PROJECT TRUST REPRESENTATIVE: AN OUTLINE OF THE ROLE
In this paper the Representative is referred to as ‘he’ but ‘he’ could equally be a ‘she’.
The role
The Representative is the local person looking after the volunteers in the field, the first person to whom they turn if things go wrong, and a link between Project Trust and what is going on in the country. In countries with a large programme Project Trust is setting up a system by which there is someone, paid by us, to help with the administration. We would see this as a part time post, with responsibility for the administrative side and to be a stand in for the Representative when he is away. This person could be either working part time in an office connected to the Representative, or from home with a computer and fax machine.
The personality
The Representative needs to be sympathetic to the eighteen year-old age group and with plenty of patience and a sense of humour. The Project Trust policy is to guide them as much as we can, but if they make mistakes, the Representative helps them get on their feet again.
How it is done
The tighter grip the Representative has, the more he sees or contacts the volunteers and the better his rapport with them, the more likely it is that problems can be solved. He can spot the first signs of trouble and help the volunteer through a bad patch more effectively. A good way to find out what is going on is to run a 48 hour induction course at the beginning or perhaps six weeks into the volunteers' year.
Some Representatives regularly telephone their volunteers: some rely on their volunteers keeping in touch with them.
Liaising with Project Trust is done through the desk officer, a staff member who will usually visit the volunteers once during their year. Any Representative who visits the UK and has the time is most welcome to come to either the Coll headquarters at Project Trust's expense, or to visit the London office.
Other responsibilities include:
- Advising volunteers in a national emergency
- Problems and emergencies: dealing with these and keeping Project Trust informed
- Insurance: knowing what cover there is and advising volunteers accordingly
- Finance: keeping accounts, claiming expenses.
- Employers: liaising with them, particularly over placement of volunteers and passing on various forms which might be sent from Coll
- Air travel: keeping air tickets safely
- Arrival and departure: making sure volunteers are met on arrival and that they get themselves safely to the airport on departure
- Visas: in some countries advising the desk officer on visas
- Staff visits: helping to organise PT staff visits
- Visiting volunteers in the field, once a year
- New projects: identifying new placements
He is not expected to (unless he wants to):
- Provide accommodation, telephone calls or meals at his own house
- Lend them money for their personal use
- Look after their parents, friends and relatives who might visit
- Communicate with their parents direct unless he wants to
Very important considerations include:
- Communication: the Representative needs to live or work in the capital city if possible, and needs to have access to e-mail
- A certain amount of detachment: he is not expected to be a professional counsellor, just a friendly, concerned parental type with common sense
Project Trust provides:
- A capitation fee of £120 per volunteer per year paid in two tranches (October and March)
- All expenses
- Back up and instant advice from Coll
- An emergency accident and illness service
- Accident insurance for the representative when he is visiting volunteers in the field
- Extreme gratitude: the representative is one of the most important people in Project Trust!
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