General FAQ
How does Impak bring positive change?
What makes Impak different from other volunteer programs?
How does Impak measures the impact of its work?
What challenges and obstacles does Impak face? How will Impak overcome them?
How does Impak bring positive change?
Impak is an organization committed to connecting individuals to Pakistan through meaningful work and volunteer opportunities. By working alongside various organizations engaged in the development of Pakistan, Impak offers an opportunity to connect people at a grassroots, purely humanitarian level, and to help break down preconceived notions from global politics and the media. The individual's placement leaves a lasting impact on his or her long-term career and life decisions, while the partnering civil society organizations and Pakistan benefit as participants become storytellers for the causes and issues facing the region, thus expanding awareness globally.
Why Pakistan? Why now?
Pakistan ranks among the bottom 30 on the UNDP's Human Development Index. The adult literacy rate is 48.7%, the lowest in South Asia. 66% of the population is living under $2 a day. (Source: UNDP) Yet the government devotes 1.1% of GDP towards public health and 1.8% of public spending towards education. (Source: Dawn) The first International Conference on Volunteering in Pakistan in December 2004 (Source: World Volunteer Web) indicated the need for incorporating volunteerism in the development sector in Pakistan. A year later, few programs provide a platform for individuals to contribute efficiently to Pakistan's growth. The demand from international volunteers, especially those based in the United States and the UK, to contribute to Pakistan is high, but with no US or UK based program in place at the time to serve as a facilitator. Impak will bridge this widening gap between Pakistan and citizens educated in the developed world, increasing global awareness and improving living conditions in Pakistan.
What makes Impak different from other volunteer programs?
Organizations that mobilize volunteers from within Pakistan exist but, at the moment, none have the outreach or forum to effectively absorb volunteers from abroad. This is essential for increased global awareness, transfer of skills and knowledge, and long-term change. Impak has the resources to choose from a selective applicant pool abroad in a way organizations in Pakistan cannot. It also has developed significant linkages with local organizations in Pakistan, doing thorough research on partnering organizations and incubating placements created as per needs of the organization, in a way that a purely foreign organization could not do. Impak choosees applicants based on their interests and skill sets and provides organizations with volunteers that will truly add value to their cause. Impak's approach makes the experience more effective for both the participant and the organization.
How does Impak measure the impact of its work?
Participants were required to keep regular journals, document their experiences, and seek feedback from partnering organizations. We also intend to engage in regular follow-ups during future placements. As the program grows, tracking the long-term impact of the program on alumni as well as on partnered organizations will also help us determine our success. At the moment, we feel that the above qualitative data serve as a more accurate measure of the program's success than quantifiable rubrics. However, possible metrics we can use in the future to measure the Impak's impact include assigning points to partnering NGOs based on factors such as accountability, efficiency, funding, etc and evaluating on an annual basis; tracking individuals assigned with partnering NGOs; tracking use of individuals hired through recruiting websites; and tracking populations affected by Impak's services such as NGOs, businesses, communities and other institutions.
What challenges and obstacles does Impak face? How will Impak overcome them?
We have already overcome our biggest challenge by implementing a pilot project in the summer of 2005. While our first year was extremely successful, according to feedback both from participants and organizations, lack of funding has left Impak's future uncertain. Our greatest challenge is maintaining sustainability and securing long-term funding sources. It is also important for us to remain constant amid changing conditions in Pakistan and to maintain independence from government and other entities, while establishing strong links with such institutions. Awareness of such issues is the first step to resolving them, and we are working hard to achieve long-term sustainability and design a consistent program that can continue from year to year.