Pre-Departure Information
Pre-Departure Information
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When a Volunteer is selected for an assignment, ABV provides a large amount of pre-departure information, including country strategies, country profiles, maps, and advice in case of medical emergencies or evacuations etc.
New Volunteers are also invited to telephone a more experienced returned Volunteer for an informal chat about the country. This is a good opportunity to ask all sorts of questions about practical matters like banking, food, shopping, transport and social activities.
Additionally, soon after arrival in-country, all Volunteers are given an orientation to the country by the ABV In-Country Manager or one of their agents. This provides an opportunity to ask questions about any matters of concern.
However, ABV Volunteers are mature people and we expect them to undertake their own research prior to leaving Australia. There are numerous guides, websites and maps available for all the countries in which we operate. There are several books in libraries or bookshops which provide information about the history, politics, economics and cultures of each country.
In-Country Managers (“ICMs”) are under contract to ABV and while they are available 24 hours a day in cases of emergency, they work only part-time for ABV and are usually busy with other activities, often running their own businesses. While ICMs may occasionally initiate social occasions for Volunteers, this is not an official part of their duties and should not be relied upon. Volunteers need to be pro-active in filling their leisure hours which may include attempts to meet other ABV Volunteers or Volunteers from other international Volunteer organisations.
A list of other ABV Volunteers in-country, and their contact details, will be provided prior to each assignment. On rare occasions Volunteers will be in isolated areas where there are no other Volunteers close enough to visit, and where language may create a barrier to socialising with local people. This can be personally very challenging and Volunteers should arrive with books, music, writing materials or other entertainment which can be used during their leisure time.
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