Volunteers Requesting to Move Household

If a volunteer is unhappy with the living arrangement in their current host family, it is important that you understand the full picture. This is a sensitive situation for a host family in the village and one we’d try to avoid. It is a delicate one to navigate as a leader because if a volunteer were to be removed from their care there is potential for the family to experience great shame.

1. Understand the context as to why the volunteer(s) wishes to move.
2. Once reasons are clarified, meet with your leadership team and inform the Project Coordinator for clarity for all. Based on the situation, discuss appropriate actionables.
3. Discuss the situation with TNK for his clarity.
4. If necessary, discreetly meet with the family and ask TNK to lead the discussion in regards to the situation and outcomes moving forward. It is important to have a leader present to reassure the family and demonstrate that we support them. 
5. Unless exceptional circumstances, encourage a further 48 hour period where the volunteer remains in the household after discussing issues to await resolution.

In the event of moving a volunteer(s) to another host family:

1. Liaise heavily with TNK to understand the community’s preferences in this scenario. Potential options may be:
   1. An entirely new family puts themselves forward to host.
   2. In the situation of moving one volunteer, you add the volunteer to a house containing 2 other volunteers, making a house of 3.
   3. Swapping one volunteer for another.

NB: If moving one volunteer, technically leaving one volunteer behind, a discussion must be had with the individual not moving to ensure they feel safe and comfortable being in the house themselves or whether they would like to seek an alternative option. 

2. Leave the family allowance already provided to the original family with them.
3. Provide a family allowance to the new host family based on the amount of weeks left for them to host ($140 per week per person). This can be taken from project expenses.

NB: It is important to make sure the situation is solved discreetly and swiftly to avoid it becoming an ‘event’ in the community. This is for the benefit of both volunteers and family.