Volunteer reflection - United Nations Volunteers

VOLUNTEER TOOLKITYOUR ASSIGNMENT AS A UN VOLUNTEER . 1Volunteer Reflection

ForewordVolunteer Reflection: is a practical guidance on how to encouragereflective thought both at the individual and collective level on what itmeans to be a volunteer. The tool is part of a Volunteer Toolkit, whichcontains eight (8) volunteer management tools: The Volunteer Toolkit hasbeen developed to support the implementation of UNV ProgrammeStrategy 2011- 2013,more specifically to enhance the effectiveness ofvolunteer management and the skills of UN Volunteers to become goodadvocates of Volunteerism for Peace and Development.The Volunteer Toolkit is to be disseminated and/or made available to UNVolunteers over the course of their volunteer assignment. The objective isto ensure that UN Volunteers (POs, other international UN Volunteers,and national UN Volunteers) can benefit from each tool at the relevantstage of their assignment: Pre-assignment; Support during assignmentand End of Assignment.Front Cover: National UN Volunteer Larry Zalave, UNV Water and Sanitation Officer with UNICEF,provides technical advice to displaced families living in evacuation camps in the Philippines (UNV,2009).

4 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONBackground for the volunteer reflection toolkitWith the adoption of its corporate andstrategic plans, UNV 1 is strengthening thepromotion of volunteerism for peace anddevelopment and is focusing onembedding UNV mandate and strategy atall stages of the volunteer managementcycle. This is achieved through thedevelopment of specific volunteermanagement tools and instruments.Changing culture or ‘the way we do thingsaround here’ needs to be driven towardsthe outcome, i.e. the promotion ofvolunteerism for peace and development.To this end, UNV has been monitoring itssupport culture and fine-tuning1. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UNorganization that promotes volunteerism to support peace anddevelopment worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the paceand nature of development and it benefits both society at largeand the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace anddevelopment by advocating for volunteerism globally,encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism intodevelopment programming, and mobilizing volunteers.adjustments to tools, policies and supportstructures. Attitude and policy change canreinforce each other and lead tobehavioral change, and at the same timethis can also feedback to reinforce provolunteeringattitudes and policies.UNV has been making efforts to help allUN Volunteers gain a deeperunderstanding of the impact ofvolunteerism on peace and development,to enhance the volunteer spirit and feelingof belonging to the UNV programme, andto have richer volunteer experiences. Inorder to achieve this objective, differenttools have been developed to support UNVolunteers during their assignments. Onesuch tool is the Volunteer ReflectionToolkit.The purpose of reflection is to guide UNVolunteers to see things from differentperspectives, to promote ways in which

BACKGROUND FOR THE VOLUNTEER REFLECTION TOOLKIT . 5they can learn from their volunteerexperiences, to recognize theircontributions to development and peace,and to help them grow as a person.Volunteers all over the world explore andanalyze their thoughts and actions, andtry to find the meaning behind theirvolunteer efforts. In the words of one UNVolunteer:“[Reflection] is a very good process and Itotally support it. During the last 15months … I have been following a similarprocess. However, I didn’t have the timeand effort to document [the process] inwriting or in a certain format. I wish I hada template so that I could document it.”UNV Field Units are encouraged to collectand collate results from volunteerreflection activities and share with UNVHQ on a regular basis.The Volunteer Reflection Toolkit shouldenhance the volunteer experience byencouraging the use of reflective thought inorder to maximize learning, and to providea framework for those volunteers who feelthey need more structure or ideas in orderto do this. This self-directed Toolkit hasbeen designed with all UN Volunteers inmind. It is modular, so each stage of thetoolkit can be used independently. Themodules focus on the beginning, middleand end of the volunteer assignment. Ithas been designed to complement othertools, such as the End-of-AssignmentManual. Many practical activities aresuggested in the Toolkit that can help UNVolunteers think deeply about the meaningof their assignments and actions.Examples of the activities include starting ajournal, meditating and writing an actionplan. These activities can be carried outindividually or in groups (during briefingsessions, retreats or annual meetings).

6 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONBuilding volunteer identity through reflection:Why reflection?“Learning without thought is labor lost.”Confucius, Chinese Philosopher (551-479 BC)What is reflection? Reflection is a way tothink deeply about our actions so that wecan be even more effective in the future.Most of the time, we are very busycarrying out our tasks for our hostorganizations. Reflection is an opportunityto stop for a moment, and take the time tothink about our volunteer contribution.Reflection uses creative and criticalthinking skills to help you prepare for,succeed in, and learn from your volunteerexperience. It will give you a chance toput your volunteer assignment into thecontext of the larger picture andunderstand the impact of yourvolunteering.Why reflect? Volunteers everywhere areasking themselves questions such as‘How does my commitment fit into thelarger picture?’, ‘What has changedbecause of my actions?’, ‘Has this beenworthwhile?’, etc. Reflection is exactlythis: the process of thinking critically aboutour experiences and actions in order tolead to new understanding. This isimportant for volunteers. It helps yougenerate new ideas, gives newperspectives on things, helps you to growas a person and ultimately can improveyour outputs. At different stages of anassignment, reflection can help you tofocus on questions that are specific to acertain point in time. Some examples arequestions about cultural integration orpreparation for future opportunities.How do I reflect? Reflection can happenthrough writing, speaking, listening,reading, drawing, acting, etc. Many moreideas and examples are given in Appendix1 and 2. This Toolkit is designed for selfdirectedlearning, but self-directed doesnot mean solitary. Self-direction impliesthat you take charge of your own learning.You will need to find the resource peopleand tools necessary to meet your needs.Phases of Reflection: Reflection is anongoing process, and is part of learning.The learning that you do, the questionsyou ask, and the steps that you take willprompt you to ask more questions.

8 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONPhases of reflectionPhase 1: Start of the AssignmentReflection at the start of your UNVolunteer assignment can help you toconsider your expectations for theassignment, to think about whatchallenges and learning opportunities youmay have, and to develop a plan of actionthat is realistic and well informed. It is anopportunity to think about whyvolunteerism is important and how it is animportant part of your assignment.Some activities are given here. There aremore examples in Appendix 1, if you wantmore ideas:1. Discussion: Try to talk with othervolunteers, colleagues, family members orwith other people you trust about what youexpect will happen during your volunteerassignment. Try to discuss things thatappear to be obvious, because manyassumptions or stereotypes are mistaken.Consider writing down your discussionsfor the future so you can use your notesfor planning, or to look back at later.2. Write a Letter to Yourself: In thisexercise, you will write a letter to yourself.The letter can talk about how you feelright now, how you would like to feel later,what you would like to achieve and why,an issue that is important to you, orsomething that you want to change in theworld. You can write about anything really!The purpose of the activity is to show howthinking about the future can help guideyour current actions. This letter is just foryou to see, so try to be as honest aspossible. When you have written theletter, date it and put it in a sealedenvelope in a safe place.3. Sit and Be Thoughtful: Reflecting thisway can be done as a part of a group orindividually. Well known examples are tomeditate or to participate in religious ortraditional ceremonies. The activityinvolves sitting quietly and giving oneselftime to think, breathe, and be. Try trainingyourself to make one activity per day a‘thoughtful one’. For example, take amorning cup of tea in a quiet spot andconcentrate on how it feels to drink thetea. Or spend 10 minutes before bed eachday clearing your mind of the day’sevents. The purpose of the activity is tofocus your thoughts and energy in onearea such as what you achievedyesterday, what you would like to dodifferently in the future, and what youwant to do today.

PHASES OF REFLECTION . 94. Start a journal: Journal writing canfocus on one particular topic, or caninclude all ideas you have- it is up to you.You can make entries and updates asoften as you like. Adding drawings andphotographs is optional. Althoughjournaling can feel awkward at first, youwill probably start to look forward to theopportunity to collect your thoughts eachday. As an additional benefit, a journal canserve as a very special memento of thetime spent at your volunteer assignment.(Click here for an example)5. Practice activities that increase focusand energy: Examples are walking,running, going to the gym, doing yoga ortai chi, or any other physical activity thatencourages you to free your mind ofthoughts and worries. Take this time tofocus on one topic or idea that you wantto think more deeply about, and use it asa personal time to explore. For allactivities, keep in mind the securitysituation at your assignment location.6. Write an Action Plan: After looking overyour Description of Assignment (DoA),and having your initial briefing with theUNV Field Unit and your supervisor, try towrite specific, realistic actions that youplan to take during your assignment.Include ways that you can promotevolunteerism for development in yourassignment. Try to think of concrete waysof how mobilizing, promoting, andadvocating for volunteerism can help youto get the job done and make it a moresatisfying experience in the process.The format of this action plan is flexible.(You may be asked to write a plan for yoursupervisor, but do not duplicate yourefforts if you do not need to). A plan cancover planned actions, ways to monitorprogress, target dates, who isresponsible, time commitments, etc. It issuggested that you provide a copy to yoursupervisor as well as to the UNV FieldUnit so that they can comment andprovide support in specific areas. (Clickhere for an example)7. Write a Personal Learning Plan: Avolunteer assignment has opportunities tolearn formally and informally. To make themost of these learning opportunities, it issuggested to create a plan of yourlearning objectives. Items that you maywant to plan for are language learning,cultural integration, personal developmentcourses, etc. It may be useful to thinkabout this in terms of the skills, talent,knowledge and strengths you alreadypossess, those that you would like toacquire, and what you could do to helpyou achieve these. For personaldevelopment, you may want to speak with

10 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONyour supervisor in order to find out whatareas s/he feels are most important andwhere you might get the budget toundertake the learning.8. Prepare for Integration to theOrganization and Culture: Changinglocations, responsibilities, andorganizations can be very exciting, but itcan also be stressful and cause anxiety.You may have these feelings regardlessof whether you have moved a lot in thepast. It is important to take the time toreflect on what the changes mean to youand to think about some of the ways youcan prepare for them. A new culture ororganization has ideas, systems, andtechnologies of their own. You will need todiscover these and become accustomedto them. The process of adjusting to anew culture is known as ‘culture shock’.The people around you will have to adaptto you as well. Openness, respect forlocal knowledge, and curiosity areimportant in this stage.Some suggested exercises are:■ If security permits, do a neighborhoodwalk-through, and ask: What is that?Why is it used? Who uses it and when?Etc.■ Organize an excursion of national andinternational UN Volunteers in the homevillage of national volunteers wherehe/she can show local culture andcustom to build strong relationship witheach other.■ Organize the gatherings with nationaland international volunteers in informalmeetings/lunches/coffees/cinema toenhance cohesion.■ Take on a ‘buddy’, or a person who youfeel comfortable asking culturalquestions, from within your organizationor neighborhood. Ask them culturalquestions or inquire about localbehaviors. How you choose your buddyshould also be culturally appropriate.■ Make use of opportunities to meetcommunity members and talk to them.Discuss their ideas, inspirations andaspirations. What would they like tochange in their community and is itpossible that you do something togetherto bring positive change to thecommunity?■ Reflection on culture. Some questionscould be:■ How does my home culture orprevious organizations in which Ihave worked or volunteered influencehow I react to my host organization orculture?

PHASES OF REFLECTION . 11■ What personal strengths andweaknesses do I have in terms ofgetting settled into my new location?What do I expect to find easy?Difficult? And, why?■ What do I expect to find challenging?Has there been something alreadythat confuses me? Did I do somethingthat produced a reaction I didn’tunderstand?■ How will I continue to perform well atmy volunteer assignment while I gothrough this emotional time?■ How will I introduce my home cultureto my hosts?■ There are many ways to integrate intothe host organization or culture- useyour imagination. Generally, it isrecommended to do activities that youenjoy. Maintain a sense of humor andan interest in learning, withoutworrying about making mistakes.(Click here for an example)Tips and guidance on how to adapt to anew culture and how to recognize andmanage stress are included asappendices. (Click here)Phase 2: Half-way Through theAssignmentThe half-way point of your assignment isan excellent time to think about what youhave done, consider what you havelearned, and think about how you havechanged. You can use this time to come upwith new ideas, to look at your learningplans, or to change the way you have beendoing things. You may choose to changeyour actions in areas that were not been assuccessful as you had hoped would be.Some possible activities for reflection atthe mid-way point are:1. Review your Action Plan: An action planis only effective if it is used to help guideyour activities. It is useful to review theplan and see where you have been doingthe most work. Use the notes made in yourjournal or elsewhere to monitor yourprogress against the plan. This is a goodtime to speak with your supervisor and toensure that you are meeting his or herexpectations of the assignment.If you find that you are not doing anyactivities directly in the area of socialdevelopment or peace-building, or do notfeel like a volunteer, you may want to askyourself what you can change about yourassignment. Other reflection questions are:■ What have I learned from being avolunteer?

12 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTION■ How has volunteerism been expressedin my assignment?■ I am a volunteer. In what ways is mebeing a volunteer important to theobjectives of the assignment?■ What challenges have there been tovolunteerism in my assignment?■ Why is volunteering important todevelopment and peace?■ In what ways has my volunteerassignment contributed todevelopment/peace? Be specific andgive concrete examples.■ How has my volunteer experiencechanged me and those around me?By going through some of thesequestions, you may be able to come upwith some clearer ways to integratevolunteerism into your personal plans. Formore reflection questions, see Appendix 4.2. Review your Personal Learning Plan:A review of your personal learning planwill highlight which learning objectives youhave achieved and which have beenneglected. You may notice that there arelearning objectives that you originallyforgot in your plan, but now realize areimportant. Revise the plan and budget.3. An After Action Review is a discussionor review of a project or an activity thatcan enable you and other individualsinvolved to learn for themselves whathappened, why it happened, what wentwell, what needs improvement, and whatlessons can be learned from theexperience. Lessons learned are not onlytacitly shared on the spot by theindividuals involved, but can be explicitlydocumented and shared with a wideraudience. After Action Reviews are anexcellent basis for, and often feed into, thedevelopment of Lessons Learned papers(see below).What are the benefits of After ActionReviews?After Action Reviews are an excellent wayof reviewing an activity or a project in asystematic way and allowing you tocapture the main strengths, weaknessesand lessons. Learning can be capturedbefore a team disbands, or before peopleforget what happened and move on tosomething new. Despite the name (‘afteraction’), they do not have to be performedat the end of a project or activity. Rather,they can be performed after an identifiableevent within a project or major activity,thus becoming a live learning process inwhich lessons learned can be immediatelyapplied. Conducting regular After ActionReviews throughout your volunteer

PHASES OF REFLECTION . 13assignment can help you to trackprogress, correct unintended impacts andensure planned results.4. Lessons Learned Papers synthesizeevaluations and reports, good practiceand comparative experiences intoconcrete studies of your work. They allowyou, and UNV, to reflect on past practiceand provide concrete recommendationsfor improving UNV’s performance in thefuture. Lessons Learned papers from UNVolunteers and UNV Field Units aregenerally short one or two pagers onindividual projects or specific activitieswithin a project. Lessons Learned paperscan result from conducting After ActionReviews. In general, Lessons Learnedpapers work best when they are casespecificand limited in scope.5. Continue the Activities From theBeginning of Your Assignment or StartNew Ones: Look back to some of yourearlier writings, drawings or activities andthink about how these activities havehelped you in your daily life. Do you nowlook forward to your reflection activities?Do they meet your needs? Now is theperfect time to change activities if youwant to. If you want new ideas orinspiration, look at Appendix 1.6. Open the Letter to Yourself: If you didthis exercise, now is the time to find theletter you wrote to yourself and open it.Use the opportunity to see how you havechanged, how your ideas have changed,whether you are on target with your goals,etc.Phase 3: End-of-AssignmentThe end of the assignment can be filledwith emotions- both ups and downs- andfilled with ideas of what will happen nextin life. Reflection is useful in order toprepare you for the upcoming changes.More information on the process of endingyour assignment is given in the End-of-Assignment Handbook. The VolunteerReflection Toolkit complements thisinformation.Possible activities for reflection are:1. Personal Reflection: There will be manyquestions that will fill your thoughts at thisstage of your assignment. These can beaddressed through your journal, throughreflective thought during meditation orexercise, through discussions with friendsor family, etc. If you would like some ideason how to express yourself, see Appendix1. Some reflection questions are listedbelow. You will probably go over more orless questions depending on yourpersonal needs. As well, your answers will

14 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONprobably not be ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but oftenreflect a complex mix of feelings that aresomewhere in between. Examples are:■ As a result of my volunteeringexperience, do I have a betterunderstanding of my role as citizen andas a volunteer in my home community?How do I intend to use this experienceto be active in my home communityafter the assignment has finished?■ How have I benefited from my volunteerexperience personally/academically/professionally? In what ways? Listsome concrete achievements.■ Did I make an impact on those aroundme? How so and on whom?■ Did I mobilize other people to volunteeror teach anyone about the benefits ofvolunteerism? Are there any concreteresults from this?■ What social need, challenge, or publicissue have I given the most thought andenergy to this year? Why was this issueimportant to me? Will I continue toadvocate on this issue when I finish myassignment?More examples of reflection questions arelocated in Appendix 4.2. Final Review of your Personal ActionPlan: The end of assignment is anexcellent time to sit down with your actionplan, take stock of your concretecontributions to peace and development,and to put explanations against anyobjectives that you simply could not meet.If this final review is done with yoursupervisor, it can serve as the basis for afinal performance review and competencybased letter of reference. Use the notesmade in your journal or elsewhere toprepare for this meeting, and make surethat you give your supervisor advancenotice that you would like his or hercomments on your performance as avolunteer.3. Planning for What is Next: The end ofyour assignment is an important time andthere will be many decisions for what iscoming up next. The first choice is likely tobe where you want to be. Will you gohome, stay in the location of assignmentor move to a totally different location?Then you will need to choose whether youwork, study, volunteer again, take asabbatical or go on vacation.To help you visualize your options, youmay want to do brainstorming or a ‘mindmap’ (see Appendix 2 for an example).You will need to think about yourstrengths, weaknesses, priorities and past

PHASES OF REFLECTION . 15experiences. Before making a finaldecision on what is next, you may want toconsider what your motivations andinterests are, and how these havechanged over the course of your volunteerassignment. It is interesting to considerwhat you do want in the next phase ofyour life, but also what you don’t want todo.Once you have decided what comes next,things will move more smoothly if youhave a plan. Break tasks into small,workable pieces, and create a timelinewith a corresponding budget if necessary.This can serve as your roadmap towardsachieving your next goals in life.4. Preparing for the End-of-Assignment:If you return home at the end of yourassignment, there will be a re-adjustmentto the life, culture, family and friends thatremained behind. The stages of reverseculture shock are covered in the End-of-Assignment Handbook. Most people thinkthat going home will be an easy or happyevent. Although going home can behappy, this transition implies manychanges and challenges. Many factors willinfluence how this transition affects you,but reflecting and planning ahead willlikely smooth the transition or at leastprepare you for what to expect.The following reflection questions mayhelp prepare you for this process.■ Have I changed over the assignment?How do I expect that my loved ones willhave changed? Have there been majorfamily events that I have missed ordecisions I will need to take when Ireturn (for example family illnesses, aclose friend moving away, etc.)?■ Have things that are important to mechanged?■ How will I describe my volunteerexperience to my family or friends?■ Will I need my friends and familysupport me (financially, with room andboard, emotionally)? If so, for how long?Is this realistic?■ Going home will not be perfect. Can Ianticipate five things that will bother meabout being home? Five things I expectto enjoy? What will I miss about beingon volunteer assignment?■ There may be a time of feelingdisconnected, lack of motivation ordepression after I return to my homeculture. Have I ever had feelings likethis before? What will I do if thesefeelings come up? Does reflection help?

16 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTION■ Do I have a plan ready for what I want todo next? In what ways can I include myvolunteer experiences into my life plan?■ How will I stay in contact with my hostculture or community? Do I have waysthat I can teach my home culture aboutmy host, or otherwise bridge the gapbetween the two?5. Share Your Lessons or Your Story: Oneof the amazing things about the UNVfamily is that there is a huge group ofpeople volunteering towards the samegoals. The stories, lessons, anddocuments that come from yourexperiences can help other volunteers. Ifyou find that there are lessons or storiesthat come out of your reflection, pleaseconsider the following:■ Share photos, stories, project documentswith your UNV PM or PO. The PM/POwill link with the UNV CommunicationsUnit at headquarters, the UNDP PublicInformation Unit, with local press andwith volunteer networks in othercountries. If you need help gettingstarted with your article writing, trylooking back at your journal and some ofthe photographs you have taken. Forstep by step guidance, you can searchonline for ‘how to write an article’ andmany sites will come up.■ Think and write 5 little stories (funny andinteresting) from your volunteerexperience to tell your family and friends.■ Collect 5 interesting photos or mementosfrom your volunteer experience to sharewith your family and friends.■ Prepare a list of your friends in thecountry/place of assignment and writethem an email summarizing the bestmoments you had during yourassignment.■ Upload your documents onto the WorldVolunteer Web atwww.worldvolunteerweb.org/tools/contribute.html. The World Volunteer Web is awebsite for information and resourceslinked to volunteerism. These can beused for campaigning, advocacy andnetworking.See suggestions on how to write a story inAppendix 2.Phase 4: After Returning Home“Less ‘former’ and more ‘forever’volunteers”Former UN Volunteer, 2007.Reflection does not need to stop at the endof your volunteer assignment. Ongoingreflection can help you to clear yourthoughts and feelings over the long-term.

PHASES OF REFLECTION . 17You may find yourself exploring how youwill talk about the competencies yougained whilst volunteering, and yourpersonal definitions of volunteerism, socialengagement, development and peace.Some exercises for reflection are:1. Personal Reflection: In order to think ofways that you can continue to have apositive effect on peace and development,or to think of ways that you can makepositives changes through volunteerism,consider the following questions:■ What did I enjoy about volunteering?■ What did I not enjoy, or will I avoid inanother volunteer experience?■ How can I transfer what I have learnedduring my assignment to my homecommunity?■ How can I encourage people to volunteer,advocate for volunteerism or integratevolunteerism into my day-to-day life athome? Can I still give my time, will Iencourage other people to volunteer, ormaybe will I donate money or expertise toan organization that supports volunteers?■ Do I have little time to volunteer? If so, isthere a place where I can go with mywhole family to volunteer, can I volunteeronline, or do a volunteering ‘holiday’,where I plan my annual leave around aspecific project?■ What areas of the world or topics areimportant to me? (This can help to yourefine what type of opportunities mightsuit you).■ Are there simple things in I can do in myown community? Can I recycle, helpclean up a park, be on theparent/teacher committee, etc? All ofthese are important to the localcommunity.2. Discussion: You may find it useful todiscuss your move, your experiencesabroad and the stresses of moving homewith family and friends. This may helpthem to understand what you have livedthrough and put them in a position to bestsupport your needs. Or, you may prefersuggesting that they read about reverseculture shock on the internet or from othersources (for example, the End-of-Assignment Manual that has beendeveloped by UNV). If they cannotunderstand what you have lived through,try connecting with other people who havelived in a second culture or who are activein areas that are related to peace anddevelopment.3. Continue to write: After starting to write,it is likely that you will continue to becomfortable writing. A personal journal, anarticle for UNV, a blog are some options.See examples given in Appendix 2.

18 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONAppendicesAppendix 1: Designing a GroupReflection ActivityThere may be opportunities to do portionsof the reflection activities as a group -perhaps through a retreat organized byyour UNV Field Unit, a UNV workshop,annual meeting or in another venue.Some tips for designing a reflectionactivity highlighted below:■ Have an outcome in mind (i.e.leadership, team building, improvedcritical thinking, or acknowledgement).■ Check this outcome against the learningexpectations of the participants(particularly important with adultlearners).■ Decide on the method and tools to beused. Take into account people’scomfort levels with the topic and theirpreferred ways to communicate (i.e. is agroup setting appropriate?). Plan waysto ensure that the group activity occursin a safe and democratic way.■ Be appropriate for the team (language,culture, organizational setting, etc.).■ Be targeted for the appropriate stage inthe experience (beginning, middle,end). Note that different types ofreflection activities may be appropriateat different stages of the volunteerexperience. For example, case-studiesand readings can help volunteers in thepreparation stage.■ Be directly linked to the project orexperience or some other commonality(i.e. volunteerism, organization,profession).■ Dispel stereotypes, address negativeexperiences, increase appreciation forsocial needs, improve understanding ofthe role volunteerism plays in peaceand development, and increasecommitment to service.■ Be well facilitated and organized formaximum participation, creativity, andlearning■ If possible, actively involve the servicerecipients in order to make the sessionwell informed and inclusive.■ Reflection activities can involve reading,writing, doing and telling.■ Reflection activities most often involvepresenting ‘open’ questions, or thosequestions that cannot be simplyanswered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

APPENDICES . 19Examples of activities that can be used fora group reflection activity:Grow Model (pg.29), After Action Review(pg.35), Country Office Blog (pg.39), CaseStudies (pg.41), Sculptures and Murals(pg.43), Project Programme Timeline(pg.44), Visionary exercises (pg.46), DeBono’s Six Hats Exercise (pg.48), andKolb’s Learning Styles (pg.50).The following are some sessionapproaches that may be used duringreflection sessions:■ The What?/So What?/Now What?approach. This structure for reflectionquestions is perhaps the most widelyknown and used. It is a basic way topromote discussion that begins withreviewing the details of the experienceand moves toward critical thinking,problem solving, and creating andaction plan. It involves the followingprocess:■ What?: Describe what you do as aUN Volunteer (descriptive, based onfacts)■ So what?: What is working? What isnot? Why? What is missing? Howdoes it feel? Who is being effected?How am I being affected? (shift fromdescriptive to interpretive)■ Now what?: How may I continue tochallenge myself? What can beimproved? How does being a UNVolunteer contribute to the MDGs?How can UN Volunteers promotevolunteerism? (seeing the big picture;applying lessons learned/insightsgained to new situations setting futuregoals; creating an action plan)■ Reflection circle. Rules of the circlegenerally are that each participant has aright and an opportunity to speak, everyidea has value and can contribute tolearning, individual contributions arerecognized and participants areresponsible for their own learning. Inthis methodology participants areseated in a circle, with the facilitator(s)seated along with them. Facilitatorsshould not be separated out by standingup or speaking at a podium. A reflectionquestion is posed by the facilitator andparticipants are encouraged to respond.Good facilitation is crucial to effectivefull group participation.■ Focus group discussions. This tool issuitable for a session discussing issue/srelevant to the group. This may involveabout ten (10) to fifteen (15)participants. This will require onefacilitator and documenter. The role ofthe facilitator is to guide the discussion

20 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONto the specific issue/s identified. Aquestion checklist may facilitate theconversation within the group.■ Story telling. This tool involves theprocess of free flowing sharing ofexperiences and perceptions ofindividuals about a topic or issue. Therole of the facilitator is to focus thediscussion to the issue and process andsynthesis the ideas generated.■ Case Study. This will involve sharing anumber of cases as a focus fordiscussion. As a reflection tool, it will bepossible if a number of volunteers canshare their experiences on a topic andserve as a case study for the session.■ Brainstorming. This involves sharingideas and eventually coming up with oneconcrete through for discussion. This toolis usually followed by another method.■ Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunitiesand Threat (SWOT) Analysis. This toolassesses both the internal and externalfactors affecting an issue. It diagnosesthe strength and weaknesses of anactivity or issue and the opportunitiesand threats.■ Dreams Release or Visioning. This toolasks more on “what the participantswanted things to be in the future”. This isa good tool in objective setting anddeveloping way forwards.■ Drama, Role Play or SimulationExercise. This tool will help participantsexpress their thoughts and perceptionabout an issue in their own creativeway.■ Timeline or Historical Trends. This toolfacilitates documentation experiencesand events that happened in the past asbasis for discussion and reflection.■ Most Significant Change. This toolsaims to discuss and share the mostimportant changes- both positive andnegative. This aims to generate lessonslearned and good practices fromexperience and as input to setting wayforwards.■ Impact Flow Diagramming. This iscommonly known as a cause and effectexercise. This focuses on discussingwhat were the factors that caused andcontributed to the current situation. Thediagram could alternatively be used tounderstand or map out the relevantpeople that were involved during thevolunteering experience.■ Use of quotes or other motivationalstatements to generate thought anddiscussion.

APPENDICES . 21Appendix 2: Questions to StimulateVolunteer ReflectionThese questions are designed tostimulate volunteer reflection both for agroup and as an individual activity.Examples of activities that can be used forindividual reflection include: journalentries (pg.19), beginning of assignmentmatrixes (pg.20), articles (pg.31), Poems(pg.33), middle of assignment matrixes(pg.34), Personal After Action Review(pg.36), writing lessons learned paper(pg.35), photos (pg.40), Personal Timeline(pg.44), and Mind map (pg.45).If you want to continue your reflection orare trying to plan a group meeting forreflection, following are additionalreflection questions:■ What motivated me to become a UNVolunteer? Write down why you firstbecame interested in volunteering, howyou chose this organization to volunteerwith and what your expectations ofvolunteering were.■ How does my UNV assignment buildupon previous volunteer experiences?■ How am I perceived by family/colleagues/local community/hostagency as a UN Volunteer? In whatways have these perceptions changedduring your assignment?■ Have I been able to identifyvolunteerism aspects of myassignment? What did I do about theseaspects or because of them?■ If I could change something about myproject or volunteer assignment, whatwould it be? How would I do it? Can Ido this?■ Is there anything I wish I had knownbefore I started my volunteerassignment? How would this knowledgehave been useful? Is there any way Ican give this information to incomingvolunteers?■ What social need is my UNVassignment helping meet? How am Iworking towards this? Does this relateto the achievement of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs)?■ Do I think my volunteer activitiesbenefited me, my family, myorganization, local society, etc.?■ Has my understanding of volunteerismfor development changed? Why? How?■ Should everyone volunteer? If yes, howcan I encourage other people to do so?■ Make a list of the competencies usedand learned during the volunteerassignment. How will I apply these to adifferent volunteer assignment or to ajob?

22 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTION■ What values, opinions, and decisionshave I changed through my actions?■ Since becoming a UN Volunteer, do Ifeel that it is more important to beinvolved in peace or development in myhome community? Will I continue to bea volunteer for peace or developmentafter my UNV assignment?■ How is UNV different from other UNagencies?■ What is the difference between work ora job and volunteering or service?■ How do I answer those who say thatvolunteers are cheap labor or that I amnot really a volunteer because I amreceiving an allowance?■ How does being a UN Volunteer differfrom being salaried staff in my hostorganization? What are the positive andnegative differences? How can Istrengthen the positives?■ As a UN Volunteer, what can I do topromote volunteering?Appendix 3: More ways to reflectThere are infinite ways to reflect- andeach person within every culture will havetheir own particular style. Here are somesuggested ideas. These are simply thestart to your possibilities:Write:■ personal journals■ group journals■ fictional stories■ articles (newspaper, journals)■ poems■ essays■ letters (to the editor, to family, to friends,to oneself)■ music lyrics■ blogs■ case studies■ SWOT analysesMake:■ collages■ posters■ photo compositions■ videos■ displays

APPENDICES . 23■ sculptures■ scrapbooks■ murals■ timelines■ impact diagrams/mind mapsDo:■ painting■ sewing or weaving (blankets, clothingfor those in need, remembrance quilts)■ cooking (to remember the ‘flavor’ ofwhere you are, to be able to share withthose in need or those around you)■ gardeningBe:■ visioning exercises■ meditation■ take “5” (minutes to just reflect)■ yoga■ walking■ tai chi■ prayer■ soul searchingRead:■ articles about volunteer service or yourduty station, etc.■ books related to development, peace,security, the location of assignment, etc.■ fiction■ poetry■ travel guides■ reports about the projectTell:■ discussions or presentations■ debates■ songs■ presentations■ skits■ dances■ question-and-answer sessions■ interviews■ musical performances■ radio spots■ talk with family, friends or colleagues■ tell stories■ running■ going to the gym

24 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONAppendix 4: Examples of ReflectionToolsJournal EntriesA journal is a visual record of yourexperiences. By definition it includes somewriting, but how much is dependent on you.It usually takes at least 3 weeks to developa habit of writing a journal, so it is suggestedthat you journal regularly for a period ofthree weeks to start. After this, take sometime to reflect how it is working for you. Howto write a journal is described here:1. Find something to write on (a notebook,scrap paper, a journal, your computer).Whatever you have on hand is fine, buttry to pick something that suits you (forexample, if you dislike disorganization,avoid loose sheets of paper, or if youalready spend many hours at thecomputer, try a different format).2. Choose a time of day to write when youwon’t be interrupted by others. This canprove a difficult task. Make a point ofbeing alone to write in your journal. Makesure you have a comfortable place towrite. You may enjoy the privacy of yourown room for writing, or a busy cafe.Sitting in the same place to write can helpyou get into the right frame of mind forjournal writing.3. Date your entry. When you look back atyour entries later, you’ll be amazed justhow useful having an entry date can be.4. Start writing. Just write whatever comesto mind. You may need a journal prompt.Try using some of the reflection questionsoutlined here.5. Be creative. Try different techniques,such as lists, collage, drawing, othervisual styles, or whatever takes yourfancy. Your journal is a place to expressyour thoughts and emotions. Forget therules and what others expect. Play withideas and use your journal for your ownbenefit.6. Stop writing, expressing, or creating atsome point. Decide on a time or pagelimit, when your materials run out or justwhen you feel you’ve written all that is onyour mind.7. Reread what you’ve written, if you can.Either read it directly after making theentry or set aside a time to read your pastentries. There is much to gain fromrereading your journal entries.8. Make a commitment, to yourself, to writeregularly. While daily entries are ideal,there’s no limit to how often you shouldwrite in your journal. Just make it regular.You gain some benefit in writing a singleentry, but the greater benefits remains inmaking a habit of writing in your journal.(Adapted from www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Journal-Entry)

APPENDICES . 25An example of a journal entry is given here:Oct .19 Entry #5 New Insights, NewPeopleMy perception of life has changed sinceI started this volunteer program. TheFood Run has shown me reality and theother sides of life. Through the FoodRecycling Program, I get to experienceteamwork, charity, and suffering.Working together and talking to othervolunteers and cafeteria workers allowsme to form a team with others and atthe same time, allows me to developfriendships. Charity is seen through thedonation of time of the volunteers and the food given to the soup kitchen. I am so gladthat there are so many people willing to donate their time to help others.Every Wednesday as we arrive at the soup kitchen, I always see this one man on thesidewalk with his same pair of worn-out shoes and same raggedy, plaid shirt. He is sittingthere like there is no hope in life. As we are unloading the food, I always look over at him,smile, and say, "Hi sir. How are you doing today?" He always smiles and replies, "Thanksfor asking ma’am. I’m trying to get along, but doing just fine." For some, it is easy toignore the homeless, but when you see the same man or woman sitting on the side ofthe street week after week, you take the initiative to see how they are doing becauseignoring them is impossible. The Food Recycling Program has helped me realize whatlife is all about and has helped me appreciate life more. Through working with the FoodRun, I have developed new qualities as well as new friendships. I really enjoy the time Ispend each week volunteering and helping others.Sample Journal Entry from www.psych.uncc.edu/cdfernal/3480jrnl.html

26 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONFinally, you can be even more artistic, including photographs and drawings

APPENDICES . 27Beginning of assignment matricesAction Plan, Learning Plan, Cultural Integration and Stress ManagementThese matrices link to the beginning of assignment section, and may be useful to leadyou through making an action plan, setting your personal learning goals, or preparing forcultural integration. They can be used during the initial briefing sessions or handed out bythe UNV Field Units for individual reflection. If the matrixes are handed out for individualreflection, it is advised to come back to them when drafting the Volunteer’s work plan.Volunteer Reflection Toolkit: Action Plan (On Arrival)Objective:Use this form to answer questions such as:What are my personal expectations for the assignment?How can I prepare for the common challenges in volunteering?How can being a volunteer and volunteerism help me to meet theobjectives of my assignment?Date Prepared:What are my personalobjectives for the assignment?Where can I link volunteerismto these objectives?How will I achieve them? Howwill I incorporate volunteerism?What is the timeframe?What resources are needed?

28 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONVolunteer Reflection Toolkit: Personal Learning Plan (On Arrival)Objective:Based on your personal goals, what learning objectives would you likemeet over the course of your volunteer assignment?Date Prepared:What personal learningobjectives do you have?What is the planned courseof action?What is the timeframe?What resources are needed andwhere could they come from?

APPENDICES . 29Volunteer Reflection Toolkit: Supporting Cultural Integration (After Arrival)Objective:Reflect upon critical incidents that happened in the first weeks of theassignment so as to identify effective coping strategies/social supportnetworks and understand perspectives on international development andshifting views of the self.Date Prepared:How did you deal with the situation?What action did anyone take thisweek that you found to beaffirming or helpful?How do you view yourself this weekin relation to internationaldevelopment and your contributionto promoting volunteerism forpeace and development?What are the most importantinsights that you realized aboutyourself this week?

30 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONCultural Integration: Adjusting to aNew EnvironmentWhen you move to a new location, theremay be a radical change from theperspective and way of life you are usedto. This can lead to feelings ofdisorientation. This feeling is commonlyreferred to as ‘culture shock’. ‘Culture’ isthe new way of life to which you are beingexposed and ‘shock’ is your physical andemotional response to the differences.Everybody experiences some form ofculture shock. The difference is in thedegree of shock which individualsexperience. For some it is a matter of afew weeks before the feeling ofdisorientation disappears, while othersmay never get over what can be a painfuland difficult experience. At this stage, twothings are important to keep in mind:■ You are a UN Volunteer and have amission to be completed, a pledge tothe society you are working in, and aconcrete task to accomplish, which isthe main reason for you to be here.■ The price you and your family memberswill pay for adapting to different smells,climate, language, traffic conditions,levels of wealth or poverty and otherpossible signs of cultural differences, isincomparably lower than the personalgains this process will give you.Demonstrating cultural humility is vital tointercultural interaction. It is one way thatwe may become more conscious of ourbehavior, as opposed to operating on“auto-pilot” when interacting with people. Itnecessitates new ways of thinking:openness to new information, a rejection ofexisting stereotypes, and an awareness ofperspectives other than our own. Empathyhelps you to be more aware of how otherswould like to be treated, from their ownperspectives, and act accordingly.It is possible to achieve interculturaleffectiveness. Practicing patience, selfawareness,humility, humor, demonstratinga readiness to learn to unlearn,questioning your existing behaviorpatterns, coping with uncertainties andsearching for commonalities betweendifferent perceptions are all a part of thisprocess.Tips on Ways to AdjustIt is important to remember that cultureshock is a normal, healthy psychologicalreaction. It signals that you are learningsomething new about the local culture.Culture shock can be a period of selfassessmentand cultural learning. Movingbeyond culture shock puts you on the pathto becoming “inter-culturally fluent”, or atease in the new culture. Because cultureshock is a sign that you are beginning to let

APPENDICES . 31go of your home environment and engagewith a new culture, the appropriateresponse is to know how to manage thestress and the consequences it causes.Engage In Physical and Mental ActivitiesRather Than ‘Running Away’It depends on the individual but regularactivities like physical exercise, meditationor relaxation techniques, or keeping ajournal can help. Once you have settledinto your accommodation, you may wantto engage in new activities or start a newhobby (in accordance with security andlocal context). Renew subscriptions toprofessional journals and other periodicalsthat interest you or read books. This willkeep your mind and body occupied andwill help overcome boredom.Seek Support Rather Than ClosingYourself Off From OthersFind out about various groups, whichshare your interests, your ideals or yourreligious faith. Get involved in theiractivities. This will act as an entry point toknowing people who share your valuesand will provide much-needed support.Create Stability Zones to Bridge Homeand Local CultureIf you spend most of your time totallyimmersed in your new culture you maybriefly want to retreat into what can becalled a ‘stability zone’, or an environmentthat closely resembles home. 1 Thesephysical or mental zones might includemeeting compatriots, listening to music orwatching a movie in your native languageor eating familiar food.Establish New Support Systems RatherThan Pining for Old FriendsFeelings of isolation can be intense whenyou are far from friends and family.Having someone to talk to, someone youfeel you can call in an emergencysituation or a baby-sitter with whom youcan leave your children may ease yourfeeling of isolation. Do not be afraid ofgetting to know someone who belongs toyour culture, who is of similar age, or whohas similar interests and try to establish agood relationship with him/her.Appreciate Cultural Differences RatherThan Stopping ExploringYou are in a new environment and in adifferent culture so don’t shut it out. This isa golden opportunity for you to experienceanother culture. Not many people get thisrare opportunity. So make the most of thisopportunity to enrich your life. The keyhere is to appreciate the differences andlearn to empathize.1. Adler, N. International Dimensions of OrganisationalBehaviour, 2002

32 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONLearn the Local LanguageIf you are in a location where you do notknow the local language, it is a sign ofrespect and cultural awareness to learn atleast a basic level of the local language.These sentences can be the introductoryand final salutations, a sentence thatapologizes for your inability to speak thelanguage and the correct way to say“thank you”. Do not be afraid of trying tocommunicate. Even if you make mistakes,the local population will appreciate theeffort and this will help you in establishingtrust and in establishing an entry point intothe new culture and context. 2Stress: Recognizing the Signs andHow to Manage ItIn the field, it is likely that you willexperience a degree of stress. Three aredifferent levels and types of stress, all ofwhich should be taken seriously andaddressed to prevent ‘burn out’.■ Basic stress: adjusting to climate,country, language, food, new colleaguesand boss■ Cumulative stress: Cumulative stressresults from an accumulation of variousstress factors.■ Traumatic stress: a critical incident, e.g.war, disease, witness of deathRecognizing stressIt is important that you are able torecognize stress in yourself, and in others.The most common signs of stress include:Physical symptoms: overtiredness,diarrhea, constipation, headaches,abdominal and back pains, sleepingdisorders, appetite changes.Emotional signs: anxiety, frustration, guilt,mood swings, undue pessimism oroptimism, irritability, crying spells,nightmares, apathy, depression.Mental signs: forgetfulness, poorconcentration, poor job performance,negative attitude, loss of creativity andmotivation, boredom, negative self-talk,paranoid thoughts.Relational signs: feeling isolated, resentfulor intolerant of others, loneliness,marriage problems, nagging, socialwithdrawal, antisocial behavior.Behavioral changes: increased alcohol,drug and/or tobacco use, change in eatinghabits or sexual behavior, increase inrisky behavior, hyperactivity, avoidance ofsituations, cynical attitudes.2. Adapted extract from the ‘Culture and Culture Shock’ sectionof How Do I Fit In? (UNV, 2009). To learn more about cultureshock, please refer to this publication.

APPENDICES . 33Collapse of belief systems: feeling ofemptiness, doubt in religious beliefs,looking for magical solutions, loss ofpurpose of life, needing to prove self-worth,cynicism about life. 3Tips on stress management1. Identify the sources of stressStress management starts with identifyingthe sources of stress in your life. To identifyyour true sources of stress, look closely atyour habits, attitude, and excuses. Until youaccept responsibility for the role you play increating or maintaining it, your stress levelwill remain outside your control.Think about the ways you currentlymanage and cope with stress in your life.3. Managing Stress in the Field, IFRC, 2001Are your coping strategies healthy orunhealthy, helpful or unproductive?Unfortunately, many people cope withstress in ways that compound theproblem, such as smoking, drinking toomuch, over or under eating, withdrawingfrom friends, family and activities orlashing out at them.2. Learn healthier ways to manage stressIf your methods of coping with stressaren’t contributing to your greateremotional and physical health, it’s time tofind healthier ones. There are manyhealthy ways to manage and cope withstress, but they all require change. Youcan either change the situation or changeyour reaction. When deciding whichoption to choose, it’s helpful to think of thefour as: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.Change the Situation:Avoid the stressor, e.g. if aparticular person causes stress inyour life and you can’t turn therelationship around limit the amountof time you spend with that person orend the relationship entirely.Alter the stressor, e.g. express yourfeelings instead of bottling them up.Change Your Reaction:Adapt to the stressor, e.g. takeperspective of the stressful situation.Ask yourself how important it will be inthe long run, one month, one yearfrom now?Accept the stressor, e.g. don’t try tocontrol the uncontrollable, rather thanstressing out over them focus on thethings that you can control such as theway you choose to react to problems.

34 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONIt is very important to make time for funand relaxationSet aside relaxation time. Include restand relaxation in your daily schedule.Connect with others. Spend time withpositive people who enhance your lifeDo something you enjoy every day.Make time for leisure activities that bringyou joy.Keep your sense of humor. Thisincludes the ability to laugh at yourself.Exercise regularly. Physical activityplays a key role in reducing andpreventing the effects of stress. Maketime for at least 30 minutes of exercise,three times per week.mask the issue at hand; deal withproblems head on and with a clear mind.Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuelsyour mind, as well as your body. Feelingtired will increase your stress because itmay cause you to think irrationally. 4Basic principles of stress control in thefield to remember:■ Emotional reactions are normalresponses to abnormal situations■ Every individual has a unique way toexperience stress disorder and torecover from it■ Emotions control is everybody’s ownpersonal commitment■ Stress control is the head of themission’s responsibilityEat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodiesare better prepared to cope with stress.Reduce caffeine and sugar. Thetemporary “highs” caffeine and sugarprovide often end in with a crash in moodand energy.Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs mayprovide an easy escape from stress, butthe relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or4. Adapted material from the online stress management guide:http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

APPENDICES . 35Volunteer Reflection Toolkit: How do I integrate volunteerism for peace anddevelopment into the assignment? (GROW Model) 1This exercise would be best carried out during a general meeting or retreat as itenhances the sharing experiences and maximizes peer learning.Date Prepared:Objective:G-Goal:R-Reality:The GROW model is a simple yet powerful framework that helps you bothto reflect on your goals and to put them in action.After your initial briefings, this tool could assist you to reflect on how tointegrate the promotion for volunteerism for peace and developmentinto your assignment 2 . The goal, as referred before, is to promotevolunteerism for peace and development during your assignment.Your Goals should be as specificand measurable as possible:How will you know that you haveachieved that goal?What are the expectations of others?Who else needs to know about the plan?How will you inform them?In order to analyze the currentsituation you could ask yourself:What has been stopping youreaching your goal?Do you know anyone who hasachieved that goal?What can you learn from them?1Adapted from: Deans, Fran and Oakley, Louise, Praxis Paper No. 14: Coaching and Mentoring for Leadership Development in CivilSociety, January 2006, p9 (www.intrac.org/pages/PraxisPaper14.html) by courtesy of Fran Deans, former UNV PO in Albania.

36 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONDURING YOUR ASSIGNMENT . 36O-Options:W-Will:Once you know where you are andwhere you want to go, the next stepis to explore the options you havefor getting there:What could you do as a first step?What else could you do?What would happen if you didnothing?To change and improve performance,motivation is necessary. The desiredoutcome from this stage is acommitment to action. The followingquestions can guide you:Where does this goal fit in with yourpersonal priorities at the moment?What obstacles do you expect tomeet? How will you overcome them?How committed are you to this goal?What steps do you need to take toachieve this?2Promoting Volunteerism for peace and development includes the exploration of potentialof community-related work for UN Volunteers to maximize UNV’s contributions such as:■ Community out-reach■ Social inclusion activities■ Build capacities of communities, NGOs, civil society■ Build volunteering-based partnerships■ Promote national volunteering by communities■ Engage in volunteering activities■ Share personal volunteering experience

APPENDICES . 37Writing an ArticleYour perspectives are valuable. They maybe recorded as personal stories told inyour own words. Articles explain programsand projects more formally. Here followsome tips on the profile of a good article:1. Is personal and human – it tells a storyabout what you really do. For example:■ An overview of your typical daily work;■ Stories about special moments;■ Challenges faced and overcome;■ Quotations are very useful too – ifsomeone says something particularlyapt or striking, try to write it down.2. Has an ‘angle’ – it mentions an event, amilestone reached, an achievement, ananniversary or something. For example,for UNV purposes you would want to:■ Look out for distinctive contributions todevelopment (e.g. towards the MDGs)or ways that volunteerism or volunteershave supported peace anddevelopment3. Remembers the people who are goingto read it. These people may not know allthe technical details, so we have toexplain them simply and clearly.4. Gets the details right. Don’t forget tocheck:■ The spelling of names (people andplaces)■ Exact job titles■ Names of host agency, stakeholdersand partners■ Recipients of the programme, etc.■ Get contact details so you can follow uplaterSome open-ended questions to answerare Who, Where, When, Why, What,How?■ Describe the work / project you aredoing…■ who does it benefit and involve?■ where does it operate?■ when did it start?■ why is it important?■ what does it involve?■ how do you do it?■ What are the main highlights,outcomes, achievements andchallenges?■ How does your work contribute topeace and human development?

38 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTION■ How does the project impact women, orhow are women involved?■ How do you:■ improve access to opportunities andservices?■ improve the delivery of services?■ increase inclusion and participation indevelopment?■ mobilize citizens?■ Finally, is there anything else you’d liketo add that you think is important orgives a particularly good example of thethings discussed above?An example of a story is given below:www.unv.org/en/perspectives/doc/addressing-biodiversity-through-technology.htmlADDRESSING BIODIVERSITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGYby Naji Sakhita, 22 May 2008Damascus, Syria: The climate is in constant change andwhoever watched the movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' by AlGore knows what we are going through and what the worldis facing in the next few years. This was the main reasonbehind my application to become a UNV volunteer.My specialization may seem to be more theoretical and myduties might be far away from the typical image ofvolunteering – but I am still a volunteer. I am an Information Technology Volunteer,and I work to engage people in environmental issues through the means of thesetechnologies.Technology is often seen as a main factor in environmental degradation, butthrough our project we try to publicize environmental challenges and raiseawareness among youth and the public about climate change through our nationalclimate change website: www.inc-sy.org.

APPENDICES . 39The environment is something related to each one of us, it is the thing that gathersus together as brothers and sister of humanity. It is the environment that carries usand gives us the reasons to survive. When I was a child, my father taught me aproverb: "Treat people the way you like to be treated". But I see that ourenvironment gives us the best while we burden it with the worst.Volunteering is not a career, but it is a curriculum and a culture we must continue tospread. The people of Syria are known as extremely hospitable; volunteering is inour traditions and is one of the deep rooted principles of our culture that we mustrevive and teach to our neighbours, friends, and family.I believe that together we can make a difference. Just like trees standing next toeach other make a forest, we accomplish more when we stand together for a cause,like we did on the tree planting day.When I first applied to UNV, I never expected to have this family atmosphere. Thework with the UNV Programme team has taught me lessons of fraternity andenriched my volunteer spirit, which is also what I felt during the planting activity onthe UN forest day. We have been working, planting and sweating together and I amso glad that with each tree that we put in this dear soil, our smiles were reflectedfrom the earth to our lips.Proverb: "Treat people the way you like to be treated". But I see that ourenvironment gives us the best while we burden it with the worst.

40 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONPoemPROUD TO BE A VOLUNTEERA Poem by Cristian Mazzei, UNV Civil Affairs Officer in Fort Liberté, Haiti9 December 2006: English Translation, fromwww.unv.org/en/perspectives/doc/proud-to-be-a.htmlIn my mind the face of a childits eyes lost to the horizona life without future.A woman with no way of feedingher child that she holds close to herbut without hope.The hands of a man asking for breadand the pain of a hunger that gives no rest.I feel the misery, the sufferingand the cry for helpwhich perturbs my nights and gives me no peacePeace, the world still needs Peace.I feel the indifference of people,who have abandoned these people.The desolation of this land that my steps now walk on.How can one still remain passive before this outcry?How can one close his eyes before so much pain?

APPENDICES . 41I have chosenI have chosen not to ignoreI have chosen to be a VolunteerTo put my life to the service of others.To leave my own land, to leave everything,To go where there is more need for meLiving to help others, to give joy oreven only a smileTo help others, It is the most beautifulthing in the world,there is no doubtIt does not cost anything, you cannot sell it, you cannot buy itIt is free, you can give it without expecting to be rewardedThis is the essence of a VolunteerBut what pushes me to do all this?The smile of a child who plays thoughtlesslyThe joy of a mother who can nurse her little oneThe happiness of a father who can work and still believe in a future.Happiness, thanks to my actionThis is the reward that one can haveI am happy and proudI have chosen to face reality,although uncomfortable, and to reactI am proud to be a Volunteer.

42 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONMiddle of Assignment MatricesAction Plan, Learning Plan Review, After Action Review and Lessons Learned PaperThese matrices can guide you on the review of your work plan or your learning plan.These matrices can be used either in mid-term review sessions or handed out forindividual reflection.Volunteer Reflection Toolkit: Action Plan (Mid-Assignment Assessment)Objective:Looking at your Action Plan at the midpoint of your assignment allows youto ask yourself:What have I done so far towards my personal objectives?What challenges have I encountered?What is the way forward to achieve my personal objectives?Has volunteerism been promoted in my actions?Date Prepared:What were your plannedpersonal objectives?What about this went well? Why?What did not go well? And, why?How can I move forward?

APPENDICES . 43Volunteer Reflection Toolkit: Personal Learning Plan (Mid-AssignmentAssessment)Objective:To look at what personal development has occurred so far? Is yourlearning in line with your original personal objectives?Date Prepared:What were your planned personaldevelopment objectives?What actions did you take towardsyour objectives?What else do you think you need tomeet your objectives?What resources are needed andwhere could they come from?

44 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONHow to conduct an After Action Review(AAR) 5AARs can be grouped into three types:formal, informal and personal. Althoughthe fundamental approach is essentiallythe same for each, there is some variationin how they are conducted. Formal AARstend to be conducted at the end of amajor project or event (learning afterdoing). They require some preparationand planning, but are not difficult as theytake the form of a simple meeting.Steps and tips for successful formalAARs include:STEP 1: Call the meeting as soon aspossibleAARs should be conducted as soon aspossible after the event, whilst memoriesare fresh, participants are available, andwhere appropriate, learning can beapplied immediately.regarded as an equal participant andjunior members of the team should feelfree to comment on the actions of seniormembers. Establish this atmosphere oftrust by setting group rules, ensuring arelaxed atmosphere and removing theteam from the work environment.STEP 3: Appoint a facilitatorIdeally a formal AAR should be facilitated.The main job of the facilitator is to helpthe team to learn by drawing out answers,insights and previously unspoken issues;to ensure that everyone has anopportunity to contribute; and to helpcreate the right climate and ensure thatblame is not brought in. The facilitatorshould be someone who was not closelyinvolved in the project or activity, so thatthey can remain objective, but with a goodknowledge and understanding of UNVrelatedissues and programs.STEP 2: Create the right climateThe ideal climate for an AAR is one oftrust, openness and commitment tolearning. AARs are learning events, notcritiques, and so should not be treated asa performance evaluation. There are nohierarchies in AARs – everyone is5. Adapted from UNDP, Knowledge management Toolkit for theCrisis prevention and Recovery Practice Area, UNDP, March2007STEP 4: Revisit the objectives anddeliverables of the projectAsk ‘what did we set out to do?’ and ‘whatdid we actually achieve?’STEP 5: Ask ‘what went well?’, find outwhy, and share recommendations for thefuture.It is always a good idea to start with thepositive points. Look to build on bestpractice as well as learn from mistakes.

APPENDICES . 45For each point that is made about whatwent well, keep asking a ‘why?’ question.This will allow you to get to the root of thereason. Then press participants forspecific advice that others could apply insimilar situations.STEP 6: Ask ‘what could have gonebetter?’, find out what the problems were,and share recommendations for the futureDo not simply ask ‘what went wrong?’ butrather ‘what could have gone better?’Hence the focus is not on failure, but onimprovement.STEP 7: Record the AARIt is important to have a clear and welldocumentedaccount of the AAR and itslearning points, both as a reminder tothose involved and so that you caneffectively share learning with others inthe CPR Practice Area. You should aim toinclude: lessons and guidelines for thefuture; the names of the people involvedfor future reference; and any keydocuments such as project plans orreports.STEP 8: Share the learningAs well as distributing your account of theAAR to the project team, consider whoelse could benefit from reading it. Forexample, you may be aware of anotherteam that is about to embark on a similarproject or activity. Your documenttherefore needs to be stored in a placewhere it can be easily found andaccessed.Informal AARs tend to be conducted aftera much smaller event such as a meetingor a presentation (learning after doing), orfollowing a specific event during a widerproject or activity (learning while doing).They require much less preparation andplanning and can often be done on thespur of the moment. The format is simpleand quick – a pencil and paper or flipchartexercise. In an open and honest meeting,usually no longer than half an hour, eachparticipant in the event answers foursimple questions:■ What was supposed to happen?■ What actually happened?■ Why were there differences?■ What did we learn?Personal AARs are a simple matter ofpersonal reflection. For example, take afew minutes to reflect on something youdid yesterday, such as participating in aworkshop, or drafting an UNV projectdocument. Ask yourself the four AARquestions above. What does that tell youabout what you could do differentlytomorrow?

46 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONSome examples of when to use an AfterAction Reviews are:■ Following the setting up, running, orclosure of a particularly innovative UNVproject, activity or process;■ After participation in an event thatpresented particular challenges oropportunities for volunteerism for peaceand development; or■ Following the introduction of a new set ofprocedures or ways of working.How to Write and Disseminate aLessons Learned Paper 6STEP 1: ResearchCompiling the relevant documents on aproject is the first step for drafting aLessons Learned Paper. There areoccasions when the research for aLessons Learned paper can be done byindividuals alone. Often, however, it isworth involving others in the process inorder to bring in new ideas, critical ideas,and fresh perspectives. This may mean,for example, meeting with colleagues todraw out lessons learned through afacilitated discussion or conducting an AfterAction Review (see previous exercise),then writing up the main conclusions in theform of a Lessons Learned paper.STEP 2: DraftingConsider who is best placed to draft aLessons Learned paper – often it is theperson who was most involved in theproject or activity. Thus, Lessons Learnedpapers can be drafted by UN Volunteers incollaboration with the country office andHQ staff , depending on the activities thatthey are describing. In some caseshowever, an outside eye has itsadvantages. For example, it may bedifficult for managers of a project to becritical when writing about their ownprojects; someone less directly involvedmay be better placed to highlight anddiscuss both the negative and the positiveimpacts of the work and help to draft thepaper.When drafting the paper the specificcontextual variables need to be described.But in order to make this paper usable forUN Volunteers, UNV Field Units and UNVHQ, the lessons need to be generalized.This generalization is the most difficult partsince too general information such as“involve partners as early as possible”does not provide valuable advice forcolleagues. Reaching a balance betweenvery specific recommendations and verygeneral ones is the art of drafting aLessons Learned Paper.6. Adapted from UNDP, Knowledge management Toolkit for theCrisis prevention and Recovery Practice Area, UNDP, March 2007

APPENDICES . 47STEP 3: ReviewingAsk a few selected colleagues to reviewthe Lessons Learned paper in its initialdraft, and to focus their comments on itsscope, readability and usefulness.STEP 4: DisseminationLessons learned papers should be sharedas widely as possible within and beyondthe organization to encourage others tolearn from your successes or avoidrepeating the same mistakes. You can useUNV’s Knowledge Platform via the UNVField Unit, workshops and virtual networksin the future for this; and/or feedcomponents of the Lessons Learned paperinto wider studies and reports on issues,countries/regions and projects/activities.the beginning, not the end, of a process.Despite this unease, this manual will use theterm ‘lessons learned’, referring to bothlessons that have been shared andpositively acted upon, and those that havebeen identified and recorded but not yetincorporated into practice and programming.STEP 5: Follow-upLessons learned papers, and particularlythe section on follow-up recommendations,should be reviewed and updated ascircumstances change.There is often some unease over the term‘lessons learned’. The fact that a LessonsLearned document has been produced doesnot necessarily mean that the lesson hasactually been learnt, or that the learning hasbeen institutionalized. Some have adoptedthe phrase ‘lessons to be learned’, ratherthan ‘lessons learned’ – to emphasize thatreflecting on and evaluating an experience is

48 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONBlogsIn format, a blog is similar to writing a journal, but some people like the feeling of writingonline or the feeling that it is being shared with the world. Two examples from are givenhere:1. http://unvkyr.wordpress.com/A Country Office blog offers a great opportunity for UN Volunteers to contribute and canserve as a platform of mutual sharing and exchanging, thus building up and enhancing aUNV identity.This is the blog of the UNV Programme in Kyrgyzstan:

APPENDICES . 492. Individual blogs offer an opportunity to share and reflect upon one’s own experiencesthroughout their UNV assignment.This is the blog of a Chinese UN Volunteer in Liberia:

50 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONCase StudiesThe essential parts of a case study are very similar to an article. A case study will oftenalso include a lesson or a key message that the writer would like the reader to take fromthe study.

APPENDICES . 51

52 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONPhotosHow to take a memorable picture:■ A picture tells a thousand words, and can turn a good article into an excellent one or ajournal into a real memento.■ The best way to take good pictures is to take lots. This way you can be sure at leastone will turn out well■ Pictures are about people. Try to capture volunteers interacting with their targetaudiences and using their skills. Avoid taking posed photographs.■ People tend to relax once you’ve been around for a while, so don’t rush into takepictures too early when you first meet people.■ The best times to take outdoor pictures are at dawn or dusk, the light conditions are ideal.Here are some examples of pictures taken by UN Volunteers:

APPENDICES . 53Sculptures and MuralsSculpturing and making a mural take significant time investments, but as you can seefrom the examples here, the outputs are well worth it. Here are some masterpiecescreated through UNV initiatives:

54 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONTimelineA timeline is a visual diagram of your key events or activities over a given period. It isdone in chronological or historic order. An example is given here. A timeline can includephotographs or drawings to pull our key things you remember at a point in time. Atimeline can be designed as an individual activity to record personal key events or tocapture the lifecycle of a project or programme.(from www.dustinsgreenhouse.org/ pages/wha_start.html)

APPENDICES . 55Impact Diagram or Mind MapWith an impact diagram or mind map, you start with the central idea in the middle andallow all related ideas to stem off of the centre. Try not to stop writing until the ideas dryup.

56 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONVisioning ExercisesVisioning exercises are a way for you tofocus your thinking on one specific topic,and generate a positive and forwardlooking goal. One way to guide yourself ora group of people towards a vision is tothink about a quote.The first article of the UNV Conditions ofService state that UN Volunteers “upholdand promote the highest standards ofethical and professional conduct”. Whatdoes ethical conduct mean to me in thecontext of my assignment and how can Iexpress it? Does my volunteer statusenhance ethical behaviour, and how?Picture taken at the National Museum ofEthiopia, 2005 (by Achim Merlo, UNVProgramme Office in Kyrgyzstan)Some service-oriented quotes are given below and opposite. Try reading one, and takingfive minutes to think about what it means to you. Does it move you to change any of youractions? Can you work this into one of your plans?Visioning exercises can be carried out individually, but they develop their full richness andmaximize reflective potential when carried out as part of a group brainstorming activity.“At the heart of volunteerism are the ideals of service and solidarity and the belief thattogether we can make the world better. In that sense, we can say that volunteerism isthe ultimate expression of what the United Nations is all about.” —Kofi Annan, formerUN Secretary-General

APPENDICES . 57“The best test, and the most difficult to administer is: Do those served grow as persons;do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, morelikely themselves to become servants?” —Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership“It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness” —Confucius“All… are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment ofdestiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, andyou can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelatedstructure of reality.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.“If you want to build a ship, don't drum to the women and men to gather wood, anddivide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endlesssea.”—Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Wisdom of the Sands“Reading (or serving) without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” —EdmundBurke"All formulas and all descriptions are concepts, ideas, words, theories. What makesthem real is your involvement, your commitment, your life, your engagement. And that isa choice that you make with your whole being and not a system that an organisationputs in place to achieve results automatically." —Peter Koestenbaum“I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and changethem; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility ofsharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pay for aliving… the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time or afteryou have reached your personal goals.” —Marian Wright Edelman“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, andbehold, service was joy.”—Rabindranath Tagore“You cannot sincerely help another without helping yourself.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson“Whenever you are in doubt, apply the following test: recall the face of the poorest andweakest person you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate isgoing to be of any use to them.” —Mahatma Ghandi

58 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONVolunteer Reflection Toolkit: De Bono’s Six Hats Excercise 7Objective:To practice thinking in different ways. This exercise helps to enhancecreative thinking and creates awareness that there are multipleperspectives on the issue at hand.The central tool is a collection of six symbolic hats in different colorsthat represent different ‘thinking behaviors’. These hats are indicativeof both frames of mind and emotional states.White Hat(informative)With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Look at theinformation you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look forgaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account ofthem.Red Hat(Intuitive)Wearing the red hat, you look at the decision using intuition, gutreaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will reactemotionally, and try to understand the intuitive responses of peoplewho do not fully know your reasoning.Black Hat(cautious)When using black hat thinking, look at things pessimistically, cautiouslyand defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work.This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan orcourse of action. It allows you to eliminate them, alter your approach,or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise.Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans tougher and moreresilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before youembark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the realbenefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used tothinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance,leaving them under-prepared for difficulties.7. Adapted from: Deans, Fran and Oakley, Louise, Praxis Paper No. 14: Coaching and Mentoring for Leadership Development inCivil Society”, January 2006, p37 (www.intrac.org/pages/PraxisPaper14.html ) by courtesy of Fran Deans, UNV PO in Albania.

APPENDICES . 59Yellow Hat(constructive)The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimisticviewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and thevalue in it, and spot the opportunities that arise from it. Yellow Hatthinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy anddifficult.Green Hat(creative)The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can developcreative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, inwhich there is little criticism of ideas.Blue Hat(reflective)The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by peoplechairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas arerunning dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. Whencontingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, andso on.The hats can be used in a structured sequence for collective reflection, where a groupwears one symbolic hat at a time. This is called parallel thinking, and provides focus anda clear direction of the thinking process. “Wearing” a clearly identified hat during theexercise separates personal identity from expression and performance. Therefore, itallows everyone to say things without risks which improves communication. Forexample:■ Step 1: The relevant facts about the issue are explored (White)■ Step 2: Ideas are generated about how the issue could be addressed (Green)■ Step 3: The benefits (Yellow) and drawbacks (Black) of the ideas are listed■ Step 4: Intuitions and feeling about the alternatives are shared (Red)■ Step 5: The outcome of the process is synthesized (Blue)

60 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONAppendix 5: David Kolb’s learningstyles model and experiential learningtheory (ELT)As UN Volunteers represent a great numberof people and thus a great variety oflearning styles, the suggested activities tryto take into account all of Kolb’s 4 learningstyles. The short introduction to Kolb’s workis taken from the following website, whereKolb’s work is presented in detailed anduseful ways:www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm« Kolb’s learning theory sets out four distinctlearning styles (or preferences), which arebased on a four-stage learning cycle. (whichmight also be interpreted as a ‘trainingcycle’). In this respect Kolb’s model isparticularly elegant, since it offers both away to understand individual people’sdifferent learning styles, and also anexplanation of a cycle of experientiallearning that applies to us all.Kolb includes this ‘cycle of learning’ as acentral principle his experiential learningtheory, typically expressed as four-stagecycle of learning, in which ‘immediate orconcrete experiences’ provide a basis for‘observations and reflections’. These‘observations and reflections’ areassimilated and distilled into ‘abstractconcepts’ producing new implications foraction which can be ‘actively tested’ in turncreating new experiences.Kolb says that ideally (and by inference notalways) this process represents a learningcycle or spiral where the learner ‘touches allthe bases’, ie., a cycle of experiencing,reflecting, thinking, and acting. Immediate orconcrete experiences lead to observationsand reflections. These reflections are thenassimilated (absorbed and translated) intoabstract concepts with implications foraction, which the person can actively testand experiment with, which in turn enablethe creation of new experiences.Kolb’s model therefore works on twolevels - a four-stage cycle:1. Concrete Experience - (CE)2. Reflective Observation - (RO)3. Abstract Conceptualization - (AC)4. Active Experimentation - (AE)and a four-type definition of learning styles,(each representing the combination of twopreferred styles, rather like a two-by-twomatrix of the four-stage cycle styles, asillustrated below), for which Kolb used theterms:1. Diverging (CE/RO)2. Assimilating (AC/RO)3. Converging (AC/AE)4. Accommodating (CE/AE)

APPENDICES . 61Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actuallythe product of two pairs of variables, or two separate ‘choices’ that we make, which Kolbpresented as lines of axis, each with ‘conflicting’ modes at either end:Concrete Experience - CE (feeling) ——-V——-Abstract Conceptualization - AC (thinking)Active Experimentation - AE (doing)——-V——- Reflective Observation - RO (watching)A typical presentation of Kolb’s two continuums is that the east-west axis is called theProcessing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called thePerception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it).© Concept David kolb, adaptation and design Alan chapman 2005-06, based on Kolb's learning styles, 1984Not to be sold or published. More free online training resources are at www.businessballs.com. Sole risk with user.

62 . UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS: VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONThese learning styles are the combinationof two lines of axis (continuums) eachformed between what Kolb calls‘dialectically related modes’ of ‘graspingexperience’ (doing or watching), and‘transforming experience’ (feeling orthinking): kolb learning stylesIn other words we choose our approach tothe task or experience (‘grasping theexperience’) by opting for 1(a) or 1(b):And at the same time we choose how toemotionally transform the experience intosomething meaningful and useful byopting for 2(a) or 2(b):* 2(a) - through gaining new informationby thinking, analyzing, or planning(‘abstract conceptualization’ - ‘thinking’) or* 2(b) - through experiencing the‘concrete, tangible, felt qualities of theworld’ (‘concrete experience’ - ‘feeling’) »* 1(a) - though watching others involvedin the experience and reflecting on whathappens (‘reflective observation’ -‘watching’) or* 1(b) - through ‘jumping straight in’ andjust doing it (‘active experimentation’ -‘doing’)This is a living document that will change as your needs change. If you have comments andadditions that you feel can make it more useful, please send your feedback tovolunteer_tools@unv.org.It is hoped that the exercises and topics discussed will help to make yourtransition a successful one. We look forward to hearing from you in the future.

UNV is administered by theUnited Nations Development Programme(UNDP)