UNV Assessing

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK
eed included
Assessing The
Contribution
Of Volunteering
To Development
Handbook for UN Volunteers, Programme Officers and Managers
inspiration in action
United Nations Volunteers
UN Campus, PO Box 260 111, 53153 Bonn, Germany
English UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK
3 mm bleed included
www.unvolunteers.org
August 2011
Assessing The
Contribution
Of Volunteering
To Development
A Participatory Methodology

Evaluation Unit
August 2011

leed included
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN Organization

that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide.
Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development
challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism
benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust,
solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities
for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for
recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into
development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity
of volunteers, including experienced UN Volunteers, throughout the world. UNV
embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its
diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and
solidarity.
UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Assessing the Contribution of Volunteering to Development:

A Participatory Methodology
Copyright United Nations Volunteers, 2011
This document was produced by the
Evaluation Unit (EU) of United Nations Volunteers.
Copies are available online and in print in English.
Postfach 260 111
D-53153 Bonn, Germany
Tel: +49-228-815 2000
Fax: +49-228-815 2001
Email: evaluation@unvolunteers.org
Website: http://www.unvolunteers.org
Foreword
Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that I am sharing with you the handbook on the
Methodology for Assessing the Contribution of Volunteering to Development. It is
the result of a joint effort with the International FORUM on Development Service,
a network of organizations engaged in international volunteering and personnel
exchange. The handbook provides development and volunteering practitioners
with practical approaches and tools to generate evidence on the contribution of
volunteering, thereby supporting accountability and learning. It consists of this
handbook plus a CD-ROM with practical tools that facilitate the application of the
methodology.
The methodology was piloted in twelve countries in 2006. Representatives from

a range of national and international volunteering organizations took part along
with a broad range of stakeholders including beneficiaries, partner organizations,
government, and national employees of international agencies. The participatory
assessment methodology that evolved over the course of those pilots forms the
basis of this handbook. It is complemented by the experience gained and additional
tools UNV developed during Volunteerism for Development Results workshops in
2008.
Flavia Pansieri
Executive Coordinator
UNV wants to thank the many people and organizations that have contributed to developing this handbook:

All volunteers in the field, community members, partners, stakeholders, UNV Field Units and headquarters staff
who contributed their time and participated in the processes leading to this handbook;
The Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT) and the consultants Patricia Daniel, Sarah French
and Ella King who designed and coordinated the pilot study and wrote the first version of the handbook;
UNDP Country Offices that were very helpful in supporting the logistics of the workshops;
FORUM members who participated in the pilot study: the Australian Volunteer Initiative, Carrefour Canadien
International, the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Skillshare International and the Voluntary Service
Overseas;
The UNDP Evaluation Office that provided advice during critical stages of the development of the Methodology;
Antonella Mancini and Rosalind David who developed complementary methods and tools for the UNV
Volunteerism for Development Results workshops, and who facilitated those workshops together with Natalia
Ortiz. Special thanks goes to Antonella Mancini who put together the current version of the handbook by editing
and revising the original draft and by writing Section Three of this handbook, and to Anum Murtaza of UNV Online
Volunteering services for the graphic design of the handbook.
The UNV Evaluation Unit: Edmund Bengtsson and Robert To, former Evaluation Unit staff, who started this work;
and Katrin von der Mosel, Caspar Merkle and Ana Cristina Guimaraes Matos who have ensured its finalization.
We hope that many UN Volunteers and Volunteer Involving Organizations around the world will use this handbook, be
inspired by it, and adapt the methods and tools to the needs of their own organizations and environment. We wish you all
success with this and look forward to receiving your comments on the experiences you have at: evaluation@unvolunteers.
org. Ultimately, we hope that the handbook will help to showcase the contribution volunteering makes to development.
Best Regards,
Flavia Pansieri
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CONTENTS
PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................7
SECTION ONE: KEY CONCEPTS.........................................................................................................................................7
SECTION TWO: THE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY...............................................................................................18

PLACEMENT LEVEL ASSESSMENT PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOP..........................................................................................21

Exercise A: Sharing Stories.............................................................................................................................................24

Exercise B: Reviewing and ranking the volunteers key activities and outputs.................................................25

Exercise C: The outcomes of the contribution of volunteering..............................................................................27

Exercise D: The volunteers overall contribution to higher level development goals.......................................29

Exercise E: SWOT Analysis............................................................................................................................................ 30

Exercise F: Key Lessons and Recommendations......................................................................................................31

PROGRAMME LEVEL ASSESSMENT PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOP...................................................................................... 32

Exercise A: Sharing of Key Findings and Lessons from the Placement Level Workshops.......................... 35
Exercise B: The Contribution of Volunteering to Development Goals................................................................36
Exercise C: The Contribution of Volunteering to Development Goals Group Feedback...........................37
Exercise D: The Volunteer as a Catalyst for Change...............................................................................................38
Exercise E: Factors supporting and hindering change........................................................................................... 39
Exercise F: Key Lessons and Recommendations..................................................................................................... 40
INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL WORKSHOP................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Exercise A: Sharing experiences, key findings and lessons................................................................................. 44
Exercise B: Group discussion....................................................................................................................................... 45
Exercise C: Stakeholder perceptions and interests in volunteering....................................................................46
Exercise D: Key Lessons and Recommendations.....................................................................................................47
SECTION THREE: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS.....................................................................................48

VOLUNTEERISM FOR DEVELOPMENT RESULTS WORKSHOP.................................................................................................... 50

Tool 1: Volunteer Self Reflection....................................................................................................................................51

Tool 2: Reflection for partners attending a workshop..............................................................................................52

Tool 3: Exploring our understanding of volunteerism for development.............................................................. 53

Tool 4: The Results Tree.................................................................................................................................................. 54

Tool 5: Group analysis of key achievements, challenges and lessons................................................................56

Tool 6: Assessing the volunteers contribution to organizational/corporate goals............................................57

Tool 7: Results Matrix....................................................................................................................................................... 58

Tool 8: External Feedback.............................................................................................................................................. 59

Tool 9: Developing a vision for our future work generating recommendations............................................ 60

Tool 10: Tips for workshop note takers........................................................................................................................61
APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................................................................62
APPENDIX 1: GUIDE TO CD MATERIALS.......................................................................................................................63
APPENDIX 2: GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................................................65
APPENDIX 3: ACRONYMS..................................................................................................................................................66
APPENDIX 4: SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................67
INTRODUCTION
The handbook aims to support International Volunteering Organizations to ask six basic questions and use the answers to
inform the work that they do and the decisions they take:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What contribution does volunteering make to development? What are the key results?
How does volunteering achieve these results?
What factors help or hinder the volunteering contribution?
What is the added value of volunteering?
How is volunteering perceived by other stakeholders and partner organizations, both national and international?
What lessons can be learned from volunteering and how can they be used to enhance development planning?
By answering these questions, the assessment also provides an opportunity for volunteers to share experiences amongst
themselves and to systematically reflect on the contributions they have made. In this sense the handbook benefits both the
Volunteering Organization and the individual volunteer.
The fundamental principle underlying the assessment approach in this h handbook is that it should be a bottom-up
process, which draws on the experiences and perceptions of volunteers themselves, their partners and the intended
beneficiaries of volunteering placements and programmes. The methodology does not intend to produce an impact
assessment, but rather to promote an analysis of results and contributions of volunteering to short and long-term
development goals. It provides opportunities for volunteers and their stakeholders to engage in a variety of ways. This
includes:

Primary beneficiaries to be included in the process: their voice can illuminate the contributions and changes
observed as well as help to inform policy
Individual volunteers to gain wider recognition of their work and to see their contribution to the bigger picture
Stakeholders and volunteers to reflect on the wider changes brought about through working in partnership with
others
UNV Programme Officers to see the cumulative contribution of volunteer work at national level and where
programme changes might be made
Lesson learning to be shared within and between volunteering organizations and with a range of partners
Promoting awareness about volunteering and its role in development
The methodology draws on a body of existing participatory methods and approaches. References and sources of methods
that provided inspiration are acknowledged with thanks in the appendices at the back of this h handbook. The list of key
people and organizations involved in the pilot workshops can also be found in the appendices.
Who should use this handbook and how?

This h handbook is primarily designed for internal use in ongoing volunteer programmes where volunteers are posted for
approximately two years. Many of the approaches and methods included in the h handbook can be adapted and used in
other contexts. For example:

For placement assessment by the country programme officer in cases where a volunteer has left early or has
particular difficulties
For ex-post assessment by the host organization and beneficiaries to reflect on longer term changes and their
contribution to development
As a basis for, or as part of, an external evaluation
For ongoing monitoring and learning purposes
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Good facilitation is key

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The workshops and exercises in this h handbook will require good facilitation. Facilitation can be placed in the hands
of one person or a team, depending on the size of the group. A skilled facilitator may be a colleague or a volunteer from
within your host organization, or a colleague from a national/international volunteer organization. Alternatively, you may
decide to involve an external facilitator.
How the handbook is set out

The handbook is set out in three sections:
Section 1: Key concepts

This section introduces some of the key concepts underpinning the Methodology:
Volunteerism for development

Types of volunteers and volunteering
The Logical Framework Approach
Gender
The broader context of our work: national goals and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Section 2: The Assessment Methodology

This section outlines the participatory assessment methodology developed and tested by UNV in twelve
countries. The Methodology comprises a series of participatory workshops at different levels in a two-year cycle:
1.
2.
3.
Placement Level
Programme Level
National Inter-Organizational Level
Section 3: Additional approaches and tools

This section gives an overview of the results workshop methodology developed by UNV and sets out the various
tools used over the course of the workshops.
Appendices
This includes a guide to the additional materials, reading and handout sheets on the accompanying Compact
Disc (CD), a glossary, a list of acronyms, a selected bibliography that serves also as list of additional
recommended reading and resources, and acknowledgements.
A word about jargon!

We have tried to minimize the amount of jargon used in this handbook. However, there are standard monitoring and
evaluation terms that we feel you should know about. You will no doubt have come across them in your work. There are
also a number of terms that are used by UNV, as this was the context in which the Methodology was developed and
tested. As you gradually familiarize yourself with the handbook and undertake your own assessment processes these
terms will become self-evident. We also have a glossary at the back of this handbook that you can refer to at any time. Feel
free to adapt the language to your organizations needs.
And finally...
We hope the ideas and processes in this handbook will stimulate your own thinking and ideas on how to assess the
contribution of volunteering to development, and that you will feel encouraged experimenting with and adapting the
frameworks, methods and tools to suit your own organizational systems and work context. Dont worry about getting it
right. Its a learning process for all of us. We only get better by giving it a go. We do however encourage you to send us
feedback on your experience using the ideas and methods in this guide and to share your own ideas as well.
Please send your feedback to the UNV Evaluation Unit: evaluation@unvolunteers.org.
SECTION ONE:
KEY CONCEPTS
Introduction
It is helpful to start by examining some of the key concepts that underpin the Methodology for Assessing the Contribution
of Volunteering to Development. These are:


Types of volunteers
The Logical Framework Approach
Triangulation
Gender
The broader context of our work: national development goals and MDGs
Who should read this section?

The facilitator(s) as part of their orientation process and to help them prepare for the workshops
The country programme officers/managers as part of the induction/orientation on the methodology with
volunteers and partners
Volunteers as part of the preparation for the workshops to ensure they are familiar with the basic concepts
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At the heart of volunteerism are the ideals of service and solidarity and the belief that together we can
make the world better.
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General
Volunteerism is both an opportunity and an asset for development. It represents a tremendous resource for addressing
many of the development challenges of our times and it has the potential to significantly promote broad-based national
ownership, gender equality, inclusive participation and sustainability. Volunteerism is increasingly seen as an essential
ingredient in supporting peace and development and in achieving the MDGs.
How does UNV define volunteerism?

Volunteerism includes civic action and work that is carried out freely and without coercion, where financial gain is not
the main motivating principle, and where there are other beneficiaries beyond the volunteer. There are different forms
of volunteerism, and some key aspects include mutual or self-help, philanthropy or service to others, participation and
advocacy or campaigning. For the purposes of this Methodology, the UNV definition of volunteerism is used.
Volunteerism is a broad concept, while volunteering refers to the actual activities carried out by volunteers.
How do volunteers define volunteerism?

Volunteers and their partners helped to define the key characteristics of volunteering from their own experience. The most
essential characteristics include:
Neutrality
Self sufficiency
Innovation
Committed
Volunteering
Fostering
participation
Agents of
change
Adapting to local
circumstances
Technical
knowledge
Passion
Intrinsic
motivation
Professional
Multinational
Highly skilled
Valuing indigenous
knowledge
Figure 1.1: How volunteers define volunteering

Le volontariat est bnficiaire par une attitude positive et cest cela qui amne le changement positif. Il faut se
rappeler que la plupart des bnficiaires nont pas t lcole et ils ont de la difficult accepter linnovation.
Le seul moyen damener quelquun au changement, cest de vivre avec lui dans le milieu.
Association Malienne pour la Promotion des Jeunes (CCI Partner organisation), Mali.
Volunteering is a positive attitude that brings about positive change. One must remember that most beneficiaries did not attend school and have difficulties accepting change and innovation. The only way to make
them understand the benefits of change is by living with them and sharing their life in the community.
Malian Association for Youth Promotion (CCI partner organization), Mali
El voluntario tiene un gran valor agregado siendo un ser humano dotado de las siguientes caractersticas e
inculcado en siguientes valores: una vocacin, una vida de servicio, actitud y espritu de voluntariado, y buscar
ser til. Bolivia National Workshop, UNV.
A volunteer adds great value and, as human being, has the following characteristics: a vocation, a life of
service, volunteering attitude and spirit, and quest for being useful. Bolivia National Workshop, UNV.
72% of people feel that volunteering offers something that could never be provided by paid professionals.
Volunteering Ireland, 2006.
key concepts
Types of Volunteers and Volunteering

It is important to remember that the term volunteer can be used to denote a number of different people in different
circumstances. Similarly, volunteering takes different forms and meanings in different settings.
Let us first talk about the concept of volunteering. It is strongly influenced by the history, politics, religion and culture
of a region. What may be seen as volunteering in one country may be dismissed as low paid or labour intensive work in
another. And yet, despite the wide variety of understandings, it is possible to identify some core characteristics of what
constitutes a voluntary activity.
There are three key defining characteristics of volunteering. First the activity should not be undertaken primarily for
financial reward. Second, the activity should be undertaken voluntarily, according to an individuals own free-will. And third,
the activity should be of benefit to someone other than the volunteer him or herself, or to society at large.
Within this broad conceptual framework it is possible to identify at least four different types of volunteer activities:
mutual aid or self-help; philanthropy or service to others; participation or civic engagement; and advocacy or campaigning.
The form each type takes and the balance or mix between different types differs markedly from country to country.
The promotion of volunteering or civil society self-help implies the mobilization of individual citizens in local activities
for which they receive no direct financial gain whatsoever.
International volunteers are mostly deployed by internationally operating volunteer involving organizations. Some of these
organizations, like UNV, also deploy national volunteers.
Some developing countries may have their own national volunteer schemes, which have different terms and conditions.
In peacekeeping missions, international volunteers may be recruited to carry out very specific tasks (e.g. piloting
aircraft, air traffic control), which do not necessarily include work with a wider group of stakeholders.
Traditional volunteering
It is also important to remember that all communities are likely to have a tradition of self-help. This will not be known as
volunteering but have a local term. For example, in Mali, it is called solidarity and includes activities such as:

Helping each other at harvest time

Loans in times of need
Conflict resolution
Discipline of children in the community
Often conflict or emergency situations have led to a breakdown of traditional social capital, but volunteering has been
shown to help revitalize this:

El voluntariado puede rescatar valores que se crean muertos, Guatemala Pilot study report.
Volunteering can rescue values that were believed dead, Guatemala Pilot study report.
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The Logical Framework Analysis (LFA) Approach

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The participatory assessment methodology we are presenting in this handbook builds on the Logical Framework
Analysis approach (LFA). LFA or logframes are used worldwide by national and international agencies for planning and
evaluation of development activities. This can be at the organization, programme or project level. International volunteering
organizations are more and more commonly using the LFA, in line with the methodologies and requirements of their donor
agencies.
LFA looks like a table (or framework) and aims to present information about the key components of a project in a clear,
concise, logical and systematic way.
The framework includes:

What the project should achieve, from the level of overall goal down to specific objectives
The performance questions/indicators that will be used to monitor progress
How the indicators will be monitored or how the data will be collected
The assumptions behind the logic of how activities will eventually contribute to the goal
The associated risks
The advantages of using the LFA include the following:

LFA provides a handy summary to inform project staff, donors, beneficiaries and other stakeholders, which can be
referred to throughout the lifecycle of the project/programme
The LFA aims to link individual activities with longer-term impact and to show direct and indirect cause and effect
Using the same kind of approach and the same terms makes it easier to:
o
locate volunteering within the wider development framework
o
discuss the longer-term contribution of volunteering with partners and donors
The disadvantages of using the LFA are that:

It uses jargon and is not immediately user-friendly

It is not possible to neatly encapsulate the whole of human experience into boxes
It assumes that all project contingencies can be foreseen from the start, and that there will be a predictable,
linear, logical progression from activities to outputs to purpose to goal
It can lead to a rigidly controlled project design that becomes disconnected with field realities and changing
situations
Very few logical frameworks are done with beneficiaries. They are often done on behalf of communities.
However, if done well, LFA can be successfully used at the grassroots level by parents, volunteers, community leaders and
civil society organizations in participatory workshops to develop a shared vision for implementing agreed plans. Many of
the tools and methods included in this handbook can be adapted to facilitate a more participatory process for LFA.
Although the logical framework includes several levels up to impact, this methodology is NOT intended to measure the
impact of volunteering. This would be inappropriate, as in general the work of volunteers is not enough to generate impact
on its own. Rather, we look at how volunteering contributes to short and long-term development goals.
The Logical Framework for Volunteering for Development

On the next page we provide a generic logical framework that describes how volunteering can contribute to short and
long-term development goals. It was developed by volunteers during the pilot study. This logframe is intended to serve as
a basis for discussion and programme development.
key concepts
Table 1.1: A GENERIC LOGICAL FRAMEWORK

FOR VOLUNTEERING FOR DEVELOPMENT
This is the higher level impact to

which all development workers
hope to contribute to but which
they do not have control over
This is the longer-term
contribution of the country
programme - the cumulative
impact of volunteering
These are the wider changes

that come about through
activities in partnership with
others
These are the direct concrete

results of what you do
This is what you do
LEVEL
OBJECTIVES
GOAL
E.g. Contribution to the Millennium Development Goals in

selected sectors or across sectors
(e.g. gender equality, governance)
PURPOSE
OUTCOMES
E.g. Contribution to National Development Goals in selected

sectors or across sectors
(e.g. gender equality, governance)
Changes might include:
Changes in peoples lives e.g. economic, cultural, spiritual,
personal, social, psychological
Shifts in gender & power relations
Changes in attitudes, ideas, awareness or behaviour
Group, community, organizational or institutional change,
e.g. changes in practice, behaviours, priorities, resources or
systems
Ongoing participation, commitment and support of a wide
range of stakeholders
Development of self-sufficiency/self-reliance among primary
beneficiaries
Development of open dialogue and trust between civil society
and government
Changes in attitude about the value of volunteering
Empowerment of women and recognition of womens
contributions
Organizations strengthened
Enhanced service delivery
New systems embedded (e.g. in government programmes)
Pilot projects scaled up
Awareness raised about social and economic issues and propoor policies
Reduction of conflict
OUTPUTS
No. of women/men/youths etc. trained

Systems strengthened and/or set up
No. of partnerships developed
No. of schools built
No. of documents published
ACTIVITIES
Capacity building
Technical advice
Mobilization
Networking
Advocacy
Research
The following table describes what changes the various stakeholders of a volunteer assignment hope to see.
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12
Table 1.2: WHAT CHANGES DO WE HOPE TO SEE? 1

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STAKEHOLDERS
Volunteer
Host organization
CHANGES
Personal and Social change
E.g. Cross-cultural understanding
E.g. Valuing traditional knowledge
E.g. Development of skills
E.g. Commitment to global education
Attitudes and approach
E.g. Remarkable change of attitude among technicians (less top-down instructions and more
participatory approach)
Organizational development
E.g. Change in working practices and culture
Community
members/Civil
Society
Self help
E.g. New ideas for partnership for local development plans are emerging among community
associations
E.g. New attitude of self-reliance and change of mentality whereby village groups are no longer
waiting for UNV to resolve problems encountered
Inclusion
E.g. Participation and public role of women in inter-village land management committees has
increased
Local NGOs
Skills
E.g. Project planning especially among womens groups is now much better due to capacity
reinforcement
Local government
Relationships
E.g. Greater trust and recognition between civil society and elected officials
Public-private sector partnerships
E.g. Commitment to provide training in computing skills for a village school
Private sector
Responsibilities and Priorities
E.g. Drug company keeps pricing low for antiretroviral drugs
Media
Communications
E.g. Local radio programmes are promoting health education
National
government
Attitudes, Priorities and Institutional Development

E.g. Commitment to developing an enabling environment for civil society involvement in
development (legislative framework)
E.g. Recognition of national and local volunteering as means to develop solutions
E.g. Valuing and building on traditional forms of voluntary service
E.g. Taking stock of competences and needs of local volunteers
E.g. Recognizing the huge voluntary contribution made by women, especially in local health
initiatives
E.g. Setting up of national volunteer corps
International
partner
organizations
Attitudes and approach

E.g. Mainstreaming volunteering into programmes
E.g. Greater recognition of the added value of volunteering for development
Donors
Commitment
E.g. Recognition and additional support for volunteering
The public
in-country
Relationships, awareness and commitment

E.g. Motivation to participate in development
E.g. Feeling connected to the wider world
Changes identified by volunteers.
key concepts
Triangulation
Pulling together an overall analysis from the assessment process will require you to cross-check the information and
findings with your stakeholders. You need to constantly take into account the different contexts and sources of information.
This will help to ensure the findings and results are robust and reliable. Monitoring and evaluation practitioners sometimes
refer to this process as triangulation.
Of key importance are the rich insights and lessons that can be drawn from these processes at the different levels.
The key findings and lessons should be feeding into strategic planning decisions and help improve projects and future
programmes. Remember also to give feedback on decisions and findings to your stakeholders. Use whatever means are
locally available, including notice boards, meetings etc. to provide feedback on project decisions in local languages.
Box 1.1: Suggested further reading and resources

On CD:
Part 4 of the CD: Key Concepts

Looking at Outputs

Looking at Outcomes
Part 7 of the CD: Volunteerism for Development Results workshops

UNV results workshop generic methodology and process note
Part 8 of the CD: Additional reading

OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results Based Management

Results-Based management - Concept and Methodology
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14
Gender

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What do we mean by gender?

Gender refers to the set of roles and characteristics that different cultures and social groups prescribe for women, men,
girls and boys. While sex is a biological trait usually defined by a persons reproductive organs, gender is a culturally
determined phenomenon that can change over time and across cultures.
There is considerable variation on gender roles from culture to culture but usually mens perceived roles are valued and
rewarded more than those seen as womens. Gender roles are also influenced by other factors such as class, caste, race,
disability, age etc.
Why is consideration of gender important to us?

(Gender mainstreaming is) the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action,
including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making womens as
well as mens concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of all policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men
benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.
(ECOSOC 1997/2)
Many scholars and practitioners have recognized that the status of women and girls in any society is one of the best
indicators of economic, social and political development. Nevertheless, there is no country in the world that can claim
to have achieved equality between men and women. While there are strong connections between poverty and gender
inequalityapproximately 70% of the worlds poor are womenwomens discrimination and subordination is experienced
across all social classes and cultures to different degrees.
There is a strongly gendered element to volunteerism, since traditionally a high proportion of the unpaid work that
supports a community has been carried out by women. In addition, the positive effects of volunteerism can be very
empowering for women in particular, providing access to social networks, new skills, and an influential role in the
community for individuals who may otherwise have few formal routes to education or influence. One of UNVs central
missions is the attempt to achieve recognition for the voluntary work that women are already doing, and which is often
disregarded or undervalued. UNVs projects can often have a positive effect in this regard by channelling and externally
validating the voluntary activity, which is already going on2.
However, during programming volunteers do need to consider the risks of adding to the existing loads of unpaid work,
which are already carried by many women. If volunteerism is to justify adding to this load of unpaid work, and taking away
from the time available to women to undertake paid work, it will need to bring very clear benefits to the volunteer. Every
project should, at the analysis stage, carry out an analysis of how volunteering will impact on gendered roles, and make it
explicit how the project will ensure that the benefits are great enough to compensate for the time spent on volunteering.
Gender needs to be integrated into all volunteering placements, projects and programmes and considered at each stage
of the assessment process undertaken with this methodology. When taking into consideration issues of gender, we need
to remember we are talking about men and women.
Gender Mainstreaming in UNV. Alexandra Norrish. June 2006.
key concepts
HOW VOLUNTEERISM CONTRIBUTES TO GENDER EQUALITY

Combating Female Genital Mutilation in Sudan
UNVs unique approach to combating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) capitalizes on volunteerism and local
community action. By involving males and youth in peer education, engaging midwives and mothers in sexual
education, working with schools to raise the awareness of children, reaching families of pupils through public
events, and by generating innovative information materials, UNV and community volunteers were able to challenge
this issue from a community perspective.
Volunteerism enabled communities to generate their own solutions to development challenges, thus
complementing the work of governments and development partners, including civil society organizations. This has
led to enhanced openness to consider the collective abandonment of the practice.
In 2007, UNV contributed to the development of the National Strategy for the Abandonment of All Types of Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM) and launched an abandonment
campaign. Working closely with UNFPA, the Ahfad
University for Women and other stakeholders, UNV
engaged local volunteers to tackle FGM related issues
from within their own communities. It was the holistic
approach of interventions that contributed to the
success of the joint initiatives.
To ensure sustainability, UNV and partners supported
the creation of a new non-governmental organization
comprising the community volunteers it mobilized. The
scheme is being replicated elsewhere in Sudan and
expanded to include new partners.
Example questions to ask about womens participation and gender:
How and in what way did women, men, girls and boys participate in our assessment processes whose voices
and perspectives got heard?
Did we create the best possible conditions for the participation and active involvement of women?
Did we provide women only spaces that were organized and facilitated by women?
Is our work helping to raise awareness amongst women and men about gender inequality?
Who is benefiting from our different activities and how (men, women, girls & boys)?
What have been some of the unexpected (both positive and negative) results of our different activities on
men, women, girls and boys? (Here you might want to consider issues of work load etc.)
How many womens groups/associations have been formed?
How and in what way has our work contributed to changes in gender attitudes, roles, relationships and
behaviours?
Is our work helping to increase the capacity and confidence of women to have control over their own lives and
decision-making?
Is gender taken into account in the way we plan, analyze, review and report about our work?
Is our work helping to promote equal participation?
What lessons are we drawing from our work that will help to promote and contribute towards gender
equality?
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On CD:
Part 4 of the CD: Key Concepts

Contribution to gender equality and critique
The Broader Context of our Work: National Development Goals and MDGs
Increasingly development organizations including Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs) are aligning their strategies
and actions in support of much higher-level development goals and strategies, both at national and international level. The
rationale being that projects alone will not affect longer-term change and sustainable development, but that working in
synergy with others is more likely to produce significant changes for people living in poverty.
National Development Goals

There is much greater recognition by the aid community than before that development strategies need to support country
priorities, national ownership and the priorities of the poor. Many volunteer programmes are now aligned with the national
development goals of the countries where they operate. This is in line with the current practice of donors and other
development agencies.
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)

In many countries the national development goals are to be found in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
The World Bank and the IMF initiated the PRSP concept in 1999. The idea was for low-income countries to formulate a
national strategy for reducing poverty, which describes the countrys development objectives, the programmes that have
to be introduced to achieve these objectives, and the funding required implementing them. By establishing their own
Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), countries obtain access to debt relief and other financial support from the International
Finance Institutions (IFIs) and other donors.
United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)

The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) is the strategic programme framework for the UN
Country Team (UNCT), which is composed of the operational UN agencies on the ground. It describes the collective
response of this team to the priorities in the national development framework. Its high level expected results are called
UNDAF outcomes. These show where the UNCT can bring its unique comparative advantages to bear in advocacy,
capacity development, policy advice and programming for the achievement of MDG related national priorities.
Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) constitute the foundation of the mission of UNV of supporting
sustainable human development through volunteerism, including the mobilization of volunteers. At the heart of the
UNV approach is the conviction that voluntary action by millions of people in programme countries and elsewhere
is a vastly under-recognized and under-utilized resource that needs to be strategically engaged if the challenge of
attaining the MDGs is to be successful. UNV, 2006.
The Millennium Development Goals and targets have been developed as follow-up to the Millennium Declaration,
which was signed by 189 countries, including 147 heads of state and government, in September 2000. The MDGs
are interrelated and should be seen together. They represent a partnership between the developed countries and
the developing countries to create an environment at the national and global levels alike which is conducive to
development and the elimination of poverty.
Democracy, governance and peace-building as well as humanitarian relief and recovery underpin the achievement of the
MDGs.
key concepts
The cumulative contribution of volunteering

The purpose of including the MDGs in the assessment methodology is to enable volunteers and partners to look in
general terms at how they make a contribution in the wider context of international development targets. This is not about
trying to attribute changes to individual volunteers, projects or programmes, but attempting to look at the cumulative
contribution of volunteering within the broader context of ongoing development processes.
While it is useful for volunteers to have a copy of the MDGs for reference, we do not recommend getting caught up in the
details. One problem with the MDGs is that the targets are very much based on quantitative rather than qualitative data. (A
detailed copy of the MDGs can be found on the CD.)
What may be more relevant to assessing the wider contribution of volunteering are the Values and Principles of the MDGs
(these can also be found on the CD), which are much more in tune with the development of social capital and with the
volunteering ethos.

On CD:
Part 5 of the CD: The Broader Context of our work

National Development Goal Mali Example

Example chart of the contribution of volunteering to Cambodias National Goals

Aggregation Chart from Kenya: Volunteering contribution to the MDGs

The value and principles of the Millennium Declaration

MDG summary table PDF
Other resources from the internet (not from the CD)

http://poverty.worldbank.org/prsp/

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
HOW VOLUNTEERISM CONTRIBUTES TO ACHIEVING THE MDGS

Spreading nutritional knowledge in Brazil
UNV and its partners in Brazil are harnessing school volunteers to raise
awareness of nutrition and MDG1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
The I learn, I teach programme, which is undertaken in cooperation with the
NGO Conexo - Servio de Integrao Social aims at disseminating and
implementing the MDGs. It involves groups of around five volunteer pupils and
their teachers from 10 schools in Carapicuba city. These groups are trained
on awareness-raising techniques and go out into their communities to spread
knowledge.
Research on local concepts of

nutrition was key to ensuring
the I learn, I teach project
addressed the communitys
needs. (UNV)
Women are the main target group of the information campaigns as they are often
responsible for the purchase and preparation of food, whether for their families
or as school cooks etc. Furthermore, the majority of volunteers both students
and teachers are female.
The strategy has developed local self-esteem and trained people to improve their
own situation, says UN Volunteer Alessandra Preto who has been running the
project since 2007.
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SECTION TWO:
THE ASSESSMENT
METHODOLOGY
The Methodology for Assessing the Contribution of Volunteering to Development comprises a series of participatory
workshops at different levels to collect data about the contribution of volunteering to development. This section introduces
you to main methods and exercises used in the Methodology.
1.
2.
3.
Placement level assessment workshops

Programme level assessment workshops
Inter-organizational assessment workshops
How to use this section

The example workshop schedules and workshop exercises presented in this section aim to support volunteers and their
key stakeholders in analyzing their achievements, challenges and lessons and in assessing how their work contributes to
changes in poor peoples lives and to the organizations and institutions they work with.
The suggested workshop schedules, exercises and steps in the process should be adapted by the facilitator(s) to suit the
specific needs of the organization and to fit the context in which volunteers are working.
A full set of workshop Feedback Sheets for each workshop can be found on the CD.

On CD:
Part 3 of the CD: User notes

Notes for the Volunteer

Notes for Country Programme Coordinators

Notes for the Facilitator
(These will need to be photocopied for the Programme Level Workshops)




the assessment methodology
The following four tables provide an overview of the workshops at placement, programme, national and global levels. Each
of these types of workshops is discussed more in detail afterwards.
Table 2.1: OVERVIEW OF THE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOPS

Level 1
Placement/Project Level Assessment Workshop
Level definition
Individual volunteer, or groups of volunteers working on the same project in the same locality
Purpose
Collaborative review and reflection on the placement
Timing
Near the end of the 2nd year of the placement
How
Self-reflection
1.5 day workshop/meeting
Interviews by the volunteers with stakeholders (optional)
Convener
Volunteer or VIO interested in the results of a particular project
Stakeholders
Volunteer
Other volunteers involved in the project/activity
Supervisor
Representative(s) of host organization(s)
Local groups/actors
Beneficiaries
Other relevant key informants
Output
Completed Placement Assessment Feedback Sheets (per volunteer, or groups of volunteers)

Key lessons and recommendations for future placements
Level 2
Programme Level Assessment Workshop
Level definition
National level - aggregating data across volunteer placement & projects
Purpose
Analyzing overall findings from placements and projects and overall contribution of volunteering
towards national/international goals
Timing
Approximately every 2 years with volunteers who are nearing the end of their placements
How
1.5 day workshop
Convener
VIO interested in the results of a sector or country programme
Stakeholders
Volunteers
Representative(s) of host organization(s)
Local groups/actors
Beneficiaries
Other relevant key informants
Output
Completed Programme Level Assessment Feedback Sheets

Recommendations and lessons relevant to strategic planning at country level
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Table 2.1 (CONTD): OVERVIEW OF THE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOPS

Level 3
Placement/Project Level Assessment Workshop
Level definition
Volunteering Organizations
Purpose
Joint analysis and sharing of lessons and findings, promoting networking and collaborative
planning amongst VIOs
Timing
At least every two years
How
Workshop or special event e.g. conference/seminar
Convener
VIOs interested in learning from each other
Stakeholders
Representatives from VIOs and selection of partners

Other key stakeholders including:
Representatives from host organizations
Donors, government, other NGOs/INGOs, civil society representatives, academics etc.
Output
Completed Inter-Organizational Workshop Feedback Sheets

Action Plan for future harmonization and coordination
Level 4
Global/Headquarters 3
Purpose
Analysis of findings and recommendations for improved placements and programmes
Timing
As needed/required by VIO headquarters
How
As part of managements ongoing review and evaluation of VIO projects and programmes
Stakeholders
Senior programme managers at HQ level, evaluation officers, programme specialists and

programme/executive officers
Outcome
Ongoing strategic plan reviews and revisions
3
The handbook does not set out specific exercises for HQ level. However, we do give an example schedule for a workshop at HQ
level on the CD. Many of the exercises and tools used in the placement/programme level workshops can be adapted for a workshop at HQ
level.
Placement Level Assessment Participatory Workshop

The purpose of this assessment is to:

Reflect on the contribution of volunteering at the level of the individual placement and/or project
Share perspectives between different stakeholders on the added value of volunteering and what difference it
makes
Generate data and findings on volunteering activities (outputs) and outcomes from individual placement or
projects
Identify how volunteering at individual placement or project level contributes to wider development goals
Discuss challenges, good practices and lessons learned
The outputs of the assessment will be:

Completed Placement Assessment Feedback Sheets (per volunteer)

Key lessons and recommendations for future placements
When should it take place and who should be involved?

The Placement Level Assessment can be organized by individual volunteers or by VIOs that are interested in learning
about the results of a particular project. In order to discuss results more meaningfully, we recommend the participating
volunteers to have been in their placements for approximately two years. The assessment might be done through a
workshop and/or meeting with a range of key stakeholders. We are not suggesting a very large workshop. However,
you may want to consider including partners, your line manager, local government members, representatives from the
community/beneficiaries, or representatives from other NGOs as relevant. It makes sense if a number of volunteers are
working on the same project to hold a joint workshop. If the placement is at community level, it may be more appropriate
to collect data through informal discussions and semi-structured interviews. The volunteer will still have to complete
the Placement Assessment Feedback Sheets, preferably in collaboration with one or two colleagues to help ensure
objectivity.
HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Football unites rival youth in Myanmar
The antagonism between the Rohingya and Rakhine ethnic

groups in Myanmars northern Rakhine State is especially
marked. However, UNV volunteer Primo Wusong and his
colleagues had an idea.
Mr. Wusong got together 30 young men from the two ethnic
groups, put them into football teams and raised some money
for T-shirts and balls. Resentment was soon put aside, he
explains, and the two groups actually joined together and
performed very well. The teams are about socialization as
much as sport, and during picnics and tea shop meetings,
the UN Volunteers encourage the players to talk about ethnic
reconciliation and also about ways to solve environmental
problems.
I can tell you that they are able to play and work together now, they can be seen in town moving together, and in
the tea shops welcoming one another, says Mr. Wusong. Actually, something real is happening here.
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Preparation for the Placement Level Assessment Workshop

leed included
Decide on a convenient date, location and venue. Planning will require gathering any necessary background information
and materials, arranging logistics, inviting participants, developing the overall schedule and sequence of exercises and/
or interviews, and deciding on what additional preparation work will need to be undertaken. Volunteers will need to make
sure they can back up their analysis with both quantitative as well as qualitative data. Remember to allow time for any
translation work. Key concepts will also need translation into the local language. Make sure the facilitator is well briefed
and able to conduct their assigned tasks. Key exercises and preparation work will need to be adapted to each situation.
Please use the Workshop Participation Form (template on CD) to record who has taken part in the
assessment workshop.

On CD:

Notes for the Volunteer



Part 6 of the CD: Placement Level Assessment Workshop

Workshop Participation Form

Placement Assessment Feedback Sheets

Example of Story: No More Sleeping! Indonesia

Example of Story: Communications and relationships, UNV volunteer, Vietnam
Placement Level Assessment: Participatory workshop

Example workshop schedule
The following is an example of a workshop schedule for a one and a half or two day participatory workshop.
Day
Day 1
Time
Morning
Session
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introductions
Participant expectations & fears
Workshop objectives
Exercise A: Sharing Stories
Break
5.
Introducing basic terms and key concepts
6. Exercise B: Reviewing and ranking the volunteers key activities and outputs
Lunch
Afternoon
Day
Day 2
7.
Exercise C: The outcomes of the contribution of volunteering
8. Exercise D: The volunteers overall contribution to higher level development
goals
Time
Morning
Session
9.
Exercise E: SWOT analysis

Break
10.
11.
12.
Exercise F: Key Lessons and Recommendations

Closing the workshop & next steps
Workshop evaluation
List of Exercises
EXERCISE A: SHARING STORIES..............................................................................................................................................................24
EXERCISE B: REVIEWING AND RANKING THE VOLUNTEERS KEY ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS....................................25
EXERCISE C: THE OUTCOMES OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTEERING.....................................................................27
EXERCISE D: THE VOLUNTEERS OVERALL CONTRIBUTION TO HIGHER LEVEL DEVELOPMENT GOALS..............29
EXERCISE E: SWOT ANALYSIS...................................................................................................................................................................30
EXERCISE F: KEY LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................31

On CD:
Part 6 of the CD: Placement Level Assessment Workshop


Volunteer Information Form

Feedback Sheet Exercise A: Stories

Feedback Sheet Exercise B: Output ranking

Feedback Sheet Exercise C: Outcomes 1-3

Feedback Sheet Exercise D: Overall contribution to development goals
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leed included
What?
Invite each stakeholder in advance of the workshop to think of a story or choose a recent example of how
volunteering has brought about a significant change. Ask the participants to consider why the change has
occurred, who was involved, what were the activities and the role of the volunteer(s), who benefited from the
changes and the difference it has made.
Why?
This exercise can be used as an icebreaker. It is a good introduction to the theme of the workshop and helps to
build rapport amongst the participants.
How?
The facilitator should nominate someone to capture the key points from each of the stories and from the group
discussions. Stories can be tape-recorded if relevant for case study purposes. A summary of the most significant
story of change should be written up by the volunteer on the Feedback Sheet Exercise A (Copies of the Feedback
Sheet can be printed from the CD).
Tips: This exercise can also be done by individual volunteers as part of a self-reflection exercise and/or for ongoing
monitoring purposes.
Suggested steps in the process

Step 1: Ask each participant to spend five minutes sharing their story.
Step 2: After everyone has shared their story, invite the participants to share their impressions during a plenary
discussion. The facilitator may want to help the discussion by asking prompt questions. For example:

What seem to be the main activities that volunteers have been involved in?
What common themes seem to be arising from the stories about change and the role of the volunteer(s)?
What role did the volunteer(s) play? Who else was involved?
Who were the main beneficiaries (women, girls, boys, men, specific groups)?
What types of changes have occurred as a direct result of the volunteer(s)?
How significant was the change? What difference has it made (overall contribution)?
If the volunteer(s) had not been involved, would this activity have happened?
Step 3: For the final part of this exercise ask participants to get into small buzz groups (three-five people) to discuss
which story they feel best illustrates the contribution of the volunteer(s) and why. It is important that they note down the
reasons why. These provide useful criteria for later discussions on outcomes and overall contribution to development
goals. After 10 minutes, invite each group to share the highlights of their discussion. The facilitator should attempt to
synthesize the discussion, pulling out the most significant story or stories and any common themes and criteria identified.
For workshops with more than 8 people, we suggest the following:
Step 1: Ask participants to get into either pairs or groups of three. In their pairs/groups they each spend five minutes
sharing their story.
Step 2: Invite each group to share highlights of their discussion in plenary. This does not mean feeding back a detailed
account of what each participant has shared but general themes and significant elements of the story that they would like
to share with the other participants. The facilitator can use the same prompt questions as outlined in Step 2 above.
Suggested further reading: Most significant change guide: Rick Davies & Jessica Dart http://www.mande.co.uk/docs/
MSCGuide.pdf
Exercise B: Reviewing and ranking the volunteers key activities and

outputs
What?
A group exercise to learn more about the specific activities the volunteer has carried out and the immediate results
(outputs) of these activities.
Why?
To build on the stories shared in Exercise A and gather more information about the types of activities and outputs
of the volunteer placement and the volunteers contribution. This exercise requires both quantitative data as well as
qualitative analysis.
How?
The facilitator will need to explain what an output is (see box below). The facilitator can refer to the activities
already identified during Exercise A to illustrate the types of activities and outputs of the volunteer placement. The
facilitator should record the key outputs on a flipchart. The volunteer is responsible for completing Feedback Sheet
B. (Copies of the feedback sheet can be printed from the CD)
OUTPUTS: Outputs are the immediate and specific results of a series of activities that are directly attributable to
the volunteer or the project/programme. For example, the number of people trained, counselled, sheltered etc. The
number of pamphlets published, information leaflets produced etc. It is assumed that these activities will lead to the
achievement of what the project is hoping to achieve overall (the project objectives). Some of these will be planned
outputs (i.e. as per project plan) but there may well be results that were unplanned. See the Logframe example on
page 12 of this handbook.

Step 1: Ask participants to list all main activities of the volunteer placement(s) and the immediate results of these
activities (Key Outputs). They can either write these on cards or call them out to the facilitator who will then write them up
on cards or on a flipchart. If the facilitator has already generated a list from Exercise A, this may be used as a checklist.
Probe for quantitative information e.g. numbers of people, materials developed etc.
Step 2: Draw a table on a flipchart (see Feedback Sheet for Exercise B on CD for the template). In the first column of the
table you will place each of the key outputs. In the next columns write whether the output was planned or unplanned and
whether the activity was carried out by a national or international volunteer.
Step 3: Decide on a method to rank the outputs in order of importance and/or effectiveness. You will need to agree what
criteria you will use to judge what has been effective or is of importance. The facilitator may well have begun to draw this
list up from the previous Exercise A. You can use this as a checklist. The facilitator will need to ensure that she/he elicits
views from all of the participants and not just from a handful of more vocal participants.
A very simple and quick way to rank the outputs is through a scoring method. Give each participant five/seven sticky
dots. You might want to disaggregate by giving different coloured dots to women and men, volunteers, non-volunteers etc.
Participants have the option to put all of their dots onto one output or to spread the dots out over a number of outputs.
Instruct the participants not to be led by others.
Step 4: After the participants have placed their dots, the facilitator should identify the outputs that have received the most
and least dots. The facilitator leads a discussion with participants on the scores and the significance of the scores. They
should try and get the participants to identify any trends emerging, the types of outputs that appear to be more important
and/or effective. It is important to note down the different perspectives and views.
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Step 5: Write the list of final outputs and scores onto a clean version of the Placement Level Feedback Sheet Exercise B.

leed included
Tips: Remember there will be very different perspectives on what constitutes an effective output. Participants may find it
confusing to rank and/or score the order of importance of the volunteer outputs without a more in depth discussion on the
outcomes and results of the activities. Participants are likely to want to discuss other factors that might have contributed to
these changes, including their role, and other internal/external factors. The facilitator can choose to carry out the ranking
exercise as part of Exercise C, which focuses on outcomes.
Example of outputs from the Ski Project in Botswana

Below are some of the outputs volunteers working with Kuru Family of Organizations (KFO) and stakeholders
involved in the Ski Project in Botswana identified during their placement level workshop:

Human Capacity: Many people trained in various areas (business, leadership, health issues, community
mobilization, CBNRM), skills-based training, also employment of local counterparts and local project staff
Systems: Financial controls, human relations enrichment, management, governance
Knowledge/Information: Cultural exchanges, networking, humanities, various skills
Infrastructure: in the past buildings of preschool etc. would be built by volunteers
Materials/Documents/Websites: KFO website, financial systems, curriculum materials (Bokamoso),
CDF training manuals (sourcing existing materials and updating them), adult education and non-formal
educational materials, health training manuals, BOOK VOICES OF THE SAN
Awareness/Engagement: advocacy for minority groups rights based approaches, cultural exchanges
Participants found it difficult to rank the order of importance of outputs because they felt all the outputs were of
equal importance and very crucial to a holistic development process. Yet in the end, they decided that those
outputs they characterized under human capacity were probably the most important outputs, followed by systems
and then materials. The factors and criteria they used included the mandate of KFO, participation and community
impact.
What?
A group exercise to identify the changes brought about by volunteering during the placement.
Why?
This exercise builds on Exercise B and begins to connect the volunteer activities and outputs to the changes that
have resulted (expected and unexpected).
How?
Ensure all participants understand what an outcome is (see the box below) The facilitator can refer to the
outputs identified during Exercise B as the starting point to discuss what changes have happened as a result of
these activities. The facilitator can use Placement Level Handout Sheet Exercise C (on the CD) to record the key
volunteer outcomes with respect to the changes with different stakeholder groups. Once this has been done, the
facilitator will support participants to explore and discuss in more depth how the volunteer contributed to these
changes, any key challenges and key disappointments, whether the changes were intended or not (based on the
original placement/project objectives), and to explore how different types of volunteers contribute in different ways.
OUTCOMES:
These are actual changes/benefits brought about by volunteers through working with different stakeholders. They
reflect the development of self-reliance.
Essentially we are looking at qualitative change, for example:

Changes in attitudes, ideas, awareness or behaviour

Social, cultural, political or personal change

Individual, group, community, organizational or institutional change

Changes in practice, priorities, resources or systems

Changes in roles, relationships, responsibilities, communications

Changes at micro or macro level, in a specific sector or cross-sectoral
See the examples of types of changes that we expect to see for different stakeholders previously on page 13 of this
handbook.

Step 1: Ask participants to spend five-seven minutes on their own to think about the changes that have taken place as
a result of the volunteer activities; these might be changes that the volunteers have contributed to with others, or they
might be changes that have resulted as a culmination of a number of volunteer activities. The changes might be personal
changes, organizational changes, changes in the community etc. They might be positive or negative changes. The
changes might be intended or unintended. The changes might be on a very small scale or a large scale. Ask participants
to write down the changes on separate cards. Ask participants to think about which stakeholders have been affected by
these changes.
Step 2: The facilitator prepares a flipchart paper on the template set out in Placement Level Feedback Sheet Exercise
C 1 on the CD. The facilitator will ask each participant in turn to call out a key change and writes this on the flipchart.
Participants will decide which stakeholder group(s) the change refers to. Once everyone has called out a change, ask
whether there are any additional changes they would like to add to the list. The facilitators role is to probe the responses
of the participants and reach further clarity on the type of change that has taken place, whether it was planned or not,
positive or negative, and who benefited (men, women, girls, boys, marginalized groups etc.)
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Step 3: Once you have listed all the outcomes, divide the participants into small groups of three to five. Ask each group to
spend 45 minutes discussing the following questions:

leed included
Identify HOW volunteering has contributed to the key changes (i.e. identifying the exact role of volunteering within
the changes brought about)
Have there been any negative or unplanned outcomes as a result of these changes?
What key factors do you feel have supported or hindered the volunteers contribution?
Is there a difference in the contributions the following types of volunteers can make? Is so, please explain why.
o
Volunteers of different ages
o
Male and female volunteers
o
National and international volunteers
o
Mixed teams of international/national volunteers
Any other observations you would like to add?
If there are more than five key outcomes to discuss you may want to divide these up amongst the groups.
Step 4: Each group should write up their key findings onto a flipchart paper. They can be as creative as they like, e.g. they
can do this as a picture or write up brief bullet points. The facilitator might want to hand out the Placement Level Feedback
Sheets Exercise C 2 and 3 on the CD for groups to record their discussions.
Step 5: Give each group 10 minutes to feed back the highlights of their discussion. After each group has given their
feedback, open up the discussion to plenary.
Step 6: The facilitator will need to consolidate the key outcomes of Exercise C onto the Feedback Sheets provided on the
CD.
Optional: You could carry out the scoring/ranking exercise detailed in Exercise B as part of this exercise.
TIPS: The facilitator should make it clear to participants that any discussion of negative changes that might have
occurred during the volunteer placement/project is not intended to be a blame making exercise. The idea is to get a better
understanding of some of the unintended consequences of our activities so that we can learn to improve future projects
and programmes. Likewise, any discussion on the contributions that different types of volunteers can make is intended to
inform future placement strategies and is not an assessment or critique of individual volunteers.
Exercise D: The volunteers overall contribution to higher level

development goals
What?
The session begins with a short presentation on volunteerism for development including an overview of National &
International Development Goals. This is followed by a group discussion to explore the contribution of volunteerism
to development goals.
Why?
Having looked at what the volunteer does and what is achieved by volunteerism, this task links volunteerism to
higher level goals and connects volunteer activities with the wider development landscape.
How?
Volunteer outputs and outcomes may either contribute to one specific goal or to a number of goals (see examples
on the Placement Level Feedback Sheet D on the CD). The idea is not to establish a direct causal link to these
goals, but to support volunteers and their stakeholders to reflect on how and in what ways volunteering and
volunteerism contributes to long term sustainable development.

Step 1: A representative from, either the volunteer host organization, VIO and/or invited participant presents a short
introduction on the development goals (either national/MDG and/or other goals) and on how volunteering for development
hopes to contribute to these goals. Aim to keep the presentation to a maximum of 10 minutes.
Step 2: After the presentation ask participants to split into small buzz groups for 15 minutes to discuss the following
questions:

In what way do you think the placement or project has contributed to the longer-term goals highlighted in the
presentation (or the longer term goals set out in Feedback Sheet D)?
How might the volunteer placement and/or project contribute to these goals in the future?
Step 3: In the feedback session elicit one point per buzz group for each question. Go round each group until all points
have been shared. Then open up the discussion to plenary.
Step 4: At the end of the plenary discussion the facilitator should attempt to draw together overall conclusions from
the discussion. You could also invite the presenter of the goals or an external stakeholder to feedback their overall
conclusions.
Step 5: The facilitator or volunteer should write up the key points from the discussion onto the Placement Level Feedback
Sheet Exercise D (on the CD).
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Exercise E: SWOT Analysis
What?
This is a participatory tool that can be used to analyze the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of
the project or placement.
Why?
To look at the factors which facilitate and constrain the volunteer in achieving the placement/project objectives.
How?
Draw up a SWOT chart on two flipcharts (see Placement Level Feedback Sheet Exercise E on the CD). Use
coloured post-its/coloured cards. You may find it easier to address all 4 factors simultaneously. SW factors are
often used to refer to internal aspects of the placement, while OT factors address issues external to the employing
organization. (See box below)
The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the
objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories:

Internal factors The strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization.

External factors The opportunities and threats presented by the external environment.

Step 1: Ask the participants to:

List the key strengths of the placement/project (internal). Write each strength on a card and stick them to the
chart labelled strengths.
List the key weaknesses of the placement/project (internal). Write each weakness on a card and stick them to the
chart labelled weaknesses.
List the key threats to the placement/project (external). Write each threat on a card and stick them to the chart
labelled threats.
List the key opportunities for the placement/project (external). Write each opportunity on a card and tape them to
the chart labelled opportunities.
Step 2: Review each category separately and try to reduce the list in each category and/or rank in order of importance.
Step 3: Invite the participants to discuss the findings of the SWOT, and discuss in more detail the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats and the reasons why. Ask participants to give concrete examples.
Step 4: Ask participants which of the most critical issues need to be resolved and how the issues might be addressed.
Step 5: Make sure to write the SWOT cards and key points from the discussion onto the Placement Level Feedback
Sheet Exercise E (on the CD) at the end of the exercise.
What?
Pulling together overall key lessons and recommendations.
Why?
The exercise builds on the SWOT analysis to prioritize key recommendations for the individual placement.
How?
Participants work in small groups. Participants should identify at least one recommendation that can be usefully
shared at the Programme Level Assessment Workshop.

Step 1: Divide the participants into two-three groups. Provide each group with a flipchart. Ask them to come up with a set
of five key lessons and five key recommendations for the future of the placement/project. These should build on:
1.
2.
3.
The overall workshop analysis of key achievements (Exercises A-D)

The strengths and opportunities identified (Exercise F SWOT)
Addressing the weaknesses and threats identified (Exercise F SWOT)
Ask participants to write up the key lessons and recommendations on the flipchart.
Ask participants to identify one overall key recommendation that can be usefully shared at the Programme Level
Assessment workshop.
Step 2: Ask each group to spend five minutes giving a brief highlight of their key lessons and recommendations.
Step 3: The facilitator feeds back overall conclusions from the workshop and from this last session, and explains how the
findings will feed into the Programme Level Assessment Workshop.
Step 4: The facilitator nominates or invites someone to write up the flipchart lessons and recommendations on to the
Placement Level Feedback Sheet Exercise F (on the CD).
TIPS: At the end of the workshop, it is good practice to carry out an evaluation of the workshop for learning purposes.
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Programme Level Assessment Participatory Workshop

leed included

Discuss the overall findings from a wide range of individual placements/projects (aggregation)
Examine and assess the cumulative contribution of volunteering on national and/or international development
goals
Discuss key questions about the difference volunteering makes
Exchange good practices and lessons learned

Completed Programme Level Assessment Feedback Sheets

Recommendations and lessons relevant to strategic planning at country level
When should it take place and who should be involved

You should conduct an assessment approximately every two years through a workshop with volunteers who are nearing
the end of their placements. Not every end of service volunteer needs to attend, but you should aim to get a group that is
representative of the programme geography and sectors. You should also invite a small number of national and regional
stakeholders and partners. These might be from the placement NGO(s) or government, along with primary beneficiaries
as appropriate. You may also want to invite a small number of volunteers at other stages in their placement. For example,
newly arrived volunteers could attend as part of their orientation to the methodology and the programme. However, we
suggest no more than 30 people should attend the workshop. It is important to allow enough time for participants to have
meaningful discussions. This can be difficult with numbers of more than 30.
HOW A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Assisting refugees in Chad
UN Volunteer Alexia Nisen is an Assistant Protection Field

Officer with UNHCR. Disputes within refugee camps
are sometimes solved via traditional methods, but Ms.
Nisen oversees these to ensure that human rights are not
degraded.
Other issues Ms. Nisen must deal with are sexual and
gender-based violence (SGBV) and the rights of children.
She refers women and children to volunteer representatives
within the refugee community and ensures they can consult
a doctor.
Helping refugees with longer-term development is her
colleague Amadou Boubakar, a UN Volunteer Environmental
Officer. Most of his efforts build the refugees capacity to solve their own problems. For example, Mr. Boubakar
helped set up committees of volunteers from among the camp-dwellers to manage agricultural production, food
security and animal husbandry.
Preparation for the Programme Level Assessment Workshop

Decide on a convenient date, location and venue. Planning requires gathering any necessary background information
and materials, arranging logistics, inviting participants, developing the overall schedule and sequence of exercises and
deciding what additional preparation work has to be done. Volunteers will need to receive all the background reading
and materials at least a month in advance of the Programme Level Assessment Workshop. This includes information on
National Development frameworks and the MDGs. Volunteers who attend the Programme Level Assessment workshop
should have completed the Placement Level Assessment. They should bring copies of all their Placement Level Feedback
Sheets to the workshop, plus an extra copy of the Change Story they prepared for the Placement Level Assessment.
The first part of this handbook (Section One: Key Concepts) can be circulated to national stakeholders in advance of the
workshop. Make sure the facilitator is well briefed and able to conduct their assigned tasks. Key exercises and preparation
work will need to be adapted to each situation.

On CD:

Notes for the volunteer


Notes for the facilitator






Part 6 of the CD: Programme Level Assessment Workshop


Example of Story: Programa de jvenes con la participacin popular, Bolivia
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Programme Level Assessment: Participatory workshop

leed included

The following is an example of a workshop schedule for a one and a half or two day participatory workshop.
Day
Day 1
Time
Morning
Session
1.
Introductions
2.
Participant expectations & fears
3.
Workshop Objectives & Introductory Presentation
4. Exercise A: Sharing key findings and lessons from the Placement Level
Workshops
Break
5. Exercise B Volunteering for development and the contribution towards
National/MDG Goals
Lunch
Afternoon
Day
Day 2
6.
7.
Exercise C Group A & B feedback

Exercise D: The volunteer as a catalyst for change
Time
Morning
Session
8.
Exercise E1: Factors supporting or hindering change

Break
9.
10.
11.
12.
Exercise E2: Group Feedback

Exercise F: Key Lessons and recommendations
Closing the workshop & next steps
Workshop evaluation
List of Exercises
EXERCISE A: SHARING OF KEY FINDINGS AND LESSONS FROM THE PLACEMENT LEVEL WORKSHOPS............35
EXERCISE B: THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTEERING TO DEVELOPMENT GOALS........................................................36
EXERCISE C: THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTEERING TO DEVELOPMENT GOALS GROUP FEEDBACK...........37
EXERCISE D: THE VOLUNTEER AS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE...................................................................................................38
EXERCISE E: FACTORS SUPPORTING AND HINDERING CHANGE............................................................................................39
EXERCISE F: KEY LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................40

On CD:
Part 6.2 of the CD: Programme Level Feedback Sheets:

Programme Level Workshop Participation Form

Volunteer Organization Information Form

Feedback Sheet: Exercise A Sharing key changes and lessons from the Placement Level Workshops

Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 1 Contribution to National Development Goals

Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 2 Contribution to the MDGs

Feedback Sheet: Exercise C Group 3 The Contribution of Volunteering to Development Goals

Feedback Sheet: Exercise D The Volunteer as a Catalyst for Change

Feedback Sheet: Exercise E1 Group 1 - Factors Supporting and Hindering Change

Feedback Sheet: Exercise E2 Group 2 Factors Supporting and Hindering Change

Feedback Sheet: Exercise F Action Planning
Exercise A: Sharing of Key Findings and Lessons from the Placement

Level Workshops
What?
Sharing experiences and lessons from the placement workshops.
Why?
This exercise can be used as an icebreaker. It is a good introduction to the theme of the workshop and helps to
build rapport amongst the participants as well as link this workshop to the Placement Level Workshop.
How?
Lessons and change stories are shared in small group work. Facilitator(s) pull together a synthesis of key
outcomes/stories and lessons. They can use the Programme Level Feedback Sheet Exercise A (on the CD) to help
collate and put together the synthesis.

Step 1: Divide participants into small groups (three-five per group). Provide each group with a flipchart. Ensure that the
invited stakeholders are spread out evenly between the groups of volunteers.
Step 2: Each volunteer will share his/her story of significant change and the one key lesson that they identified during the
placement level workshop. Allow 15 minutes per volunteer.
Step 3: After sharing the stories, the group participants can ask questions to each other regarding the stories. They
should identify and agree on the type of changes for each story. See the examples of types of changes that we expect
to see for different stakeholders on page 13 of this handbook. Each volunteer should pin up his/her story either on the
wall or on a pin board and/or flipchart. They should write the type of change(s) identified with a marker pen at the top of
their story. Each volunteer should also write up their key lesson on a card and put this on a second flipchart/pin board for
display.
Step 4: Towards the end of the session, the facilitator(s) will call the participants back to plenary. There will not be a
formal feedback session. Instead, the facilitator will invite participants to share any thoughts and reflections arising from
the small group session.
Step 5: During the break, the facilitator(s) will walk round to all the flipcharts/pin boards and attempt to classify the
stories of change (types of changes) and pull out overall key lessons. They will present back their summary findings at the
beginning of the session after the break. Leave the flipcharts/pin boards up for participants to read during subsequent
breaks. The initial analysis can be cross-checked at later stages in the workshop.
Sharing from the Placement Assessment

1.
2.
3.
4.
Logistics: How did you organize the workshops and who was involved?
Process: What did you like best about the workshop and what was most challenging/surprising about the
process?
Change story: Share your selected story and identify what type of change it illustrates
Key lessons: Share one overall key lesson and explain why
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leed included
Exercise B: The Contribution of Volunteering to Development Goals
What?
Group work exploring how volunteering contributes to higher level development goals.
Why?
To demonstrate the added value of volunteering and its overall contribution to higher level development goals. (See
examples from Mali, Cambodia and Kenya on the CD.)
How?
Two group exercises will run concurrently. One group will focus on assessing the contribution of volunteering
to PRSP/NDGs (or equivalent framework) and the second group will focus on assessing the contribution of
volunteering to the MDGs.

Step 1: Divide the volunteers and other participants into two groups. Group 1 will focus on national development
goals and Group 2 will focus on the international development goals (MDGs). Ensure there is a good mix of volunteers,
representatives from the VIO and other stakeholders in each group.
Group 1 National Level PRSP/NDG
Step 2: Draw a large chart with four columns on to flipchart paper. (See the Programme Level Feedback Sheet B Group
1 on the CD) Enter the national development goals for your country in column one.
Step 3: Ask each volunteer to write the key information from the Placement Level Workshop Exercises B (outputs), C
(outcomes) and D (contribution to development goals) onto small coloured cards or post-it notes, with a different colour
for each column. Volunteers should write one output/outcome/contribution to development goals per coloured card/postit note.
Step 4: Each volunteer first places their output post-it notes/cards on the output column. At each stage of this exercise
volunteers will be asked to discuss their cards. The role of the stakeholders is to question and help deepen the analysis
and offer their perspectives on the contributions noted. The following questions are to prompt the discussion during each
stage of the exercise:
1.
2.
3.
Key OUTPUTS on the chart. Discuss: In which sectors is your organizations (VIO) country programme
contributing and to what extent? Who else was involved? (partners, government, private sector) What was the
cost, etc.?
Key OUTCOMES on the chart. Discuss: Which are the most common key outcomes or changes (Who/what
has benefited from the changes, how significant? Why did it change, is the work sustainable?)
Identifying contributions to DEVELOPMENT GOALS. Discuss: How and in what way do the outputs
and outcomes contribute to higher-level goals (e.g. national development goals, PRSPs etc.) How might they
contribute in the future?
Group 2 International Level MDGs

Group 2 will follow the same steps as Group A except they will list the MDGs in column one on the chart. (See
Programme Level Feedback Sheet Exercise B Group 2 on the CD)
Exercise C: The Contribution of Volunteering to Development Goals

Group Feedback
What?
Feedback from group work 1 and group work 2.
Why?
To share findings, information and views.
How?
Presentation and discussion of charts, small buzz groups, plenary discussion.

Step 1: Give each group 15 minutes to present their chart and findings. Once the group has presented, allow five minutes
for participants to ask any questions for clarification.
Step 2: Once the groups have presented, ask participants to get into small buzz groups (three-five). Try to mix up the
participants so that they are not just sitting with the people they were with in the previous group work session. The buzz
groups will discuss the following questions:
Discuss:
1.
2.
3.
What are the similarities and differences in the way national versus international goals have been
addressed?
What do you consider to be the cumulative effect of volunteers over time?
Any other observations or reflections (about doing the exercise and/or the findings from the
exercise)?
Step 3: Get each buzz group to feed back the key points from their discussion. Start with one point per group per
question.
Step 4: The facilitator concludes the session with a quick summary of the key themes and points emerging from the
session. The key points from the discussion should be noted on the Programme Level Feedback Sheet C: Volunteering for
development and the contribution to National and International Goals (on the CD).
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leed included
Exercise D: The Volunteer as a Catalyst for Change
What?
Group work exploring the role of the volunteer.
Why?
Exercises B & C have looked at what volunteering does and what it achieves. This task looks at how it has been
achieved and the specific role and qualities of the volunteer as a catalyst for change.
How?
Participants split into three groups. A recorder in each group captures the key points on a flipchart for feedback.
As each group presents their key findings in plenary, other participants can add points, which should also be
recorded. Tasks can be written on a card for each group.

Step 1: Divide participants into three groups. Make sure each group has a good mix of volunteers, VIO representatives
and other stakeholders. Each group will address a specific set of questions. If necessary, participants can refer back
to the Placement Level Feedback Sheets (Exercise C, Outcomes) for specific examples and data to back up their points.
Each group will appoint a note taker to capture the key points onto a flipchart.
Questions for group work
These questions are based on the data and findings from the previous sessions.
Group 1:

What are the common underlying themes regarding the role of the volunteer in the achievements and change
processes identified? In what way do volunteers act as catalysts for change?

Would the achievements have happened without the volunteer involvement or happened differently? Explain your
analysis.

Any other observations/comments regarding the role and contribution of volunteers?
Group 2:

What types of volunteer activities have worked well/less well and why?

What have been some of the unexpected outcomes of the volunteer placement(s)? These might be positive or
negative outcomes.

Group 3:

What, if any, are the key differences in contribution between:
o
Female and male volunteers
o
Volunteers of different ages
o
National and international volunteers (as relevant to the project)
o
Mixed teams and non-mixed teams

Are there any other specific examples of diversity with regard to context and overall contribution?

Step 2: Each group will give feedback in plenary session. After each group presents their findings, other participants can
add points etc.
Step 3: The facilitator nominates or invites a volunteer to write up the key points on to the Programme Level Feedback
Sheet D (on the CD).
Exercise E: Factors supporting and hindering change
What?
Two exercises running concurrently that will explore and analyze supporting and hindering factors to change.
Why?
Having examined the what and how of volunteering, the workshop now moves on to look at the factors that facilitate
and constrain volunteering and how to overcome them. Factors can be internal or external to the VIO or employing
organization.
How?
Group 1 will brainstorm factors supporting and hindering change. They will draw on the findings from the SWOT
exercise E from the placement level assessment. Group 2 will do a stakeholder analysis to identify people, groups,
and institutions that influence volunteer initiatives (either positively or negatively). Each group will feed back their
highlights and key lessons in plenary session.

Step 1: Divide the participants into two groups. Provide each group with a flipchart. Write up the instructions for both
exercises to hand out to each group.
Group 1
Step 2: Draw a large matrix on a flipchart paper. (See the Programme Level Feedback Sheet E1 on the CD for the
template)
Step 3: First list all the key factors that have positively affected the outcomes and achievements. These might be internal
and external forces. Identify the most important factors and discuss how the programme/VIO organization might build on
these supporting forces. Remember to refer to the Placement Level SWOT Analysis Feedback Sheet Exercise E.
Step 4: Next, list all the key factors that have hindered or negatively affected the outcomes and achievements. These
might be internal and external forces. Identify the most important hindering factors and discuss solutions for addressing
these. Record the suggestions on the chart.
Step 5: Identify five key points/lessons to feed back in the plenary session.
Group 2
Step 2: Draw a large matrix on a flipchart paper. (See the Programme Level Feedback Sheet E2 on the CD for the
template) Column one is a list of the people, groups and institutions that influence your project/initiative (either positively
or negatively). Group members can add to this list.
Step 3: Review each stakeholder listed in column one. Assess how important are the stakeholders interests in the
success of the volunteer placement and project. Consider how they might have a positive role (specific interests) and how
they might have a negative role. Record these under the column Stakeholder Interests in Volunteering.
Step 4: The final step is to consider the kinds of things that you might do in the future to get stakeholder support and
reduce opposition or obstacles. Consider how you might approach each of the stakeholders. Think about other groups
or individuals who might also influence the stakeholder(s) to support your project. Record your suggestions in the last
column of the matrix.
Step 5: Identify five key points/lessons to feed back in plenary session.
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leed included
What?
Drawing together key lessons and recommendations for the organization.
Why?
Provides results from the workshop that the organization can use in future strategic planning.
How?
In buzz groups and plenary feedback, drawing out recommendations from the data generated throughout the day.

Step 1: Ask participants to get into small buzz groups to discuss the following:
1.
2.
3.
What are the key lessons? How can we capitalize on our experience more strategically to influence
development interventions and approaches?
What is the profile of volunteers we have/want to have in the future? Think what we have learnt about the
different types of volunteers we have and how we might build these lessons into future recruitment policies and
procedures.
What is the profile of the placements that we have/want to have in the future? Think about the project
design; selection; response to requests; partners etc.
Step 2: Each buzz group agrees and records action points and ways forward for the organization
Step 3: Each group calls out a key lesson and the corresponding action point. The facilitator notes down the key lessons
and actions on a flipchart.
Step 4: Collate the feedback on to the Programme Level Feedback Sheet F (on the CD).
Inter-Organizational Workshop

Exchange findings between VIOs

Strengthen relationships between different VIOs and different partners
Promote networking and collaboration between VIOs
Discuss mainstreaming volunteering into development programming
Discuss planning of volunteering and lesson learning from volunteering
Raise awareness about volunteering

Completed Inter-Organizational Workshop Feedback Sheets

Action Plan for future harmonization and coordination
COMPARING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AMONGST

VOLUNTEER INVOLVING ORGANIZATIONS
National volunteer programmes in Niger and Liberia
The first national volunteers in Niger have been selected and will soon be fielded as part of the Volunteers for
National Development project launched by the Government of Niger with support from UNV.
The process started in early 2008 with the establishment of a
candidate database. Among the host institutions are 25 rural
municipalities, five national organizations and associations (a
farmers group, a womens group, a disabled peoples group,
an NGO and one association), one rural radio station and
one literacy centre.
Aiming to demonstrate how volunteerism is an empowering
force for development, the Liberian National Youth
Volunteering Service is open to citizens under 35. It places
them in the Liberian countryside to work with communities on
peace-building and development issues, bridging the divide
between the urban youth volunteers and rural people.
The Liberian NYVS sent 67 volunteers out to four

rural counties to improve education and health. The
scheme will expand further in phase 2. (UNV)
Speaking in October at a recognition event for 67 volunteers

who recently completed their six months service, Liberian
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf commended UNV, UNDP and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for supporting her
vision of engaging youth in productive voluntary service.
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When should it take place and who should be involved

leed included
Consider conducting such an inter-organizational workshop approximately every two years. It might be a small or large
scale workshop, e.g. Programme Managers with a small number of volunteers, or a high profile event including national
and international stakeholders.
Preparation for the workshop

Decide on a convenient date, location and venue. Planning will require gathering any necessary background information
and materials, arranging logistics, inviting participants, developing the overall schedule and sequence of exercises and
deciding what additional preparation work will need to be undertaken. Make sure the facilitator is well briefed and able to
conduct their assigned tasks. Key exercises and preparation work will need to be adapted to each situation.
assessment.

On CD:
Part 3 on the CD: User Notes

Notes for the volunteer


Part 6.3 on the CD: Inter-Organizational Workshop


Example of Inter-organizational workshop Introduction (PPT) Botswana
Inter-Organizational Workshop
The following is an example of a workshop schedule for a half-day or one day workshop programme.
Day
Day 1
Time
Morning
Session
1.
Introductions
2.
Workshop Objectives
3.
Exercise A: Sharing experiences, key findings and lessons
4. Exercise B: Group work identifying key themes and the distinctive
contribution of volunteering to development
Break
5.
6.
Exercise B: Group feedback & plenary

Exercise C: Stakeholder perceptions and interests in volunteering
Lunch
Afternoon
7.
8.
Exercise D: Key lessons and recommendations

Exercise E Final Plenary
List of Exercises
EXERCISE A: SHARING EXPERIENCES, KEY FINDINGS AND LESSONS..................................................................................44
EXERCISE B: GROUP DISCUSSION.........................................................................................................................................................45
EXERCISE C: STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS AND INTERESTS IN VOLUNTEERING...........................................................46
EXERCISE D: KEY LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................................................................................47

On CD:
Part 3 on the CD - Inter-organizational Level Feedback Sheets:

Inter-organisational Workshop Participation Form

Volunteer Organisation Information Form

Feedback Sheet: Exercise A Sharing experiences, key findings and lessons VIO presentations

Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 1 Similarities and differences in findings

Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 2 Distinctive contribution of volunteers

Feedback Sheet: Exercise C Stakeholder perceptions and interests in Volunteerism

Feedback Sheet: Exercise D Key lessons and recommendations
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leed included
Exercise A: Sharing experiences, key findings and lessons
What?
Exchange of information by participating VIOs.
Why?
To share findings of assessment exercises between organizations.
How?
Each VIO gives a short PowerPoint presentation or another method of presentation.
Tips
Back to back power point presentations can be tedious. Think about how you might make the sharing session more
interactive and engaging. E.g. by introducing energizers between presentations, breaking into Q&A sessions after
each presentation or buzz group discussions after every two presentations etc. Or perhaps a poster presentation.
Encourage VIOs to be creative in the way they present their findings.
Suggested steps in the process (see also tips in the box above)
Step 1: Ask each VIO to give their 10-15 minute presentation, which will highlight the key findings from their own review
processes. Each presentation will be followed by a five-minute question and answer session.
The presentations should include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A general introduction to the organization: how and where they work, in which sectors, how many volunteers
etc.
What contribution has the volunteering programme made to national development? What are the key
results?
How has volunteering achieved these results?
What have been some of the key challenges?
What are the key lessons?
Step 2: After each VIO has presented, ask participants if they have any further questions or reflections before moving on
to the next exercise.
Step 3: The facilitator collects each of the summaries from each participating VIO to attach to Inter-organizational
Feedback Sheet Exercise A.
Exercise B: Group discussion
What?
Analysis of presentations.
Why?
To compare findings of assessment exercises between organizations (Group 1); and to identify the specific
contribution of volunteering to development (Group 2).
How?
Participants work in two groups to address different sets of discussion questions (1 and 2).

Step 1: Divide participants into two groups. Provide each group with a flipchart. Each group will appoint a rapporteur to
note down the key points from their discussion on the flipchart.
Group 1: Similarities and differences in findings
Step 2: In your group discuss the following:
1.
2.
3.
What are the key similarities in findings between the VIOs?

What are the key differences in findings between the VIOs?
What do you think are the reasons for the differences in findings between the VIOs?
Group 2: Distinctive contribution of volunteers

1.
2.
What are possible key attributes of volunteers that make a difference, as opposed to other
development or peace-keeping workers?
How can we define the different contribution of volunteers, as opposed to other development or
peace-keeping workers?
Step 3: Group feedback: Ask each group to feedback the key highlights and points from their group discussion (five
minutes). This will be followed by a short plenary discussion.
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leed included
Exercise C: Stakeholder perceptions and interests in volunteering
What?
Analyze the interests and perceptions of different stakeholders about volunteering.
Why?
Having completed this activity at programme level, this is an opportunity to discuss with peer organizations the
strategic implications vis--vis key stakeholders.
How?
This exercise should build on the programme level stakeholder analysis exercise (see Exercise E on page 41). The
facilitator may want to split participants into smaller groups depending on the number of workshop participants.
Coloured cards or post-it notes should be used to record different perceptions.

Step 1: Draw a large matrix on a flipchart paper. (See Inter-organizational Feedback Sheet C on the CD for the template.)
In column one is a list of the people, groups and institutions that influence your project/initiative (either positively or
negatively). Group members can add to this list.
Step 2: Either individually or in groups, review the list of stakeholders in the columns. For each stakeholder, write on
a coloured card or post-it note how the stakeholder might have a positive role and/or a negative role with regards to
volunteering.
Step 3: The facilitator will go through each stakeholder and ask participants to call out one card with a positive role and
one card with a negative role.
Step 4: The next step is to consider the kinds of things that you might do in the future to get stakeholder support and
reduce opposition or obstacles. Consider how you might approach each of the stakeholders. Record these under the
column Suggestions.
Step 5: Ask participants to identify five key points from the discussion you would like to keep for sharing in the next
session (Exercise D).
Step 6: For the last part of the exercise, draw together the overall key lessons and recommendations. Use the chart for
Exercise D (on the CD) to write up two key lessons and two recommendations per level (local, national, international,
organizational).
Exercise D: Key Lessons and Recommendations
What?
Drawing together overall strategic lessons and recommendations for VIOs on how volunteering can be
mainstreamed into development planning.
Why?
Taking lessons learnt throughout the workshop forward into action points for future collaboration and advocacy for
volunteerism.
How?
Each group feeds back their highlights, lessons and recommendations from Exercise C. The facilitator maps out
key lessons and action on a flipchart. Followed by a final plenary session.

Step 1: Ask each group to give a quick highlight of the key points from their discussion during Exercise C.
Step 2: After the feedback invite the groups to pin their key lessons and recommendation cards onto a large version of
the matrix in plenary (see Inter-organizational Feedback Sheet Exercise D on the CD). Participants should cluster similar
cards. Ask participants to reflect on the lessons and recommendations, identifying similarities, contradictions etc. The
facilitator should identify and summarize the overall actions emerging.
Step 3: The last part of the final session will be a brief plenary discussion. Invite participants to share any additional
thoughts and reflections on the findings, lessons and actions from the workshop and any other comments they would like
to make.
Step 4: Ask Participants to fill in a workshop evaluation form. Make sure that one of the questions on the evaluation form
includes a question about key actions to be taken as a result of the workshop.
Step 5: Consolidate the cards for Exercise D onto one Feedback Sheet.
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SECTION THREE: ADDITIONAL

APPROACHES AND TOOLS
This section sets out some other suggestions for assessing the contribution of volunteering to development. These are
based on the exercises and tools used in the volunteerism for development results workshops undertaken by UNV in 2007.
About the results workshops

The results workshops were held by UNV between October and November 2007. They were part of an extensive
consultation process that UNV undertook to report to its Executive Board on the work and achievements of UNV and its
contribution to development objectives. Each workshop focused on a core theme of UNVs work where UNV believes
it has a critical mass of experience: post conflict environment, democratic governance, youth participation, disaster risk
reduction and volunteer infrastructure4.
The methodology and workshop design

The majority of the workshops took place over two and half days and involved volunteers from up to three countries in each
workshop working on a particular theme. Two of the workshops involved predominantly UNV partners and national level
UNV programme staff.
While the methodology described so far is useful for assessing the contribution of volunteering to development in a
general manner, the results workshops were designed specifically to understand the practical reality of UNVs work in
a particular area. External Resource People were invited to provide critical feedback and to peer review UNVs work,
therefore verifying or contradicting the achievements suggested by the UN Volunteers themselves. A final aspect of
the workshops was to enable the volunteers to locate their work within the framework of UNVs corporate Results
Framework.
HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE IS

VISUALLY DISPLAYED THROUGH A RESULTS TREE
Thushan Kapurusinghe worked with the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP)
in Sri Lanka in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. His tree diagram
shows us ways in which he helped to change peoples lives the fruits
of improved community skills, the establishment of volunteer youth groups
etc. based on the branches of community capacity development, training,
mobilization, monitoring and evaluation activities.
It also notes how partnership with GEF and UNV was the basis of his
endeavours the trunk of the tree and how the roots of his personal
experience fed into creating the results. And he is not shy to bring to
our attention the challenges he faced, such as the broken branch of
unsatisfactory administration.
Effectively, the tree distils a four-page report into one simple and easy-toabsorb image.
Thushan Kapurusinghes results

tree portrays many complex
ideas at a glance. (UNV)
See Part 7 on the CD for more information on the Volunteerism for Development Results workshops.
additional approaches and tools
How to use this section

This section sets out a generic Workshop Schedule and suggested Tools adapted from the results workshop
methodology. Many of the Tools can be used for ongoing assessment purposes at all levels.

On CD:
Part 7 on the CD: Volunteerism for Development Results Workshop

Generic Methodology Guide

Example Results Tree (PPT)
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Volunteerism for Development Results Workshop

The following is an example of a workshop schedule for a two-day workshop programme.
Day
Day 1
Time
Morning
Session
1.
2.
3.
Introductions
Workshop Introduction & Objectives
Tool 3: Exploring our understanding of volunteerism for development
Break
4.
Tool 4: Results Tree exercise

Lunch
Afternoon
Day
Day 2
5.
Tool 5: Pulling together an analysis of overall key achievements, challenges
and lessons
Time
Morning
Session
6.
7.
Recap of Day 1
Tool 6: Distillation of progress against organizational/corporate goals
Break
8.
9.
10.
Tool 7: External Feedback

Tool 8: Developing a vision for the future
Tool 9: Key recommendations
List of Tools
TOOL 1: VOLUNTEER SELF REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................................57
TOOL 2: REFLECTION FOR PARTNERS ATTENDING A WORKSHOP.........................................................................................58
TOOL 3: EXPLORING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF VOLUNTEERISM FOR DEVELOPMENT................................................59
TOOL 4: THE RESULTS TREE.......................................................................................................................................................................60
TOOL 5: GROUP ANALYSIS OF KEY ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES AND LESSONS......................................................62
TOOL 6: ASSESSING THE VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTION TO ORGANIZATIONAL/CORPORATE GOALS................59
TOOL 7: RESULTS MATRIX............................................................................................................................................................................64
TOOL 8: EXTERNAL FEEDBACK.................................................................................................................................................................65
TOOL 9: DEVELOPING A VISION FOR OUR FUTURE WORK GENERATING RECOMMENDATIONS...........................67
TOOL 10: TIPS FOR WORKSHOP NOTE TAKERS...............................................................................................................................68
Tool 1: Volunteer Self Reflection

This tool can be used by volunteers as preparation for a review/assessment workshop or meeting. It can also be used by
the VIO with their volunteers to monitor the progress of volunteers on an annual basis or towards the end of the volunteer
placement.
What is required?
All volunteers will prepare a three-four page reflection note prior to attending the workshop. In the preparation to the
reflection note, volunteers should to the extent possible consult with colleagues, peers and other partners to enrich the
information base and analysis. Once finalized, they should send it to the workshop facilitator and VIO project officer/
coordinator in their country three weeks in advance of the workshop.
Why a reflection note?

The reflection notes will be used as preparation material by the workshop facilitators and as source of information for the
workshop report, VIO annual report and for other learning purposes.
What it should include

The following elements should be included in the reflection note:
1. Basic data:

Name

Gender

International or national volunteer

How long you have been working as a Volunteer

What institution/organization are you working with

(other specific information required by the VIO)
2. Reflecting back on your work for (name of volunteer organization):

Describe how your work as a volunteer has contributed to xxx (This might be a thematic area of work e.g. youth
participation, governance etc., or more generally the VIOs own strategic goals in the country). You should focus
on your own experience, and on contributions that are attributable to yourself, rather than to the team or institution
you work with.

What have been your three main successes over the last (x) years or since you have been a volunteer? Please
give specific examples (and where relevant include numbers, key dates etc.)

How have these three successes contributed to:

Changes in peoples lives and/or

Changes in the effectiveness of the institution you are working with

Other significant changes (please be specific)

Please describe the challenges/issues you have faced in developing your work (please give specific examples).

What have you learned about how the VIO can most effectively contribute to development effectiveness in this
area (i.e. the area you are working in/focusing on)?

Gender dimensions: What are the most relevant gender issues related to your work? (Please include key
challenges and actions taken to try to overcome gender inequalities in your work).
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Tool 2: Reflection for partners attending a workshop
This tool can be used by VIOs as preparation for partners attending a review/assessment workshop. It is a useful tool for
monitoring and assessing the partnership relationship and how the VIO might best support the partner in the future.
What is required?
To make best use of the workshop time, the VIO invites the partners attending the workshop to prepare a case study and/
or spend some time to reflect on the contribution of the volunteer and VIO in support of the partners work. The case study
should be sent to the workshop facilitator and the VIO project officer/coordinator three weeks in advance of the workshop.
Why a case study?

The case studies will be used as preparation material by the workshop facilitators and as background material for
corporate reports. They should have a length of three-four pages and have the following contents:
1. Basic information:

When did the partnership with the VIO begin?

What type of support/input has the VIO given you?
o
Please be specific examples of support include seed funds (amount), training etc.
2.
3.
About your work:

Please briefly describe your organizations work (e.g. types of activities you are involved in, who you engage with
other partners, organizations, government etc.)
Key successes, challenges and lessons about your work:
What have been the two most important successes of your work with volunteers in the past two years, and
explain why?
What have been the key challenges you have faced in this work, and what has been done to try to address these?
Gender dimensions: what are the most relevant gender issues related to your work with volunteers? (Please
include key challenges and actions taken to try to overcome gender inequalities in your work)
What do you feel has been the VIOs contribution to your work and in promoting volunteerism for development in
your country?
What have you learnt about how VIO can most effectively contribute to volunteerism for development in the
future?
Any other comments or suggestions you would like to make about the partnership with the VIO.
Tool 3: Exploring our understanding of volunteerism for development

This tool is a good introductory exercise for any workshop exploring the understanding of volunteerism for development.
Purpose:

To enable workshop participants to discuss and develop a common understanding of volunteerism and its key
characteristics.
To surface any tensions or questions that participants may have about volunteerism and its contribution to a
specific thematic area of work and/or development goals.
Materials: Coloured cards, flipchart paper and marker pens

Time: 45 minutes
Steps in the process

Step 1: Instruct each participant to spend five minutes on their own reflecting on the following questions:

What does volunteerism mean to you?

What is your question about volunteerism for development and its contribution to supporting (XXX theme/goal
etc?)
You may need to explain that the question might be something they are expecting the workshop will address, or it might be
an expectation, fear etc.
Step 2: Ask participants to form into small buzz groups for 10-15 minutes to share their reflections and key questions. Ask
each buzz group to distil their reflections on volunteerism and the key questions, and write these on cards to share back in
plenary.
Step 3: First ask each buzz group to provide one definition of volunteerism and one key question. Write these up on
a flipchart. Check to see if there are any additional definitions and questions and then open up the discussion. Ask
participants to share their thoughts and reflections on what has been shared. Look for common themes and questions
emerging.
Note: You may want to follow this exercise with a more formal presentation on the theme of the workshop. This might
include a brief summary of the VIOs understanding of volunteerism, their programme goals etc.
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Tool 4: The Results Tree
Images can be a very powerful tool for supporting critical reflection and learning. For example a tree is a universally
recognized symbol, which people can use to explore issues or processes from a new angle5. The Results Tree exercise
was developed to support volunteers in exploring their individual experience of volunteering. It was also adapted for
workshops with a wide participation of partners.
Purpose:

To provide space for volunteers to reflect on their experiences (achievements and challenges) in their placement/
project.
For the group to peer review the experience of the volunteer and further deepen an analysis of the findings and
results.
Materials: Flipchart paper, coloured pens or crayons

Time: This will depend on the number of volunteers. The whole exercise, including peer review, can take up a whole
morning.

Step 1: Ask the volunteer to draw a picture of a tree that will represent their experience of working for the VIO over the
past (two) years. They can be as creative as they like but the tree has to include:

Roots: These are the experiences and skills you bring to your work as a volunteer. They include your values
and the reasons why you have chosen to become a volunteer. You dont have to put all of this down, but it does
connect to the theme of volunteerism as a development asset and the contribution that individuals make to
development through voluntary action.
Trunk: The institutions and organizations you are working with.
Branches: The key activities that you are directly involved in (and that contribute towards the theme of the
workshop).
Buds: These represent your key successes.
Fruits: These represent the results of your successes e.g. changes in peoples lives, changes in the
effectiveness of the institutions you are working with and/or other significant changes. You can indicate the
significance of the results by the size of the fruit. This is about the difference volunteers are making and how
that is contributing to positive changes in peoples lives - economically, socially, culturally, politically and
psychologically.
But we also want to hear about your key disappointments, missed opportunities and the challenges you face
in your work

Broken branches lying on the ground: These represent disappointments and/or missed opportunities.
Tree environment: This represents the factors that support and/or hinder your work and the results you are
striving to achieve. These may be internal factors or external factors.
Step 2: Ask the volunteers and participants to form into small groups.
Step 3: Each volunteer has 10 minutes to share his or her tree. After the 10 minutes there will be 15 minutes of
questions and further discussion of the experience with the other volunteers and participants. The purpose is to get a
better understanding of the key results and achievements that the volunteer has contributed to.
Step 4: Once all the volunteers have shared their trees you may open up the discussion and see if the group has any
further thoughts and questions regarding the volunteer experiences.
5
Ref: Communication and Power, Reflect Practical Resource Materials, 2003
Step 5: At the end of the sharing sessions each volunteer has to choose two specific fruit examples (i.e. specific results
that they are working on and most proud of). Ask the volunteers to please write these examples on cards and keep them.
They will need the cards for another exercise exploring the overall contribution of volunteerism. (See Tool 7)
Notes

Group facilitator: Your role will be to ensure that the group keeps to the time frames allocated for the sharing
and feedback.
Participant observers: Your role is to both listen and make notes of any salient points that you would like to hear
more about or probe further, but you will not ask questions or make comments until the story telling process has
finished.
Note takers: Your role is to both listen and take notes of any salient points that arise from both the sharing
session and discussions that follow, e.g. key achievements and examples of good practices and approaches,
significant changes and results (people, institutions, practices etc.), how these results have been achieved, and
what UNVs role and contribution has been. Note also challenges and issues, and how these have been overcome
or not.
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Tool 5: Group analysis of key achievements, challenges and lessons
This tool can be used to support groups to collectively discuss and deepen their analysis and understanding of key
achievements, challenges and lessons. This exercise should build on previous group work where individual activities and
experiences have been shared and discussed. It could also follow on from a more formal presentation or feedback session
where findings have been presented.
Purpose

To pull together findings and to deepen the analysis from the previous sessions (See Tool 4)
To draw out overall key achievements, challenges and lessons
Materials: Flipchart paper, coloured cards and marker pens

Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Step 1: Ask the participants to reconvene into their groups from the previous session. (If using this tool after a more
formal presentation, you can just divide participants into three-four groups of approximately six people per group). Each
group nominates a facilitator and a rapporteur.
Step 2: Ask each participant to reflect on the experiences and discussions with the volunteers during the previous
session.
Step 3: Individual: First spend 10 minutes individually writing on cards (ask participants to write each point onto a
separate card):
1.
2.
3.
4.
What key activities have worked well and contributed most to the theme/goal and why?
What are the three main key achievements/examples of work that have made the most significant difference to
peoples lives (be specific) and why?
What are the three main key challenges?
What are the three main key lessons?
It is useful to write the above questions on a flipchart so that participants can view them easily.
Step 4: Group work: The Group facilitator will go through each question in turn. Their role will be to prompt and ask
useful questions to support the group members in their analysis, and they will ask the group members to call out one or
two points from their cards. They will stick the cards onto the flipchart.
Step 5: Once each participant has shared one-two points, the facilitator will cluster the cards and pull out the overall key
themes. They should check back with the group that everyone agrees with this interpretation. They should then move onto
the next question. Once all questions have been covered the group will review the cards and pull out overall headlines and
key points for each question. This will then be shared in plenary session.
Step 6: Plenary: Please choose a rapporteur to report back to plenary (preferably a volunteer). They will have just 15
minutes to give a concise report back on the key points and highlights from the group discussion and analysis. This will be
followed by a 10-minute question and answer session.
Step 7: At the end of the feedback session the main facilitator may want to ask participants to share overall impressions
of themes emerging from the feedback session. The facilitator should also offer their own analysis of themes emerging
or invite another participant to do this, preferably an external stakeholder or someone from the VIO national office or
headquarters.
Tool 6: Assessing the volunteers contribution to organizational/

corporate goals
This tool enables volunteers and their stakeholders to consolidate their analysis of achievements and results and locate
this analysis within the context of the organizations strategic framework. It enables a further iteration of the key results
identified by volunteers in the Results Tree exercise (Ref.: Tool 4).
Purpose

To triangulate and consolidate the analysis of the volunteers achievements and results
To assess how the work of the volunteers and volunteerism contributes to achieving the VIOs strategic goals
and/or broader development goals
Materials: Volunteers will need the two fruits they picked from their Results Tree (Tool 4), coloured cards, pens and
masking tape
Time: Up to 3 hours

Step 1: Ask the volunteers to spend 5-10 minutes reviewing their two fruits from the Results Tree session. Volunteers
will put the name of the country on the cards and add any relevant information e.g. quantitative information, stakeholders,
approach, methods and areas of good practice, results (be specific) and any lessons.
Step 2: Divide the participants into three groups. Try and mix up the volunteers and participants so that they are not
working with the same group members as in previous sessions. Ensure the volunteers and external stakeholders are
spread evenly between the three groups.
Step 3: One hour will be spent reviewing the volunteer fruits and key results. Each volunteer will spend about five
minutes explaining his or her two fruits to the group. The group members can ask questions and probe further. The idea
is to deepen the groups understanding of the types of results volunteers are contributing to and what best practice and
lessons can be drawn from these achievements.
Step 4: After one hour the groups will have a short break. When the groups reconvene they will listen to a short
presentation on the overarching corporate framework in which to locate the analysis and contribution of the volunteers.
These might be programmatic goals or broader development goals. The groups are then asked to think about how the
specific achievements of the volunteers are contributing towards these goals. For the results workshops, a simple matrix
was used. A version of this matrix can be found on the next page.
Step 5: Each group will spend approx. 20 minutes exploring where they think their fruit/key result might fit under each
goal (the facilitator should have a handout of these). Participants shouldnt worry if they feel the examples cross into more
than one goal/category. The main thing is to explore further how their work is contributing to longer-term organizational/
corporate goals.
Step 6: The facilitator will have drawn a large matrix per group on the floor (using masking tape). Volunteers can then
place their cards on the goals that they feel their work contributes to the most. Once all the cards have been placed, ask
the participants to walk around to the other groups matrix to review their results.
Step 7: Ask participants to return to plenary. Invite any reflections or observations regarding the types of activities and
results and the goals that volunteers seem to be contributing most/least to and why. Nominate someone in each group to
capture the group discussion and results of the matrix session.
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Tool 7: Results Matrix
This tool can be used to support volunteers to think about their work and how it contributes to longer-term development
goals. The matrix can be used by the VIO to also explore how the work of the volunteer is contributing to the organizations
overall strategic framework. In the results workshops, Tool 7 was used together with Tool 6.
How to use the matrix

Use the first column to list the goals or areas of change that you are hoping to contribute to. Volunteers can place their
cards (fruit/key results) on the columns and goal that they feel best represents their achievement. The aim is not to talk up
ones work but to stimulate a further discussion on the areas of change that volunteers contribute towards.
Volunteers distinctive contribution scoring exercise

GOALS
(Areas of change)
Work just beginning,

new activities starting
up 6
Foundations in place,
concrete outputs
evident 7
Change has taken

place, results are clear
and evident 8
Significant results
& cumulative
contribution are
evident 9
- Goal 1
- Goal 2
- Goal 3
Etc.
6
These are new activities that volunteers/VIO programmes are directly involved in starting up.
7
These are the effects that are directly attributable to the volunteer or the project/programme, i.e. outputs that are directly
attributable to the volunteer or the project/programme.
8
These are the outcomes to which volunteers contribute through working with different stakeholders.
9
This is the cumulative contribution of the volunteer involvement to higher level goals, together with other stakeholders
(volunteering partnership).
Tool 8: External Feedback

Involving external stakeholders in your assessment process is one way to support volunteers and the VIO to critically
review their achievements, lessons and challenges. External stakeholders might include partners, community
representatives, government and other key stakeholders. You might also involve peers from other VIOs and/or key
informants who can bring fresh perspectives and insights based on their areas of knowledge and expertise. The UNV
results workshops were designed so that external Resource People familiar with the work of UNV and specialists in the
thematic areas of work under review would provide critical feedback and peer review of UNVs work, therefore verifying or
contradicting the achievements suggested by the UN Volunteers themselves.
In the following, we provide some ideas on how you might involve a small number of Key Resource people in your
Purpose:

To draw out the volunteers achievements, challenges and lessons

To triangulate and/or get critical feedback on the VIOs work from an external perspective
To see how the work of the volunteers has contributed to the VIOs strategic goals
Step 1: You should decide at least 6-8 weeks before the workshop who to invite. Send an invitation letter explaining the
objectives of the workshop and the role the external resource person will play during the workshop. For example, the
external resource people for the results workshop were asked to take part in the two-day workshop and to give feedback
on the last day. UNV specifically asked for feedback on the following:

Feedback/validation/critique of UNVs analysis of their achievements, challenges and lessons, including gender
dimensions and issues related to UNVs work (to be drawn from day one of the workshop).
Their thoughts on how UNV could improve its contribution to development effectiveness in the subject area XXX.
Their own perspective on current debates and future trends in volunteerism for development and the subject area
XXXX, which helps to inform UNVs future work.
Step 2: Once the external resource person has accepted your invitation, be sure that you liaise with them regarding
transport, what youll be covering in terms of costs etc. It is a good idea to phone them at least a week before the
workshop starts to brief them again on their expected role.
Step 3: The external resource people will take part in all the group and plenary discussions. They will listen to the
experiences of the partners and volunteers and help to deepen their analysis by asking challenging and insightful
questions, and sharing their own insights and perspectives regarding the themes/areas of work under discussion.
Step 4: Towards the end of the workshop, the external resource people give their feedback and perspectives. For the
UNV results workshops, we did this through Panel Discussions. Each key resource person had 15 minutes to present
their critical reflections on the theme, followed by a 15 minutes question and answer session. At the end of the feedback
session there was a plenary discussion.
Step 5: Ask the external resource people for copies of their presentations or notes (if possible).
Step 6: And finally, dont forget to send a thank you letter or email to the resource people for their valuable support and
contribution soon after the end of the workshop, as well as, once finalized, the workshop summary report. We recommend
you also ask them for feedback on the draft workshop report prior to its finalization.
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Tool 9: Developing a vision for our future work generating

recommendations
At the end of an assessment workshop the group is usually at the point where they begin to formulate recommendations
and actions. A good way to give people a sense of something to move toward and to generate creative thinking and
encouragement is to conduct a short visioning exercise. You can follow this with a recommendations and actions session.
Purpose:

To generate a common goal, and a sense of working together to achieve that goal
To generate creative thinking and encouragement
To offer the possibility of fundamental change
Materials: Cards and pens

Time: 10-15 minutes

Step 1: Ask participants to close their eyes. Get them to imagine they are seeing the VIO two years into the future. Ask
them:

What type of work will the VIO be doing?

Who will the VIO be working with?
What will be your approaches and ways of working? How will you be working?
How will the VIO be working with the volunteers? How will they be feeling?
What will you be known for? What might you hear others saying about your work (Your key stakeholders: the
government, partners, donors, beneficiaries) at the local, regional, national and international level?
What impact will the VIO have made?
Step 2: Explain to the participants that this is a personal reflection. They do not necessarily have to share it. Ask the
participants to individually reflect on the following question:

What does the VIO need to do to ensure they make the biggest contribution to development in the future?
Step 3: Ask each participant to spend five minutes writing three recommendations per question on a post-it note or card.
The questions are:
1.
2.
3.
What should the VIO start doing or do more of?

What should the VIO stop doing or do differently in the future?
Any other recommendations for the VIO?
Step 4: Write up each question on a separate flipchart paper. Get participants to put up their recommendations on the
flipchart paper. The facilitators should attempt to cluster the cards and consolidate the recommendations. Spend five
minutes reviewing each question.
Step 5: Invite someone from the VIO country office or VIO HQ (if present at the workshop) to respond to the
recommendations and explain what will happen next.
Step 6: Make sure someone writes up the consolidated key recommendations. These will be included in the workshop
report.
Tool 10: Tips for workshop note takers

Capturing the key points and rich discussions that take place during a workshop is always challenging. Here are some tips
to make your note taking more useful and valuable to you.

Be clear why you are taking the notes: It is important to be clear why you are taking the notes in the first
place. It might be for the workshop report, to write up a case study or for record keeping purposes only. It helps
to have this in mind to guide you to take the right notes.
Capture specific examples: It is important to listen out for specific examples. The more information you can
pick up regarding the examples, the richer the report will be. E.g. in the Results Tree exercise you would want to
note down:
o
key outputs and good practices
o key achievements and how they have been achieved (most significant changes and outcomes in institutions, people, practices etc.)
o
key enabling factors (what supports/hinders the work of the volunteer)
o
key challenges and how they have been addressed (whether problems have or have not been solved)
o key ideas around the perspective of partners and volunteers on the roles and contributions of UNV to their
work and to the theme of the workshop
Capture quotes: A workshop report is always more interesting to read when there are quotes from participants
to illustrate a key point. It brings the workshop experience alive to the reader. Remember that when writing up your
note you do not need to attribute the quote to a name (issues of confidentiality are important).
Capture themes: It is important to listen carefully during feedback sessions to capture themes and ideas that
emerge. You may want to underline these points as you write.
Review and summarize: Take a few minutes to review your notes - adding any words or phrases that will
make them clearer. The review process will help you remember and make the notes more useful. Once you have
reviewed them, take a couple of minutes to note the most important points again.
Have a format for writing up your notes: It helps to organize your notes if you have a format to work with.
Notes need to be objective and clear, and they need to capture the essential points discussed, so they can be a
valuable input to the workshop report. When more than one note-taker is participating in the workshop, it is very
important to have the same format for the notes. An example is provided below.
Note takers report format - results workshop

The report must include the following points:

Name of the country

Participants in the group (identify whether they are partners or volunteers)
Good practices (at least two examples)
Key achievements and/or outcomes (areas of significant progress, changes in peoples lives, institutions
etc.) and how they have been achieved, e.g. what activities (outputs) led to these achievements
(outcomes) and what long term difference this has made (contribution to development goals). Please give
at least two detailed examples of how they have been achieved.
Most significant contributions by UNV to the country
Key challenges (including specific challenges as a result of UNV)
Key lessons learnt
Specific lessons for UNV
Any recommendations discussed
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APPENDICES
appendices
Appendix 1:
Guide to CD Materials
Part 1: The Handbook
The full text of the handbook PDF version

The full text of the handbook Word version
Part 2: The Pilot Study
The Pilot Study & The Bonn Workshop
Part 3: User Notes
Notes for the volunteers

Notes for the Country Programme Coordinators
Notes for facilitators
Part 4: Key Concepts
Looking at outputs
Looking at outcomes
Contribution to gender equality and critique regarding the consideration of women in the
MDGs
Part 5: The Broader

Context of Our Work
Part 6: The
Assessment
Workshops

National Development Goals pilot workshop examples
MDG summary table PDF
ODM Franais PDF
ODM Espaol PDF
Part 6.1: Placement Level Assessment Workshop

Placement Level Workshop Participation Form
Exercise B: Reviewing and ranking volunteers key activities and outputs
Exercise D: The volunteers overall contribution to development goals
Exercise F: Key lessons and recommendations
Example of Story: No More Sleeping! Assessment Level One Workshop, Indonesia
Example of Story: Communications and relationships, UN Volunteer, Vietnam
Part 6.2: Programme Level Assessment Workshop
Programme Level Workshop Participation Form
Volunteer Organization Information Form
Feedback Sheet: Exercise A Sharing key changes and lessons from the Placement Level
Workshops
Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 1 Contribution to National Development Goals
Feedback Sheet: Exercise B Group 2 Contribution to the MDGs
Feedback Sheet: Exercise C Group 3 The Contribution of Volunteerism to Development
Goals Summary of group feedback
Feedback Sheet: Exercise D The Volunteer as a Catalyst for Change
Feedback Sheet: Exercise E1 Group 1 - Factors Supporting and Hindering Change
Feedback Sheet: Exercise E2 Group 2 Factors Supporting and Hindering Change
Feedback Sheet: Exercise F Action Planning
Example of Story: Programa de jvenes con la participacin popular, Bolivia
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Part 6.3: Inter-Organizational Workshop
Placement Level Workshop Participation Form
Exercise B: Reviewing and ranking volunteers key activities and outputs
Exercise D: The volunteers overall contribution to development goals
Exercise F: Key lessons and recommendations
Example of Story: No More Sleeping! Assessment Level One Workshop, Indonesia
Example of Story: Communications and relationships, UN Volunteer, Vietnam
Part 6.4: International Headquarter workshop
Example Workshop Schedule
Agenda UNV Workshop, Bonn, Germany
Part 7: Volunteerism
for development
results workshop
UNV Generic methodology guide and process note

Example Results Tree (PPT)
Part 8: Additional
Reading
OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results Based Management

Results-based management - Concept and Methodology (UNDP)
appendices
Appendix 2: Glossary
Activities
Actions required to achieve objectives
Buzz groups
Buzz groups are spontaneously formed teams with a task to be accomplished in a short time
Disaggregate
Analyze data according to different groupings to show differences between certain groups
(e.g. gender, age, ethnic group etc.)
Feedback
Presenting findings
Goal
The overall development objective to which a set of interventions will contribute. Goals are
statements of intended future changes in relation to the key problem or issue to be addressed.
The timeframe for achieving the goal will often be much longer than the intervention period.
Impact
The wider, significant changes that have accrued (positive and negative intended
and unintended) as a result of a given set of interventions.
Impact Assessment
Understanding the wider intended and unintended changes brought about as a

result of a given intervention and the different effects of these changes on women,
men, girls and boys. Impact Assessment also involves understanding how and to
what extent development interventions influence the socio-economic and political
situation of a society.
Inputs
Resources invested in an activity or process
Intervention
External or internal action intended to influence or change a situation
Logical Frameworks
Management tool used to improve the design of interventions, most often at the project level.
It involves identifying strategic elements (inputs, outputs, outcomes and impact) and their
causal relationships, indicators, and the assumptions and risks that may influence success
and failure. It thus facilitates planning, execution and evaluation of a development intervention.
Outcome
The effects or visible results of an activity or intervention
Objective
What we want to achieve; the desired outcome of an activity. They are a level down from a
goal. Objectives are statements that describe in clear terms the intended changes or steps
that the intervention will take towards achieving the overall goal.
Output
The immediate and specific results of the input this is typically (but not necessarily)
quantifiable.
Stakeholders
Literally the individuals, organizations or categories of people who have a stake or an interest
in the work. These include both internal and external stakeholders.
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Appendix 3: Acronyms
CBO
CSO
ECOSOC
HQ
INGO
LFA
MDG
NDG
NGO/INGO
OECD
PPT
PRSP
UNCT
UNDAF
UNDP
UNV
VIO
VSO
Community Based Organization

Civil Society Organization
Economic and Social Council
Headquarters
International Non-Governmental Organization
Logical Framework Analysis
Millennium Development Goal
National Development Goal
Non-Governmental Organization/ International Non-Governmental Organization
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PowerPoint presentation (Microsoft)
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
United Nations Country Team
United Nations Development Assistance Framework
United Nations Development Programme
Volunteer Involving Organization
Voluntary Service Overseas
appendices
Appendix 4:
Selected Bibliography
Australian Volunteers International (2005): Monitoring and Evaluation Framework Australian Volunteers International
CCI (2005) : Les visages du changement. Des partenariats qui transforment le monde, Rapport Annuel, Carrefour
Canadien International. Available at: www.cciorg.ca
CCI (2005) : Documents provisoires sur lvaluation de limpact
Coulibaly, Anna et Sidib Moussa (2003) : Analyse Sociologique du Volontariat pour la Promotion du Dveloppement
Durable au Mali. Cas du PNUD Mmoire de Matrise, Facult des Lettres, Langues, Arts et Sciences Humaines,
Universit de Bamako, Mali
DFID (2001): Partnership Programme Agreement between UK Department for International Development and Voluntary
Service Overseas
DED (2004): Appraisal (Planning), Monitoring and Evaluation (P, M&E) of Development Worker Placements, DEDHandbuch Band 1, Deutscher EntwicklungsDienst, Bonn
Erdenechimeg, Tserendorjiin et al (2005): Study of the Effects of the National United Nations Volunteers Program in
Mongolia. Research Report Centre for Social Development, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Fofanah, James (2004): The Impact of UN volunteers in Promoting Reintegration and Reconciliation in Communities in
Sierra Leone, Dissertation for MSc in International Development and Training, CIDT, University of Wolverhampton
Davies, Rick & Dart, Jessica, (2005): Most Significant Change Guide, http://www.mande.co.uk/docs/MSCGuide.pdf
Gosling, Louise (1995): Toolkits: A practical Guide to Assessment, Monitoring, Review and Evaluation, Save the Children
Haynes, R. (2006): Impact Assessment in Skillshare International: A Conceptual Framework. Final Report for MSc
(Development Management) Programme, Open University
JICA / JOCV (2005): JICA Volunteer Program Evaluation
JICA / JOCV (2006): Evaluation on Volunteer Program (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers): Cases of Malawi,
Vanuatu and Honduras
Pretty J, Guijt I, Thompson J and Scones I (1995): Participatory Learning and Action: A trainers guide, IIED
Kane,Thierno et al (2004): UNV Programme in Burkina Faso. Country Review
Mondesire, Alicia (2001): Support to Gender Mainstreaming. Report on Pilot Project. Project Document GLO/97/V03 for
UNV/UNDP/UNIFEM
Neighbourhood Initiatives Enterprises (1999): Planning For Real. A Users Guide
Randel, Judith et al (2004): International volunteering: trends, added value and social capital Development Initiatives for
Forum
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Returned Volunteer Action (1995): The Development and Volunteering Collection

leed included
Returned Volunteer Action (1995): Skills Transfer: Myth or Mission

Returned Volunteer Action (1989-90): Evaluation Questionnaire Survey covering the Overseas Programme of VSO and
CIIR
Rieffel, Lex (2003): Reconsidering the Peace Corps Policy Brief 127, The Brookings Institution. Article available at: www.
brook.edu/comm/policybriefs/pb127.htm
Roche, C (1999): Impact Assessment for Development Agencies, Learning to Value Change, Oxfam Development
Guideline
Skillshare International (2005): Corporate Strategy 2005-2010
Slagman, Trine Olsen et al (2005): Change Agents for Development. A study of individual and social results of the FK
exchange program Kulturell Dialog for Fredskorpset, Oslo
Smutylo, Terry (2005): Outcome Mapping: A method for tracking behavioural changes in development programs, ILAC
Brief 7, August 2005, www.idrc.ca/evaluation
Start, Daniel and Hovland, Ingie (2004): Tools for Policy Impact: A Handbook for Researchers Overseas Development
Institute, London
Tabapssi, Timothe (2006) : Enqute en vue de la mesure de limpact du tourisme et des activits des volontaires des
Nations Unies Sangha en Pays Dogon, Mali, VNU / PNUD
UNDP Albania (2005): The Role of Civil Society and Volunteerism in Promoting the Pro-Poor and Pro-Women Agenda
Chapter 8, National Human Development Report, www.worldvolunteerweb.org/mdgs/
UNDP (2005): UNDP Draft Evaluation Policy
United Nations Evaluation Group (2005): Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System
UNV (2001): Expert Working Group Meeting on Volunteering and Social Development, New York 29-30th November
1999
UNV (2001): Measuring Volunteering. A Practical Toolkit
UNV (2002): Volunteerism and Capacity Development
UNV (2003): Volunteers and the Millennium Development Goals, UNV, Civicus, IAVE
UNV (2005): Guidance note on the fundamental principles of participation in UNV, UNV Intranet
UNV (2006): Reports of the UNV Results Workshops for Bolivia, Cambodia and Mali
Volunteering Ireland (2006): Fact Sheet 20 Facts about volunteering in Ireland, www.volunteeringireland.ie
appendices
Appendix 5:
Acknowledgements
UNV Country Programme Coordinators:
Koen Acoleyn, Vietnam
Ruby Banez, Cambodia
Stefano Cordello, Syria
Fatou Ndiaye Diop, Kenya
Aidan Leavy, Guatemala
Hugh Salmon, Kyrzyg Republic
Gateane Scave, Bolivia

Sharmini Sherrard, Kosovo
Virginia Tumagole, Botswana
Abigail Wilmer, Mongolia
Paul Wilson, Indonesia
Salifou Yaye, Mali
Participants from pilot workshops (2006) in: Bolivia, Botswana, Cambodia, Guatemala, Indonesia,
Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Mongolia, Syria, Vietnam:
UN Volunteers Representatives from Volunteer Involving Organizations
Representatives from Civil Society Organizations
Representatives from UNV, UNDP, other UN Agencies
Government Representatives
FORUM Representatives:
Anne Gardner, Canadian Crossroads International CCI
Rachel Haynes, Skillshare International SKI
Russell Hocking, Australian Volunteers International AVI
Jessica Lowe, FORUM Coordinator
Ryuichi Nasu, Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers JOCV
Doris Popp, German Development Agency DED
Peter Swain, Volunteer Service Abroad VSA
United Nations Staff:

Edmund Bengtsson, UNV Evaluation Unit
Mae Chao, Research & Development, UNV
Ana Cristina Guimaraes Matos, UNV Evaluation Unit
Caspar Merkle, UNV Evaluation Unit
Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, Africa Section, UNV
Robert To, UNV Evaluation Unit
Katrin von der Mosel, UNV Evaluation Unit
Sukai Prom-Jackson, Evaluation Office, UNDP
Joyce Yu, Deputy Executive Coordinator, UNV
Online Volunteer: Anum Murtaza
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leed included
This handbook describes a methodology to assess the contribution of volunteering

to development, and to support learning amongst volunteers and between Volunteer
Involving Organizations (VIOs). The methodology supports the analysis of the effects
of volunteering at different levels, while answering the following key questions:

What contribution does volunteering make to development, and how?

What factors help or hinder the volunteering contribution?
What is the added value of volunteering?
How is volunteering perceived by stakeholders and partner organizations?
What lessons can be learned and how can they be used to enhance
development planning?
These questions are asked in a series of participatory workshops that are designed to
systematically reflect on results achieved and to share learning and experiences.
The handbook and CD provide practical guidance, exercises and templates to allow
tailoring of the methodology to your own requirements.
United Nations Volunteers, UN Campus, PO Box 260 111, 53153 Bonn, Germany
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A/S, ISO 9001/ ISO 14001 certified and approved CO2 neutral
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Assessing The
Contribution
Of Volunteering
To Development
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Handbook for UN Volunteers, Programme Officers and Managers

United Nations Volunteers

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN Organization

Assessing the Contribution of Volunteering to Development:

The methodology was piloted in twelve countries in 2006. Representatives from

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

PROGRAMME LEVEL ASSESSMENT PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOP...................................................................................... 32

SECTION THREE: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS.....................................................................................48

Who should use this handbook and how?

Good facilitation is key

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

How the handbook is set out

Section 1: Key concepts

Volunteerism for development

Section 2: The Assessment Methodology

Section 3: Additional approaches and tools

A word about jargon!

Volunteerism for development

Who should read this section?

Volunteerism for development

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

How does UNV define volunteerism?

How do volunteers define volunteerism?

Figure 1.1: How volunteers define volunteering

Types of Volunteers and Volunteering

Helping each other at harvest time

The Logical Framework Analysis (LFA) Approach

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

The advantages of using the LFA include the following:

The disadvantages of using the LFA are that:

It uses jargon and is not immediately user-friendly

The Logical Framework for Volunteering for Development

Table 1.1: A GENERIC LOGICAL FRAMEWORK

This is the higher level impact to

These are the wider changes

These are the direct concrete

This is what you do

E.g. Contribution to the Millennium Development Goals in

E.g. Contribution to National Development Goals in selected

No. of women/men/youths etc. trained

Table 1.2: WHAT CHANGES DO WE HOPE TO SEE? 1

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

Attitudes, Priorities and Institutional Development

Attitudes and approach

Relationships, awareness and commitment

Changes identified by volunteers.

Box 1.1: Suggested further reading and resources

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

What do we mean by gender?

Why is consideration of gender important to us?

Gender Mainstreaming in UNV. Alexandra Norrish. June 2006.

HOW VOLUNTEERISM CONTRIBUTES TO GENDER EQUALITY

Example questions to ask about womens participation and gender:

UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK

Box 1.2: Suggested further reading and resources

National Development Goals

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)

United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)

Millennium Development Goals

The cumulative contribution of volunteering

Box 1.3: Suggested further reading and resources

HOW VOLUNTEERISM CONTRIBUTES TO ACHIEVING THE MDGS