Vietnam s volunteerism and perspectives for foreign volunteers

Transcription

1 International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations Conference Singapore, 4 October 2010 Vietnam s volunteerism and perspectives for foreign volunteers Hoang Bang Giang Vietnam People s Aid Coordinating Committee

2 Situated in Southeast Asia Total land area: ,6 km² 63 provinces and centrally managed cities 86 Million people Bordered with China, Cambodia and Laos Hanoi as the capital city 54 Ethnic minority groups Economic growth during : Average 7 per cent.

3 Foreign aid modalities in Viet Nam o Foreign policy: an open, independent, diversification and multilateral foreign policy for peace, cooperation and development - to be friend and reliable partner to all countries for active participation in international and regional integration. o Multilateral and Bilateral, ODA pledge increase over the recent years: USD 4.45 bil (2007) USD bil (2008) USD bil (2009) USD bil (2010) 3

4 Foreign aid modalities in Viet Nam o Foreign aid by non-profit, charitable and development organisations (International NGOs): - Up to June 2010: Over 800 INGOs operate in Viet Nam as humanitarian, charitable, and development-oriented organisations, including International Volunteers Placement organisations from North America (Canada), 320 from Europe, and 120 from Asia Pacitfic

5 INGOs in Vietnam

6 Aid volume disbursed by INGOs (In million USD)

7 A historical view of Viet Nam s volunteerism o Hundreds of years under invasion o The most recent wars: with French colonists during 1854/1954, and with the US until o Armed conflicts against Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and with China in the 1980s

8 A historical view of Viet Nam s volunteerism o Years in wars and conflicts develop in Vietnamese a long-standing tradition of uniting, sacrifice and volunteering. o Major people s voluntary organisations formed during the 1930s and war periods: - The Viet Nam Fatherland front. - Women Union. - Youth Union. - Farmers Union. - Labourers Union. - Veterans Associations.

9 Characteristics of these organisations o Rooted from central to local (village) levels with active peopl s participation. q Maintain strong relations with government and influential to businesses and the society q Highly capable of mobilising and gathering people q Convene thousands of member organisations and millions of members nation-wide (Youth Union, Women Union and the Fatherland Front). q Continue to influence development work: Education, HIV/AIDS, community service, busniesses.

10 Recent developments promoting foreign volunteerism o The renewal and Viet Nam s opening-up to the world. o Quickly improving economic and social conditions, and commitment toward foreign partners. o Wave of international organisations during the 1990s and 2000s including 800 INGOs. o disbursement amount to 1 bil USD, 10-15% are volunteers contribution. o Hundreds of foreign staff, experts work with projects/programmes alongside Viet Namese beneficiaries and partners.

11 Recent developments o Thousands of foreign volunteers travel and stay in Viet Nam on longterm and mission basis. o Increasing level of interaction with Vietnamese organisations and communities. o Contribute to the emergence of Vietnam s new non-profit, voluntary sector.

12 Voluntering models adopted by international organisations o Development-oriented: Volunteers are placed to work for development projects. - Selected and sent based on local needs and country priorities such as the MDGs, education and health development priorities. - Many volunteers work with INGOs.

13 Main voluntering models o Capacity building: Volunteers are placed to work with Vietnamese organisations and institution, NGOs to improve their organisationsal capacity and their service delivery, including research, teaching for foreign languages and trainings. o Often they are graduates, mid-career, experienced and professional volunteers.

14 Main voluntering models o Humanitarian missions: short-term, trip-based volunteers to do social work, summer activities, charitable medical missions, or community services. o Often, they are graduates, interns and retired volunteers.

15 Main voluntering models o Diaspora volunteering: Young and retired Vietnamese living overseas return and contribute their time, expertise, donate money and assets to assist poor and vulnerable groups. (With over 3.2 milln Vietnamese living overseas diaspora voluntering is becoming more trendy)

16 What s seemingly absent from volunterism in Vietnam o o o o A long-term strategy for cooperation with foreign volunteers, resulting in weak faciliative conditions, clear-cut policies, insufficient responsibility local host agencies, clearly defined needs for voluntering resources by sectors, areas and plan of development. Less attraction to high skilled business and management foreign volunteers. Good coordination of host agencies at central and local levels to support volunteers. Few long-term development projects designed towards foreign volunteers for more visible impacts of voluntering.

17 Local volunteer coordination by needs o o o o o Ministry of education and training: host volunteers working at colleges, universities and training institutions. Ministry of Health: hosts volunteers working at hospitals, medical colleges/universities and training institutions Ministry of Social affairs: hosts/coordinates volunteers in HIV/AIDS, vocational training and social protection. Women Union, Youth Union, community social organisations host/coordinate volunteers in community work, women empowerment and network development projects, teaching of foreign languages, and implement development projects in health, education, and disaster relief and relief of war problems. Local governments: faciliate community development projects and voluntary humanitarian missions.

18 Major challenges to foreign volunteers o o o o Fragmented (rather diversifying) structures for both domestic and foreign volunteerism (being complemented by a Vietnam Volunteer Resource Centre a joit project between VN Youth Union and UNV). Volunteers frustration encountering extreme circumstances such as people with disabilities, victims of agent/oranges, and danger of landmines, bombs contaminated areas. Dangerous traffic, big city pollution and bureaucratisation. Limited resources of the local host agencies

19 What attracts foreign volunteers to Viet Nam

20 Attractions to volunteers o Peaceful country with natural beauties and hospitality. o Young, dynamic population (40% of people born after the war). o Volunteerism as a channel for people-topeople relations for Vietnam. o International voluntering is highly recognised by the government and people (e.g through the promotion of INGOs, including int l volunteers organisations).

21 o On-track country with promising development opportunities (competitive business, jobs, resonable and good living conditions). o Issues and much needed volunteering to address: Poverty: 12 per cent of population. Heavy war consequences: People with disabilities, Agent orange/dioxin, unexploded ordnance and land toxic chemical contamination. Extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, and impacts of climate change. HIV/AIDS and epidemics

22 What Viet Nam believes in international volunteerism?

23 o Build and promote understanding and expand people-to-people relations. o Enhance peace, solidarity and friendship. o Effective mobilisation of ordinary people, civil servants, military, politicians and communities in social development processes.

24 o Educate young generations of their social responsibility. o Raise business ethics of Vietnamese in form of a growing public-businessprivate partnership. o Contribute to the development of Vietnam s newly emerging non-profit, voluntary sector (with thousands of Vietnamese social, development orgs, NGOs establised in the recent time.

25 Some pictures

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29 Thank you!