Visions in Action Attach

2710 Ontario Road, N.W. • Washington, D.C. • 20009

Phone 202-625-7402 • Fax 202-588-9344 Photo of
Self
VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
□ 6 Months □ 12 Months Program Departure Date____________
Please word process, type or print clearly.
Name Social Sec.#/ID#
Current Address City
State/Province Zip/Post Code Country
Day Phone Evening Phone Fax
Email
Permanent Address City
State/Province Zip/Post Code Country
Day Phone Evening Phone Fax
Occupation Employer
Marital Status Birth date Citizenship
Two Emergency Contacts (name, relation, full address, day and evening phones)
1.

2.

For which country program(s) are you applying? Please rank your choices (First=1, Last=8)
___South Africa (6 mo) ___Tanzania (6 mo) ___Uganda (6 mo)
___South Africa (12 mo) ___Tanzania (12 mo) ___Uganda (12 mo)
Please circle your location preference for Tanzania (Moshi or Arusha).

For which positions are you applying? Please rank your choices (First=1, Last=8)
___Project Manager ___Program Assistant ___Health Professional
___Public Health Educator ___Youth Group Coordinator ___Researcher
___Community Development Worker ___Journalist ___Other______________

Please rank the sectors that interest you. Please rank your choices (First=1, Last=20)
___Agriculture ___Food/Nutrition ___Natural Sciences
___Appropriate Technology ___Family Planning ___Refugees/Relief
___Children (Ages 1-12) ___Health ___Small Business
___Communications ___Housing ___Social Sciences
___Democratization ___Human Rights/Law ___Women
___Education ___Mentally Disabled ___Youth (Ages 13-20)
___Environment/Conservation ___Physically Disabled ___Other__________________
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Language Skills
Language Years spoken or studied Proficiency (Excellent—Intermediate—Poor)

Education (post secondary-school)

School Location Major/Degree Date of Graduation

Work Experience
Position/Responsibilities Firm/Organization Location Dates

Volunteer and Community Service Experience

International Work, Study, and Travel

Purpose Location Dates

Other Skills and Talents (Artistic, musical, athletic, literary, technical, trade)

Awards and Accomplishments

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VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT PREFERENCES

Do you prefer office or field emphasis?
 All Office  Mostly Office/Some Field  Half Field/Half Office
 All Field  Mostly Field/Some Office
Would you prefer to work in a rural or an urban setting?
 Strongly prefer urban  Would like urban placement, but rural is fine  No preference
 Strongly prefer rural  Would like rural placement, but urban is fine
How much supervision would you prefer?
 Much—I would like to learn about development by working closely with a mentor.
 Some—I need some guidance, but I prefer to work independently once I am shown direction.
 Little—I prefer to work independently.

Do you have any religious preference? You may leave blank any that you would not accept.
 A Christian missionary organization  An Islamic development organization

 A national Christian organization  An Islamic publication

 A Christian publication  A Jewish development organization
 A Christian organization doing secular work  A Jewish publication
 I do not want any religious organization  I have no preference toward religion
 I do not want any religious organization
Specific faith or denomination preferred (optional):
Would you prefer to work for an expatriate or an indigenous organization?
 I definitely want an indigenous organization.  I prefer an expatriate organization.

 I prefer an indigenous organization.  I definitely want an expatriate organization.

Would you prefer to work in a small or large organization?
 I definitely want a small organization.  I prefer a large organization.  No preference
 I definitely want a large organization.  I prefer a small organization.
Journalists—rank your placement preferences. (First choice=1) Leave blank any of no interest.
 Newspaper reporter  Magazine reporter  Nonprofit newsletter editor

 Newspaper sub-editor  Magazine sub-editor  Publisher’s assistant

 Video asst. producer  Radio asst. producer  TV asst. producer
 Photographer  Bookstore asst.
Do you have any other preferences regarding your placement?
Please feel free to be as explicit as you like, using extra paper if necessary.

Which are your housing preferences?

 I would like my own room in a Visions group house.

 I would like to share a room in a Visions group house.

 I will find my own housing. This will be my own responsibility. I understand that by choosing this
option, I may significantly increase my costs.
I am a  Smoker  Non-smoker
Other roommate preferences:
Please list names and addresses of two individuals who would enjoy receiving our information.
1. 2.
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How did you learn of Visions in Action?

NAMES OF REFERENCES
Please ask two people who are thoroughly familiar with you for academic or work-related
recommendations. These are the only forms of recommendations that will be accepted by Vision in
Action. Your recommendations should preferably be typed on letterhead, and must be sealed,
signed and dated in separate envelopes, enclosing the recommendation cards that came with this
application packet. At least one of the letters must comment on your foreign language ability if you
are applying to a country where the working language is other than your first language. You may
submit these letters under separate cover or choose to have our VIA staff contact your references
directly.

Name Position Organization/Company

Complete Address and Telephone Number
1.

2.

How did you hear about Visions in Action?

BEFORE YOU MAIL IN YOUR APPLICATION…

Please take the time to fill in this checklist to ensure that your application is complete.

I have included:
 This signed, completed application
 A non-refundable application fee of US$45.00
 My résumé in the working language(s) of the country/countries to which I am applying
 Four passport size photographs
 A photocopy of the page in my passport which includes my photo
 Two letters of recommendation in separate, sealed envelopes
 Contact Information for Two References. I would like VIA to contact my references directly.
 Essays
I hereby affirm that all of the information supplied herein is true and correct.

Signature (please initial

Date
if submitting by e-mail)

Please return to: Visions in Action

2710 Ontario Road, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009, USA
Telephone: 202-625-7402
E-mail: visions@visionsinaction.com
 Visions in Action Volunteer Application Page 5

Essay Questions

Please answer all of the following questions on separate paper. Answers must be typed. Questions 1-7 require
answers of a few sentences while question 8 requires an answer of 400 words.

1. Why are you applying to become a Visions in Action volunteer?

2. What do you think will be the most difficult thing about living and working in a poor area of an African or
Mexican city on a very modest budget?

3. How will you raise the funds necessary to become a volunteer? What community fundraising activities have
you planned, if any? It is important to specify how you will obtain the required funds.

4. On what grounds did you select the position(s) and sector(s) to which you are applying, as you specified on
page one of the application? Explain how your previous skills and experiences will benefit your work. If you do
not have experience in your chosen field, explain how you will gain experience prior to going overseas
(volunteer work, a job, skills training course, additional study).

5. What does the term “Development Assistance” mean to you personally? How do you imagine someone from
the developing world would define the same term?

6. Using your country of first choice as an example, what do you think is the greatest problem with development
practices in this country today, and how can this problem be overcome?

7. What will you do to advance the Visions in Action program in general?

8. Please write an essay (about 400 words) commenting on one of the following topics, drawing from your
personal experience where applicable: Ethnocentrism, Racism, Sexism, Economic Inequality, Human Rights,
Urban Poverty, War.
 Visions in Action Volunteer Application Page 6

Visions in Action
Development Volunteer Programs in Africa and Latin America

Letter of Recommendation Application due date_________________

Name of applicant____________________________Country of interest______________________
Name of reference_________________________________________________________________
Occupation____________________________Employer___________________________________
Length and nature of relationship with applicant__________________________________________

To the Recommender: The applicant has applied for a volunteer position in a developing country with
Visions in Action. The applicant, if accepted, will be placed with a nonprofit development organization
for a six or twelve month period. On a separate sheet of paper, preferably letterhead, please comment on
the applicant's ability to successfully carry out such a volunteer assignment, and based on your prior
experience evaluate the applicant in the following four areas:
1) Teamwork 3) Cross-cultural adjustment
2) Leadership qualities and initiative 4) Concern for social justice

If the applicant is applying for Mexico and you are familiar with the applicant's language abilities, please
note their proficiency level here: (Spanish for Mexico)
Proficiency: Excellent Good Average Fair Poor
Please return your recommendation to the applicant in a sealed envelope, signed and dated on the back.

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Visions in Action
Development Volunteer Programs in Africa and Latin America

Letter of Recommendation Application due date_________________

Name of applicant____________________________Country of interest______________________
Name of reference_________________________________________________________________
Occupation____________________________Employer___________________________________
Length and nature of relationship with applicant__________________________________________

To the Recommender: The applicant has applied for a volunteer position in a developing country with
Visions in Action. The applicant, if accepted, will be placed with a nonprofit development organization
for a 6 or 12-month period. On a separate sheet of paper, preferably letterhead, please comment on the
applicant's ability to successfully carry out such a volunteer assignment, and based on your prior
experience evaluate the applicant in the following four areas:
1) Teamwork 3) Cross-cultural adjustment
2) Leadership qualities and initiative 4) Concern for social justice

If the applicant is applying for Mexico and you are familiar with the applicant's language abilities, please
note their proficiency level here: (Spanish for Mexico)
Proficiency: Excellent Good Average Fair Poor
Please return your recommendation to the applicant in a sealed envelope, signed and dated on the back.