What challenge inspired this recipe?
We initially had started this list to collect activity ideas that could be done online or outdoors during the covid years, to support the volunteers with filling their leisure time when public and entertainment places (museums, cinemas, bars, etc.) were closed. We then kept the list and transformed it into a collection of general recommendations. We share the list with all newly arriving volunteers at their project start, so they can benefit from the recommendations of previous volunteers and locals.
Ingredients :
- Online document that allows to be shared and edited by multiple people
- Template for the document that provides context info (e.g. who created the list and what for) and a structure of how the information should be collected and shared (e.g. colons with different titles – see template attached).
Step by step guide
- Create a shared document (e.g. google doc) that anyone can access and edit online
- Ask volunteers during and at the end of their stay to collect all their favorite activities, places, restaurants, sights, shops, festivals, events, etc. in their host country and any other advice they might have (e.g. where to get the best vegan burgers, where to try affordable traditional food, how to meet new people, places to practice the local language, etc.) and to add them continuously to this shared “recommendation list”
- Ask local volunteers/”local buddies”/youngsters/mentors/organization staff etc. to also share their advice and recommendations (e.g. about places to visit, secret tips, local insider infos etc.) in this list
- The recommendation list is always shared with newly arriving volunteers
- The new volunteers again are informed about the procedure and asked to add their recommendations and advice throughout their volunteering experience
- In this way a collective recommendation list, full of insider tips, advice, and info is created
- The list offers a good starting point for newly arrived volunteers to explore their host country, to meet new people, to have an overview of where to find information, etc.
- Official guides (tourist websites, local magazines, etc.) could also be added to the recommendation list as a further resource to explore and seek recommendations from.
Example of the recommendation list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gu1VNYcfV00uvu1jiJnevKhafwXzBqUdzVywm-udssE/edit?usp=sharing
Important to highlight!The recommendation list could be better structured with different “sublists” per topic (e.g. places to visit) |
Before you start cooking, keep in mind…
- The document needs to be made accessible for anyone (e.g. online document) but also accessible in the sense of that the text and format is accessible for e.g. screenreaders etc.
- With the option of anyone accessing and editing, it might be necessary to save backups (download the document from time to time) to make sure no information is lost due to editing errors, someone accidentally deleting information, etc.
