Co-develop Website for an Indigenous Community Organization
Eligibility
Open to all RPCVs
Activity/project background
Partner: The San Community Development and San Vision Foundation (Local NGO)
The San Vision Foundation (TSVF) is a non-profit organization based in Platfontein, Kimberley in the Northern Cape, South Africa. The organization was founded by indigenous youth to address challenges that young people face in the !Xun and Khwe communities from the Indigenous Khoi and San tribes. The San Vision Foundation have strong community relationships and intimate local knowledge, which places them in the best position to understand and serve their community needs.
The Khoi and San Indigenous tribes are among the most marginalized population groups in South Africa. TSVF provides youth-development interventions with the aim to promote early-childhood development, primary and secondary school support, reading clubs to increase literacy rates, and career guidance. The purpose of these interventions is to enable growth, economic opportunities, and sustainable development within the community.
The organization seeks a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to support them with developing their communications strategy and establishing a website to document their impact in their community. They also would like support with webpage editing, social media copy to website management, and social media content.
The organization has not previously worked with a Peace Corps Volunteer or a VSPP. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different from a two-year Volunteer.
Virtual service engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:
• Co-develop a communications strategy to determine the steps to increase visibility of the organization’s work online
• Advise on suitable website creation platforms that will be cost-effective, user-friendly and meets the needs of the organization
• Co-develop with the Host Country Counterpart a website/webpage that will showcase the organization’s objectives, youth-development initiatives, and impact in the community
• Strengthen the capacity of counterparts to edit, upload, and manage the website
This engagement is expected to be approximately 12 weeks. VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5-15 hours per week.
Meetings between VSPPs and Host Country Counterparts will take place at least once per week during normal office hours 08:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. South African time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to WhatsApp, MS Teams, Zoom, and email for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0-18), two adults must be present.
Optional additional activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.
Essential qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field
Experience: Experience in public affairs, developing branding campaigns, social media, website design, or content development
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
Desired qualifications
Education: Master’s degree in communications or related field
Technical Skills: Familiarity with virtual engagement and communication
Experience:
• Experience developing basic communications strategies and social media content for non-profit organizations
• Experience working with indigenous communities
Terms and conditions of engagement
VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.
Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.
The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.
Engagement-specific safety and security
The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.
Supervision requirements
The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.
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