Volunteering
Introduction
"I feel proud to have been part of the team and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life." - David Johnson, Aptivate volunteer
Aptivate is a not-for-profit organisation that believes in the power of knowledge and communication to make tangible improvements to the lives of ordinary people across the developing world. Our immediate goal is to build software and hardware that enables Internet access in the poorest countries and most remote regions of the world.
We are currently:
- Developing a rural communications platform as part of the UN ITU Connect The World Initiative;
- Working with UN FAO and the WHO to enable better access to health, agricultural and environmental research;
- Coordinating an academic network focusing on digital divide technologies;
- Working with institutions in Ghana and Kenya on bandwidth management and information outreach;
- Looking to recruit more volunteers, with a view to increasing our full-time staff next year.
For more information about what we do, please see our Projects page.
"The real goal is not just to get more computers, or more telephones, but rather to extend access to information, to guarantee the right to communicate...." - Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary General ITU, WSIS, 2002
Aptivate's History
The idea behind Aptivate was first conceived in Nepal by two aidworkers working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. They had experience of the communications problems present in developing countries, and were trying to find a way of alleviating them. In collaboration with some technically minded friends they founded Aidworld in 2002. Aidworld's initial focus was on supporting the humanitarian aid sector, and this has since shifted to include international development work, where we have found many applications for our expertise.
In 2006 Aidworld changed its name to Aptivate. The organisation has grown to seven full-time members of staff, and is now supported with office space by the University of Cambridge as part of the Humanitarian Centre - an umbrella group for a collection of local and international relief and development organisations based in and around Cambridge. Having worked on projects funded by DTI, DFID, WHO and UNFAO, Aptivate is now recognised as an established NGO with a significant contribution to make to development projects. We will soon be signing a memorandum of understanding with the UN ITU to make our Enclusion rural communication platform a focus of the Connect the World Initiative, and we are looking forward to other major projects planned for 2007, including intelligent bandwidth management for developing world institutions, and micro-credit schemes.
How you can get involved
Our volunteer team is vital to Aptivate's success. Every member of staff was at one time a volunteer. Our volunteers donate anything from a full working week to a few hours a month, whatever they can spare. Everyone working as a volunteer is contributing to the achievement of our objectives. Volunteers work varying hours from one day a week to full time, for varying amounts of time. We also take on a number of sponsored volunteers in Summer through our own Internship Programme and through the Engineers Without Borders placement scheme. Like all our staff, volunteers rarely work in absolute fixed roles. Areas in which volunteers can help us while gaining valuable experience include:
- Development
- research, report writing, evaluation methodology and assessment tool development, field projects, and strategy.
- Technical
- software engineering, system administration, technical writing / research, and web design.
- Organisational Support
- graphic design / DTP, fundraising, sector analysis, PR / press releases, accounting, office management and administration.
Internship Programme
We run an internship programme every Summer, usually of around three months duration. Interns receive subsidised accommodation and a small weekly contribution to living costs. Interns can expect both to be involved in many aspects of our current work, and to have time to focus on individual projects in detail.
As of 2008, we are also applying for the Google Summer of Code program which sponsors students to work on open-source projects. Our suggestions for possible projects can be found here.
Not sure if you've got the right skills?
While our work is often related in some way to communication technologies, it's by no means necessary to have a technical background to greatly benefit the organisation - just ask Dom, our CEO! We don't have the capacity to train people from scratch, and ask that you have some relevant experience in whatever area of our work interests you. If in doubt, just ask.
We are happy to discuss specific ideas for collaborative projects to fit volunteers' individual requirements. We are establishing ourselves as a successful "employer" of volunteers, listening to what each individual hopes to gain from working with us and forming a mutually beneficial relationship. We offer training where possible, and our method of working is often to have more than one person working together on specific tasks, meaning that people learn a lot in-house.
Who Volunteers?
Our volunteers range from people wanting experience in the development sector to experienced programmers. In the words of some past and present volunteers:
"As a PhD researcher at the Judge Institute at Cambridge University whose topic is 'ICTs in developing countries', I was delighted when I was selected by [Aptivate] to volunteer for 9 months! The experience was really valuable, and after planning a trip to Namibia, attending meetings with high profile donor organisations and a six week research visit to Kenya, I feel that I have learned a lot about this sector." - Kate Ni Chionnaith
"I'd been looking for a job doing something meaningful since leaving uni, and my long-term aim when I joined here was to move into a paid position if funding allowed. I'm now a full time member of staff, am responsible for other volunteers and have been to Ghana for three and a half months of fieldwork. It's great to work with such inspirational people." - Tom Lord
"I currently volunteer one day a week. I'm looking to get a job as a programmer - I see Aptivate as an excellent way to gain the experience needed to get a technical job whilst doing something worthwhile." - Ralph Owen
"What I find most attractive about the Internet is the ability for people from all over to be able to communicate and share their knowledge and experiences. After being made redundant, I had some time on my hands whilst I was looking for another job. I found out about [Aptivate], came in and met the team that work here. What Aptivate is working towards really appeals to me, so I decided to give 2-3 days a week assisting the development team, whilst working on freelance projects." - Jasmine Brackett
Benefits
- A chance to be a part of something that matters: helping people to improve their lives.
- Potential for employment after a period of voluntary work.
- Training and experience relevant to your individual objectives, pair-working with experienced staff.
- Volunteering for Aptivate will provide you with valuable experience in the development sector, including contact with other organisations such as governmental bodies, the United Nations, and NGOs.
- Previous volunteers have also travelled to meetings across the UK and Europe, on field trips to Kenya and Haiti and attended World Summits in Tunisia and Geneva.
How to volunteer
Contact us for further information, to arrange a visit to discuss our current projects and the possibilities for getting involved, or to register an interest in summer internships.
Please note:
Aptivate is based in Cambridge. In most circumstances we require volunteers to work with us in person in our Cambridge office.
If you are interested in being involved with our work on a day-to-day basis and live outside Cambridge, please bear this in mind when applying. Circumstances in which this does not apply include that where a volunteer has a specialist skill that can be called upon in particular circumstances e.g. law, accountancy, information architecture, copywriting etc.
In general, volunteers outside of our summer internships are unpaid and do not receive travel expenses for coming into the office.
Thanks!