FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions
"An organisation in Germany is hosting African volunteers. Which application form shall I use?"
- Use theEuropean Host Organisation Application Form.
"A volunteer we know is working in a hospital in Africa, but the organisation running the hospital is Italian. How should she apply?"
- Use theAfrican Hosting Organisation Application Form.
"There is an organisation, they have branches all over Africa, and their management is half German and half Cameroonian. Can they apply?"
- Only if their work involves international youth volunteers. Since their branches are based in Africa, they must host European volunteers to apply.
"Does a project have to be finished before applying for the Ubuntu Award?"
- No, the project does not have to be finished to apply to the Awards. But it should have hosted volunteers between the 1st of January 2006 and now (2009).
"’The volunteer filling in the Section 2 must have been hosted in or since 2006’. Does this mean that the hosting period must have started IN 2006 or in a period between 2006 and now"
- The volunteer should have been hosted for six months or more between the period of the 1st of January 2006, and now (2009).
"Can a co-ordinating organisation apply for the Ubuntu Award?"
- Only a hosting organisation will be able to provide the necessary information about a project for the Jury members to be able to make a decision about the quality of the volunteering placement. They should have worked directly with international volunteers ‘on the ground’.
However, a co-ordinating organisation may co-ordinate an application for the Ubuntu Awards. This would mean co-ordinating between the current or ex-volunteer and the hosting organisation staff to ensure the application form is correctly filled-out.
If the co-ordinating or sending organisation is also the organisation hosting volunteers, then members of staff directly involved in supporting the international volunteers should fill out Section 1.
"Why do you prefer that the volunteers filling out Section 2 of the application form have completed their volunteer placements?"
- The volunteer cycle can include support or activities when a volunteer returns home. Furthermore, it takes time for a volunteer to be able to reflect on their experiences. A good project may well encourage follow-up activities. These aspects of the volunteer cycle will not have been experienced by a current volunteer, and therefore will not be reflected in the Section 2 they fill out. However, we will not discriminate against projects on this basis, and will consider every application on its own merits.
One thing is certain: you will not have a chance of competing if you don’t enter
the competition!
"We are an African organisation looking to get in contact with European
voluntary service sending and co-ordinating organisations, how can we do this?"
-YouthNetworks is a very good place to start looking for partners.
"Are the Ubuntu International Youth Voluntary Service Awards only for
European Voluntary Service (Youth In Action) projects?"
- No. The awards are open to other programmes, and projects too.
