Voluntary Service Overseas Diaspora Volunteering Conference

1. Voluntary Service OverseasDiaspora Volunteering Conference Diaspora and Development: The Global Context Dr Banjoko- AfricaRecruit

2. Presentation SWOT analysis highlighting key opportunities for Diaspora Organisations to tap into global developments

3. Contents • Analysis and overview • Strengths • Weakness • Threats • Opportunities • Achieving the balance ? • Model • Examples

4. Analysis of the Diaspora Internal Neutralise Capitalise External

5. Overview of the Diaspora • Millions globally dispersed • Historical first wave vs. Economic second wave and the third……fourth generation born in the Diaspora • Mobile and Transnational, dual citizens • Very diverse from highly skilled, specialised ( professional, sports to the unskilled) • Left for Career Professional reasons (60%); Economic reasons (24%);Political (10%) others • Enabling and climate for migration i.e. Globalisation, integration • Demand in the West vs. Supply from Africa • Provide the following services • Billions of dollars in human resources to the West • Billions of dollars in social security benefits to Africa • Billions of dollars in pension support to Africa • Billion of dollars in educational and business grants to Africa Diaspora are part of the solution and problem NOT the solution or the problem

6. Strengths • Transnational citizens- dual.... triple nationalities • Self mobilisation around themes, countries, hometowns, professional or alumni groups • Continuous flow • Support developmental projects/programmes at micro-macro level • Sustainable -some of the Diaspora transit from not returning to returning home • Leveraging on informal networks and knowledge of home country, enabling effective navigation of the unseen • Local yet Global – passionate cost effective consultants • Higher Appetite for risks- Present in high risk places • Globally dispersed

7. Global – skilled candidate • Global Talent- skills are mobile, candidates move in response to market place demand and remuneration • Global perspective – candidates have a global view due to ever increasing exposure “MTV, Blackberry, Internet” generation • Global Business with local footing – candidates desire international experience and exposure • Global choices – “skilled” candidates have more choices well beyond their immediate environment • Global expectations – candidates have a higher expectation

8. Weakness • Unavailability of information on ongoing projects, irrespective of the fact that there are numerous projects going on. • Duplication and gaps • Short life span - Diaspora organisations averages 5years • Poor/lack of evidence based outcome and reliability of anecdotal information – sustainability challenges • An anemia of information on various Diaspora organisations and their projects across the continent • Disparate African Diaspora initiatives and programmes across the continent, indicating a lack of a strong strategic agenda • Capacity and capabilities challenges for the Diaspora • Focus and alignment • Engagement • Personal risk the Diaspora take to engage • Adhoc engagement

9. Threats • Unjust skills subsidy • Creating a “Diaspora” • Default social services – gaps in public service provision by governments • Lack of recognition in some quarters of the role the Diaspora are playing • Poor/no engagement • Lack or poor understanding of the Diaspora • Infrastructure are trans-border; often there is no uniformity of policy • Globalisation • Political and economic instability • Expatriates • Migration laws

10. Opportunities 1 of 2 • Put in place and or build on effective capacity building mechanism • For regional organisations and countries, with support from the international community, to build the capacity to improve access and support evidence based planning • Realisation of the role the Diaspora play in national development - backed by effective Diaspora policies • Purposefully harness the huge reserves of untapped Diaspora human capital scattered across the globe • Focus on attracting human capital from the Diaspora. • Introduction of bold and innovative policies such as allocating a quota of national and strategic level • Build structured engagement based on developmental needs that fit into an overall developmental strategy rather than the adhoc engagement processes. • Learn and share good practice models, which have succeeded i.e. Asia.

11. Opportunities 2 of 2 • Link with available networks • Data on skilled professionals abroad • Links with migrant professionals network • Opportunities to share experience and skills with colleagues ‘back home’ • Harness the motivation and skills of the Diaspora • Ready made pool of skills and investors • Harness the benefits of migration for both host and sending countries • Leverage ongoing drive to engage and facilitate Diaspora engagement • Opportunities for flexibility

12. Methods of Engaging Skills Permanent Virtual engagement Consultancy Voluntary Mentorship ADDED VALUE Repatriate –Expatriate Skills Skills Sabbaticals Secondments Exchange Chair/Advisory/Board Interims Interns

13. Achieving the balance – Retaining and reclaiming from the Diaspora, turning the tide Human Capital Building capacityand capability to support development Diaspora Ability to engage Diaspora skills Building framework Enabling & facilitating access Develop & Retain Attract & reclaim

14. Model Input • Mobilising the Diaspora • Collect and disseminate pertinent information about the opportunities, challenges, prospects • Match needs with Diaspora skills Support and facilitate the Diaspora in their roles in rebuilding /contributing to countries of origin.(Operational and policy level both sending and receiving countries/regions) Process • Skills database • Success stories • Inform policy making • Scalability Outcomes

15. Examples !!