Preparing to work in International Development?

Wondering how to get the skills and experience you need?

Want to know how to find the job you want?

We're repeating our sell-out summer event - one that will inspire you to take a fresh approach to job hunting and up-skilling in one of the UK’s most competitive sectors. We have again brought together some of the top names in international development to give you a behind the scenes look at careers in international development and how you can give yours a boost!

Our informative programme of over 15 speakers will give you valuable insight into what international development organisations are really looking for and present often unthought-of ways to help you find those elusive jobs. Real-life case studies will share valuable secrets to unlocking your potential and writing a perfect application. Hear about jobs that you didn’t even know existed, and be inspired to explore career paths that you have so far overlooked.

With exclusive access to our online library of resources, practical “how to?’ guides and speakers notes, you will never again be short of the relevant information you need to secure positive change in your career.

The Speakers:

Geoff Dennis, CEO, CARE International

Geoff is the CEO of CARE International UK. CARE international is one of the largest international emergency and development agencies in the world. Before this Geoff held two very senior positions for the Red Cross.  For 6 years he was the International Director of the British Red Cross, then promoted to Head of South Asia at the International Red Cross. Here he was responsible for the direct coordination of all longer term and immediate disaster relief for an area covering a quarter of the world’s population. Geoff expanded the international division of the British Red Cross by over 400%, and developed the International Red Cross role in North Korea and the whole of South Asia.

Richard Hawkes, International Programmes Director, VSO

Richard Hawkes is the International Programmes Director of Voluntary Service Overseas, with responsibility for VSO's programmes in 44 countries across the world. Prior to that he was the founding Director of Sense International, an international NGO working throughout the world for people who are both deaf and blind. Before that he worked for a variety of national and international organisations, including the United Nations in Vienna. He is also a former National Secretary of the National Union of Students.

Richard is extremely active in the UK NGO sector. He was Chair of the Board of BOND, the umbrella body for UK based NGOs for four years until November 2008 when his term of office came to an end. He is a member of the BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Connect for Change and a member of the Programmes Board of Sightsavers International, the leading blindness prevention NGO.

Nick Perkins, Head of Communications, Institute of Development Studies

Nick has worked as a journalist, media trainer and project manager for many years in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He founded Media for Development an award-winning consultancy providing support in a number of areas of communication for development. He worked as a knowledge management and learning advisor for the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) and the UK-based NGO Healthlink Worldwide. He trained as a journalist and has a post-graduate degree in anthropology & development.

Kevin Cusack
MA, ECONNF Diploma in Life Coaching
 
Having worked commercially in south India Kevin changed his career and has gained more than 14 years voluntary sector work experience, both paid and voluntary. He is the author of ‘Volunteer for Development’ and the editor of ‘Working in Development’ (printed by World Service Enquiry). At WSE he manages and provides information and advice to people who want to work or volunteer in an international development context. His experience and knowledge-base are founded upon hundreds of conversations with new graduates, career changers and international development workers in the field.
 
Kevin provides ideas and strategies to help you move forward. Further details can be found at:
www.kcoach.net and www.wse.org.uk

Will Snell, Director, Skills Venture

Will has ten years of experience in the voluntary sector and in the UK Government. In 1999 he set up a UK charity (Harambee Schools Kenya) which has so far raised over £700,000 and has built eight rural schools. In 2007 he set up Skills Venture, which organises volunteering assignments in Africa for UK business people, providing mentoring support to local entrepreneurs.

Prior to this, Will has run an international youth conference in the UK and a residential training course in India, and has set up a web design agency and a marketing agency for graduate recruiters. He has spent three years at the Department of Health working on ID cards, homelessness and counter-terrorism, and a year at the Department for International Development working on the G8 summit and reconstruction in Iraq.

 Judith Rees , Chair of Christians Abroad and Project Support Officer - CAFOD

After graduation and a PGCE Judith spent 11 years in Kenya (recruited by the forerunner of Christians Abroad/World Service Enquiries) initially teaching Sciences followed by a further period working in a Diocesan Development Office on Social Welfare and Special Needs programmes.

Currently Project Support Officer for post-Tsunami India (and Albania) at CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) where she has worked for 23 years in a variety of roles including starting as the Administrative Assistant in Appeals and Promotion which included all aspects of fundraising,  Regional work, some media, personnel and events work and subsequently became Head of Supporter Services. During this time she maintained an interest in African affairs and was fortunate enough to visit CAFOD projects in Central America and Brazil. She joined the Tsunami team in 2005 to cover work in India and Sri Lanka which she's still doing.

She has kept up my connections with Christians Abroad and is Chair of the Board of Trustees.

David Lale, Founder, People Unlimited and forum3

David set up Charity People in 1990 - one of the first recruitment businesses operating exclusively with non profits. He also launched forum3 - Europe's largest career and volunteering event for the non profit sector. Charity People is now renamed as People Unlimited and works with charities, arts organisations, health and social care, housing and green sector organisations.

Katherine Tubb, Director, 2 Way Development

 Katherine began her career in tourism and marketing in the commercial sector, working for the Sydney Opera House and Hyatt Regency Hotel.

After a VSO placement working as Project Manager in a Nepalese NGO KEEP - the Kathmandu Environmental Education Project - Katherine went on to become a researcher at the University of Queensland, looking into issues of tourism to fragile communities in developing countries and publishing work in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. Katherine then set up 2Way Development in 2003 and has placed over 200 individuals to volunteer with NGOs tackling issues of poverty world wide. She recently was special advisor to the Lonely Planet on their 'Volunteering and make a difference' publication. She holds a Masters degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

What our delegates said about the first event:

A very enjoyable evening, useful and informative.

Ms SW

Kevin Cusack was inspirational

Ms MM

Very useful initiative - ultimately saves the sector lots of time in misdirected enquiries and job applications

Ms KB

Jeff Riley and Kevin Cusack, for me, told the truth about how hard the sector was and what I needed to do to get a job- to be realistic and highly skilled with higher education and training. Jeff and Kevin told it how it was- get out there and do everything or u have no chance! Brilliant end to the evening

Ms RB

Very impressed. Most beneficial seminar I can ever remember attending!

Ms HR

A very worthwhile event. As I'm about to embark on post graduate development course in September the event helped to confirm that I'm making the right decision.

Mr GD

Organisations involved:

2Way Development, Ashoka, British Youth Council, Development Studies Association, Do-it, London Development Agency, LSE, Merlin, People Unlimited, Skills Venture, VSO, World Service Enquiry, YouthNet ... and more.

Project Support Officer (post-tsunami, India), CAFOD and Chair of Christians Abroad

Project Support Officer (post-tsunami, India), CAFOD and Chair of Christians Abroad