Capacity building in diaspora organisations

Five diaspora organisations have provided input to three guides, where they make concrete recommendations to other diaspora organisations within the following themes: Leadership, management of volunteers and members, and projects in the country of origin.

With the aim of sharing experiences with others, five diaspora organisations have described the challenges of leading a volunteer-based diaspora organisation.

The organisations SSPDO/OFUSS, DanSomala, IFTIN, Afghan Cultural Association and Hela Afghan Youth Association have provided input to three guides, where they make concrete recommendations to other diaspora organisations. For them, the themes have been crucial for their sustainability as an association.

The themes are described in three guides:

Each pocket guide has an associated video.

The material has been created through a collaboration between the Danish Refugee Council's Diaspora Program and CISU. The project is supported by Global Focus' funds for capacity development.

Leadership in diaspora organisations

Providing good leadership for volunteer-based diaspora organisations is one of the biggest challenges for the leaders of the organisations. The fact that the leaders of the diaspora organisation themselves are volunteers is often overlooked, which easily leads to unreasonable demands.

Leading a volunteer-based diaspora organisation requires a wide range of knowledge and personal skills. These include personal leadership skills, interpersonal skills and dedication to the task.

The diaspora organisations own recommendations for good leadership of diaspora organisation state that:

  • A strong board or leadership group is crucial
  • The board or leadership group must complement each other
  • The workload must be distributed
  • A fluctuating economy must be handled
  • Continuity and renewal of leadership is important
  • Member ownership must be nurtured and encouraged
  • The leader's motivation and energy must be maintained

Pocket guide: Leadership in diaspora organisations(currently only in Danish)

download Video: Leadership (In english, danish subtitles)

Management of volunteers and members

Diaspora organisations in Denmark are based on volunteerism. They are led by volunteers, and the activities are carried out by volunteers. Furthermore, the existence of the associations is based on members. Income from membership fees is often used for activities for members in Denmark.

The diaspora organisations own recommendations for working with volunteers show that the following areas are important:

  • Recruiting new members and volunteers
  • Leading, motivating and retaining volunteers
  • Collecting membership fees
  • Handling internal conflicts
  • Creating understanding about volunteering in countries of origin

Pocket guide: Management of volunteers and members(currently only in Danish)

Download Video: Volunteer Management (In engLish, danish subtitles)

Projects in the country of origin

Implementing projects in the country of origin is often a top priority for diaspora organisations. Projects are an opportunity to engage in something meaningful in the country of one's affiliation.

Based on experience and challenges with implementing projects, the recommendations fall under two headlines:

Recommendations for fundraising:

  • Work closely with the local partner
  • Dedicate a team in the organisation to develop projects
  • Participate in courses and seek advice where possible
  • Reduce vulnerability to rejection of project applications

Recommendations for working with local partners:

  • It is important to have a strong and trusted partner
  • The partner's reliability and capacities are important
  • It is important to have a strong local network
  • Focus on simple projects that match one's capacity

Pocket guide: Projects in the country of origin(currently only in Danish) 

Download video: Projects in the country of origing (In english, danish subtitles)