The latest briefing from Steve Schwager, CEO
Time and again, people call or email me after they travel abroad to comment on the unique quality of JDC and the staff they meet in each overseas community. I could simply say “thank you” and that we have an excellent recruiting process, but truthfully that is only part of the story.
JDC is a complex organization supporting hundreds of programs at thousands of sites; we spend in excess of $1 million a day in the process. Since our operating model around the world is to empower local communities, those communities must be prepared to shoulder the responsibility of carrying out JDC programs—and this requires high quality professionals. How can we best guarantee such an outcome?
The answer is that we devote significant time and effort to training. This is critically important in countries where community development skills and leadership skills are not equal to those we find in the West.
Given the size and breath of our activities, each person in our organization and in the local communities must be trained to handle effectively the many and varied scenarios they may face. We train dedicated JDC professionals, local community staff, volunteers, and lay leaders so that they have the know-how to most efficiently and effectively help those in need. If we do not inculcate this essential knowledge into the process and that information is not passed down through training one generation after another, then the chain will be broken and essentials—such as food and medicine—will not reach clients in need in the most efficient manner.
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