Guidelines - Responsible Exchange and Volunteering 2018

mitigating prolonged re-entry shock for returning participants as well as contribute to improved transitioning of returning participants.

Multipliers – the true benefit of exchange can only be achieved when we turn exchange participants into multipliers. That means for every individual exchange participant, the benefit, through that participant, positively influences a wider social circle or community. When the practice of exchange, through multipliers, is impacting on social and / or economic wellbeing, then the investment into exchange is an investment into a stronger and more sustainable world.

As practitioners this can be achieved through appropriate support to participants at the post-placement phase.

Change-action-projects : returning participants will often return with a strong self-belief that they, as individuals or groups, are able to bring about positive change in their home country. This energy and enthusiasm must be harnessed productively. Change-action-projects are valuable target setters for the participants. Mobilizing localized social circles, church groups or community entities around a project for change should be encouraged. It is suggested that practitioners and participants take guidance from the Sustainable Development Goals to identify, plan and undertake change action projects. The AGYI will revise the WESSA Stepping Up to Sustainability publication to specifically support this process as a post-placement activity. The e-booklet will be available from WESSA (mike.denison@wessa.co.za), SAwN, SAGENet South Africa, GIZ and Engagement Global.

In vain have you acquired knowledge if you have not imparted it to others. Deuteronomy Rabbah (c.900, commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy)

Sharing experiences with the broader public The power of exchange must find appropriate mechanisms by which the experience can be shared. This serves several important growth and development agendas: - Enhancing the experience : reflexive, critical thinking by young minds who have been positively impacted on through the exchange experience have something wonderful to share with the world. By facilitating appropriate platforms for participants to access, beyond their personal outlets, the practitioner indirectly enhances the impact of the experience by attributing enough value to the experience to want it to be shared.

African German Youth Initiative Page 50 of 67

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