AT VSA we want to work with and support organisations who have a strategic, regional impact.
We look for opportunities to find common goals and co-create great partnerships that build on our strengths to meet development needs. We know that successful partnerships come about when partners have a good understanding of each other’s context, requirements, and capacity.
VSA can develop volunteer programmes that work for your organisation. We have shared commitment to good development practice and good governance, and can build off each other’s strength and expertise. We have skilled, flexible volunteers who can work alongside your staff in head offices, or in the field, to support capability building and delivery of key programmes. We offer cost-effective support and a proven volunteer programme.
We have volunteering partnerships with a range of regionally focused organisations, such as UN Women and SPC. Volunteers have worked on the Markets for Change programme, on geothermal projects, supporting women in politics, and climate change communications.
"I feel real ownership from VSA, that we’re in this together, and they really work to support our mandate… I’d say we have 20-30% more impact in our work because of the work of VSA volunteers.” - Aleta Miller, UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office
Together, VSA volunteers and regional agencies have made significant impact. For example:
- A VSA volunteer worked to build communications capability with UNDP Solomon Islands on the SIWSAP climate change adaptation project. He helped to produce communications material for the UNDP communications channel and assist the office to develop multimedia and new ways of communicating about climate change.
- The work undertaken by the UNDP Gender Governance Specialist has resulted in a women’s caucus being established in the Cook Islands.
- A VSA volunteer delivered training to local journalists in the Solomon Islands to increase effective engagement with the public. This has supported development for media work for the UN Peacebuilding Project.
- Advancing Gender Justice (Fiji) – a VSA volunteer was crucial in enabling Pacific Island Countries and Territories to complete their reporting under CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women).
- Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVAW) programme (Solomon Islands) – this volunteer supported the capacity of the Solomon Islands government to grow the EVAW programme.
- Markets for Change (Vanuatu and Solomon Islands) – volunteers played key roles in supporting the emergence of market vendors’ associations, enabling the economic empowerment of women.
- Climate Change Assignment (Fiji) - the volunteer’s work on climate change resulted in the main climate change development actors in the region such as UNDP, to start integrating gender into their own programmesas women are disproportionally affected by climate change, resulting in improved outcomes for women and children.
Interested?
To find out what your organisation could achieve through partnering with VSA, please get in touch with our dedicated Stakeholder Engagement here.