Induction’s review

The september-2015 volunteer promotion has arrived, and as usual every project begins with a three-day induction, to prepare, inform, teach the arrivants about what they are encline to see and live during the length of their stay here, one month for the most of them. Among this group of ten, two Italien, one Japanese, one Maltese, two French, two from Québec, one from Netherlands, for projects reflecting VIN’s priorities : four volunteers for Youth Empowerment, Sports Teaching, Teaching in Monastry and Teaching in Orphanage, four volunteers for Health&Care project and Water Research Projec, and two volunteers for Post Disaster Relief Project and Print Journalism project.
During these three days, different members of VIN’s team, Bhupi, Dinesh, Dr. Laxmi, Sushma, took turns to expose and present different approaches of Nepal and VIN organization, before presenting the projects individually. On first day, Bhupi unveiled them the organization : when it was built, why, to which purposes. Then Dr. Laxmi gave some advices and recommandations about health, the do’s and don’t and the safety gestures. Sushma taught Nepali Language running on three days, for the basics, the most simple phrases and sentences, especially for those who will interact with members of the communities who don’t always speak English. On second day Dinesh made a exposal about Nepali culture, to clear facts about local culture(s), but also the way to behave to approach Nepali way of life. Eventually each volunteer was told about his/her project, what he/she has to expect et what the organization was waiting from him/her.
At the end of these three days of formation, the opinions are quite unanimous : the volunteers were really satisfied to have been taught about VIN before going on their project, to know about the ins and out of the involvement of VIN and themself too. The volunteers are also pleased to discover before even see the infrastructures, a real organization with a hierarchy, the share of tasks within, the multitude and the complementarity of projects. The reviews of the induction show the essential character of it ; because of the cultural differences, there must be the necessity of learning it through the Nepali language or the cultural tips, in order to act in conscience of the human dimension of projects : these ones are for humans, and for the communities.
However, a comment came over and became redondent. In fact, these three days are really exclusive, they take place in VIN’s office in Katmandu, and the volunteers felt impatient to be involved in their projects. Most of them get prepared to their travel, so they already knew what was exposed to them, for example in the health or cultural tips. Number of them also asked this induction maybe to be reduced at two days, without however lose the necessary acclimatization to this cultural and social environment, and these preparation and learning, to fully become VIN’s representative, and to keep this idea of a full involvement close to those who need it.