Thinking of Applying?

Africa Volunteer Corps is now accepting applications for the June 2015 class of volunteers.

We are now accepting Volunteer applications from East African residents (those with residency in: Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, or Uganda). Non-residents of Tanzania are expected to cover the cost of their residency permit (around $550 USD). Please include with your application proof of sponsorship or proof that you can pay for the permit yourself. We are not be able to consider your application if proof of future payment is not included.

We are sorry, but for the time being we are not accepting Volunteer applications from those residing outside of East Africa.

IMPORTANT: Please read all application instructions carefully before applying. We cannot consider incomplete applications. It is important that you answer all questions completely. We highly recommend writing the questions down or copying them onto a separate document first, drafting them on a separate sheet or document, then copying your answers into the application later. This will ensure that you can take your time answering the questions carefully and do not feel rushed.

Process

There are three stages in applying to Africa Volunteer Corps. First is the written application. The application deadline for the written application is April 30, 2015. Applications must be filled out in full (including short answers, essays, CV’s, certificates, and letters of recommendation). We receive many incomplete applications because many applicants have limited time at a computer with internet access. We recommend filling out this information on a separate sheet or document and copying into the final online application in order to have time to complete the full application. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Those who are chosen to move forward will be invited to have a phone interview. From those we will choose the finalists to have an in-person interview with an AVC staff member at one of a number of cities around Tanzania. From the in-person interviewees we will choose the final class of Africa Volunteer Corps Volunteers. Those who have been chosen to join the June 2015 class of Volunteers will be notified.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for leaders who want to move society forward. Africa Volunteer Corps is not simply a job training program. We are looking for people who can identify challenges in their community, their country, or in Africa as a whole, and want to work hard to fix them. They likely have ideas of their own about solutions to these problems. Their work with Africa Volunteer Corps will supplement and be a stepping-stone for bigger life goals and a bigger vision for the development of their community, country, or continent.

Africa Volunteer Corps does not discriminate on the basis of academic or professional background. We accept applications from candidates in a wide variety of fields because we seek individuals who match the needs of local development initiatives, and these needs are various. Valuable backgrounds include, but are in no way limited to: community development, economics/economic development, journalism, education, accounting/finance, marketing, communications, and public health. We are looking for candidates who can make a convincing argument about their contribution to local development initiatives and whose skills, interests, and goals match the needs of the local development initiatives who apply to work with a volunteer.

Since acceptance into the program is contingent on a match with a local development project, if you are not accepted it may simply mean that there was not a proper match this year. If you still meet the application requirements at the time of next year’s application cycle, we encourage you to apply again. Africa Volunteer Corps is a very competitive program so there will be a large number of qualified individuals who do not make it into the program.

Currently AVC is unable to provide support for more than one person at a time. We can not provide support for spouses, children or other dependents. Applicants should take this into consideration when applying.

Requirements

  • At least a diploma by the start date of orientation
  • Most qualified applicants will have: strong scores; demonstrable management, employment, or leadership experience/skills; strong communications skills and demonstrable problem-solving abilities; creativity, motivation, dedication and a strong desire to use their education and skills to help Africa
  • Proof of citizenship of an East African country (more details above)
  • Have completed a diploma or degree within one year of applying of the start date of Orientation (i.e. you have not been out of school for more than one year)
  • Willingness to make a full-time commitment for 6 months or 12 months

Does your organization qualify?

AVC works only with locally-initiated development projects. This means that the organization was founded by locals and is registered in Tanzania as at the national, regional, or district level and not as an international organization opening a branch in Tanzania.

Why do we work only with local organizations?

We recognize that there are many organizations, both locally-and internationally-initiated that are doing good work in Tanzania, making an impact and improving lives. We also believe, however, that the most sustainable kind of development comes from the grassroots, from local people themselves. Africa Volunteer Corps was designed to strengthen local efforts to improve their corner of the world, according to their own definitions of challenges, progress, and development. We also recognize that organizations that were founded outside of Africa or by people from outside of Africa likely have access to resources that are largely unavailable to local organizations. We want to help ensure that local development efforts are just as strong and effective as those that have ties to wealthier parts of the world. We believe that Africa holds all the answers to its own future, that those answers will come from Africa’s people. Grassroots organizations are on the front lines of development and AVC wants to strengthen and harness the energy of Africa’s development leaders.