Our Expectation for your Participation
At Think Pacific, we are not claiming to be trailblazers and the shining light who’s conduct is in every aspect exemplary… in this sector, the importance of constantly learning, self-analysis with a critical eye, maintaining a level of flexibility and remaining ever vigilant in regards to organisational conduct cannot be understated in the interest of having the capacity for genuine, sustainable support and wider ethics. But, we believe the models we use throughout our programs do offer genuine opportunity to effectively and ethically work towards our aims in supporting our partners and development in Fiji.
As someone who is joining a program, we think it’s incredibly important that you fully understand this model so that you can fully understand your place on project, wider delivery aims that you are contributing towards and your role in delivery components during the program.
Our Approach to Utilising International Participants
International ‘volunteering’ organisations can be a real mixed bag of quality. The term ‘voluntourism’ rightly has negative connotations, connoting to individuals who join a project mainly for their own benefit, joining an organisation that potentially exploits communities around the world due to business incentive. Concepts like ‘saviourism’ are linked to these charitable models as often the message for these volunteers is that they are joining a project to make a large, personal impact. They are sold images of suffering and hardship with the narrative that the volunteering project they are joining will alleviate this.
This is not a sound model for using international, and largely what would be categorised as unskilled, volunteers and plausibly does more damage to those that are being described to be helped that good. This is not how we view your participation. No volunteer project will ever change the world, that’s not the point.
However, we still believe that there is an effective approach to utilising international participants in small-scale projects that provides benefits for the organisations the projects support and the development of those participants involved… a win-win. These projects will allow you to play a part in initiatives that makes a small and real contribution to wider aims and objectives.
No Superheroes, No Saviours. Just thoughtful collaboration, challenge and understanding…
Think Pacific does not need to exist, but we aim to act as a surplus of support. When you are joining a Think Pacific program, you are funding initiatives that happen on the ground whilst also witnessing and participating in their delivery – seeing that action unfold in-country. You are essentially providing important resources and your own time that can be re-distributed to support a uniquely Fijian approach to development. This is a unique learning opportunity for you that does not replace opportunities for local engagement, it actually has a place in creating them; boosting local employment opportunities and boosting the stability, sustainable growth and capacity of our Fijian partners.
Using external participation to boost internal opportunity.
Want to read more about Think Pacific’s approach? Here’s our in-depth document on responsibility:
Design of the Projects:
To further understand this model, we have to consider where the projects come from. Every project starts from conversations in and for Fiji, consultation that follows about delivery logistics and then implementation. Think of each project like a ‘pawn’ in a much bigger game of chess. It is has a ripple effect that strives towards wider goals shared by all our partners across Fiji and acts as a great opportunity to boost the outreach capacity of local organisations.
Above you can see the roadmap for how the projects come about. What’s important to remember is that, as a self-funded organisation, none of the support through Think Pacific would arise unless individuals like yourselves are taking part!
Every Think Pacific program is planned in collaboration and at the request of communities and local organisation and directed and monitored by Fijian Ministries to ensure our projects have real purpose and long term sustainability. We are respected for working within the framework of the government, adding immediate benefit to long-term strategies through projects themselves and continued funding provided year round. This includes driving forward the aims of Fiji’s National Development Plan and being a key facilitator of the Ministry of Health’s Towards a Healthy Fiji Islands Initiative.
This means that every project is designed to be working towards these wider goals and each project is working on behalf of
our partners. We believe it’s incredibly important that you are aware of this as a participant on one of our programs, that all
project aims you are specifically supporting and working towards are guided and monitored by Fiji. More information will be
coming your way about the specifics of this for your project.
So rather than imposing our own ideals, the projects themselves and your participation are designed to wholly support localised objectives through supporting our partners. And on a mindset level, you know exactly what is expected of you during the delivery of project… a huge opportunity to learn and a engage in what is a fascinating exercise of cross-cultural dialogue.
Partnerships
As we can’t say enough… Think Pacific exists to support the incredible work of our partners in Fiji, encouraging a uniquely Fijian approach to development and working towards existing initiatives. Our partners are the backbone of what Think Pacific serves.
We have MOUs with Governmental Ministries such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of
iTaukei Affairs, but are also partnered with 70+ NGOs, NOs and small businesses in Fiji. Here’s a video introducing just a few of our key partnerships in Fiji:
Why is this important?
Partnerships are the most effective means of working in a unified and genuinely effective way towards shared goals: They are
the reason Think Pacific is structured in the way we are and ultimately why the project you are joining exists in the way it
does!
Not only is this important for the practical elements of the development sector, it is an important ethical point too. For
international support to be genuinely effective, there must be an understanding that due to cultural and societal differences,
the direction of ‘development’ must be locally-led and any resource distribution to be directed to where it is most useful,
particularly in a country such as Fiji with a history of Western imposition.
On a global level, within the partnership dynamic, there is an exchange, and we believe there is a huge amount of value that can be come from open discussion, when nuanced perspectives are listened to and engaged with and particularly when those perspectives are valued on a global level. Here’s a video we’ve created communicating just that:
Our Expectation of You
You may have guessed throughout the preparation in this Global Skills course that we are very keen to encourage a learning mindset! This is exactly what we ask of you when joining a Think Pacific programme; to be curious, open minded and come with the expectation to challenge your own perspectives and learn about people and about yourself.
During your program, you are never going into a community to ‘teach,’ you are not necessarily enlisted to share your expertise with a local organisation in Fiji, you are instead becoming a part of the collaborative process that is a Think Pacific project. As an international individual, you are a perfect opportunity for Fijian organisations to stimulate discussions on wider humanitarian topics, using you to bring your own perspective and as an excuse to facilitate cross-cultural discussions. This provides the setting for a healthy cultural exchange, an open learning environment for all involved.
Simultaneously, you will be witnessing Sustainable Development in action in a Fijian context.