CooperantesCaixa, the international volunteer programme of the "la Caixa" Foundation, has reinvented the way it cooperates

The new cooperation: 60 volunteers are embarking on international development projects at home this summer

photo_camera La ayuda llega a cinco países: India, Perú, Mozambique, Etiopía y Portugal.

- The impossibility of travelling for COVID-19 does not stop CooperantesCaixa, a specialised volunteer programme at the service of local NGOs and international organisations, whose participants dedicate their holidays to collaborating in international cooperation projects.

- 60 of the organisation's employees are embarking on virtual volunteering, a format that is committed to flexibility, inclusiveness and sustainability, and which will reach five countries: India, Peru, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Portugal.

- More than 600 volunteers have already taken part in CooperantesCaixa, which has been running for the last sixteen summers, offering the community their experience and knowledge in the areas in which they specialise.

Luis Navarro, voluntario de CooperantesCaixa.

COVID-19 has shown that international cooperation never stops, and even less so during the holidays. A total of 60 CooperantesCaixa volunteers know that now is when it is most important, and given the impossibility of travelling to their destination countries, they are going to carry out their projects remotely for the second year running.

CooperantesCaixa, the international volunteer programme of the "la Caixa" Foundation, has reinvented its form of cooperation as a result of the situation caused by the pandemic and the restrictions on mobility and security. In 2020, 44 volunteers joined the virtual initiative, which this year has gained even more followers: a total of 60 people will devote their holidays to working remotely on international development projects.

Los cooperantes trabajarán en remoto con ONG localizadas físicamente en India, Perú y Mozambique en el marco del programa de creación de empleo Work 4 Progress de la Fundación ”la Caixa”, así como en proyectos con la Fundación Aga Khan y el Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), y el programa MoM, realizado desde Fundación ”la Caixa” en alianza con el ACNUR.

The participants in this programme contribute their knowledge, skills and experience in the area in which they are specialists to develop cooperation projects in which the "la Caixa" Foundation collaborates with local NGOs, with the aim of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A total of 612 volunteers have participated since the programme began, providing assistance to 60 NGOs in 23 countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Since 2019, several CooperantesCaixa from BPI (Banco Português de Investimento) have joined the programme.

Laura Martínez, voluntaria de CooperantesCaixa con Action Aid.

The volunteers will work remotely with NGOs physically located in India, Peru and Mozambique as part of the "la Caixa" Foundation's Work 4 Progress job creation programme, as well as on projects with the Aga Khan Foundation and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). For the first time, in this edition different volunteers will collaborate with the MoM programme, carried out by "la Caixa" Foundation in alliance with the UNHCR in Ethiopia with the aim of reducing infant mortality and improving the nutritional situation of children under 5 years of age and their mothers.

To contribute to the experiential component, the aid workers themselves are recreating in an imaginary way the journey they would have made, which can be followed through social networks. In addition, a "CooperanteCaixa Guide" is being created through the Work4Progress Virtual l@b platform, a digital environment where the evolution of the projects can be monitored with specific indicators.

Cooperante trabajando en remoto, un reto pero también una oportunidad.

The period of intervention of virtual volunteering will be variable and flexible, always aiming to generate the greatest possible impact on local projects. The work between the team of development workers and the professionals of the local NGOs will be closer than ever, with the aim of being more closely involved and supported during the social intervention.

Non-face-to-face volunteering represents a challenge, but also an opportunity, which has highlighted some of the benefits of making distance cooperation possible:

  • Flexibility: It allows the incorporation of development workers who until now could not travel to the field, or who could not be absent from their place of origin for so long due to professional or personal reasons.
  • Agility: The virtual format allows for rapid intervention in humanitarian emergencies immediately, without the complexity of preparing a trip to the field.
  • Accessibility: More NGOs in more countries can benefit from the virtual programme in territories previously out of reach of the programme.
  • Sustainability: The prioritisation of remote work when travel is not essential is more environmentally friendly and also allows for the participation of many more staff with the same budget.

 

Roser de la Torre, voluntaria de CooperantesCaixa.

 

The programme facilitates the participation of active workers, early retirees and pensioners in local development projects in countries around the world. All of them are volunteers from the CaixaBank Group who collaborate in altruistic activities throughout the year.

The volunteers were chosen after a selection process that took into account the profile, experience and expectations of each candidate. In addition, the selected workers have received training and awareness-raising, and have learnt about international cooperation, the political, economic and social context of the destination country, the motivations and objectives of the project, and the specific work they will carry out.

This type of international volunteering, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a pioneer in corporate social responsibility. Its vocation is transformative for all its participants: the local NGO, the community and also the volunteers, who live the experience of a solidarity and productive holiday aimed at improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations in developing countries.

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