helge.espe@norec.no

Helge Espe is a sociologist/Social Scientist from University of Oslo as well as an Urban and Regional Planner. He is presently a senior adviser to Norec (Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation), covering multi-lateral networking, including UN entities, the OECD, the AU and civil society networks. He thematically covers fields like policy and strategy development, research and advocacy, especially with regard to south-south and triangular cooperation, as well as international personnel exchange and volunteering.

www.ceciliamilesi.com

Cecilia is a Latin American sociologist with over 25 years of experience providing strategic advice to multilateral organizations, grant-makers, non-governmental organizations, and social movements in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe with the vision to create a world of dignity for all. Today, she is the Senior Advisor on Decolonizing Research Partnerships at ODI – a global affairs think-tank with offices in London, Washington and Brussels. 

Cecilia Milesi is the founder of Subir al Sur, today a SES Foundation’s programme promoting youth leadership and intercultural volunteering. Currently she is a member of Subir al Sur’s Advisory Board. Cecilia also established Global Change Center, a South-South platform raising Global South voices with the aim to catalyse change processes. 

Cecilia has provided strategic advise to some of the most renowned organizations from around the world: United Nations agencies (UNDP, UN-Women, UNV, UNOSSC, UNSSC), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Amnesty International (International Secretariat), CDA-Collaborative Learning, Save the Children, Ford Foundation, Luminate, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Oxfam GB, Conciliation Resources, the Kering Foundation, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), among many others. 

Ratherford.Mwaruta@gmail.com

Community-Driven Systems Change Practitioner by training and practice with strong biases on International Voluntary services as a vehicle to promote community development and international understanding. More than 25 years’ hands on experience on grassroots programs at National and international level with the Zimbabwe Workcamps Association (ZWA) , Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Services (CCIVS) and Southern Africa Workcamps Cooperation (SAWC).  Presently, working on the operationalization of the Pan Africa Volunteer platform -Network of African Voluntary Organizations (NAVO).

hperold@hpa.co.za

Helene Perold is a South African independent social research consultant, evaluator, publisher and strategist who has worked in the fields of volunteering, active citizenship, youth development and community service (among others) for over 30 years.

She is well known and respected in the field of volunteering research regionally and internationally, and has worked on 23 studies about volunteering. She has also drafted four public policies on volunteering and civic service, participated in multiple international conferences, and has produced 30 research publications in this field.

She is a member of the FORUM Research, Policy and Practice Learning Group, the International Society for Third Sector Research, and the Africa Evidence Network.