The FSD ProCorps Volunteer Program is designed to effectively transfer skills from experienced professionals to our partner organizations and the communities they serve. It differs from the Internship Programs because it requires volunteers to have substantial work experience (7+ years) and adapt their skill sets to meet the needs of the organizations and communities they serve. Typically, Long-Term ProCorps Volunteers (9+ weeks) develop projects geared toward assessing organizations and their programs to find more efficient methods of project implementation and resource usage. Short-Term Volunteers (4-8 weeks) generally work toward building greater capacity at an organization and with its employees.

We work with more than 200 community-based organizations, which provide a range of volunteer opportunities in:

• microfinance
• health
• environment
• youth and education
• women’s empowerment
• community development
• human rights

Our partner organizations work in nine regions throughout:

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• India
• Kenya
• Nicaragua
• Uganda

Your skills and interests will be matched with the organization that provides the best opportunity for you to effectively contribute to the community.

Whether you are a working professional looking to shift careers or an individual simply wanting to give back to the international community, your knowledge and expertise will be matched with the organization that provides the best opportunity for you to make a sustainable impact.

FSD provides an in-country support structure that allows you to conduct hands-on, community-based work without worrying about logistics. All your needs will be provided for you, so you may focus securely on helping an organization make use of your innovation, capacity building, and/or technical expertise. The FSD Site Team will be available to you throughout, assisting you with every aspect of your time abroad.

Volunteering ranges from 4 to 52 weeks, depending on your schedule and the depth of your work. The minimum length of stay is 4 weeks (9 weeks during the Summer sessions) due to the time required to assess an organization's or community’s needs and to address those needs in a comprehensive manner. Those unable to volunteer for this length of time can do the Short-Term Volunteering Program. You must also have at least 7 years of professional experience in a field that relates to FSD and the work of our of partner organizations. Due to the wide variety of subjects we address, most professionals are successful in finding a useful application of their skills and interests.

The program consists of several components that prepare you for the implementation of your work. The following elements are offered to ensure that the work makes a lasting impact on you and the community you serve:

Orientation (one week) – You will begin your volunteering with a group of 3 to 8 other participants who will range in age and skill level. Together, the FSD Site Team will get you acclimated to your new surroundings and deliver essential information to ensure a safe and comfortable entry. Initially, you will stay in a hostel with the group and then move on to a host family. A variety of activities and educational sessions will comprise the orientation phase, preparing you for the work ahead. FSD provides 10 to 15 hours of basic language training during orientation (Africa and India only). Private language tutoring is also available in all regions for a nominal fee.

Accommodation – ProCorps Volunteers typically live individually with host families for at least the first 9 weeks of their time abroad. These accommodations ensure full immersion into the local language and culture while providing a chance to form relationships with an extended family and community. It is possible to live independently if requested; however, we recommend that this only be after you are well acclimated to the community. Many volunteers stay in close contact with their host families for years after they have returned home because of the bonds made during such a memorable period of their lives.

Host Organization Introduction – Upon completion of the orientation, the FSD Site Team will introduce you to your direct supervisor at the host organization. During this stage, you will familiarize yourself with the organization and its staff, interviewing them and gaining a full understanding of the resources, people, and projects currently in progress. Typically, you will be the only FSD participant placed with the organization to ensure your immersion into the community and the work.

Development Training – Throughout the initial weeks of your time abroad, FSD prepares you with a series of development tools to ensure the success of your project work. Initially you will learn the most pressing health, economic, environmental, educational, and rights related development issues and initiatives in the local region. You will then be offered training by speakers, readings, and resource materials on how to:

• Critically observe your surroundings
• Perform an effective needs assessment
• Build partnerships and assemble key community members (community mapping)
• Design and manage a coherent work plan that reflects realistic and sustainable objectives
• Prepare a persuasive grant proposal
• Implement sustainable project work
• Complete a sustainable plan that promotes your work

These trainings are optional to ProCorps Volunteers and should only be attended if they add to your knowledge base.

Grant Competition/Minigrant – Once you have jointly prepared a work plan, you and the organization will be given a $200 minigrant from FSD to support its implementation. If additional funding is necessary, volunteers who are in country for 9+ weeks may write a grant proposal to FSD that reflects an integration of community support and involvement, along with a sound budget that will make efficient use of funds.

FSD Site Team – Each program site features a locally born Program Director and at least one Program Coordinator from the United States. Together, they will develop a solid working relationship with you, integrating you into the community and ensuring that you have the tools to be successful. They will evaluate each step of your work, including your needs assessment, work plan, and grant proposal to provide you with critical feedback, as needed. Any problems that arise will be addressed by the FSD Site Team to ensure that your time abroad is well spent.

Group Sessions/Midterm Retreat – You will have the opportunity to meet bi-monthly with your group and FSD to share resources, develop project work, confront cultural issues, and process the volunteer experience. At the mid-point of your stay, you may participate in a group retreat that allows you to relax with other volunteers, remove yourself from the work, and travel outside of the community. For many ProCorps Volunteers, this is an opportunity to support and mentor younger interns and the development of a world-centric perspective.

Sustainability Plan/Grant Report – In summation of your volunteering, you will be asked to produce a formatted description that details the most efficient way for a future volunteer to further develop your work. If you received a grant from FSD, you will explain how you made use of funds and community/organizational resources to ensure project sustainability.

These elements make up the bulk of your volunteer work with FSD. Upon completion, you will have generously shared your time and resources to an underserved, international community while establishing relationships and connections that will last a lifetime.

Download the FSD ProCorps Volunteer Brochure!

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