What challenge inspired this recipe?
Volunteers are coming to a country in which they probably have never been before and some of them may have little experience with traveling. Long term volunteers also usually have heavy luggage, with which they would use some help. Warm welcome at the airport/different place of arrival is also a nice start for the project.
Ingredients :
Some time and a vehicle.
Step by step guide
Meet your incoming volunteers at the airport or other place of arrival. Help them navigate in the country and help them with their luggage. Have a lunch/snack together and accompany them on their way to accommodation/workplace.
If it is not possible for you to meet at the airport, remember to give detailed instructions for the volunteer how to access for example a bus or a train station where you could meet. This includes information about the local transportation system and for example which type of ticket the volunteer should buy. If it is affordable, it is also possible to utilize local taxi or Uber opportunities, but since in Finland these are quite expensive, we recommend the use of public transportation.
Important to highlight!To conclude, this best practice is important for the new volunteers to showcase that they are welcome in the project and cared for already in the beginning of their project. First impressions can be effective and long lasting, which is why meeting with the new volunteers upon their arrival is important. |
Before you start cooking, keep in mind…
The main constraint for this best practice is having not enough time, especially to meet the volunteer directly at the airport which can be far from the project place, even in a different city. Hence, meeting them on a bus or train station may be more accessible.
Another constraint is late flight arrivals. Some mentors or project coordinators may not be available for the volunteers’ arrival during evening and night times.However, often the most affordable flights (which are often preferred by the volunteers to ensure that the flight prices stay within the travel budget) arrive late in the night, or even early in the morning, making meeting the volunteers more challenging.
