This summer, as part of my Leadership-in-Action project, I had the opportunity to work with VSO Cambodia as a Field Research Officer. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is a global development organisation that focuses on creating lasting change by leveraging volunteerism. The organisation operates using the ‘Volunteering for Development’ approach to engage with marginalised individuals and communities, empowering them as primary actors that take charge of the changes that they want to see in their communities, developing solutions, and driving sustainable change. My LiA Project was based in the VSO branch in Cambodia, where I took on a research study project focused on the Volunteer for My Community (VMC) Programme— a volunteering programme ran by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS) for youth in Cambodia that encourages capacity-building and empowers young people to create positive changes in their communities. The objective of the project was to develop a report that detailed the successes, limitations, and next-steps for the VMC Programme in order to encourage further support from the Cambodian government and external stakeholders such as INGOs like UNFPA, Plan International, France Volontaires, etc.
During my LiA project, I had the opportunity to travel across Cambodia, visit five provinces to conduct field research with local primary actors, interview representatives from INGOs, and engage in dialogue with government officials. With the VMC Programme being one of the only extracurriculars that many youth across Cambodia have access to, it’s an extremely important avenue for youth to gain opportunities for growth and capacity-building. The issue that the Cambodian government is now facing is the transition they are currently undergoing in graduating from a low-income status country to a middle-income status country. Due to this, the funding they had previously received from INGOs for programmes such as VMC will be reduced, which can create instability and impact the operational capacities of the Programme. In my capacity as Field Research Officer, I led a VSO research team in collaboration with the MoEYS to conduct an evaluation of the Programme’s progress over the past five years to gather evidence of its successes while also giving recommendations for how it could be improved upon. I struggled with the language barrier, the complexity of the socio-political and historical circumstances of the country, and ensuring that I could complete my project within the six weeks of my placement, but these challenges only made the work all the more rewarding.
In the beginning, it was quite nerve wracking as I was the youngest person in the head office, and tasked with completing a research project and report that could impact youth across the country. However, the most profound lesson I learned during my placement was confidence in my own capabilities and potential as a leader. While I didn’t have much experience with the working world, I found that I drew on a lot of my other experiences having done research projects and field work in the past that were quite applicable to the project. Moreover, studying International Relations and History, I was able to quickly gain an understanding of local, national, and international politics affecting Cambodia as well as contextualise these developments within the country’s history too. As a result, while it was daunting to take on such a large project, I felt that I understood the situation for what it was and how I could contribute to a path forward. Leading a team and working cross-culturally challenged me to hone my communication skills and embrace adaptability, both of which deepened my appreciation of effective, inclusive leadership
After my six weeks with VSO, I delivered a presentation of my research project’s key findings and recommendations to MoEYS officials and external stakeholders supporting the VMC Programme. While there were a few technical difficulties, the presentation went quite well and I was able to gain feedback from the attendees as well as open up a dialogue about the importance of youth involvement in both community and nation-building. My presentation demonstrated the value of the VMC Programme and made a case for its continued support and expansion. One of the biggest issues facing the Programme was that of budget, so after its publication, the report could have a lasting impact by helping to secure more financial support for the Programme, enabling it to expand and reach more youth across Cambodia.
Overall, while navigating new environments such as a foreign country and office culture was initially something I had to get used to, my experience with VSO reinforced my passion for political and economic research, and policy analysis. The new-gained confidence I’ve found in my leadership abilities has sparked a desire to pursue other opportunities in challenging environments where I can continue to build on these skills.