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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------{ August 07, 2006 }
The job
Community Economic Advisor
The overarching purpose of your work will be to strengthen the capacity of community-serving organizations, small business entrepreneurs, and communities in a manner that promotes locally driven projects and community wealth.
CED volunteers will work primarily in rural areas. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) will engage in numerous activities that range from business education to strategic planning to technical assistance. PCVs will work with farmers groups and agrarian cooperatives as well as with micro-entrepreneurs receiving loans from micro-credit organizations. PCVs also promote the improvement of business and leadership skills with Dominican youth through capacity building workshops. All PCV activities are carried out in a manner that taps all 'stakeholders' of the community: staff of community organizations, entrepreneurs and community leaders.
Throughout your two years of volunteer service, you will assess and transfer knowledge and skills toward three "beneficiary oriented" focus areas:
Organization Focus: Here, you will work with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs); Community Based Organizations (women/youth groups) or Government Organizations to strengthen their capacity to work for/with marginalized communities.
Entrepreneurial Focus: Here, you will work with small business entrepreneurs (women, men and youth) to create or improve small businesses.
Community Focus: Here, you will work with CED Organizations and individual entrepreneurs to developing projects that can enhance the well-being of the community.
Those are the highlights of what I'll be doing. It will get more specific when I am assigned a community and have the chance to assess their situation and needs. My responsibilities make me feel small next to the tasks but I welcome the challenge and opportunity to grow. I know I'm going to learn a lot. Probably freak out every now and then too, but if I wanted comfortable and easy this isn't what I would be doing.
Posted by katie on August 7, 2006 07:00 AM | Permalink
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