Some NPOs arrange reunions for volunteers who have given their time over the years. It's fascinating to see the age ranges of those who journey back to the organisations where they spent time – up to six decades earlier – testimony to the long established culture of volunteerism.
Organisations should offer volunteer opportunities on their websites (in the same way that they would advertise paid positions). They should also provide assurances as to the safety of volunteers. They are not responsible for difficulties their volunteers may get into in their own time. They should, however, provide as much 'peace of mind' information as possible (mainly for their families), such as the availability of safe, affordable accommodation, transport, health and other essential local information. For instance, Brits are spoilt by having entirely free medical services via the National Health Service (NHS). Volunteers must be advised on purchasing travel insurance, including medical insurance, ahead of their trips, as it is not possible to arrange this after departure. Parents and families want assurance that their youngsters will be safe. Although few South African NPOs are able to provide accommodation for volunteers, as much advice as possible, ahead of time, is invaluable.
Be aware of South African/UK visa requirements and restrictions. British volunteers are only allowed 90-day visas. What options are there? (Most longer term volunteers visit neighbouring countries as part of their southern African experience and then return to South Africa for another three-month volunteering stint. What help can the organisation provide potential British volunteers in securing visas? Some countries are reticent to provide volunteer visas as they (wrongly) believe that the foreigner will be taking away a local job. If possible, create a user-friendly process of using volunteers on an ongoing basis; the long-term benefits certainly make it worthwhile.
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Jill Ritchie

Papillon Press
Jill Ritchie has over three decades of fundraising experience and has written 28 books, 20 on fundraising. She specialises in advising on the raising of money from the UK for organisations outside of Britain. Jill has worked with well over 1 000 non-profits and in particular, universities, in southern and South Africa.
Jill chairs the UK Fund for Charities (UKFfC) that enables UK donations worldwide She is also the founder and chair of the SA-UK Trust Network (SA-UKTN), supporting UK fundraising for non-profits throughout sub-Saharan Africa. www.sa-uktrusts.org.uk She serves on the boards of the Tutu Foundation, UK and iZinga Assist. Jill is also a former council member of Tshwane University of Technology, the South African National Museum and the New York based Global Sourcing Council.
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