Position: Field Worker
Locations: Guatemala, The Republic of Georgia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique
First Things Foundation
First Things Foundation started with our Founder John Heers who served in the Peace Corps in Mali, Africa. He was assigned to work only on water wells but the community he was living in wanted a bridge. John kept enforcing the idea of water wells, mainly because that was the subject in which he completed his training.
The community chief met with him and was basically on the verge of kicking John out of the village because the community wanted to construct a bridge, but John was still pushing water wells, they had no use for more water wells. So, John finally listened to the community, raised the money and built a bridge for that community. This is where the First Things Foundation was born. We focus on the idea that a lot can be gone by listening!
Volunteer Overview
We are a United States based NGO that sends highly motivated and adventurous individuals overseas for two years to live with local communities, build relationships and then eventually to facilitate projects that stem from the ideas of the local community. These projects can look like creating outreach programs for women, constructing chicken farms or even building basketball courts.
Key Responsibilities
Volunteer Positions with First Things Foundation are broken into two parts: Immersionship and Creationship
Immersionship (Months 0-8)
- Learning the local language
- Acquiring a local job
- Ex. Working in a hardware store or teaching English
- Cultivate relationships (sharing a meal)
- Write a blog once per month
Creationship (Months 9-24)
- Facilitate projects stemming from relationships cultivated during immersionship
- Schedule meetings, travel to meet new locals/communities and fundraise
- Create project profiles
- Vlogs and slideshows of project that will be published online
- Continuing to network
- Training new field workers that will take over your position
- Write a blog once every three months minimum
Benefits:
- Monthly stipend in addition to general site costs covered (food, housing, internet, etc. budget is location-based)
- Transportation costs (flights) to and from your site destination
- Extensive in-person training
- Evacuation and medical insurance
- Anti-malarial medication and mosquito nets provided for Sierra Leone site
Qualifications
- A desire to better your soul by undertaking a serious challenge
- An adventurous attitude to explore the world and share a meal or drink with people you don’t know
- A willingness to learn new languages, make fun of yourself and be made fun of
- Our Field Workers have typically completed at least four years of college
How to Apply
Please send an email to Adrian Perez (adrian@first-things.org). Include a resume and a one-page letter of interest which includes who you are and why you think your future aligns with FTF’s ethos and opportunities.
Additional Resources
If you would like to gain more insight into the Field Worker role, check out this video or read some of the blogs submitted by current and past field workers.
For two years, field Workers live with local communities, build relationships and then eventually to facilitate projects that stem from the ideas of the local community. These projects can look like creating outreach programs for women, constructing chicken farms or even building basketball courts. We operate on the philosophy that a lot can be accomplished by listening! We operate in the following countries: Guatemala, The Republic of Georgia, Mozambique and Sierra Leone.
Learn more about us at: https://first-things.org/
Hear from John Heers, our director, about what we do.
