World View Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 3)

From the President IT TAKES A COMMUNITY Volunteering Overseas & the More Peace Corps Campaign by Kevin F. F. Quigley M argaret Mead famously said that, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” is issue looks at a group of committed individuals who work together to make a difference. It focuses on volunteering overseas–the common experience that connects our very diverse and dynamic community. Since many of us headed off to Peace Corps, the world has changed dramatically. One of those ways is that Americans have many more opportunities to serve overseas. In the early 1960s, there were only a few well established programs like the Experiment in International Living or American Field Service programs and a small number of study abroad programs–mainly in northern capitals like London, Paris, and Rome. ese days, there is a dizzying array of opportunities. You can volunteer with your church or synagogue, participate in a short-term program with an organization like Habit for Humanity, volunteer for your corporation or do a service learning semester with your university. Americans also have a variety of options regarding tenure: they can go for a few weeks, a month, a year, or Peace Corps’s 27 months. If you have had an overseas volunteer experience you understand that any opportunity that takes Americans overseas is important. ere is also evidence that short-time volunteer experiences are on-ramps or off-ramps for the longer Peace Corps experience. An intense volunteer experience with your church or school often whets an individual’s appetite for the longer and more intensive Peace Corps experience. e shorter-term experience is a good predictor of whether an individual volunteer will succeed. For example, we know that a percentage of the participants in the Cross-Cultural Solutions short-term programs have become Peace Corps volunteers. If you have a successful Peace Corps experience, you are often keen to have other overseas volunteer experiences, although perhaps of a much shorter duration–such as a few weeks or a month. Given the impact that volunteer experience has on an individual’s skills and attitudes and knowing that these are good for communities at home and abroad, NPCA was one of the founders of the Building Bridges Coalition. is coalition of more 150 corporations, universities, and faith-based and nongovernmental organizations seeks to increase the numbers of, the quality of, and the impact from Americans who volunteer overseas. e Coalition also has two clear and achievable goals: e first is to double the number of Americans who volunteer overseas, and the second is to double the number of Peace Corps volunteers. is last goal is central to our MorePeaceCorps campaign–and like the volunteer programs that are discussed here, this campaign requires a community of individuals working together. With the MorePeaceCorps campaign (www.morepeacecorps.org), we are building a community of individuals who are passionate about Peace Corps and see the importance of providing more resources to Peace Corps so that more can serve and Peace Corps can be part of a strategy of improving our country’s standing in the world. If you want to join us in this effort, please let me know. We are very fortunate to have a new campaign coordinator in Rajeev Goyal, Nepal 2001-03. We are also lucky to have Donald Ross, Nigeria 1965-67, who is the co-founder of M + R Strategic Services, as our partner in this campaign. M + R works on many leading campaigns including the Save Darfur Coalition, Oxfam Trade Justice Campaign, and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Campaign. Here at NPCA, Jonathan Pearson, Micronesia 1989-91, our Advocacy Coordinator, and Erica Burman, e Gambia 1987-89, our Director of Communications, also are playing central roles in the campaign. In the months ahead, you will be hearing lots more about this campaign. I did not want to close without acknowledging that this is the last WorldView edited by David Arnold. He has served as editor for the past 14 years–more than two-thirds of the magazine’s history. David will have the final word in his column, but during this time he often inspired us by bringing stories about Peace Corps community members who are changing the world–just as Margaret Mead suggested. ank you and very best wishes, David. Kevin F. F. Quigley ailand, 1976-79 WorldView 3 http://www.morepeacecorps.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of World View Magazine - Spring 2008

World View Magazine - Spring 2008
Contents
From the President
Lafayette Park
Your Turn
Gallery
Note to Readers
Introduction to the Issue
Engaging Masons
Commentary
Letter from Guatemala
Links of a Chain
Gallery
Science for Good
Letter from Jima
Another Country
Letter from Accra
Community News

World View Magazine - Spring 2008

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