I found out last Monday that I've been accepted as a project manager for Raleigh International and will be going to India for three months this autumn. Getting the place was surprisingly difficult - you wouldn't think that a Scout campsite in Sussex, the site for the assessment weekend, had scope for so many mental and physical challenges, not to mention midgies.
Two weeks after forging a river (well large pond), hiking around Sussex at 2am searching for a food drop while trying not to wake the Brownies, and sleeping under a large piece of tarpaulin for a mere three hours, the bites have almost faded and I'm thrilled to be heading off to India in a few months.
So, in preparing for this new adventure, I've decided to launch this new blog all about life before, during and after Raleigh - about being "Ros on Raleigh" - what I hope will prove to be an exciting new challenge!
What I'll be doing
I'll be managing either a community or an environmental project to benefit local communities in a sustainable way, leading a team of around 12 international young people aged 18-25, including many from disadvantaged backgrounds, working in partnership with one other project manager to deliver both the aims of the project and the personal development of the young people.
India is a new destination for Raleigh, and they currently have a team operating in southern India establishing a permanent field base close to Mysore. From there, Raleigh will be launching projects across the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The first wave of volunteers went out to India in February 2008, where they worked on a project improving access to safe drinking water for a rural Hosakeresunda village, building an eco-sanitation facility for each house.
Raleigh has also been working alongside the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) to develop projects that will help preserve some of the most beautiful and rarely seen habitats and wildlife in the world, including elephant and tiger reserves. You can read more about the adventures of the first wave of volunteers to India here.
Fundraising
Before I depart on expedition, I am looking to fundraise a minimum of £1950 to benefit Raleigh International through a variety of different activities.
All donations will go towards the total costs of the organisation - such as setting up projects abroad, forging partnerships with local organisations in developing countries and working directly with socially excluded and "at risk" young people.
Raleigh works in partnership with youth agencies and others such as Fairbridge, the Princes Trust and the Probation Service to recruit many of its participants, and a number of young people taking part in each project team I'll lead will come from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as areas of high unemployment in the UK.
What I'll be doing to raise money
I am keen to view the fundraising stage of my Raleigh experience as an additional personal challenge, and one which demonstrates my commitment to the Raleigh programme and the project I'll be leading personally this autumn.
I will be taking part in the Windsor Half Marathon on September 21st, the weekend before I am due to depart with Raleigh. If you are able to sponsor me for this event that would be wonderful - please use my Justgiving page to do so.
I will also be running a series of separate events - a book 'n' bake sale at work; curry nights for friends and family based in and around London; a "guess my time" competition (£1 a guess with the chance to win £25 if you guess the closest time).
Next steps
As well as all the fundraising activity and begging letters, I've got a busy couple of months ahead of me. One of the first challenges is to get properly and seriously fit and strong, so I'm planning a fairly intensive exercise programme of running, swimming and yoga for the next three months culminating in the Windsor half marathon on 21st September.
I also have less exciting but equally important tasks ahead of me, like sorting out a visa, getting jabs, booking flights, getting my medical form signed off, sorting travel insurance and - probably most important of all - sorting out my next post in the Civil Service for January 2009 when I should return from Raleigh full of newly developed leadership skills that I'll be keen to put into practice!
It's going to be a busy few months, but I'm looking forward to it.
17 years ago
