‘Networking is great for people. It could just be an event in a pub, it wouldn’t have to be overly organised, I think it should be more informal and just let people start exchanging ideas.’ (Returned volunteer 2, interview) Linking to local injustice issues/ groups The feedback from the focus group identified a disconnect with local groups and justice issues, in particular new communities to Ireland, particularly those communities coming from the Global South. Additionally, the semi-structured interviews identified the value of volunteers with an overseas experience adding value to local initiatives: ‘I think you just get such a perspective on global issues problems, inequalities – it’s not just charity, you learn about your own country, you’ve problems in your own country too.' (Returned volunteer 1, Interview) Bring a global dimension into their career area Echoing the findings from the Literature Review, creating options for those who do not end up working directly in the development sector to bring a global dimension into their career is an opportunity to bring global learning into new spaces for development education: ‘I would say a lot of them keep that [their volunteer experience] with them as they begin their working life here. I know some people who would continue to bring in that global perspective just from their knowledge and experience of being overseas.’ (Development education representative, interview) ‘The other cohort coming back after working overseas are perhaps going on to different careers, it is really important for them that they know they can go off and be a banker, they can go off and do whatever, but they can still make a contribution, to their organisation, to society, to development education.’ (Development organisation representative, interview) ‘…to bring in a development education angle on all of their work. So whether it is in a voluntary capacity or whether it’s a career, there are opportunities to bring development education in.’ (Donor organisation, interview) Engaging within the local community As well as often feeling disconnect with the local community on return, coming home can be an opportunity for returned volunteers to develop new lenses on community activism locally: ‘The key thing for anybody is to map out the terrain, say “where are the community organizing in this neck of the woods?” Like there’s a community development project, a family resource centre, a citizen initiative like street feast, council initiatives, transition towns, a sustainability project
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Back to the Future: Returned volunteers as multipliers for development education in Ireland