States
and shipped relatively inexpensively to Yap, as mail to FSM, which has a US Postal System Zip code,
is charged the same domestic postal rates as within the United States. Temperate climate fruits and
vegetables are particularly scarce, and occasionally even local vegetables and fruits will be hard to find.
There are a few hotels that cater to international tourists and business visitors, and they have decent
restaurants.
There are taxis in Colonia. However, most expatriates decide it is more convenient to buy a used car,
of which some are available on island from a couple of dealers or people leaving the island. Many
Yapese and expatriates also import used cars from Japan for USD 3,000 to USD 5,000.
Dress is casual, but still ‘island professional’ for work. Women should dress modestly and should never
show their thighs or shoulders.
There is good cell phone coverage in Colonia, and dial-up and broadband internet are available, but
are much slower and more expensive than what a Volunteer will be accustomed to having in Australia.
Getting away from Yap on holidays is expensive and connections in Guam are usually inconvenient.
On the brighter side, people come to Yap from around the world on scuba diving holidays and to
experience its strong, traditional culture. Other water activities, such as fishing, snorkelling and
outrigger canoe paddling, are also popular and can be arranged through the dive shops, for a fee, or
with local friends. There is also good hiking on land. Yoga, social soccer, baseball, basketball,
volleyball, weightlifting, gym, tennis, track and field are activities available at the Sports Complex, a 20
minute drive from Colonia.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Allowances & Support
These allowance levels are based on the Cost of Living in country. They will be reviewed periodically
and may increase or decrease. Volunteers will be given notice of any change to the allowance level.
Living Allowance
Accommodation Allowance
AUD 1050.00 per month
AUD 1050.00 per month
Housing
The Volunteer will live in a furnished one bedroom apartment or small house. Apartments often are
made on the top floor of a house with the landlord’s family living downstairs. Housing in Yap can be
hard to find, so it might be necessary to share a house until another place becomes available. Due to
the tight housing market, a Volunteer might have to “settle” for a place at the start of Volunteer service
that isn’t a great match for his or her needs and then move later when a better place becomes
available.
Furnishings provided in most places include a refrigerator, stove, bed, dining table and chairs, and
some living room furniture. Some places come with an air-conditioning unit or ceiling fans. Electricity
and water charges generally are not included in the rent. If the Air Conditioning is used, electricity
costs can exceed USD 200.00 per month.
Other Allowances & Support
All AVID Volunteers receive the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pre-departure Briefing in Melbourne
In-country Orientation on arrival
Pre-departure vaccination expenses
Visa expenses
Pastoral care, assignment monitoring and security guidance
Return airfare to country of assignment
Psychological and medical advice and support services
Re-entry support services
Settling in allowance (assignments longer than 6 months)
Re-settlement allowance (assignments longer than 6 months)
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Preparing Your Application
Personal Circumstances Constraints
We are NOT able to accept applications from people with the following personal circumstances due to
security, cultural, legal or visa restrictions in this location.
•
Applicants with accompanying children
•
Same sex partners who wish to accompany applicants as part of the AVID program may face
issues in applying for and being issued with a visa
•
Applicants with partners to whom they are not legally married and who wish to accompany
applicants as part of the AVID program may face issues in applying for and being issued with a
visa
•
Applicants with criminal convictions
Selection Criteria
Please begin by writing your responses to the following three questions, in a document headed Response to Selection Criteria:
a. Why do I feel that volunteering overseas is the right thing for me to be doing at this time in my life?
(up to half a page)
b. What are the biggest personal adjustments I’m likely to have to make to be accepted as a useful
colleague and engaged community member in this assignment? (up to half a page)
c. How do I match the Essential Skills & Experience: Write a brief summary of your most relevant
experiences, results and achievements responding to each criteria in the Essential Skills & Experience
section of the Assignment Description.
To find out more details about preparing your application, please visit:
http://www.australianvolunteers.com/volunteer/application-process/
To find out more details about the personal competencies required to be a volunteer, please visit:
http://australianvolunteers.com/volunteer/have-you-got-what-it-takes/
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Qualifications, Essential Skills & Experience
•
A degree and extensive experience in non-profit management or public administration, or a
degree in any field and broad and extensive experience in the management of non-profit
organizations or public administration.
•
Broad general knowledge about and extensive experience in a wide variety of operational and
program sectors of importance to non-profit organizations.
•
Demonstrated experience in project management, which includes; project reporting,
fundraising, financial management, human resources management, administration, annual
planning, and strategic planning.
•
Significant experience in training, coaching and/or mentoring staff of public or non-profit
organizations in aspects of operations and programming.
Desirable Skills & Experience
•
Extensive knowledge of training and capacity building opportunities available to people working
in the non-profit sector in international development, particularly on-line courses that staff
members could enrol in and receive assistance from the Volunteer to complete.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted online. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to register on
our website prior to applying.
Once completed, please visit www.australianvolunteers.com, log in, select the assignment you are
interested in and follow the prompts at the end of the page.
This assignment is part of the Australian Volunteers for International Development program, an
Australian Government initiative. www.australianaidvolunteers.gov.au/
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.