What are the benefits of “NICE Volunteers”?

1. Join the Facebook group of the participating project

Some groups are already created for LMTVs, but NICE will created it for all the projects from 2020 as the common communication platform among new and ex. vols. of VSTV/ STV/ LMTV.
The way to join the group will be guided in the acceptance letter. This could be useful for the new vols. to;
😊 Communicate with other new vols. with whom they may want to travel together before/ after the project
😊 Communicate with ex. vols. to ask the things for better preparation without waiting for the info. sheets
😊 See how the project has been done (pictures of the work achievements, accommodation, local people, etc.)
This could be also nice for the ex. vols. to;
😊 See the results of their work (e.g., how the trees they planted have been grown) and other news of the host
😊 Be connected with other vols. who have joined the same project from the same country

 

2. Get a “NICE Volunteers” card and a certificate of participation

This could be issued by NICE electrically (upon request for the certificate) and possibly some useful for job hunting, school examination, etc.

3. Receive the e-newsletters and the NICE project lists 1-2 times a year.

Same info. will be anyway sent to the partner NGOs, but NICE Volunteers can directly get it at the same time!

4. Being invited to join the NICE gathering when staff or active member of NICE visited there

For example, when a few NICE staff members came to Paris to join the international meeting, we organized a Japan night in the office of our partner NGO in France with cooking Japanese food, presenting our projects, enjoying our cultures, etc. and gathered 50 people of ex. vols. (who also shared their experience), youth who are interested to come to Japan and join our projects, Japanese NICE members living in Paris for study, etc.
This kind of things can be done more easily and systematically if we have the status of NICE Volunteers and maintain the separate list of NICE volunteers in the database. Of course, it can be organized even without such an opportunity of our staff visit voluntarily by NICE Volunteers in partnership with NICE and its partner NGOs there.

5. Chance to more actively create actions and cooperation with NICE/ Local hosts

For example, some of Japanese vols. who joined the workcamps in Bangladesh started “Sister School Project” to facilitate exchange of children in the elementary schools between 2 countries in cooperation with NICE and BWCA. Also, one French vol. introduced organic tea made in one of NICE workcamps to the nature food shop in Paris, then the farmers group and the shop started business.
The similar things can be done by NICE volunteers more actively by having the platform and system to act as a bridge between two countries (e.g., organic farms, eco villages, children home, festivals, etc.)

6. Maybe get access to free home stay in the NICE members houses?

NICE used to call for the potential home to its members where the international vols. could be welcomed to stay before or after the workcamps. IF we get human resources, we will try to revive it.

7. Have free coffee and tea at our office in Yokohama/ Osaka

NICE Volunteers are welcomed to visit our offices in our working hours and possibly join our lunch.