The Australian Volunteers program supports volunteers in Nepal in a range of wide sectors, including in the health & disability, education, disaster prevention & preparedness, and human rights sectors.

Case study: Stephen Mussig

Stephen Mussig's year-long volunteer assignment in Kathmandu opened his eyes to the stigma suffered by drug users and those affected by HIV/AIDS, not only in Nepal but worldwide.

Stephen's placement was with Aavash Samuha, a community-based organisation which supports those living with HIV/AIDS and provides harm-reduction services to limit the risks associated with drug use including outreach work, counselling, educational services and free HIV testing.

As an Organisational Development Officer, Stephen's role was to improve Aavash Samuha's management systems and train its leaders to increase the performance of their teams and the organisation as a whole.

After learning about the intricacies of Nepalese culture, Stephen has been able to make substantial contributions to the organisational structure and effectiveness of his host organisation.

Stephen developed new management systems, incorporating performance appraisal, staff development, succession planning and measures to increase communication. Stephen also developed a specialised leadership development initiative.

Stephen has enjoyed the opportunity to immerse himself in all that Nepal has to offer: 'I once heard Nepal described as having more temples than houses, more gods than people and more festivals than there are days. I'm pleased to say that this description hit the nail on the head.'

How to apply

More information, including applicant eligibility criteria can be found on the Australian Volunteers website.

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