Frequently Asked Questions

• I am not sure what kind of Volunteer expert I need – there seem to be so many problems with my business that I don’t know where to start!

  Arrange a meeting with ABV’s In-Country Manager. If you have several problems to solve the ICM may recommend that ABV sends a Volunteer out for a short period to undertake a “scoping assignment”. During these brief “scoping assignments” (a week to a month in duration) the Volunteer will look closely at your organisation’s needs and may make a recommendation that a “program of assignments” is more appropriate than a single assignment (link to What We Do/Programs).

• How long will a Volunteer stay with my organisation?

  All ABV assignments are short-term. This means that your assignment (or each assignment which is part of a program) will probably be from about one to three months in duration (although assignments can last up to a year in length). Scoping assignments (if a Program is indicated) may be as short as one to two weeks.

• Do Volunteers bring their spouse and children on assignment? I don’t think we can afford to accommodate more than one person.

  Most Volunteers undertake assignments on their own. Some Volunteers travel with their partners and very few Volunteers travel with their children. This is partly because ABV Volunteers are generally older and more mature and their children are already grown up. Before agreeing to allow a spouse or children to accompany a Volunteer, ABV will check with the client to be sure it is convenient and also if extra family members can be easily accommodated. We also want to be very sure that the client incurs no extra expense. Clients are not expected to finance accompanying partners.

• What does an accompanying spouse do while the Volunteer is on assignment?

  Accompanying partners are responsible for filling their time. They may have useable skills and if so, local volunteering may be an option. Suggest they make contact with local schools, churches or community groups if they wish to volunteer their time and skills locally.

• Our village/organisation is very poor and we cannot afford to accommodate the Volunteer even at the most basic level. Does this mean that we cannot request a Volunteer expert?

  No. Contact the local ABV In-Country Manager. S/he will meet with you, assess your financial situation and make a recommendation.

• Next month an ABV Volunteer is due to arrive - but while s/he is here, I must travel away to attend a traditional family event. I will be absent from the workplace for some weeks.

  Brief absences of a day or so may be unavoidable. However, if you know you will be absent from the workplace for an extended period, consider delaying the start of the assignment. It is important that you (or a nominated counterpart) are with the Volunteer as much as possible during an assignment. If you delay the assignment start, remember that the Volunteer may not be available at a later time due to their own commitments.

• What does a Volunteer do in the evenings or on weekends when they are not with us in our workplace?

  All Volunteers need quiet and privacy so they can be on their own in the evenings and at weekends, to relax, read, catch up with washing, or explore the local area. Volunteers who are with a partner are usually quite happy to spend their spare time together and may travel away on weekends. However, Volunteers who are alone may become a little lonely or homesick – they will appreciate occasional invitations to join family dinners or outings. Consider giving Volunteers helpful local information about e.g. location of shops, churches, English language libraries and bookstores, cultural festivals, beauty spots etc.

• How much will the Volunteer know about my country?

  Volunteers are given a lot of information by ABV and are also expected to do their own research and reading about your country, history and culture before they arrive. The In-Country Manager is also expected to provide an in-country orientation within a week or two of the Volunteer’s arrival. However, depth of knowledge will vary considerably from Volunteer-to-Volunteer and most will appreciate you sharing information about your culture and traditions. Try to involve the Volunteer in local customs, festivals and family events if possible. Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity for Australians to learn more about your culture.

• Will the Volunteer be able to speak the native language in my country?

  It is unlikely that a Volunteer will be able to speak the local language in the majority of cases. Almost all Volunteers will have English as a first language. Please direct any questions you may have about language and translation issues to your In-Country Manager.

• Around how many Volunteers can I choose from? And if more than 1 is available for my project, what if I like them all?

  It depends how many Volunteers ABV has with the skills to match your request. We try to send you up to 4 CVs to choose from but sometimes it may be as few as 1 or 2. On rare occasions it is possible that we will not be able to find anyone to match your requirements. If you are having trouble choosing between the Volunteer CVs we have sent you, we encourage you to contact each of the Volunteers and discuss the assignment with them before making a decision. ABV Volunteers are aware you may do this. When talking to Volunteers please do not mention the other Volunteers as we like to keep their information confidential.

• Can I contact Volunteers directly before they come, or should all communication be directed to ABV HO?

  If you are having trouble choosing between the Volunteer CVs we have sent you, we encourage you to contact each of the Volunteers and discuss the assignment with them before making a decision. Once a Volunteer is selected we encourage the Volunteer and the client to be in touch about the assignment details. This helps the Volunteer to be as prepared as possible before they arrive. Any pertinent information should be copied to ABV Head Office or your ABV In-Country Manager or local agent.

• What if I am experiencing problems with my Volunteer? (e.g. conflict within the organisation, health/sickness issues of the Volunteer, Volunteer requests for equipment and/or staff participation that cannot be met)

  If you are experiencing any problems with your Volunteer you should contact the ABV In-Country Manager or local Agent as soon as possible.