working girl

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Just so you don’t think it’s all sightseeing and eating perhaps I should tell you what I am actually out here for ………..

My placement employer is the Beijing Volunteer Federation and they are in partnership with United Nations Volunteers on a project called Spring Shoots. This is a response to their success in using volunteers at the Beijing Olympics (400,000 of them! one thing China is not short of is people). The idea being that this volunteer workforce could be mobilised to make a difference through projects which are for public benefit rather than just on high profile sporting events.

The official bit - "to develop Volunteerism 4 Development model projects, leaving a legacy of good practice which other projects can follow in future". So I work with grass roots, not-for-profit organisations, building their skills and capacity to be able to develop and sustain the work they are trying to do in local disadvantaged communities.

What that means in reality is that a I have a nice modern office on the 15th floor of a building in town and some of the time I have to sit in meetings and smile a lot and I don’t understand much and not a lot of decisions get made because everything has to be rubber stamped 3 times and I have to depend on other people to oil wheels and arrange things and I don’t get any phone calls or emails, all of which is very strange for me..........

But what I can do is concentrate on one job at a time which is also very strange! I can research into fund raising for instance or thoroughly prepare a training session or write a volunteer management policy or read up on education rights for migrant children …………..all very normal and a bit boring you think. But where it really gets interesting is when we go out to visit the projects on site and get to know the people and what they do ………..

One project is Hongdandan where their aim is to improve the quality of life for the 90,000 blind people in Beijing. This centre was set up with the life savings, sweat, blood and tears of a remarkable couple whose own daughter is blind. They have built a reputation for excellence in “reading films” - audio description which brings film to life for blind people to experience at the same level as sighted people. They also have an audio book library and they take the blind participants out and about - on tandem cycle rides (inspired!) around the city and to visit cultural sites where they are allowed to touch exhibits and they have a singing group and a theatre production with an entirely blind cast. At my last visit I found myself sitting in their studio recording the English words of Silent Night and The Merry Widow Waltz, so that a blind man who loves to sing can get his pronunciation right! My reward - a lunch of Chinese dumplings to be made proudly by his wife to thank us. Bizarre!

Another project is with the migrant workers where one, a cleaner, Mr Li, has taken it upon himself to help other newcomers to the city with finding jobs, claiming pay from rogue employers, educating their children and trying to create a home from home in Beijing. I delivered a first training workshop to 25 participants really not knowing what on earth they would make of this strange English woman blabbing on about Mission statements and Aims & Objectives - but they 'stayed with me', they loved the ice breaker game and the participatory methods of learning and we got some results - a name, a Mission and 6 key aims - so I hope we are ready for the next session. The feedback included a request for the whole training to be delivered through games and for more gifts!! I shall have to see what I can do.

This week I am also helping out VSO with in country orientation for some Global Exchange volunteers who are over here for just 3 weeks from London - I guess they think I can tell it like it is having just got through the culture shock myself.

So you see I am beginning to earning my noodles.

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Photos

Karen
my saviour and translator who prefers her English name

what a view
when you can see it...........

ice breaker
they loved the games

Hongdandan
an outing in the sunshine

award
I never got a certificate for giving a workshop in the UK!

Comments

[anonymous]

well done mummy x

[yakiduk]

Party girl
Have caught up with all your news. Wow you are getting about a bit and making good use of your time and it does seem to me that you are making quite an impact, Don't beat yourself up about having time to work on one task at a time as I am sure you are earning your money! Are there opportunities to let your hair down and have fun? Have you had any interesting encounters/ liaisons outside of the working day? How is domestic living now? Photos are very interesting and yes I'll sponsor you - not sure how to do this from the web site link ..... perhaps I didn't look hard enough but I'll give you £10.00. Good luck and am enjoying reading your blogs love Jacky x