WHERE: Sri Lanka
WHEN: January - March, 2013 with possibility of extension
APPLICATION PROCESS: Please send a detailed letter of interest and copy of your resume to Sarah Feldberg, Volunteer Coordinator at sarah.feldberg@coopscanada.coop by November 26, 2011. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
*This is a voluntary assignment. All related costs including domestic airfare, ground transport, basic accommodation and a modest stipend to cover meal & incidentals will be covered by CCA. For more information contact Volunteer Co-ordinator, Sarah Feldberg.
BACKGROUND
The Canadian Co-operative Association has worked in partnership with the SANASA movement for more than 20 years and has been jointly implementing the, "Rebuilding and Strengthening Livelihoods in Post-Tsunami Sri Lanka" (RSLPTSL) project since 2006. The SANASA Movement includes more than 8,000 community-based primary thrift and credit co-operatives with more than one million members.
The RSLPTSL project has provided over 57,000 person trainings in tsunami and conflict affected areas, under a Livelihoods Program implemented by SANASA Campus Limited (SCL). This is a tremendous accomplishment and speaks to the appeal of the program topics to the target audience and the skills of the trainers in mobilizing participants. Even so, SANASA management and training center managers and staff have indicated that the program could benefit from the introduction of new elements that support established micro and small-medium businesses.
As the result of a recent livelihood trainee survey and planning process SCL has decided to establish a business development unit to assist existing small scale entrepreneurs to sustain and expand their businesses. Two business development officers and a business development manager are currently being recruited. CCA is seeking two interns to help give this fledgling program firm footing.
ASSIGNMENT
SCL has two training centers in the Southern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka. CCA is recruiting two interns, one to be placed in Galle (coastal community, 2 hours from Colombo, recovering well post-tsunami) and one in Trincomallee (coastal community, 7 hours from Colombo, post-conflict and post tsunami recovery is slow).
The interns will work with the community training center, specifically with business development staff in support of the launch of a new business development program. Work will include research and program support. Specifically:
- Assist with the creation of workplans, budgets and overall strategy for business support units
- Support the development of a marketing and cost recovery plan for the business development unit
- Support research into business support requirements of SANASA entrepreneurs through stakeholder interviews and literature reviews
- Catalogue business development support services in Trincomallee and Galle area
- Establish connections with complementary business support providers
- Provide additional research and program support to business development and training center staff as required
TIMELINE
(flexible, can be adjusted based on candidates schedules)
January 3 - 4, orientation in Ottawa
January 5 - March 30, 2012 internship in Sri Lanka
April 3 - 4, 2013, debrief in Ottawa
Canadian Co-operative Association
The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is a national association for co-operatives in Canada, representing more than ten million co-operative and credit union members from over 2,000 organizations. Individual co-op members are represented by CCA either directly through their co-operative, through their provincial co-op associations or credit union central, or through sectoral organizations. CCA provides leadership to promote, develop, and unite co-operatives and credit unions for the benefit of people in Canada and around the world. For more information about the mentorship program, visit our website.
SANASA
The SANASA Movement is the leading collective of community-based organizations in Sri Lanka with a network of 8,400 primary thrift and credit societies in rural and urban districts across the country; a group of companies providing services to the primary societies and the Sri Lankan public; and a national federation.
Compensation:
Deadline:
26 Nov 2012
Phone:
Website:
Location:
Canadian Co-operative Association
Sri Lanka --
Canada