Partner manual

What we expect

Good cooperation

Livingstone partner profile
We cooperate with partner organisations that are in line with our partner profile. See about our partners for more information about the profile.

Good communication
We ask our partners to communicate with us regularly about their organisation, keep us updated on achievements and issues. Together we will prepare the plans for the teams that will visit their project. See transparency above.

Sustainable projects
Livingstone partners have specific plans for their organisation, in which they present:

• the main objective of the project
• the target group(s) of the project
• involvement of the local community
• involvement of local/national authorities
• current activities to realise the project
• future activities to realise the project
• overview of expenses to realise the project
• income generation to run the project after realisation
• overview of incomes and expenditures after realisation

Financial accountability
All budget our partners receive must strictly be spent as agreed upon. During the stay of a mission team, the project leader and team leaders are together responsible for the expenditures. All purchase receipts should be kept available as official proof of expenditures.

Suppose a partner organisation receives a donation (without having a team or volunteer). A financial report should be made, and purchase receipts should be included.

Livingstone documentation
Livingstone provides well-organised datasheets about all main issues of the partnership. Our partner organisations take effort to complete all forms and to keep them up to date on a regular base. These are the main datasheets.

• organisation
• safety
• facility
• program
• costs
• project (or a business plan)

Exclusive cooperation
In the partnership with Livingstone, it is a requirement that any possible teams/volunteers from Holland or Belgium are referred to Livingstone for proper application and preparations. Accepting teams/volunteers without this application/preparation will damage our cooperation.

In case a partner organisation would like to cooperate with another party from Holland or Belgium with a different purpose than receiving teams and volunteers, we want to get to know this party.

Evaluation
After a team has visited a project, we will send the team leaders, team members and project leader a survey. The results will be used to evaluate the trip. The relations manager will consider personally with the team leaders and the project leaders.

Program

Your mission
The activities in any program for our teams/volunteers should serve the core of the mission of the partner organisation and be of direct benefit to the target group (the people that the organisation serves).

Together with locals
Our teams and volunteers should work in close collaboration with the local staff and the beneficiaries of the partner. We prefer to work locally with youngsters since our members are (mostly) youngsters as well.

Social work
A team likes to do a mixture of social activities. Our volunteers will encourage vulnerable children, youth, prisoners, seniors and refugees by spending time together and organising all kind of activities which are suitable/encouraging. Possible activities are: house visits, sports activities, crafts, teaching classes, debates, hikes, etc

Practical work
Our team can assist local workers in cleaning, painting, gardening, household, cooking, renovating and constructing. The level and kind of skills can be different from one team to another. Before teams come, we will indicate this, so the correct work and guidance can be put in place.

Safety
We expect that our partners can be careful about the safety of our teams. Once we start a cooperation, we will discuss the safety of surroundings, accommodations, transport, work, food, behaviours and medical care.

Facilities

Accommodation
Teams/volunteers need to be accommodated, but as much as possible on local standards. We like to be treated as one of your people, nothing more, nothing less. This helps your staff and our teams/volunteers to relate as equals.

Meals
Our teams/volunteers can, most of the time, eat local food. Maybe some adjustments might be needed. Please check our food habits here. We can also cook ourselves. In that case, we ask your assistance with shopping for meals.

Transport
A team needs to be transported from the airport to the project and back. If accommodation and work are not at the same place, daily transport may be required.

Guidance of volunteers

Inspiration
We work together with partners who embrace a conscious and faith-based lifestyle. They represent a source of inspiration to our volunteers. We noticed that many of our team members changed because of mission trips: they became believers, more grateful persons, missionaries, decided to start certain studies or started to reach out to the underprivileged in their own society. These transformations are the result of inspirational encounters with passionate project leaders and community members.

Instructions
At the day of arrival, a project leader will inform the team about:

• the project (the vision, mission and relevance)
• the safety rules for our team
• the way of guidance of the team (who is who on the project)
• do’s and don’ts and other cultural aspects that the team should know

Daily contact
Once a team is visiting a project, the project leader will sit down every day with the team leaders in order to discuss the program and finances for the (next) day. Basic knowledge of the English language is necessary.

Daily guidance
The team/volunteers should be guided in the local work, practical as well as social. This can be done by the staff workers of the partners, combined with local constructors, local social workers, teachers, interpreters, etc. Where possible guidance of local youngsters with a buddy system is very much preferred.

Evaluation
On one of the last days, the project leader will sit down with the whole of the team in order to evaluate the trip:

• the appreciation and feedback for the local mission
• the appreciation and feedback from all to all (local leaders, local staff, local people, team, team leaders)
• the fruits of the stay for all
• the program for the team
• the facilities for the team (accommodation, transport, etc.)

Guidance of locals

Staff
The partner organisation makes sure that the staff assists their project leader and our team. Before a mission team arrives, the local staff must be informed about:

• the Code of Conduct
• our Safety Policy
• the Dutch culture

One of the languages used at the project or in the community is English or German. If this is not the case, staff must be able to facilitate as an interpreter.

Local workers
The project leader should inform the local workers and contractors that the teams are not professional workers. This implies that the latter carry out the work at assisting level and that their work times may vary from the contractor’s work times. (S)he makes sure to inform the contractors about:

• the Code of Conduct
• safety rules concerning construction work

Local authorities
The project leader should inform the local authorities about the coming of a mission team. Once a team has arrived, they can visit the local authorities, when that is requested or custom.

Local community
The partner organisation should inform community members involved in the project about the visit of the mission team and the purpose of their visit.