P2V & HSW courses

Danny and I completed the P2V (Preparing to Volunteer) course this weekend. There was an incredible amount of information to absorb and it was completely exhausting. However, most of us managed to revive ourselves every evening in the on-site bar. I found the format quite effective although the words 'get into groups' began to elicit universal groans after about the 20th time! The trainers were brilliant and my course recommendation was to add a day to the training and to stop earlier in the day. 9:00 am to 8pm was simply too much to cope with. Input overload!

Our group of 18 participants were incredible....articulate, funny, lovely and immensely likable people. Emails have been exchanged and I hope we do stay in touch. I was one of three accompanying (non-volunteering) partners.

As an accompanying partner I am only invited to attend the P2V and the Health and Security Workshops. Since the HSW was beginning just after the P2V I was booked to attend that, and Danny will attend it in combination with the SKWID (Skills for Working in Development) later. So while I dragged my exhausted self into the next course, barely having time for a quick lunch, Danny did research in the library on Uganda.

VSO courses are held in Harborne Hall in Birmingham, an 18th century residential hall and former nunnery. We were given small but adequate rooms, cafeteria-style meals, and there is also a bar on the premises. The only time I left the building at all was to a local pub for a couple of hours one evening. The building has a bit of shabbiness about it with the carpets in need of cleaning, but I found the building to be so full of character I barely noticed what needed improving.

Since our journey home is long and I didn't finish my second course until 6:00 pm, we were booked to stay an additional night. So we are free this evening.