Thai volunteers need to learn from other nations about art of disaster relief

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Thai volunteers need to learn from other nations about art of disaster relief
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE wave of volunteer spirit has been growing in Thailand since the 2004 tsunami. Yet Thais still need to learn a lot from countries with well-established and well-connected volunteer networks.

In the UK, for example, volunteer organisations have solid relationships and enjoy good management systems too.

Katie Turner, a global research and advocacy adviser to Britain's Voluntary Service Overseas, spoke at a recent conference on volunteerism in Thailand, saying: "We are more fortunate."

Held at Dhurakij Pundit University, the conference brought in experts from Thailand and various other countries to share views and experiences.

Nantinee Malanon, from Volunteer Spirit network, said volunteerism had caught on firmly in Thai society since the tsunami ravaged coastal provinces in December 2004.

"And the volunteerism trend gained further momentum when big floods hit the country in 2011," she added.

Despite these good signs, she had concerns about the trend, saying the growing number of volunteers did not come with an increase in quality.

"From our survey of 10 Thai volunteering networks, eight revealed that the most problematic issues they faced were the lack of new volunteer trainers," Woradul Tulalak, freelance researcher, said.

According to a preliminary research, there have been some unwanted or unnecessary |volunteer projects. And most |were implemented without any fol

low-up study to assess impacts.

The situation is much different in the UK, the speakers said. There, volunteer centres operate at the local level to advertise local volunteer opportunities, to recruit and train volunteers for volunteering networks.

Turner said: "We are quite lucky in the UK. We have a lot of NGOs which recruit volunteers and often take responsibility in the organisations for mobilising, recruiting and training their volunteers.

Quite often, NGOs will individually invest in providing training and mental support for volunteers."

She said her organisation was capable of sending youth volunteers from the UK to do voluntary work in 25 countries. Their jobs included serving as English teachers or voluntary medical staff. The main aim of the organisation was to tackle poverty and inequality in Third World countries.

At the government level, there was an official agency to examine the outcome of voluntary projects in the area for two years, which helps measure the success of projects.

In regard to the promoting a volunteer's spirit, International Association of Volunteer Effort president Akiko Seto from Japan suggested that encouraging volunteerism should start in schools. Volunteer activities were on the curriculum of higher education institutions in Japan, so students can experience volunteering through "service learning".

"Students provide the major volunteer group in Japan. For example, the International Volunteer University Student Association alone has up to 2,300 members from many universities," Akiko said.

About maintaining a volunteering spirit after a student has graduated and started work, she said everyone had to earn a living - but suggested that in the |workplace, there were also volunteer opportunities such as through company Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.

"There is the likelihood that graduates who have worked on a volunteering project tend to help CSR efforts in their workplace more than the others," she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-volunteers-need-to-learn-from-other-nations-a-30260849.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-25

[noitom]

The Japanese is correct. Thais have no culture of giving and/or volunteerism. Thais need to think about their character here and start to demonstrate that they are on board with the rest of the world.

[lujanit]

I am convinced that there are many expats who live here and would volunteer if the red tape was cut. This business of having to hold a WP to volunteer is almost shameful as it tells expats that 'we don't need your help, we know it all'.

However it is also true that a sudden influx of 'volunteers' can be detrimental to the cause especially in the case of a natural disaster. Untrained people can often do more harm than good regardless of their intentions. Young people are sometimes full of enthusiasm yet have no experience in any area of volunteering or any particular discipline. Training is essential although often not possible in the case of an emergency.

Many expats living here have a wealth of experience in many fields and would volunteer if the WP crap was relaxed. One poster in a recent thread on the subject of volunteering came up with what I thought anyway was a brilliant idea, to endorse a Non-O extension holders (retirement/marriage etc) allowing the person to freely volunteer wherever they wished.

I am not convinced that Thailand needs to learn from 'other countries' totally. They need to look first at the untapped talent regardless of origin that already resides here.

[Strangebrew]

The problem is those that can can't because it would be seen as work. And we wouldn't want to take a job from some lazy Thai that can't do the job.

[DGS1244]

I think there is a mix up between NGO volunteers and disaster relief groups, they are not the same function. NGOs etc. are normally well trained and can operate in very small groups sometimes only one or two people at a given location. Disaster relief has two functions, one the initial response for rescue etc. and two longer term help to local bodies etc. NGOs quite often remain for long periods of time, sometimes years, emergency disaster relief groups may only be in-country for just a few days helping out.

[Lupatria]

That won't work as they are already busy to master the art of disaster.

[Chicog]

emergency disaster relief groups may only be in-country for just a few days helping out.

Well from my experience in 2004 the "big" disaster relief groups were about as useful as a foreskin in a jewish nudist camp.

[pogal]

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Edited May 25, 2015 by pogal