Can you spare $2 per day for 2 weeks?
The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand is asking people to spend just $2 a day for two weeks to ensure their purchases protect the rights of workers.
Can volunteers achieve the MDGs without unintended damaging consequences?
Are volunteers achieving the MDGs without also being a conduit of neo-colonial transculturation? As a practitioner I’m not so sure we in volunteer organisations prepare people adequately to avoid them falling into this trap and I’m concerned that the imposition of various structures for funded service providers might mitigate against a better approach.
Response to the Australian Government Volunteer Program (AGVP) Review
In March 2009, AusAID published a review of the Australian Government Volunteer Program (AGVP). The review was conducted by consultants hired by AusAID and drew interesting conclusions about the strengths and shortcomings of the current Government Program. It also made suggestions about future directions for the program. Always interested in increasing the effectiveness of international [...]
Embracing Vulnerability in an Age of Fear
Recurrent issues of civil unrest, terrorism and natural disasters have understandably led to sending governments and agencies placing an increased emphasis on volunteer security. An overemphasis on these considerations, however, can serve to distance volunteers from their national counterparts and reduce stakeholder participation.
Submission to Senate Inquiry regarding Papua New Guinea
This submission critiques the misrepresentation of governance issues at the heart of many approaches to Aid in the region. In order to address these challenges, quality education and mentoring must be available to all levels of society and the structures which reward misbehaviour must be altered.
Exposure/Immersion Experiences
Many organisations offer short-term visits which they name Cross-cultural Immersions, Exposure Tours or Study Tours. While such programs can be beneficial to their participants, they often neglect the effects on the host community. Furthermore, they risk providing a stereotypical view of another culture which degrades and damages.
This position paper was presented to a meeting of Immersion facilitators and provides a useful starting point for discussion of these trips. For an experience built upon the arguments in this paper, consider joining Palms’ Encounter Program.
Volunteering in a neo-liberal development paradigm
A Timor-Leste case study written by Nichole Georgeou and Brendan Joyce for the magazine Just Change. An examination of mixed political motives which damage Australia’s aid program.
An international volunteer ethos
What does it mean to be a volunteer and what can volunteers bring to development.
Palms Australia’s Development Philosophy
Palms Australia seeks to “encourage just, sustainable, interdependent and peaceful development.” (Mission Statement). Just what do we mean by development?
Anti-Poverty Week Information Workshops
Palms Australia’s Information Workshop, to be held in Sydney in October, are a great first step to beginning a life-long action of helping to reduce global poverty.
Sign up for our Big Blow
After 50 years of humble service it is time to blow Palms’ horn. Sign up today for Palms’ big blow.
