Author: minna

Decolonise! International Voluntary Service, a project that began in 2022, is a collaborative initiative between ICYE Federation and Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) for decolonisation of international volunteering.

So far, the project has yielded several meetings, papers, and advocacy initiatives on how to recognize the colonial structures of international voluntary service and how to tackle them. The most current task of the project team has been the development of the Decolonise International Voluntary Service Self-Assessment Tool for Organisations that is to be released in spring 2024.

International voluntary service can be a way to promote global cultural understanding, but at the same time, it is a field at risk of upholding harmful global colonial structures. Those factors combined with the involved organisations’ willingness to learn how to decolonise their activities further has motivated the team to develop the tool for organisational self-assessment. “The idea was simply to have a more solid and comprehensive way to self-reflect and conduct base-line studies in organisations to see where they stand in terms of decolonisation”, explains Hanna Sainio, a member of Maailmanvaihto’s Board and the self-assessment development team.

Courtney Kelner from ICYE International Office has been working with Decolonise! project since its beginning and sees that there has been demand and receptivity for such a tool among volunteering organisations. “We are prepared to motivate organisations to use this tool, but we also haven’t encountered much scepticism. Most organisations are curious and want to learn more”, Kelner explains. “We all have a shared understanding that a deep exchange can help the organisations to reach a decolonial mutual understanding and improve collaboration.”

Decolonisation is by no means an issue that only affects international volunteering. Many different organisations and collectives in the world have also been working on decolonisation and have already developed different tools, workshops, and initiatives for it. However, Sainio and the rest of the Decolonise! team sees that the specificities of international volunteering create a demand for a tool that is specifically tailored for people working within the field. Kelner also notes that a lot of available decolonial self-assessment tools available online have been developed for organisations working in the Global North, and therefore, might not serve a network that has members on multiple different continents.

Decolonisation as a process relies heavily on self-reflection, which is also present in the tool. Many of the steps in the tool include tasks that encourage each individual to think critically about their own positions and biases. However, Ratherford Mwaruta, a member of Zimbabwe Workcamps Association and the self-assessment tool development team highlights the importance of collective “People should understand that decolonization is a collective process, and one can not decolonise alone, and so the self-assessment tool should also be understood as beneficial for the whole community and society”, Mwaruta explains.

Despite being in the development stage, the self-assessment tool has been tested out in few organisations. Kelner, Sainio and Mwaruta all agree that the feedback from test organisations has been very useful, both critical and encouraging. “Generally speaking, the respondents report having conversations that they would never have had otherwise. How cool is that!” Kelner beams.

Self-Assessment Tool for Organisations: tips how to use it

1) Reserve time slots for the tool throughout the year
The Self-Assessment tool combines dialogue and self-reflection, both of which are actions that require both active effort and passive processing.
“I suggest breaking it down into manageable time slots and doing a few questions at a time”, Kelner suggests. “Alternatively, I think the tool would be really fitting for use in an annual team-building retreat.”

2) Be ready to self-reflect and share
Decolonisation starts from understanding one’s own biases, positions, and privileges and turns into action through honest, brave and respectful dialogue with others. “Relationships are the real opportunities for societal transformation”, Kelner believes.

3) Avoid binaries and black-and-white thinking
Various countries, organisations, groups and individuals have complex relationships with colonial structures. There are many contexts where one can counter decolonial dialogues by responding that we have also been colonised, which may block fruitful discussions even before they begin. The team hopes that these different binaries can be seen as important places of exploration rather than obstacles. “This tool does not try to point fingers, spread guilt, or blame anyone”, Kelner reminds. “We need to find ways to talk about tricky topics without resorting to defensiveness. And that is hard to do because we have so little practice, but the tool is a way to start practicing.”

4) Discussion on difficult topics can be freeing
Decolonial dialogues deal with difficult topics, but having open and honest discussions about them can be liberating. “Imagine what kind of conversations can emerge when you, figuratively speaking, address the elephant in the room and acknowledge that colonial structures affect us all in different ways. It’s a small but significant gesture”, Kelner reminds.

5) Take it out to the world
Decolonial activities should not remain only inside your own organisation. After organisational self-assessment, Kelner reminds that the next step is to find ways to interact with other organisations. “The tool might help you to find ways how your organisation can have better relationships in the field of international volunteering and your local community. The self-assessment journey really gets interesting when you start finding opportunities to make changes in the world.”

Text: Roosa Kontiokari

Visit the Decolonise! project’s Knowledge Hub for resources

Would you like to explore more the theme of decolonising international volunteering? Have a look at the Knowledge Hub of the Decolonise! project.

The Knowledge Hub includes toolkits, reading material, and videos. In 2024, a new addition to the Knowledge Hub will be the self-assesment tool for orgnisations currently developed in the project.

The Decolonise! project brings together 10 organistions of international volunteering from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Nepal, and Zimbabwe – among others Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland.

>> https://ccivs.org/decolonise-ivs-knowledge-hub

Text: Minna Räisänen

The article has been published in MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 1/2024. The theme of the issue is partnerhsip in international volunteering.

Are you interested in volunteering in an educational community? Would you like to support the students and staff of a folk high school? Welcome to Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto!

• Volunteering period: 20.10.2025–22.5.2026
• Duration: 7 months
• Number of volunteers: 1
• Deadline for applying: 16 March 2025

South Ostrobothnia Folk High School (Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto in Finnish) is an education centre situated in the small countryside town of Ilmajoki. It works like a Nordic folk high school offering full time studies in culture, open university, liberal adult education in both general education and vocational education and training. Our school offers both long term study programmes and short courses. The fields of study include art, beauty and make-up, aviation and drone, youth and leisure instructing, and psychology, for example. Every year over 400 students attend our different study programmes. About half of the students have a refugee or immigrant background from over 20 different countries. This makes EPOP a very multicultural place and brings the richness of different cultures to everyday life. The youngest students are 16–17 years old, but most of the students are adults.

Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto is a long-standing, diverse, and robust folk high school. The educational community of students and staff provides an opportunity for personal growth and development. The college responds flexibly to the educational and cultural needs of the surrounding society and its students. The purpose of the college is to provide students a community for learning, gaining independence, integration, and finding direction for further studies or work. The college advances on the path of ecopsychosocial education and accessibility. Ecology and the green transition are integral aspects of the college´s operations and development.

Internationality is a central aspect of the college identity and there is also a wide local network and cooperation. Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto serves as a gateway for students to discover, develop, and educate themselves. The college also opens doors to further education and the professional world. As a Grundtvigian folk high school, it emphasizes living words and dynamic interaction. The foundation is based on a socio-constructivist learning approach, focusing on interaction, experiential learning, and personalization.

Location

Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto is situated in Ilmajoki, a small municipality with the population of about 12 000, located in South Ostrobothia, Western Finland.

Volunteers’ role and tasks

At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, the volunteers are supposed to be part of the community and to work in various roles depending on their own learning objectives. The volunteers work as equal members of the work community in various learning environments within the core activities of the school.

To provide examples: the volunteers work according to their own skills as a supervisor for students’ evening and leisure activities. They are supported by the college community worker and teachers performing evening supervision. We also offer the opportunity to participate in kitchen and cleaning work, as well as property and environmental maintenance. The volunteers can also, in collaboration with local organization representatives, organize various events and activities tailored for students and the target groups of organizational activities. At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, there is a comprehensive collaboration network with local organizations.

The volunteers get a unique opportunity to work in a community where equality is the foundation of all activities. At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, we all greet each other, regardless of whether we know each other or not. The volunteers have the opportunity to participate in activities aimed at creating and implementing shared activities for people of different age groups and cultural backgrounds. These encounters promote not only the sense of community among the college´s students but also the interaction of people from various backgrounds in the region, positively impacting wellbeing, mental health, and everyday life. The principles of sustainable development and the green transition are considered as a comprehensive responsibility. A well-being individual also takes responsibility for the impacts of their own actions on nature, society, or other people.

Volunteers’ profile

We are looking for an active and self-motivated volunteer who is interested in working with people from different cultures. Good organisational skills and interest in organising activities related to sports, culture, music, and nature would be useful. We hope the volunteer will participate in the community college’s leisure and evening activities both as a participant and, when possible, as an organizer.

The campus area is located at about 4 km distance from the town centre and there is no public transportation, so ability to ride a bike is helpful. Since the host organisation is located in the countryside, it is important to enjoy the peaceful environment and to be independent and active in creating free-time activities.

Accommodation, food, transportation and days off & holidays

The volunteers will be accommodated in a student dormitory. There are about 150 dormitory places in the campus area, and additional dormitories at about 1.5 km from the campus. The volunteers will share a pre-furnished double room in a shared apartment. Living at the school is a suitable blend of individuality and community. On weekdays, the volunteers can enjoy a diverse and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the college restaurant. We support weekend meals by providing a food allowance to the volunteers.

There are several bus connections per day from Ilmajoki to the city of Seinäjoki. The volunteers will be reimbursed one round trip to Seinäjoki per week.

The volunteers will have 2 days off per week and will be entitled to 2 holiday days a month.

Training during the activity

The volunteers will have an on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp organised by the Finnish National Agency of the European Solidarity Corps. In addition, they will be invited to the on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp of the coordinating organisation Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland.

The volunteers will get access to the Online Language Support (OLS) tool of the European Solidarity Corps to help them learn Finnish.

Accessibility

We are open to hosting volunteers with some special needs. If the volunteer has special needs, we will carefully plan the required means of support together with the volunteer and sending and coordinating organisations. The institute has wheelchair-accessible buildings including the dormitories. Additionally, there is an accessible nature trail located in the area’s forest.

If you need additional support due to a disability, a long-term illness, or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at South Ostrobothnia Folk High School could suit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information via Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. We’ll be happy to tell you more!

Activity topics

Community development; physical and mental health, well-being; key competences development

How to apply?

Further information

• If you wish to ask something about the open position for volunteering at Maailmanvaihto, please, see answers to frequently asked questions and European Solidarity Corps program page.
• If you don’t find an answer to your question, please contact us at Maailmanvaihto at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. Do not contact the voluntary workplace directly.
• Please note that you can only apply for the open position by following the application instructions linked above.

Volunteers’ Experiences

Yağmur: Embracing Growth and Community – My Volunteering Experience at EPOP

“Hei! My name is Yağmur and I’m volunteering in Etelä-Pohjanmaann Opisto. Despite the darkness and coldness in Finland, which I’m not used to as someone who is from Turkey, my day goes really fast because I love my volunteering job! Every day I get to see my friends, do fun activities together, play volleyball, play the guitar, singing, games and many other things! The best part is that I’m doing different things every day!

Being a volunteer at Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto (EPOP) is an incredible opportunity for personal growth. Since the opisto offers a flexible environment, you have the chance to explore your interests, discover your talents, and ultimately find a suitable career path. There’s no need to feel anxious – there are plenty of tasks around the opisto that you can take on! The key is to stay open-minded and communicate with others. You can organize evening events, such as parties, dinners, or movie nights, help in the kitchen, or even start an evening course for the students. The possibilities are endless!

When I first arrived in Finland, I attended an orientation camp before starting my volunteering experience at EPOP. It was an exciting time for me because I had always dreamed of being in Finland. However, volunteering is not just a fairytale; it comes with its own set of challenges. The darkness, the struggle to fit in, and the difficulty of finding things to do on weekends were tough at first. In Ilmajoki, winter makes traveling more complicated due to the snow, ice, and early sunsets. During weekends, many people go home, and you may find yourself feeling alone. However, there are beautiful forests all around that I haven’t even fully explored yet! Taking a walk with your headphones on can be a great way to discover what this place has to offer.

October and November were particularly difficult months for me. I struggled with adapting to the new environment. But one thing I can assure every future applicant is that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Opisto is a warm and welcoming place, where you can always ask for help whenever you need it. The support system here is truly amazing.

Over time, I have grown so much and discovered more about myself. I now have a clearer understanding of what I enjoy doing, and I am shaping my volunteering experience accordingly. Here are some of the activities I am involved in:

• Baking with students in the kitchen. Sometimes, we cook dinners from different cultures and enjoy them together while playing Kahoot!
• Hosting a volleyball course where I teach basic techniques to interested students.
• Helping in the kitchen, as I have always loved cooking and being in that environment. Also, giving guitar lessons to students.
• Various activities like playing games, crafting, and having discussions.

Volunteering at EPOP has been a transformative experience for me. It has given me the freedom to explore my passions while contributing to the community. I get to do things that I love – whether it’s cooking, teaching, or playing sports – while also helping others. It truly feels like a dream come true! If you are considering volunteering at EPOP, my advice is to embrace every opportunity, be open to new experiences, and enjoy the journey. It’s a win-win situation where you grow, learn, and make unforgettable memories!”

Are you interested in volunteering in the education field in Finland? Would you like to support the students’ community and individual growth? Welcome to Otavia!

About Otavia

Otavia (formerly known as Otavan Opisto) is a municipal institution maintained by the city of Mikkeli, where one can pursue adult upper secondary education and basic education, as well as studies in liberal adult education. Liberal education is open for all, voluntary, and doesn’t aim at a degree.

Otavia specializes in distance learning and online pedagogy, teaching multicultural groups, and providing liberal adult education programs. We offer education and related services for regional, national, and global educational development. Over the years, Otavia has participated in numerous international projects. Most of our students on campus are of immigrant background.

We are looking for a volunteer to work on the campus of Otavia, mostly with the students of basic and upper secondary education for adults.

Location

Otavia is situated in the southeast part of Finland in the village of Otava, 14 km from the city of Mikkeli. Mikkeli is a city with about 52,000 inhabitants.

What will you be doing?

As a volunteer at Otavia, you will assist the community coordinator in organizing and guiding the students’ dormitory’s leisure activities. Leisure activities could encompass a variety of options, including outings, sports events, and multicultural food nights. While planning the leisure activities, you will get an opportunity to present your innovative ideas.

You will also assist the teachers and staff in providing the students with education and take part in household tasks in the dormitory. Your skills and experience will be taken into account when planning the tasks. The job also includes assisting the kitchen staff in the school canteen with tasks such as dishwashing, helping the facility cleaners with various duties—including cleaning dormitory rooms and other premises—and assisting with accommodation services.

In your role, you will promote students’ sense of community and individual growth. You will assist students in identifying their strengths, strengthening their own identity, and developing life management skills and civic competencies.

Who we’re looking for

Volunteering at Otavia could be for you if you are motivated to work with students from a multitude of cultural and other backgrounds. Good social skills are of great value. Due to the nature of the role and tasks of the volunteer, we are looking for a volunteer who is aged at least 20 years.

Practical arrangements

• Accommodation: In the Otavia campus area, there are dormitory and cafeteria buildings. You will be accommodated in the dormitory, in a single room that has a private bathroom and shower.
• Food: In the dormitory, there are kitchens where you can store food and make meals. Otavia cafeteria will provide you with 3 meals per day during weekdays: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During the weekends, the cafeteria isn’t available. For the weekends, you will receive an allowance for groceries. Otavia is located near Otava’s town center where you can go shopping for groceries.
• Transportation: Near the campus, there is a bus stop, with buses running every day (from 6 am to 7 pm during weekdays, from 9 am to 5 pm during weekends).
• Free time:
  • 2 days off per week
  • 2 holiday vacation days per a month
  • We have various free time activities. In the dormitory, there are two gym rooms and a social room where students can spend free time and play board and console games. In the dormitory, you can do laundry and use the sauna.

Training during the activity

The volunteers will have an on-arrival training camp and mid-ferm evaluation camp organised by the Finnish National Agency of the European Solidarity Corps. In addition, they will be invited to the on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp of the coordinating organisation Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland.

The volunteers will get access to the Online Language Support (OLS) tool of the European Solidarity Corps to help them learn Finnish.

Accessibility

Otavia’s main building is a protected three-story structure that is over 100 years old. Unfortunately, full accessibility is not achievable throughout the entire building. Otavia has experience of accommodating students with various profiles, including students with visual impairments and some mobility limitations. A person who uses a wheelchair can access parts of the main building but unfortunately, a wheelchair user can’t access the dormitory building.

If you need additional support due to a long-term illness or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at Otavia could suit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information via Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. We’ll be happy to tell you more!

Activity topics

Inclusion of marginalized young people, disabilities, European identity, citizenship, and values

How to apply?

Further information

• If you wish to ask something please, see answers to frequently asked questions and European Solidarity Corps program page.
• If you don’t find an answer to your question, please contact us at Maailmanvaihto at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. Do not contact the voluntary workplace directly.
• Please note that you can only apply for the open position by following the application instructions linked above.