ICS Team Leader - Raleigh India (Apply by: 25 April 2014)

International Citizen Service (ICS) Team Leader 

Location: Mysore, Karnataka

12 Week volunteer placement June 2014 – September 2014

ICS is a UK government funded programme (DFID) that works with Indian and UK volunteers to develop an understanding of international development, to have a positive development impact on communities, to develop volunteer’s skills and confidence and to engage volunteers to act as active global citizens post programme by completing an Action @ Home project to show what you have learnt from the programme. 

Indian Team Leaders are paired with a UK Team Leader to lead a team of volunteers from India and the UK who are on a 10 week placement learning about global citizenship and development. This is an opportunity for people who are interested in the fields of social work, youth development and sustainable development and who are looking for work experience in an international context. You must be at least 23 years of age to be a Team Leader and be prepared to commit fully to 12 continuous weeks of volunteer work starting from June 2014 ending September 2014. (We run 3 programmes a year, please contact us if you are interested in the June- September or October – December programmes for 2014)

The role 

The Team Leader role involves taking responsibility for the success of a rural development community project which is run over a ten week period, working with the community, local NGO’s and volunteers from the UK and India.

First though you will have to complete an intensive 2 week training programme in Mysore at our training centre which will equip you with the skills of project management, managing volunteers and other aspects of development and our health and safety rules. Then you and your fellow UK Team Leader will run a project in a remote rural community, managing a group of around 12 volunteers; normally 6 from the UK and 6 from India.

You will work and live in your community with your fellow team leader and group of volunteers for the full 10 weeks, sharing living space and eating and socialising together. You will be responsible for ensuring the safety of the group and will play the role of a mentor/leader, but all the while being aware that you are part of a team and you must be a team player.

You will play a key role in linking the community to your group and to the aims of the project. Our aims are to provide marginalised communities with awareness training along with building infrastructure and promoting health education.

2-3 months after completing the placement you will be required to attend a Returning Volunteer weekend in Mysore and be asked to show how you are going to use your experience to benefit your home community.

On completion of the programme you will receive a certificate signed by the Prime Minster of the UK certifying your participation and will also receive an Experience Report from Raleigh on your placement.

Essential skills 

• Display high level of interpersonal skills and be able to listen, empathise and work with individuals from a variety of backgrounds
• Willingness to be flexible and put the needs of the programme and the volunteer team first
• Open to personal development concepts and willingness to engage in own development
• An awareness of and commitment to International Development issues
• The ability to manage a variety of demanding and sometimes conflicting responsibilities in a physical, remote and dynamic environment
• Display effective personal leadership and help develop leadership skills of others
• Plan logically and in detail producing practical, effective solutions to achieve goals or overcome real problems
• Ability to acquire and implement new skills quickly
• Ability to manage resources effectively
• Fluent in English (spoken & written)
• Proficient in Mircrosoft word

Desirable skills 

• Minimum of 6 months management experience and/or experience of working with
young people (18-25)
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and to tight deadlines

If you are interested in joining us for this exciting opportunity, in the first instance please send an email with your CV and covering letter of not more than 1 page explaining why you would like to join the programme. Please also include names and contact details of 2 references; these must not be a family member.

Please note: This is an unpaid volunteer position and like UK Team Leaders you must fundraise r5000 towards the ICS programme prior to commencing the programme. We do have programme scholarships available, subject to means testing. 

Apply by:  25 April 2014

For more information please check out;
Our UK website –
https://www.raleighinternational.org/what-we-do/raleigh-ics

The International website for the ICS programme
http://www.volunteerics.org/dfid

Please DO NOT apply via these web sites, use our email address below
We are a secular organisation and treat everybody as equal regardless of their background, culture, sex, race or religion.