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Conference Report – December 2014 The inaugural UCDVO Conference titled “Making a Difference? Perspectives on International Volunteering in Higher Education” was held on Saturday 29th November 2014 in the UCD Global Lounge. The idea for this conference stemmed from a desire to create an interactive space for students in Higher Education, volunteer sending organisations and international partner organisations to engage in critical discussion about current practice in international volunteering. UCDVO approached a number of organisations working in the area of international volunteering, who have a particular focus on students in Higher Education, to gauge interest in the idea for a conference and to establish partnerships for the event. The response was extremely positive and the event was supported by UCD International, Concern Worldwide, Irish Aid, Comhlámh, Suas Educational Development, Campus Engage and Development Perspectives.

Planning for the conference formally commenced in August 2014 when a Conference Working Group

was set up. The Working Group comprised of representatives from UCDVO, Comhlámh, Suas

Educational Development and Development Perspectives. Three Working Group meetings were held

between August and October 2014 to decide on the conference objectives, speakers, logistics and

promotions. An online survey was also developed to gather feedback from stakeholders on the

conference content and to identify priority areas to be addressed through the event. Forty-two

responses were received and these were used to inform the conference terms of reference.

Objectives:

1. To engage students, volunteer sending agencies (VSAs) and host organisations in critical conversation about standards of international volunteering in Higher Education and its global impact;

2. To examine the links between international volunteering, development education, experiential learning, global citizenship and the connections to broader development frameworks;

3. To provide an opportunity to share models of best practice and discuss what stakeholders view as valuable for programme design, implementation and evaluation;

4. To influence policy and practice on international volunteering in Higher Education;

5. To determine a vision for the future of international volunteering in Higher Education.

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Conference registration opened on the 16th October 2014 and all partner organisations were

involved in promoting the event via social media, volunteer fairs, e-zines, flyers, posters and emails.

Comhlámh provided assistance for preparing a press release which was sent out to media contacts

on the 26th November 2014. The Irish Times responded and featured an article on the 28th

November titled “What’s the value of volunteering overseas?” UCDVO also did a radio interview for

a Galway-based student radio station Flirt FM. Travel stipends were made available for students

travelling to the conference from outside Dublin.

A total of 111 people registered for the conference and 70 people attended on the day. Attendees

included students, staff and graduates from nine Irish Higher Education Institutions, along with

representatives from fourteen organisations working in the area of volunteering. International

host/partner organisations’ perspectives were represented through the panel speakers, Jacob Islary

from Assam Don Bosco University in India and Sylvia Gavigan from The Children’s Education

Development Fund in Uganda. The majority of attendees had previous international volunteering

experience, but approximately 15 people had no prior experience. Prof. Mark Rogers, UCD Registrar

and Deputy President formally opened the event and welcomed the speakers and attendees.

Dr. Cliff Allum, CEO of Skillshare International gave the opening address which included an

exploration of the historical context of international volunteering and role of young people in

international development.

UCDVO Student Society members promoting the conference on the UCD campus

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Clare Mulvany facilitated the Panel Session which aimed to capture multiple perspectives on

international volunteering programmes. Speakers included Kate O’Donnell (Student Volunteer),

Jacob Islary (UCDVO Partner from Assam Don Bosco University, India) and Sylvia Gavigan (Children’s

Educational Development Fund and Honorary Consul of Uganda to Ireland).

After lunch, participants were divided into four groups for the workshops which provided space for

interactive discussion.

Workshops: 1. Principles of Ethical Volunteering, from preparation to practice [facilitated by UCDVO]

2. Volunteering, then what? [facilitated by Suas Educational Development]

3. Volunteering for a Better World: policies on International Volunteering at Third Level. What is the role for

students as advocates for ethical volunteering policy? [facilitated by Comhlámh]

4. Development Education through experiential learning [facilitated by Development Perspectives]

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Ruairí McKiernan, award winning social innovator, closed the event with an uplifting and

motivational speech.

Kate Morris from the Irish Universities Association provided an overview of the work of Campus

Engage. Kate highlighted some of the innovative and responsible community based learning and

research activities which are being carried out within Higher Education institutions, and the value of

volunteering to students for their personal and professional development.

Summary of Feedback

Twenty-six evaluation forms were returned at the end of the event. All aspects scored highly, with

12 people ranking the event “Excellent”, 11 ranking it “Very Good” and 1 person ranking it “Good”.

The main recommendations for future events included the following: more opportunities for

discussion; more contrasting views for stronger debate; different time of year; more representation

from the “higher powers” in universities; and discussion on social entrepreneurship as a follow-on

from volunteering.

Key Points:

The value of being a dreamer

Leadership – become our own leaders

Live the revolution

Consider The Hero’s Journey. We need to slay the dragon (again and again…)

Fear and vulnerability are OK, there is still hope. It is Ok to say you don’t know the way forward.

Community is the answer, restore the humanity, love, truth and justice

Use the internet but to create a new order or community

Professionalism is good but don’t forget the passion. Martin Luther King didn’t have a plan!

Questions raised throughout the day:

Do we have a one size fits all for international volunteering?

Is it patronising in its assumptions?

Rename to Reframe? – abandon term ‘volunteering’ for ‘mutual learning’.

Defining development. Should we let our own concepts of development go?

We need to look at inequality and beyond simple goals.

Our inherited assumptions have been proven to be profoundly wrong.

Until we challenge the policy makers that continue these paradigms, it will not change.

How can we ensure that development and the option to volunteer is open to students of all disciplines

UCD a Global University, what does this really mean?

Let’s push to make this about our role in global development. Beyond the books.

With India as a growing economy would it be better to have a volunteer exchange?

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Key Insights

Participants were asked to write down their key insights from the workshops on coloured pieces of

paper and return them at the end.

Value of learning through listening and sharing experience

It’s not an either/or choice between working in development or not. There are many ways to be involved in social justice

I learned about the UN Volunteer Programme

I learned that the process of being involved in development and affecting change is continuous and ever changing

Integrate Ideas of Global Justice into all aspects of your life – Be the Change!

Development is for life not just summer Develop Development Remembering that career decisions are

not forever, you can always change I want to use my volunteering experience

to influence my future path. I hope to continue to contribute to the community where I volunteered

Importance of peer support : Reminder that meeting people helps you solve issues in your own life

Support the post volunteer to amplify the value of their experience

We can improve how we measure and communicate what volunteers do to achieve development goals

Challenge resistance to change

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Graphic Harvesting by Eimear McNally www.makehandstands.com

More photos from the event are available via the UCDVO Facebook page.

Click here to view our conference video.

Further information:

Caroline O’Connor, Manager UCD Volunteers Overseas / caroline@ucdvo.org / 01 7168570