LiA Overall Project Report — Offene Arme

Introduction

My six-week Leadership in Action (LiA) placement with Offene Arme in Chios, Greece, provided an opportunity to apply the leadership capacities developed through the Laidlaw programme in a real-world humanitarian context. Offene Arme supports asylum seekers and refugees on Chios through the provision of essential items, including clothing and other practical resources. The organisation operates within a rapidly changing environment in which demand can increase significantly following the arrival of boats and where the needs of people on the island vary considerably.

The purpose of my LiA project was therefore not simply to volunteer within the organisation, but to identify areas where I could make a useful and sustainable contribution. I established SMART goals to provide structure to the placement while recognising that these would need to remain responsive to the circumstances in which Offene Arme operated. My objectives developed around four interconnected areas: understanding the organisation and its needs; improving the organisation of the warehouse and its stock management; supporting the organisation's immediate humanitarian response; and developing practical destination guides to help people navigate support after leaving Chios.

Across the six weeks, I achieved substantial progress against these objectives, although the changing circumstances of the organisation meant that some of my priorities had to adapt. This became an important part of my leadership development. The placement taught me that successful leadership is not simply the achievement of predetermined outcomes. It involves understanding context, responding appropriately to changing circumstances and balancing immediate needs with longer-term objectives. These experiences allowed me to develop Laidlaw capacities including communication, collaboration, initiative, problem-solving, adaptability and reflection, while also putting into practice values explored through the Oxford Character Project, particularly humility, compassion, integrity, service and practical wisdom.

SMART Goal 1: Understanding the Organisation and Identifying Genuine Needs

My first objective was to develop a clear understanding of Offene Arme, its beneficiaries, organisational structure and immediate priorities before making significant changes to my project. I aimed to spend my first week listening to members of the team, observing how the Free Shop and warehouse operated and identifying areas where I could make a useful contribution.

I consider this goal successfully achieved. My first week was deliberately focused on observation and engagement rather than immediately attempting to implement my own ideas. I was welcomed by the team and became familiar with the organisation's activities and the wider context facing asylum seekers on Chios. This allowed me to understand both the immediate needs of the people Offene Arme supported and the organisational pressures faced by the volunteers.

This initial period proved more important than I had anticipated. I arrived with ideas about how I might contribute, but quickly realised that my project would only be effective if it responded to an existing need. This developed my understanding of humility, particularly as discussed through the Oxford Character Project. I had to recognise that the existing team possessed knowledge and experience that I did not. Rather than assuming that my own ideas were necessarily the most useful, I needed to listen to those who understood the organisation and its beneficiaries.

This also developed my communication and collaboration skills. Effective communication in this context was not simply about expressing my own ideas; it involved asking questions, listening carefully and interpreting information from people with different experiences. I learnt that listening can itself be a form of leadership.

The goal also helped establish the direction of the remainder of my placement. Through observing the warehouse and Free Shop, I identified organisational issues that could potentially be improved, while also recognising the importance of direct assistance. This ultimately led to the two complementary aspects of my project: improving the organisation's systems while remaining available to respond to immediate demand.

The most significant learning from this goal was therefore that effective leadership begins with understanding. Without this initial period of observation, I could easily have designed a project that appeared useful but did not address the organisation's actual priorities.

SMART Goal 2: Improving Warehouse Organisation and Stock Management

My second objective was to improve the organisation and accessibility of the Offene Arme warehouse by reorganising supplies and developing a simple stock-management system. The organisation did not previously have a comprehensive stock list, and my intention was to create a system that could help volunteers identify available resources and prepare more effectively for periods of increased demand.

I made substantial progress towards this goal during Weeks 2 and 3. I reorganised the warehouse, developed clearer categories for resources and began creating a stock list. The process demonstrated that even a relatively straightforward organisational problem could have wider consequences. Without an effective overview of available supplies, it was more difficult to identify shortages, locate particular items quickly or anticipate what might be needed during particularly busy periods.

This goal developed my initiative and problem-solving capacities. Rather than simply completing tasks assigned to me, I was able to identify an area where the organisation could potentially operate more effectively and take responsibility for improving it. It also taught me that leadership does not necessarily involve a large or highly visible intervention. Small improvements to systems can create value if they make other people's work more efficient.

The project also provided an opportunity to apply the concept of practical wisdom from the Oxford Character Project. I had to consider what kind of stock system would genuinely work within Offene Arme. It would have been possible to create a highly detailed inventory system, but if it was too complicated for volunteers to maintain, it would have had limited long-term value. The most appropriate solution therefore needed to balance detail with practicality.

The work also changed how I thought about stewardship. The items in the warehouse had been donated by people wanting to support those in need. Organising these resources effectively was therefore not simply an administrative exercise. It represented a responsibility to use donated resources well and ensure that they could reach people who needed them.

However, the goal also highlighted an important limitation of planning. During Week 3, several boats arrived and demand for the Free Shop increased considerably. This meant that I needed to devote more time to immediate assistance. Consequently, the warehouse project could not be pursued in isolation from the wider circumstances of the organisation.

I therefore regard the goal as successful not because I followed the original plan rigidly, but because I made meaningful improvements while adapting to changing priorities. This taught me that SMART goals should provide direction rather than prevent responsiveness.

SMART Goal 3: Supporting the Immediate Humanitarian Response

My third objective was to contribute to Offene Arme's immediate response to changing demand while developing a deeper understanding of the needs of the people using the organisation. This became particularly important during the middle and latter part of the placement because several boats arrived and demand for the Free Shop increased.

I contributed extensively to the Free Shop, helping organise and distribute clothing and other essential items. I also helped prepare and deliver packs to the camp for unaccompanied minors and newborn babies. Later, I participated in the summer distribution of clothing that was more appropriate for the weather for people who remained on Chios while waiting for the next stage of their asylum process.

I consider this goal successfully achieved, although it developed in ways I had not initially anticipated. The experience demonstrated that working in a humanitarian environment requires considerable adaptability. My original project plan necessarily had a degree of structure, but it would have been inappropriate to continue focusing exclusively on my own project when the organisation was experiencing increased demand.

This developed my ability to balance competing priorities. I had to consider whether a particular task would have greater value if completed immediately or whether it was more appropriate to continue with longer-term project work. This was a practical example of the importance of judgement and practical wisdom.

The experience also transformed my understanding of compassion. Before the placement, I understood compassion primarily as an important personal value. At Offene Arme, I saw how compassion translates into practical action. It involved sorting clothing, preparing packs, responding patiently to requests and contributing to the work that needed to be done even when the tasks were repetitive or physically demanding.

I also became more conscious of the importance of dignity. People using the Free Shop were not simply recipients of aid. They were individuals with different preferences, circumstances and futures. This influenced how I approached interactions and reinforced my belief that humanitarian assistance should seek to preserve people's agency rather than reduce them to their status as asylum seekers or refugees.

This aspect of the placement also developed my understanding of leadership as service. Some of the most valuable things I did were not necessarily the most prestigious. Leadership sometimes meant recognising what needed to be done and being willing to contribute without needing to be in charge.

SMART Goal 4: Developing Sustainable Destination and Country Guides

The final major objective of my project was to develop practical country and destination guides for refugees and asylum seekers who would leave Chios after receiving status and moving on to other islands or countries. The guides were intended to provide information about where people could access legal, financial, clothing, food and social-service support.

This goal developed from my observations during the placement. Initially, much of my focus had been on immediate material needs. However, as I became more involved in the Free Shop, I began to consider what happened after people left Chios. Someone moving to an unfamiliar country could face considerable difficulty navigating unfamiliar systems, even when support technically existed.

My objective therefore shifted towards empowerment. Rather than simply providing an individual with an item, I wanted to create a resource that could help them identify and access support independently.

I made substantial progress towards this objective during the final weeks of the placement by researching and structuring relevant information into accessible guides. The work required me to think carefully about the reliability and usefulness of information. This was particularly important because inaccurate information about legal, financial or social support could potentially have serious consequences.

This developed my capacity for critical thinking and integrity. I learnt that good intentions do not automatically produce good outcomes. If I wanted the guides to be useful, I had to take responsibility for the quality of the information they contained. This required checking sources and considering what information was genuinely relevant rather than simply trying to produce the largest possible document.

The guides also represented the most sustainable aspect of my project. A six-week placement is too short to address the structural challenges facing refugees and asylum seekers. However, a useful resource can potentially continue to provide value after a volunteer has left. This changed my understanding of what constitutes impact. I became less focused on whether I could create a dramatic immediate change and more interested in whether I could leave something useful behind.

This goal therefore brought together many of the lessons from the placement. It required initiative to identify the opportunity, humility to base it on the needs identified by the organisation, practical wisdom to determine what information would be useful, integrity to ensure its accuracy, and a commitment to service to make the resource relevant to the people who would ultimately use it.

Overall Evaluation Against the SMART Goals

Looking across the four objectives, I believe that the project was successful, although its success was not simply a matter of completing predetermined tasks. The goals provided a framework for action, but the experience demonstrated why effective leadership requires the ability to adapt that framework to reality.

There was a clear progression throughout the placement:

Understand → Improve → Respond → Empower → Sustain.

The first goal ensured that I understood the organisation before acting. The second allowed me to make a practical organisational improvement. The third required me to respond to immediate humanitarian needs when circumstances changed. The fourth allowed me to develop a longer-term resource based on what I had learnt. Together, these stages meant that my project moved from understanding the context, through direct action, towards a more sustainable contribution.

The placement also demonstrated that SMART goals can be valuable while still requiring flexibility. My original plans could not predict the arrival of several boats or the resulting increase in demand. Rather than viewing this as a disruption to the project, I came to understand it as part of the leadership challenge itself. A leader must be able to recognise when circumstances require a change in priorities.

This was perhaps my most significant development in practical wisdom. There was rarely one objectively correct decision. I had to consider the needs of beneficiaries, the capacity of the organisation, the priorities of the team and the longer-term value of my work. This required judgement rather than simply following a predetermined checklist.

Development of Laidlaw Capacities and Character

The project also provided substantial development across the Laidlaw capacities. Communication and collaboration were developed through working closely with the Offene Arme team and volunteers. Initiative and problem-solving were particularly evident in the warehouse project and creation of the destination guides. Adaptability became essential when demand increased, while reflection allowed me to continually reassess whether my contribution was genuinely useful.

The Oxford Character Project provided an important framework for understanding this development. I particularly developed humility, learning to listen before acting and recognise the expertise of others. I developed compassion through direct service and greater awareness of individual needs. I developed integrity through taking responsibility for the accuracy and usefulness of the information I produced. Finally, I developed practical wisdom through balancing competing priorities and adapting my plans to changing circumstances.

These experiences have changed my understanding of leadership. Before the placement, I tended to associate leadership with responsibility, initiative and achieving outcomes. I now see leadership as something broader: service, stewardship and enabling others. Taking initiative remains important, but so does knowing when to listen. Achieving objectives matters, but so does considering whether those objectives remain appropriate as circumstances change.

Conclusion

Overall, I consider my LiA project with Offene Arme successful against its SMART goals. I developed my understanding of the organisation and its needs, contributed to improving warehouse organisation and stock management, supported the organisation during a period of increased demand, and developed destination guides intended to help people navigate support after leaving Chios.

However, the greatest outcome of the project was not any individual deliverable. It was the development of my understanding of what effective leadership means in practice. I learnt that meaningful service requires more than good intentions. It requires listening, humility, compassion, adaptability, integrity and practical wisdom.

The project also changed my understanding of impact. I cannot claim to have solved the problems facing asylum seekers on Chios, nor would it be realistic to expect this from a six-week placement. Instead, I learnt to think about impact at an appropriate scale: improving a system, contributing when demand increases, supporting someone with an immediate need, or leaving behind information that may help someone navigate their future.

The most important lesson I will take from the LiA is therefore that effective leadership starts with understanding people and ends with enabling them. My SMART goals provided the structure through which I could put this principle into practice, while the experience itself taught me how to adapt those goals responsibly when reality demanded it. This combination of purposeful action and reflective adaptability is something I intend to carry into my future academic, professional and personal life.