We have a great deal to learn from one another. Each culture of the world has a unique perspective on life. When we work together, we're united in a common goal...which can bridge language, geographical and cultural divides. Global Volunteers' philosophy regards the role of the volunteer as a "servant-learner" in order to be truly helpful.
Putting ourselves openly and fully at the service of others ensures that every volunteer has the opportunity to work with and learn from local people in our host communities.
This model is especially instructive to students, who are helping to build this interconnected world -- and must relate to different people, cultures and lifestyles seamlessly and respectfully.
During Global Volunteers' genesis in 1984, we created the concept of the "servant learner" to describe how we viewed the volunteer's role in our host communities. On every team, we strive to support local people's efforts toward self-development and the community's self-sufficiency. We are "servants" to this effort. We're not slaves, or servants without human regard, of course. But, we remain open-minded and open-hearted. We agree to help local people in the manner they request -- within our personal limitations, and within the parameters of our abilities.
As "learners," volunteers are encouraged to open themselves to the new, to a fresh perspective. We invite volunteers to put away their preconceived notions, biases and prejudices and hopefully learn much like a child learns.
The "servant learner" is a "good neighbor," someone who notices we're working on a home project and asks, "Can I lend a hand?" Sometimes that neighbor might give us the momentum to get the project started. (For example, a helpful neighbor might say "If you have an extra brush, I'll help you get started with your painting project.") This is the foundation of Global Volunteers' development partnerships worldwide.
Please follow this PDF link to read more on how Global Volunteers pioneered the
servant learner philosophy.
