Preparing for life on Expedition

Covering all aspects of Expedition life, from the complexities of working within the international development sector in Nepal to the use of personal protective equipment in the construction of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) facilities, safety is central to Raleigh’s programmes.

Experiential and ‘action learning’ approaches are used in combination with a range of more traditional styles to cover Raleigh’s code of conduct, safety and security in Nepal and safeguarding knowledge.

Our Deputy Operations Management team, WASH and Livelihoods experts, Expedition Medics and communications team, together with local project partners Goreto Ghorka, have facilitated the training for the volunteer managers.

They have learnt about first aid, Expedition logistics, sustainable supply chain management, impact case studies and Raleigh Nepal’s programmatic work in practice. They have also undertaken a strenuous trek, putting their navigation, route mapping and team building skills into practice.

Often working in remote communities, Expedition logistics includes the capacity to conduct dynamic risk assessments in local contexts. Volunteer managers have considered all eventualities, for example the likelihood and impact of weather related events such as heavy rainfall during monsoon season and the actions which would be taken to safeguard volunteers.

Action learning in community

Unique to Nepal, action learning takes place within a previous Raleigh beneficiary community. This was the highpoint for many of our volunteer mangers, where they were able to meet members of the Shree Krishna Tole community, and see first hand the impact of Raleigh’s WASH, behavioural change and awareness raising programmes.

An intrinsic part of the Raleigh experience, successful project delivery requires the ability to work with partner organisations, local communities, and wider stakeholders. The training programme embraces leadership development, communication skills, and the facilitation of community participation and ownership of WASH projects.

The advancement of sustainable community development through active global citizenship is a key to all Raleigh programmes. During this training, volunteer managers have developed their understanding of the crucial role of young people as a force for change within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They have developed their skills in managing and motivating young volunteers to equip them for the challenges that lie ahead.

Blog post by Communications Officer, Susie Hill and Photography by Rachael Sture. For more information and the latest updates, follow the progress of our programmes in Nepal on Facebook and Instagram.