Volunteering with Palms Australia in East Timor: First evacuation in 45 years
By Rebecka Delforce
"Exceptional – that's how I'd rate Palms," said Cheree Flanagan. "My husband Michael and I signed up to volunteer with Palms in 2004 and, in April 2005, we flew to East Timor to work with a small non-government organisation named the Ahisaun Foundation, which provides housing, training and outreach programs to young people with physical disabilities in East Timor." Palms Australia is an Australian not-for-profit organisation that has been recruiting, preparing, sending and supporting Australian volunteers for overseas roles for 45 years.
Cheree, a qualified social worker, and Michael, with his skills in economics, finance and English teaching, made a perfect fit with their new East Timorese workmates and the young people with disabilities who were being supported by Ahisaun (which translates as 'the light of friendship'). "Our role was varied," explained Cheree. "We encouraged the young people with disabilities to feel empowered by showing them that they could contribute to society, despite their disability. Our role was to help to improve the capacity of the organisation through strengthening their programs and administration systems and help them network with other NGOs and funding bodies. Just having the English language helped to open new doors for Ahisaun."
"Most Palms' volunteer placements extend two years. That's because the organisation places a lot of emphasis on building relationships within the local community," said Brendan Joyce, community relations manager with Palms. "Palms believes that once you've come to know and understand the local culture, you're in a better position to help in a meaningful and non-invasive manner."
Brendan explained: "In other words, taking a volunteering role with Palms is not about going to a developing country and bossing the locals into doing things the 'Australian way'! Often developing countries do things a certain way because of politics, culture, climate or tradition. So, Palms encourages volunteers to become familiar with the local community and culture, and then work with those locals to develop and improve projects that already exist. The ultimate aim of any Palms' volunteer is to transfer skills to the local community that will remain long after the volunteer leaves."
While most postings last two years, Cheree and Michael's was cut short when they were evacuated by Palms in late May 2006 shortly after civil unrest broke out in Dili where they were living. Cheree says Palms could not have handled the situation better. "We knew that trouble was brewing, and we didn't have access to TV news but Christine, Palms' country programs coordinator was texting us constantly from Australia telling us what was happening, what was likely to happen, and what the procedure would be if we were to be evacuated ..."
When the local disharmony escalated, the couple were evacuated by plane to Townsville in Queensland where Christine, having just arrived from Sydney, was there to greet them. "We immediately received a debriefing," Cheree said. "And then afterwards, came home and were supported by Palms continuously – Christine contacted us regularly to ask how we were feeling, whether we were coping with the experience we'd just had and generally just checking that we were okay. Palms has also been sorting our insurance for us, which has been a great help. They've just been fantastic – which is quite incredible given that, in all their years, they've never had to evacuate any volunteers – we were the first!"
This is a dubious claim to fame, but Cheree says the volunteer experience was well worth it and has changed her life – and the lives of those in her own Australian community. "When we were in Dili, we were writing newsletters to our Australian contacts in Newcastle, Sydney and Singleton and those people got involved in what we were doing, and supported us financially with donations – so a lot of people have been affected by this small community we were helping. When things settled down in East Timor, Palms flew us back there to collect our belongings and to meet with that community again – the family we stayed with, our colleagues, everyone. It was so good to see them and to thank them for the opportunity. We'll volunteer again some day …"
More information
If you'd like to volunteer with Palms or assist Palms to send skilled volunteers to developing countries so it can continue its work of transferring skills to local communities, visit www.palms.org.au or phone 02 9642 0558.
The Centre for Volunteering [ABN 28 002 416 024]
Level 2, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
T: 02 9261 3600 | F: 02 9261 4033 | E: info@volunteering.com.au
www.volunteering.com.au