Peace Brigades International (PBI) Indonesia Project
Positions Available:
Participatory Peace Education sub-team Volunteers. Both Indonesian Nationals and International applicants are encouraged to apply.
Protective Services sub-team Volunteers. International applicants are encouraged to apply.
When: Closing date for applications is 1 September 2006. Volunteer Training is expected to be early November 2006 in Europe (Portugal). This twelve-day training will be the final step in the application process. The training will be conducted in English. Having sufficient Indonesian & English language skills volunteers can join teams in November, February, May or August.
Where: Current sub-teams are working in Jakarta, Aceh and Papua.
Peace Brigades International (PBI) Indonesia Project PBI is a non-profit, nongovernmental organisation (NGO) that works to establish justice and peace in the world through non-violent action. To do this we send unarmed international peace teams, when invited, into areas of repression or conflict to provide Protective Services to those who are threatened due to their work for human rights and for the creation of a just peace within their own country. In all of its work, PBI is committed to the principles of non-violence, non-partisanship, and non-intervention. Since 2000, PBI’s Peace Education Program has been cooperating with local partners to provide workshops and trainings to Indonesian civil society groups.
The Participatory Peace Education sub-teams work with local organisations to implement community peace-building activities. Activities are conducted upon request from local organisations in Aceh and Papua and possibly in various other provinces across Indonesia. The expectation is that activities will be based on a longer term presence of the team in a conflict area, working closely with local communities. The development and maintenance of peace education resources will be one of the ongoing activities.
The Protective Services sub-teams will work to increase the working space of Human Rights Defenders throughout Indonesia. Protective Services not only include physical accompaniment of Human Rights Defenders at their offices, homes or on field trips but also entail any activity that protects and encourages local Human Rights Defenders to stay active and committed to building a more just society. In order to provide these services, the team members develop strong networks at regional, national and international levels.
All teams conduct research to analyse the conflicts in areas where PBI conducts activities in order to include the effectiveness of existing PBI activities and peace-building strategies. They maintain correspondence with the Project and write reports on sub-team activities and program development. These are in Indonesian (with most local contacts) and English (within the Project and international contacts).
Contract: 18 months full time volunteer contract. (12 or 15 months contracts to be discussed with the Human Resources Coordinator)
Benefits: Volunteer stipend/local living allowance, accommodation, medical and living/working costs; return travel/flight from place of origin and repatriation allowance.
Training: Professional development training will occur in November in Europe. The Indonesia Project covers most of the training costs; however, there is a sliding-scale fee, which is expected to be borne by the volunteer. Volunteers accepted with limited or no Bahasa Indonesian will be expected to spend 3-4 months in language school before commencing work with the team. Insufficient English language skills need to be improved as a prerequisite to starting on a team. There are limited scholarships available for exceptional applicants (funds permitting), where volunteers are unable to meet the cost of the training and/or language study. Applicants should indicate in the initial application if a scholarship is required to help cover training costs.
Qualifications of PBI Team Volunteers:
1.Knowledge, skills and experiences:
Necessary:
Excellent Bahasa Indonesian and English language skills, both written and verbal
Demonstration of a strong commitment to human rights and social justice.
Excellent computer skills, including MS Office( Excel and Word are a priority)
A commitment to non-violence, empowerment and social justice
Demonstration of physical, emotional, and psychological stability
Additional skills of PPE Volunteers:
Skills in training or education including experience and knowledge of methodologies.
Knowledge or practical experience with peace-building and nonviolent conflict resolution or other related disciplines with a social justice focus.
Desired:
Experience in working with conflict
Experience with local Non-Government, religious or social organisations.
Knowledge about or prior experience with PBI
Previous experience working in a non-hierarchical group that makes decisions by consensus.
2.Characteristics
Willingness to work in conflict zones
Commitment to work for an 18 month period
Excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to live in a group environment
Commitment to a grass-roots lifestyle
Commitment to empowering others
Awareness of the complexities of working in a multi-cultural environment
Flexibility in responding to changing priorities
Ability to manage stress
Strong understanding of, and commitment to, nonviolent communication both on the team and in the community
Understanding of the need for non-partisanship on the project and ability to work in a non-partisan manner
Readiness and willingness to live for a long period of time in a rural area in very simple living conditions, and under a lot of stress. Volunteers will need to understand the possible risks they face
It is expected that a PBI team volunteer will be 25 years of age or over. A younger applicant may be considered at the discretion of the Indonesia Project.
In order to apply, fill in the Application and Reference forms which can be obtained by sending a short email to PBItraining@gmail.com or online at www.peacebrigades.org by the 1 September 2006.