Charlotte's Web: 2015

At the beginning of this year, my manager asked me if I could lead an ICS accredited learning pilot to explore any added value we could offer our volunteers by formally accrediting the skills they develop on the programme. As a big believer in the value of experiential learning opportunities (over and above formal education) I said yes, and set about researching and selecting our accreditation provider - Open College Network (OCN) - before making sure the various pre-requisites were in place in order to become a recognised centre for delivering OCN accredited courses. What I didn't know was that this also meant designing our very own OCN accredited course....

I still remember the conversation when I asked where to find their courses (naively assuming that it would just be a case of picking one 'off the shelf' to fit with the ICS programme). But no, that would be too easy. Instead, they offer a range of various units/modules that are built around learning outcomes and assessment criteria (kind of like a skeleton) and you have to build your course around them. While I've designed lots of volunteer training before, I had never designed an entire course that had to be signed off by an external provider. Fortunately I had the support and guidance of the consultant who had helped us select OCN as our accreditation provider. Together we selected 4 units from the OCN portfolio that were a good 'fit' for ICS: 1) Building a Personal Skills Portfolio, 2) Teamwork Skills, 3) Problem Solving Skills and 4) Presentation Skills. With such a diverse range of volunteers across the ICS programme, I also took the decision to write the course at two different levels of difficulty - Level 2 being about equivalent to GCSE standard and Level 3 roughly an A level. The challenge was I needed to write both (120-ish page) courses within 6 weeks so they'd be ready to pilot with summer cohorts of volunteers across 3 ICS agencies in South Africa.....

Once the courses were written and signed off by OCN, I developed a staff guide to accompany the learner guides and held a launch workshop to support agency staff in the UK in their implementation planning to roll out the pilot in South Africa to in-country staff and volunteers. Caroline (aka curriculum development consultant/all round accreditation guru and lovely lady) and I then recruited and trained 5 freelance assessors who would be responsible for providing distance learning feedback and assessment decisions for the volunteers. We also held interviews for a full-time Learning Support Officer who would co-ordinate the assessment process between volunteers, assessors and OCN, a complex juggling act of receiving and sending assessment submissions, assessor feedback and resubmissions on a remote basis across the 3 agencies. Fortunately our chosen candidate Jenny was an organisational skills whizz kid and a master of colour-coded spreadsheets.

With the course resources, team and systems set up in the UK I headed out to South Africa to support the in-country teams over-seeing the pilot and guiding the volunteers through the course. Starting in Port Elizabeth with Lattitude Global Volunteering I then headed to East London to meet with Restless Development before finishing up in Cape Town with Skillshare International. Less than 3 months after writing the course it was amazing to see it about to be piloted and to listen to the questions, concerns and suggestions raised by staff and volunteers. Back in February and March, sitting writing at my desk thousands of miles away it hadn't seemed real, but now it was in the hands of the people I'd been writing it for. Scary (but exciting) stuff....

Volunteers exploring learning opportunities on placement

Lattitude South Africa introducing the course to volunteers

ICS yoga?

A not-for-the-faint-hearted flight from Port Elizabeth to East London

But great views.

Restless Development introducing the course to volunteers

With Restless Development South Africa Team, - Sithembele and Bonga

Back in the UK we started to receive our first assessment submissions and prepare for our first standardisation meeting with the assessors (to establish a consistency of marking/feedback) as well as setting up our Internal Verification system (basically assessing the assessors' assessment decisions...) in advance of OCN's External Verification visit. It was an interesting insight into the layers of verification that happen in the world of external accreditation, but time was as tight as ever and I was so grateful for Jenny and Caroline's hard work on managing the various processes while I started to design the pilot evaluation structure and recruit another consultant to write the actual evaluation, that would also look at another accreditation model, implemented by one of our ICS agencies - Challenges Worldwide - and accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

The pilot evaluation enabled us to extract lots of learning to explore the added value that accreditation may offer our volunteers, however the main overarching finding was that there is clearly no 'one size fits all' course that is suitable for the range of volunteers who take part in the ICS programme. Content that is interesting, motivating and challenging for a graduate who speaks and writes English as their first language is unlikely to be accessible for a volunteer who is just out of school, or speaks and writes English as their second (or even third language) or someone with additional learning difficulties such as dyslexia. So in my new role as Youth Learning and Development Manager (leading innovation and quality assurance of volunteer training and learning across the consortium) I'll be exploring how we can integrate a range of accredited learning options into the volunteer journey to meet the diverse needs of our volunteers.

Ever since I left Sri Lanka in 2008, I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to go back and visit. It’s a weird feeling, visiting a place you called home for 4 years – not wanting to feel like a tourist or outsider when you used to zip around on a scooter, eat the spiciest curries without breaking a sweat, and be able to name every village between Colombo and Galle (learnt from hours sitting on buses along the coastal road). But when I saw my friend Sarinda’s photos cycling around the coastline last year, I knew I'd found the perfect reason to go back. So on Easter Monday, my bike and I set out to join the group of Around the Pearl 2015 riders for the 10 day, 13481 km ride.

At Gatwick airport ready to go

How much can you fit in a bike box (as well as the bike)?!

Reunited after an overnight delay for the bike in Dubai

The amazing Sajith helping me reassemble it after the flight

Day 1 - Thursday 9th April - Colombo to Mirissa (146km)

Today was probably the most familiar part of the whole ride for me. It turns out that I could still remember most of the names of the villages along the coast, and our overnight stop in Mirissa was the same beach I’d been at when the tsunami happened in 2004. One of the busiest stretches of road in the country, the traffic was difficult to navigate at times (especially the buses) but there’s strength in numbers and right from the beginning there was a strong sense of teamwork with the use of hand and voice signals to alert the riders behind about any upcoming dangers, whether in the form of potholes, motorbikes riding on the wrong side of the road or the occasional cow.

I realised today that cycling to and from work in the British winter wasn’t the best preparation for the 30-35 degree heat and high humidity of Sri Lanka’s hottest time of year. Even my bikram (hot room) yoga wasn’t much help. At the end of the first day, I spent a good 3 hours in my room, rotating between being sick in the bathroom and lying on my bed surrounded by every cold bottle I could find from the mini bar... eventually getting in the pool once the sun had gone down.

Nearly in Hikkaduwa

Navigating lorries...

...and 3 wheelers through Galle

Day 2 - Friday 10th April - Mirissa to Kataragama (138 km)

After yesterday, avoiding overheating was my main priority for the day. I learned from the other riders to pour cold water on myself mid-ride, and apply ice every time we stopped. I don’t know what I would have done without the support team, led by the amazing Ajani. As well as the ice and cold water, she has this almost telepathic knack of turning up just at the right time with exactly what you needed, be it food, ice, water or a hug!

Day two sunrise

Mid-ride hydration and cool down

Posing for water sponsors (Aquafresh) photo, forgetting I have ice on my head

Taking the ice to the next level

The amaaazing Ajani and her homemade energy bars

Back to Kirinda Pre-School - 10 years after the tsunami

After today's leg of the ride, I went back to Kirinda to see the pre-school we built with the AIESEC volunteers after the tsunami exactly ten years ago. I didn't know whether it would still be standing, let alone be in active use. When I got there I didn't even recognise the pre-school road from the main road, now surrounded by houses and trees that had been previously wiped out by the tsunami. Asking for directions, I finally found it and couldn't believe that there not only were children playing in the play area (actual classes are in the morning) but also a community health clinic going on for new mothers and their babies. I met with the teachers who explained that the pre-school is now community owned and run, acting as a filter for the big school round the corner. Couldn't have hoped for a better outcome.

The road to the pre-school in 2005...

...and 2015

Building begins in 2005...

...and still standing in 2015

Just installed the playground in 2005...

...still being used in 2015

Teaching the kids in 2005...

...and with the full-time teachers in 2015

Day 3 - Saturday 11th April - Kataragama to Arugam Bay (135 km)

We started the day with a briefing about potential elephant encounters through Yala National Park – something that I’d have welcomed during a safari jeep ride, but not something to look forward to on a bicycle. Fortunately, while we saw plenty of fresh dung and at times could even smell elephants themselves in the bushes, we weren’t actually confronted by any on the road. As well as Yala itself, there was some beautiful scenery as we cut inland for most of the day. It was very hilly with some tough ups but fun downs until the last very open stretch into a headwind in midday sun, so we were relieved to finally see the sea at Arugam Bay and cool down in the water as the sun set.

In Yala National Park just after sunrise

Lovely scenery just outside Yala

Breakfast spot

Squeezing into the shady spot around midday

Arugam Bay

Evening swim

Day 4 - Sunday 12th April - Arugam Bay to Pasikuda (148km)

Phew what a scorcher! Today was fast and flat with little to no shade so a great opportunity to get into a rhythm with the peloton, riding two by two in a long chain and taking turns to be at the front. We stopped in Batticaloa at lunchtime to meet with ATP partners Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation who were distributing the 1000 wheelchairs raised from last year's ride. As well as being a physical challenge, the aim of the ride (which is likely to become an annual event) is to raise money for wheelchairs for the many children in Sri Lanka affected by cerebral palsy. If you’d like to buy a wheelchair, you can donate through the website http://aroundthepearl.lk/ Because of the midday heat, the last 35km after lunch were particularly punishing but I managed to stream Fonny for the last 10km and just counted down each km till we got to the end.

Another sunrise... another cow on the road....

With Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation in Batticaloa

Cooling down with a king coconut

Drying out kit in Pasikuda

Day 5 - Monday 13th April - Pasikuda to Trincomalee (127km)

After yesterday's scorching heat and sun, we got lucky today when the clouds rolled in mid-morning and broke the intensity of the heat. After a great fish curry for lunch we did a last sprint (thanks Charlene) to the hotel in Nilaveli beach. Rest day tomorrow!

Start of day briefing by Yasas

Crossing the bridge towards Trinco

One of many mid-ride selfies...

And one of many milos (cold chocolate malt drinks)...

Fish curry lunch just outside Trinco

Post-ride, pre-rest day stretching

Rest day - Tuesday 14th April - Nilaveli Beach near Trincomalee (0km)

Today was very needed and pretty much revolved around sleeping, eating, drinking and relaxing. Back to 4am wake up calls and riding in the heat tomorrow...

Starting the day as I mean to go on...

Devilled crabs on the barbecue

Looking out at Pigeon Island

Day 6 - Wednesday 15th April - Trincomalee to Mullaitivu (100km)

Today began with a 5km pre-monsoon downpour, clearing out some of the humidity from the last few days. Breakfast at a Navy camp was followed by a crossing of the Kokilai lagoon. Flat roads and clearer air meant the group reached speeds of 35kmph+ before slowing down to cross the Vadduvakal bridge, which marks the site of the final battle of the war in 2009. A haunting ride along the A35 past the deserted battlefields finished at Kovil junction where we'll switch to mountain bikes and continue our journey tomorrow.

Drinking in the rain

Breakfast at the naval base

Crossing the lagoon

Vaduvakkal bridge - the site of the last battle in the war

A deserted A35

Kovil junction - switching to mountain bikes tomorrow

Day 7 - Thursday 16th April - Mullaitivu to Jaffna (134km)

Today started with a 3am wake up call, 4am departure from the hotel and a 2 hour drive back to the naval base where we had lunch yesterday. For most of the day we were off-roading on mountain bikes in the Chalai area of the north-east where many of the final battles in the war took place. It's very cut off, largely inaccessible by car, and still suffering the effects of the tsunami (because help couldn't get through under LTTE control) as well as the war itself. Heavy rain along the way made the sandy track particularly tough on our legs for the total 100km on mountain bikes. We switched back onto road bikes in Point Pedro (the northern-most town in Sri Lanka) for the last 34km to Jaffna as the sun was setting. A 12 hour day with 8 hours of actual cycling, rounded off with a trip to Rio ice-cream parlour!

The start of the track to Chalai

Army briefing

Breakfast time chit-chat

Crossing the beach...

... and the support vehicles get stuck

Getting soaked in pre-monsoon rains

Dodging puddles after the rain

Going off the (already un-) beaten track...

...and past minefields

Point Pedro - northern-most town in Sri Lanka

Finishing at Rio ice-cream parlour in Jaffna just after dark

Day 8 - Friday 17th April - Jaffna to Wilpattu National Park (163km)

Fast, flat and hot hot hot today. After yesterday's rainshowers and cloud cover, today we really felt the heat on our longest ride yet. Leaving Jaffna, we passed through Pooneryn and its causeway, another site of some of the war's most brutal battles. Our time in the north has really opened my eyes to the vast extent of the conflict area. I cannot even begin to imagine the bloodshed that has affected so many people – just so so sad. It will take generations to recover. We carried onto Mannar (our rest stop tonight) before reaching Wilpattu National Park, from where we'll switch back to mountain bikes tomorrow.

Getting into the rhythm of the peloton after sunrise

Bridge over Pooneryn Causeway

Trying to find shade by the road...

...and in the bushes

Nearly at Wilpattu National Park

The day's finish point at an army base by entrance to Wilpattu National Park

Day 9 - Saturday 18th April - Wilpattu National Park to Chilaw (130km)

We started the day with 40km on the mountain bikes through Wilpattu National Park. It was like a scene out of Snow White when two deer leapt out in front of us and we later spotted leopard footprints, but quite relieved that the strong smell of elephants passed without any direct encounters! While we were waiting for the road bikes to arrive we had lunch by the river and went for a quick dip before the 90km on to Chilaw, arriving just in time for sunset.

Second outing for the mountain bikes

Wilpattu National Park

Leopard prints

Wilpattu selfies and photo bombs

Bunching near the landrover when we smell elephants in the bushes

Crossing the river in Wilpattu...

...and a surprise visit from Tilak the other side

Lunchtime swim

Watching the sunset in Chilaw

Day 10 - Sunday 19th April - Chilaw to Colombo (Moratuwa) (120km)

Today we tackled the roads heading back into Colombo so no 'in motion' photos as I needed both hands on the bike! I did take a couple at traffic lights though - hard to believe we had absolutely no traffic in Chalai only 3 days ago. We were met at the finish in Moratuwa by a great crowd of supporters as well as staff and children from the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation. It’s hard to believe how much ground we’ve covered in only 10 days, and how many experiences we’ve had along the way. All that's left to say is a huge thank you to all the riders and support team for welcoming me into the fold. It's been a privilege, a joy, an education and an adventure. Special thanks to Yasas for shepherding us with such encouragement and ease, Ajani for taking such good care of all of us, Sajith for helping me put my bike together and taking it apart again (as well as providing such incredible support along the way) and Sarinda and Charlene (and Tyson!) for your warm and generous hospitality. It's back to the streets of London for me now - no cows to dodge, bikes to swerve or beaches to cross. Sri Lanka, you are awesome - I'll be back...