Impact Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Written by Hanna Rajala Edited by Rubaica Jaliwala. July 2016

Transcription

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ICYE Impact Assessment Human Rights in Diversity Written by Hanna Rajala Edited by Rubaica Jaliwala July 2016 Prduced by the ICYE Internatinal Office C-funded by the Erasmus+ Prgramme f the Eurpean Cmmissin

2 Executive Summary This study has been cnducted within the framewrk f the Erasmus+ prject Cmmunicating Human Rights in Diversity. The aim was t examine the impact f the human rights learner-centred prject n the vlunteers at a persnal, scial and cultural level. Internatinal vluntary service is a structured educatinal activity (nn-frmal but intentinal) that takes place in anther cuntry during a fixed perid f time. Learning is dne by ding; the study appraches this prcess by emplying the experiential learning thery (develped by Klb in 1970s). There are different steps invlved in crdinating and rganising a vluntary service prgram; these are als key mments fr creating impact. The study explres the experiences f 18 internatinal vlunteers. The respndents were interviewed at the end f their service by prject multipliers in 16 different cuntries in Eurpe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. What impacts f the vluntary service and human rights prject can be identified thrugh the narratins f the vlunteers? In rder t shed light n the matter, the discussin fcuses n three main questins: Hw d the vlunteers perceive the impacts f vluntary service? Hw d they make sense f human rights tpics encuntered? What are the key aspects fr prmting human rights educatin in the framewrk f vluntary service? The idea f cmpetence is entailed in human rights educatin practices and activities. The aim is t empwer learners t cntribute t the building and defense f a universal culture f human rights in sciety. There are three dimensins invlved in human rights educatin illustrated in the figure belw. At the intersectin f diversity and human rights, there are tw questins f particular imprtance in relatin t internatinal vlunteers: agency 1 and privilege 2. There is ften a cnsiderable pwer distance between internatinal vlunteers and beneficiaries. One grup is in a psitin that enables them t travel t anther cuntry t engage in vluntary activities, which is ut f reach fr mst beneficiaries vulnerable grups. Key findings The reasns fr vlunteering abrad were varied but mst respndents were driven by a mix f persnal and altruistic mtivatins. The respndents narratives tend t stress learning and persnal grwth. Eight respndents (ut f 18) made reference t having been at a transitin pint in their lives, which had influenced their decisin t take part in the prgram. Fr anther eight respndents, the prject was an pprtunity t learn specifically abut human rights. This was mstly described as explring and learning abut the tpic, but a few als had sme prir experience r interest in wrking in the field in the future. Learning THROUGH HR. Prcess as imprtant as cntents. ABOUT HR and hw they are safeguarded / prtected Skills, attitudes and values FOR applying HR values and taking actin It is pssible t discern a strng learning rientatin in hw respndents assess the impacts f vlunteering. The idea f exchange and mutual learning was highly valued by the respndents. Hwever, they fund it difficult t assess their wn value fr the hst prject: When asked abut their verall cntributin t the wrk f the hst prject, mst were unsure, dubtful r hpeful. This may be because internatinal vlunteers are nt meant t have the same respnsibilities as regular staff members, wh are als likely t have a prfessinal backgrund, prficiency and/r level f experience. Nearly all the respndents perceived themselves as bringing in a degree f diversity (being 1 The ability and intentinally pursued actins t influence ne s life. 2 A special advantage that is granted (nt earned), a privileged status that is exercised fr the benefit f the recipient (and t the exclusin r detriment f thers) ften inadvertently.

3 frm anther cuntry and intrducing a fresh perspective t lcal attitudes and practices) and cnsequently als being able t influence thers. Vluntary service is bth abut develping cmpetences and putting them t use (either previusly r newly acquired skills). In rder t effectively transfer skills and knwledge relevant t the vlunteering activities, the respndents had t becme cmpetent vis-à-vis the envirnment. Acquiring language skills are perhaps the mst cmmn f the hard skills mentined by the respndents. They are ften depicted as a threshld skill - vital t the ability t perfrm at wrk and ften set in a wider cntext f cmmunicatin and interpersnal skills. Cmmunicatin and interpersnal skills were perceived as a valuable result in itself, but als as the gateway t anther level f achievements - nt just t perfrm tasks but als t perfrm well and t feel accmplished. Vluntary wrk represents pprtunities t experiment and t develp new skills. The experience appears t have bsted the life and career skills f the respndents but als fstered values and attitudes that create greater self-awareness and self-cnfidence. The study emplys 21st century skills 3 as a framewrk fr making sense f the learning. Flexibility and adaptability - ne f the mst cmmn new abilities mentined by the respndents and learned thrugh adjusting and adapting t a new scial envirnment. Initiative and self-directin ability t take initiative, be mre independent and identify learning needs and wrk twards them are areas that have been greatly strengthened by the vluntary service experience. Prductivity and accuntability abilities linked with the vlunteering prject and the subsequent tasks. Leadership and respnsibility in additin t gaining team wrk skills and ther sft skills, the respndents shw increased cnfidence in taking n rles that invlve influencing and guiding thers as well as an increased awareness f their respnsibility as vlunteers wrking with peple in vulnerable situatins. Scial and crss-cultural skills new scial envirnment and netwrks prvide respndents with resurces and supprt but als learning pprtunities. The respndents have develped a number f cmpetences thrugh the expsure t diversity (ne that has gne well beynd natinalities): they are better equipped t understand thers in cntexts marked by diversity, t cmmunicate their perspective t thers, t adapt and navigate in new sci-cultural envirnments, t see their place in the wrld and t prmte psitive relatinships between individuals and grups frm different backgrunds. The vlunteering prject pened up pprtunities t meet peple wh are excluded frm majrity sciety (e.g. meeting peple with disabilities fr the first time). Simultaneusly, the entire experience f immersin in a new cultural envirnment ffered pints f reflectin n similarities and differences. Encuntering lcal diversity was als challenging fr many: Living amng multiple lcal realities, respndents were cnfrnted by their wn steretypical ntins f peple and places they had regarded as hmgeneus entities r were unsettled by inequalities, such as the gap between the wealthy and pr. In terms f the human rights learning prcess and its utcmes, there are cnsiderable differences between the respndents. The mst imprtant factrs relate t pre-existing cmpetences and hw they are further develped (interests, mtivatin, knwledge and skills f respndents, the human rights dimensin f the vluntary service prject and the supprt received). The respndents were at different 3 These are a set f key abilities that are identified as imprtant fr tday s and tmrrw s sciety. In the study, we take a clse lk at the thinking skills, cntent knwledge, and scial and emtinal cmpetencies that are needed in rder t navigate cmplex life and wrk envirnments.

4 starting pints with regard t understanding and dealing with human rights issues encuntered as vlunteers: frm having had n cntact with human rights tpics prir t the vluntary service t being very familiar with human rights tpics either in a prfessinal capacity r thrugh educatin. Experiencing human rights situatins first-hand is a pwerful experience and has the ptential t initiate deep learning prcesses. In many instances, the experiences cntrast with what the respndent knew befre (new infrmatin versus previus knwledge cnstructed n the base f media representatins, schling, cultural nrms, etc.). Hwever, in many cases, they appear t have cmplemented the previus infrmatin with an affective dimensin t the cgnitive bdy f knwledge (i.e. bringing in the perspective f the peple whse human rights were vilated). Empathy is learned thrugh interactins with peple in difficult life situatins, which in turn fsters cmmitment t human rights. Fifteen (ut f 18) respndents demnstrate a certain level f human rights thinking, sme mre cnsistently than thers (the respndents still appear t be prcessing their experiences at the time f the interview). This is nt nly abut knwledge (i.e. human rights vilatins and ways t prtect rights) but als abut skills, attitudes and behaviur that enable respndents t take actin in defence f human rights in everyday life. A great part f this learning is nt set in a human rights cntext by the respndents themselves. In rder t gain insight int hw the experiences have shaped human rights thinking, hw the respndents understand sme key cncepts is examined. Equality and inclusin: Respndents understand equality and inclusin by examining the values and attitudes that affect the beneficiaries. These discussins are based n a prcess f becming aware f their wn thinking and knwing abut ther peple s perspectives. Respndents learn hw equality/inequality stems frm peple in different kinds f scial psitins especially fr thse wh experience disadvantage resulting frm it. Participatin: Participatin f beneficiaries is cnsidered necessary and valuable: the well-being f beneficiaries is created nt nly as the end result, the utcme f the actins, but als thrugh the prcess. Many respndents discuss issues affecting the beneficiaries and a great deal f these accunts cnvey the idea that beneficiaries have less pprtunities t make a difference in their wn lives due t their circumstances r belnging t a particular grup. Bth the wrkplace and sciety act as a backdrp fr these reflectins. Several accunts shw that the respndents nt nly reflect n participatin but als actively try t engage thers in their activities (e.g. including children in the prcess f making a vide abut the hst prject). Agency: Respndents reflect n their wn agency as well as that f the beneficiaries. There are significant differences in the kinds f rles the respndents cnstruct fr themselves in relatin t the beneficiaries. 17 (ut f 18) respndents understand their rle and cmmitment as everyday scial respnsibility: leading by example and actively engaging in exchange and dialgue. Thrugh vluntary service, several respndents have discvered their wn abilities t make a difference. One f the aims f the study was t identify key cmpnents that create psitive impacts: What did the human rights cmpnent f the prject bring t the vlunteering experience? This was apprached by lking at the interplay f tw central learning elements f internatinal vluntary service - intercultural learning and n-the-jb learning tgether with human rights educatin. Fr the mst part, vluntary service has nt changed respndents views n human rights per se, but it has highlighted their imprtance by way f the interactins and the frming f bnds with peple frm different backgrunds. Vluntary service is marked by three aspects n which impacts are cntingent: Hlistic participatin - Learning takes place everywhere thrugh interactins in different vlunteering cntexts and practices, but the questin is hw cnsistent they are with human rights values. The respndents have been immersed in the hst cmmunity and their experiences are nt

5 limited t the cntents f the wrk r hst prject. The netwrks f the respndents are shaped by their participatin in human rights related wrk: 14 respndents have frmed clse persnal bnds with peple in vulnerable psitins r thse actively wrking t prmte human rights. Sme f the learning takes place thrugh actin cntingent n the vlunteering rle, which usually implies a prcess f negtiating and creating a rle fr neself in the hst prject. Supprted reflectin - Participatin slely is nt enugh fr learning. Reflectin is needed in rder t turn the experiences int knwledge that can be applied in ther cntexts. At the beginning, the respndents pre-existing cmpetencies may have played a significant rle, but ver time, the supprt and pprtunities made available and develped in the prgram gain mre imprtance. In the interview data, the imprtance f this supprt is mstly implicit. Explicit reference t supprt is made in cnnectin with situatins where it has been seen t be missing. Supprted cntributin t cmmn gd - The vlunteering activities are undertaken by ne persn but the aim is t multiply the learning effect. This is a questin f balance f benefits f vluntary service between the respndents and the beneficiaries. The respndents discuss sme learning utcmes in the framewrk f cntributins made during the vluntary service, but many thers are perceived by them as being mre useful in the future, after the service perid. The ways f making a difference can be divided int three categries: everyday human rights based practices, influencing thers by means f exchange and dialgue, and leadership (mstly as future prfessinals). Based n the findings, the reprt makes fur recmmendatins fr further develpment f practices (preparatin, training, supprt, etc.) that enable vlunteers t cntribute mre fully in their hst prjects and recgnise their learning and cntributins during their service. In the absence f a direct link t human rights, drawing cnnectins between the vlunteers daily engagement, the hands-n wrk at the hst prject and the theme f human rights becmes imperative. It can be dne by placing emphasis n learning fr the vlunteers as ne f the main gal f internatinal vlunteering The respndents see themselves as the main beneficiaries f vluntary service. Althugh this is cncurrent with their learning-rientated mtivatins fr vlunteering, it clashes at the start f their service with their mtivatin t cntribute and d gd in the hst prject and cmmunity. This shuld be addressed in vlunteer preparatin. Many vlunteers d nt feel they have cntributed significantly t the wrk f the hst prject. This culd be addressed by giving mre structured feedback and develping assessment tls that enable vlunteers and hst prject supervisrs t discuss challenges and evaluate perfrmance. The vlunteer can be supprted in a variety f ways. Rle mdels r supervisrs shuld be in place and prepared t supprt vlunteers thrugh their service perid. Onging supprt by mentrs r multipliers is central t creating links between thery and practice and their actins shuld be planned in advance and used t supprt vlunteers learning and fster cmmitment t human rights. Issues f pwer and privileges shuld be given greater attentin in vlunteer training. Cnclusins This study explred respndents perceptins and experiences f vluntary service. The impacts f vlunteering are experienced t be strngest n an individual level: evidenced by new cmpetences and persnal grwth. Vluntary service is regarded as creating greater well-being fr internatinal vlunteers themselves and ptentially fr thers as well. The idea f mutual learning is entailed in the accunts n

6 encuntering diversity. The vlunteer s rle is understd in terms n planting seeds f change thrugh exchange and dialgue during the vluntary service, but particularly after the actual service perid. Thrugh the prcess f vluntary service, vlunteers becme mre aware and gain a better understanding f what creates well-being r what acts as its bstacle. The experience has been particularly significant fr fifteen (ut f 18) respndents wh feel empwered by the discvery f hw they can make a difference in their wn lives and the lives f thers. Encunters with peple in vulnerable situatins play a key rle: these create an understanding f human rights at a grassrts level and a mre persnal level relatinship with human rights. The relatinship between the vlunteer and the beneficiaries has shaped human rights learning. The findings f the study illustrate hw three central aspects f vluntary service act tgether t create impacts thrugh the vlunteers learning (hlistic, experiential and supprted learning). The sum f experiences is capable f empwering the vlunteers nt nly as individuals but als as citizens and cmmunity members. The respndents rle in the well-being f thers is learned thrugh cncrete experiences f making a psitive difference. An imprtant factr appears t be the ways in which the vlunteer interacts with human rights tpics. The Cmmunicating Human Rights in Diversity prject entailed additinal supprt fr reflectin: this supprt is mstly implicit in respndents accunts but evidenced in the cncepts applied by the respndents t make sense f the experience, a greater awareness f human rights tpics in everyday cntexts and an increased cmmitment t human rights.