In consultation with Colombian and international human rights organizations working with and living in the community, FOR is now providing the requested accompaniment of La Unión. In February 2002, the first two FOR volunteers arrived in the community where they will be staying for a period of at least six months sharing the lives of the peasant farmers striving for a life in peace and dignity. To ensure the continuity of the accompaniment, FOR now seeks committed and skilled volunteers ready to actively support this living example of nonviolent resistance.

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Fellowship of Reconciliation
Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean
2017 Mission St. #305
San Francisco, CA 94110
phone: (415) 495-6334, fax: (415) 495-5628
www.forusa.org E-mail: forcolombia@igc.apc.org

Accompaniment Project in San José de Apartadó, Colombia

Volunteer Responsibilities:

The purpose of the accompaniment presence in San José de Apartadó is to assist in protecting the lives of the community, and by doing so, help to maintain open the space for human rights and for neutrality of the civilian population in the Colombian countryside. To this end, the volunteers seek, as far as possible within their resources to:

Offer nonviolent support and protective accompaniment to members and leaders of the San José community (especially in the settlement of La Unión), and to the Colombian organizations that accompany them, as they are threatened with violence from various sides.

• Identify what is happening in the country through direct observation and by listening to a wide range of viewpoints and experiences, respecting the need expressed by involved parties for confidentiality;
• Provide the outside world with a non-partisan analysis and reports of the situation as viewed from within the country or community;
• Provide accurate and timely information to the Fellowship of Reconciliation in cases of attack or threat against the community, to assist in directing international attention toward the need for human rights protection.

Volunteer Requirements:

• A clear understanding of and commitment to nonviolence, and to the value of bearing witness through an accompaniment project.
• Proficiency in both Spanish and English.
• A strong commitment to teamwork, both in terms of working with one or more other FOR volunteers in the field, and in relation to the TFLAC staff and committees.
• We seek volunteers who will commit to serve for at least six months.
• Maturity. We do not accept applicants younger than 21 years of age. The maturity of all prospective volunteers, regardless of age, will be evaluated.
• Resilience or the ability to work effectively under intense pressure and stress. It is recommended that volunteers cultivate habits of self-care to manage stress over extended periods of time.
• Sensitivity to and the ability to work with people of different cultures demonstrated through previous experience with people of another culture. Experience in the field is an asset, but is not required. Familiarity with rural communities is also helpful.
• Familiarity with consensus decision-making,
• A willingness to live simply.
• Ability to represent the project in a professional and appropriate manner, in a wide variety of settings.
• Ability to track and analyze information that is pertinent to the safety of volunteers, the need for external support, and/or the opportunities for enhancing the work.
• Ability to work with a computer, for word processing, e-mail, and basic maintenance of the computer itself.
• Reasonable proficiency with writing reports, summarizing information, and capturing stories through anecdotes or interviews, is highly recommended. Some familiarity with photography is recommended.
• The ability to keep basic accounts (bookkeeping) of expenses and transfers of funds.
• Other skills that may be useful but are not required include experience with first aid, translating and interpreting, cooking, and other skills of daily life.
• A good working knowledge of the current situation in Colombia is highly recommended.
• Volunteers are expected to do outreach in the United States to share their experience (speaking, writing) after service in Colombia.
• Because of the nature of this work, FOR does not accept Colombian nationals as volunteers for this project.

Financial Arrangements:

FOR covers living expenses (food, lodging, and travel when doing FOR work) in the field during the term of service (in addition to providing a small monthly stipend and some health insurance). Volunteers are strongly encouraged to raise money to assist with their personal expenses while serving on the team.

Training for Volunteers:

FOR will work with each volunteer to develop a training plan, which may include any or all of the following: FOR-led training sessions, attendance at the training sessions of other accompaniment organizations (such as Peace Brigades International), self-study plans, and attendance at conferences, classes or trainings on specific topics. In addition to training, each volunteer first will go through an interview process. The interview process is a mutual-discernment process -- to help the volunteer decide if serving in this project is a commitment he or she would like to make, and to help FOR determine if he or she is adequately prepared for the experience.

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Fellowship of Reconciliation
Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean
2017 Mission Street #305, San Francisco, CA 94110
phone: (415) 495-6334; fax: (415) 495-5628
forlatam@igc.org
FOR Colombia Volunteers