Volunteering Overview

‘Analyse, Organise, Actualise’

 

African Global Networks (AGN) is founded on an African consciousness, as such it favours duty as a means of African led agency.

In summary AGN strives to do the following:

* raise awareness around issues that impact Africans

* seek out ways to safeguard and enhance the welfare/ wellbeing of Africans

* engender solidarity between Africans and also between Africans and non Africans

You may wish to review the ‘About Us’ page on our website which outlines what African Global Networks (AGN) is about – https://www.africangn.net/about-us/

AGN is not a profit making enterprise or charity, it has no paid members of staff and is operated 100% on a voluntary basis. AGN does not solicit for funds nor does it accept any funding or financial donations (overheads are met by the founder). Everyone associated with its operations does so voluntarily.

Historically and up to the present many societies/ peoples in Africa or Africans based elsewhere have and continue to support their own operations based on the people they identify with/ belong to i.e. their ethnic group and / or latterly to their nationality e.t.c.  Working collaboratively to fulfil ones duty to the collective is the principle at the heart of this approach.

AGN seeks to harness this dynamic by connecting with Africans who value this approach while drawing on principles African peoples have adhered to historically in order to thread them together with modern practices as a means of organising its operations.

AGN recognises that the greatest asset Africa has is its people and it seeks to harness the cognitive, creative and positive values that many exhibit.

Volunteer Scope and Process

Volunteers can operate from anywhere they have a computer/ internet access. It is anticipated volunteers will operate from a location in their country that is convenient e.g from home.  It is not possible to volunteer onsite at AGN.

Volunteers are only required to assist on the basis they most feel comfortable. They can contribute as much or as little time as they wish. All that is asked is that if they commit to say 1 hour per year, they actively follow through on their commitment and that they remain communicative while they are involved on a project.

In terms of volunteer duties they vary from basically acting as a sounding board for ideas and initiatives, structuring and organising projects, to research, assisting with publicity, implementation, monitoring/ oversight, reporting and ad hoc tasks.  Typical project roles are set out here; project roles

This is the process through which a project is determined and completed:

1) AGN circulates details of proposed areas for interventions or project ideas to members.

2) Allow for interested volunteers to signal the following;

A) highlight which item(s) they would be interested in participating on
B) state relevant skills/ expertise and associated length of experience (state ‘no experience/ qualifications’ if you don’t have)
C) availability e.g. 1 hour per week
D) ease of access to the internet e.g. 1) very easy, 2) moderately easy, or 3) difficult
E) indicate levels of fluency in speaking/ writing English, French, Portuguese or native African languages. The categories to denote ones fluency in each language spoken are; native (mother tongue), proficient, moderate or basic.

3) AGN will review submissions to identify complementary skills/ expertise and synergies before assembling a team. The team will be invited to join a whatsapp group just for their intervention in order for team members to interact and contribute to defining the exact framework/ scope/ plan and objectives and so on.

4) Framework review and revision as needs be

5) Implementation

6) Evaluation after completion of tasks/ inputs/ fulfilment of roles

It is intended that each project will be assigned a monitoring and evaluation team member(s).

Where possible projects will be assigned admin and language support for teams comprised of members with different native languages or levels of proficiency. Ideally teams will comprise of people from different countries and regions in order to encourage a richer mix of ideas and perspectives. Adherence to such an ideal will not be at the expense of coherence or in a manner that sacrifices productivity.

As previously mentioned AGN has no paid members of staff and is operated 100% on a voluntary basis. AGN does not solicit for funds nor does it accept any funding or financial donations therefore all volunteers are responsible for their own input.

This lends itself to action or awareness campaigns that can be deployed locally or within the scope of activities one does anyway, e.g. if you undertake field trips or periodically visit a rural location anyway you would be better placed to spend half an hour or so to take pictures or record videos on your smartphone that can be shared/ discussed on AGN’s online portal, in order for suggestions, solutions and processes to be put forward. In other words leveraging the power of group resources, thought and expertise.

This approach also lends itself to collaboration with other organisations and agencies.  It requires intellectual rather than financial capital. AGN is all about collaboration and thinking outside the box (reflective of the traditional way many African societies have done things anyway), a group of volunteers reflecting on an issue, proposing solutions, utilizing their cognitive capacity to get things done for the benefit of Africa.

The intention is to establish an international volunteer team that is agile, responsive (not necessarily reactive) and flexible and that comprises of a wide range of skills/ knowledge.

This approach appeals to people who appreciate things that look similar are not necessarily the same.  Those who see this as a further opportunity to fulfil a duty to Africa rather than seeing this as doing more work. It appeals to people who are doers. The approach is simple, talk, reflect, act/ monitor and review.

Once an individual has been accepted as a volunteer they become a stakeholder and can suggest initiatives and inteventions they would like the volunteer bank to consider rallying round.

If the above are in line with your values and you are able to actively participate do feel free to join the AGN volunteer bank. Simply complete the registration form and check the volunteering option.  The form is available here; registration

© 2020 All rights reserved – African Global Networks (AGN) – April 2020