Volunteer development can take different forms, such as education, training and work involvement. Oxfam runs sharing sessions, talks, workshops and exposure trips for volunteers to learn more about poverty and our approach in tackling it.
Applicants will register as Oxfam Hong Kong volunteers upon first arrival for conducting volunteer work at our office. During the registration, we introduce the mission and vision of Oxfam, our scope of work, and the particulars of volunteer engagement, such as service opportunities, the recognition scheme, and volunteer rights and responsibilities.
We conduct thematic programme sessions for volunteers in which colleagues from the head office and from overseas share the work approach, challenges and effectiveness of Oxfam’s development and advocacy projects in improving the lives of poor people and in promoting socio-economic justice. “Poverty Problems in Developing Countries”, “Fair Trade”, “Effect of Climate Change on Poor Regions”, and “Global Citizenship” have been some of the topics so far.
Volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in various experiential educational workshops conducted by our Interactive Education Centre, such as Food and Hunger, War and Conflict, Trade and Poverty, and Sustainable Development.
Exposure trips to Mainland China or overseas project sites are run once a year whenever available. Through direct dialogue and exchange with our programme colleagues, local partners and project participants, volunteers can learn more about everyday life in developing regions, as well as about Oxfam Hong Kong’s work approaches and overall effectiveness. In the past, we visited Gansu to observe an ecological poverty reduction project and we went to Nepal to study projects that combined sustainable development and women’s empowerment in upland areas.
This annual gathering is an occasion where we report Oxfam Hong Kong’s work over the year and outline our upcoming plans. Supporters, including donors and volunteers, can also join group discussions facilitated by our project staff and field officers to learn more about our current work in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas.
There is a volunteer recognition scheme to express our sincere gratitude to volunteers for their continuous and tremendous support. Certificates of appreciation are presented to eligible volunteers in accordance with the number of service hours a volunteer has accumulated in the past calendar year:
| Service Hours | Prize Awarded |
| 20 – 40 hours | Bronze |
| 41 – 70 hours | Silver |
| Above 70 hours | Gold |
Volunteers can view our latest publications and information regularly, such as our Annual Review and other materials. They will also be invited to join various agency activities.