wfn.org | Supply of volunteers runs dry for Canadian mission program

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Note: this story will appear in the January issue of the Anglican Journal

Supply of volunteers runs dry for VIM

Jane Davidson
Staff Writer
Anglican Journal

Volunteers in Mission, the Anglican program that sends Canadians to work with
overseas partners, has a dearth of volunteers for the first time in its
14-year
history.

General Synod staff who coordinate the volunteers are concerned that fears
over
the future of the national church have cast a chill over the program.

"We usually have three or four applicants in the process, which might include
couples," said Ellie Johnson, director of partnerships, "but it has slowed
down
in the past two years."

Volunteers in Mission is promoted by word-of-mouth and through the magazine,
MinistryMatters. Approved as an outreach program by General Synod in 1986, VIM
enables people of different ages, backgrounds, skills and professions to offer
themselves for voluntary service overseas for two years. In late October 34
positions remained unfilled. VIM responds to requests for qualified volunteers
to fill specific needs, which are identified by partner churches and
institutions.

Seventy volunteers have gone to countries in Africa and Asia as nurses,
theological lecturers, a principal of schools, a farm manager, child care
workers, teachers, clergy, a medical doctor, an archivist and a librarian
since
the program began. The first volunteer, Irene Ty of Toronto went to the Amity
Foundation in China to teach English as a second language.

There are presently seven adults and one child "in the field", but none in the
application process pipeline. "We've been working to encourage
applications. We
are still in business," Ms. Johnson said. Members of Partners in Mission are
supposed to promote the program in their own dioceses, and volunteers whose
term is over give talks after they have come back, Ms. Johnson said.

Among the positions awaiting volunteers to fill them are: a tutor in
agriculture in Uganda, a diocesan administrator in the province of West
Africa,
an ESL teacher in Tanzania, and a youth coordinator in Madagascar.

The average overseas stint is two years, and volunteers are expected to raise
half their costs before they leave the country. A parish support group raises
the other half.

The support group has a treasurer who sends funds to the volunteer every three
months, following a carefully prepared budget.

Occasionally a volunteer arrives at a posting to find that their allotted
living allowance is not enough. "In that case, they write back to the support
group and let them know, and the support group raises more money to send over.
It has happened before, and it always works out," said Clementina Thomas,
staff
coordinator for VIM.

National staff provide administrative support and guidance for the program,
but
no longer handle funding because of uncertainty around the future of the
national church office.

"It's strictly the support group which handles the money now," Ms. Thomas
said.

The program has been popular among its volunteers, some of whom go back again
and again. "At the beginning most went for 18 months, " said Ms. Johnson, "but
they would usually ask for an extension." After an evaluation, VIM staff
extended each posting to two years.

VIM works through parish-based support groups, which the would-be volunteer
must form. Church House staff helps by meeting with the support group to
explain what their responsibilities are. "This way, the people in the parish
get really involved," she said. National staff also provide training and
orientation for prospective volunteers.

Because the program is so heavily based on parish resources and support, Ms.
Johnson said, it is one General Synod program that could survive the financial
collapse of the national church.
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Links:

Volunteers in Mission website
<<http://anglican.ca/vim/>http://anglican.ca/vim/>

So you want to volunteer?
<<http://www.anglican.ca/vim/volunteer/>http://www.anglican.ca/vim/volunteer/>

MinistryMatters magazine
<<http://www.ministrymatters.ca/>http://www.ministrymatters.ca>

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Leanne Larmondin
Web Manager
Anglican Church of Canada
600 Jarvis St.
Toronto ON  L5E 2G1
(416) 924 9199 ext. 307
ll@anglican.ca
http://www.anglican.ca
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