Medair

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What are Medair’s Values?

Medair’s values are: faith, compassion, integrity, accountability, hope, and dignity.

Faith
We are motivated to care for those who suffer because we follow Jesus Christ, who taught that our highest goal is to love God and to care for those in need. Our faith inspires us to give our best in all circumstances. By faith we pray for wisdom when facing difficult decisions, and for courage to live and work in demanding and often dangerous situations.

Compassion
We desire to relieve human suffering in times of crisis, disaster and conflict. We seek out people who are the most vulnerable, come alongside them and offer practical support through relief and rehabilitation initiatives.

Integrity
We strive to live out our values and principles consistently at every level of the organisation, and in every location - from the remotest team to the international headquarters. Our desire is that as we work together in teams, our attitudes, words and actions will be true to Medair’s vision and character.

Accountability
We are committed to employ best practices in our management and operations, pursuing excellence in all we do. We make ourselves accountable to our supporters, our staff, and those we serve, and seek input from them to help us improve our activities and procedures.

Hope
We seek to bring hope to people devastated by crisis and caught in apparently hopeless situations. Together with the communities we serve, we strive to make sustainable improvements and increase their capacity to build a better future.

Dignity
We believe that each person has been made in God’s image and is therefore uniquely valuable and worthy of the highest respect. Consequently, we reach out to all those in need, irrespective of their race, gender, religion, age or nationality. Wherever possible we personalise our assistance, taking individual needs and circumstances into account, and respecting the dignity and independence of the people we serve.
 

Is Medair a missionary organisation?

No. Medair is a humanitarian aid organisation. We provide non-discriminatory aid to beneficiaries. We are signatories to the Red Cross Code of Conduct, which binds us to this mandate. As an organisation, we are motivated by our Christian values, and hold great respect for people of all cultures and religions.

What is the language of employment within Medair?

English is Medair’s organisational language, so all staff must be proficient in English in order to work at HQ or in the field. French is desirable for some field programmes and Arabic is also often useful in some of our programmes.

How do I apply to become a Medair Relief Worker?

If you are an Experienced Relief Worker, first review the essential criteria on this page to make sure that you qualify for a Medair position, and then search through the current field vacancies. Experienced Relief Workers are those with at least 18 months relief work experience.

 

New Relief Workers are those with less than 18 months of relief work experience. If you are new to relief work, the best way to apply is to confirm you fulfil the essential criteria by following this link, and then fill out the preliminary application form on our website for the ROC (Relief and Rehabilitation Orientation Course), our evaluative training course. By filling out the online ROC application form, a Medair HR team member will be able to make a preliminary assessment of your suitability and proceed from there. For more information about the ROC, click here.  

I am interested in doing humanitarian work with Medair. How can I best prepare myself?

To work as a Medair Relief Worker, you need to have at least one year’s professional experience (with more experience preferred) in a profession that is compatible with our field projects. Medair’s three main sectors of expertise are Health Services, Water and Sanitation, and Shelter and Infrastructure, so we are always looking for professionals from these disciplines. We also need experienced staff with a background in management, finance, human resources, logistics, ICT, marketing and communications, or administration.

It is highly desirable to have some experience in relief work with another aid organisation. Applicants to become a Medair New Relief Worker are not required to have previous relief experience, but it is definitely an asset if they have spent three months or more working overseas in a developing country.

For health professionals, a diploma in tropical medicine is highly recommended. See below for a list of recommended courses.

English is Medair’s organisational language, so all staff must be proficient in English. French is desirable for some field programmes and Arabic is also often useful in some of our programmes.

Do you need psychologists or social workers in your field programmes?

We do not often need psychologists or those who have experience in social work, but in rare instances, we do have positions available for these professions.

Do you need nutritionists?

Medair does need nutritionists from time to time, especially in famine situations.  However, interested applicants might have to wait some time before a position opens up.

I am a lab technician / pharmacist / physiotherapist / dentist / occupational therapist / teacher / pilot. Does Medair need people from my profession?

Unfortunately we do not require lab technicians, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, teachers, or pilots. However, if you are willing to work in a capacity other than your core profession, and if you have suitable experience in that domain, we will consider an application from you.

I have some medical experience, but I understand that getting some tropical medicine training will help me be more prepared to work as a relief worker with Medair. Where can I go for this training?

There are a number of excellent schools of tropical medicine. Please find below a list of links to some schools that we are familiar with and that we usually recommend:

    * Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom)   
    * London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom)   
    * Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine (Belgium)   
    * The Swiss Tropical Institute (Switzerland)   
    * University Heidelberg (Germany)   
    * Bernhard Nocht Institute, Hamburg, (Germany)   
    * Difam (Germany)   
    * University Uppsala (Sweden)
    * The Royal Tropical Instîtute (The Netherlands)   
    * Hogesschool, Leiden - Community Health course (The Netherlands)   
    * Rotterdam Harbour Hospital - Tropical Health course (The Netherlands)   
    * Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (United States)

We are a couple and are interested in working as relief workers together. Is that possible?

Medair will send married couples to the field together, but both the husband and wife need to have professional profiles which are compatible with our field projects. Both will need to complete the ROC evaluation course. Medair will not send unmarried couples to work on the same project, because we do not feel the field is the right place to pursue a serious relationship. In addition, Medair will not send one member of a couple to the field alone as we feel it is not beneficial to any couple’s marriage. Medair will also not send a couple to the field who are still in their first year of marriage.

I have a family but I am willing to go to the field alone. Will I be able to do this with Medair?

Medair has a strict policy that we will not separate families or couples.  We will not send husbands or wives alone to the field, nor will we send families to the field. Medair is not able to provide schooling, adequate health care services, or the proper environment for children.

We will not send anyone to the field who still has dependent children – i.e. children under the age of 18.

In exceptional cases, we will consider applications from candidates with families if the candidate has extensive relief work experience, is applying for a leadership position, and will be based in one of the safer capital cities. In such cases we will closely review the situation and, on that basis, come to a decision.

I am divorced. Will Medair accept me to go to the field?

Yes, but Medair has a strict policy that we will not send someone to the field who has been divorced in the previous 12 months.

I would like to volunteer as a humanitarian aid worker during the summer (or for a few months during the year). Is it possible to do that with Medair?

No. Due to the nature of the work, Medair requires that all of our relief workers have a minimum one-year contract.

People who take a career break or a gap year out of their profession might consider working for a year abroad with Medair. If all the other selection criteria are fulfilled, Medair will consider those applicants as long as they are able to work for the entire year.

I have just finished my studies and would like to go to the field. Will Medair accept me?

If you are just finishing your first period of study in life, then probably not. We require that our relief workers have a minimum of one year’s experience in their profession (with more experience preferred). We want our relief workers to be familiar and comfortable in their jobs before heading out to the field, where working and living conditions will be very different from their past experience. Please check the essential criteria for becoming a Medair New Relief Worker by following this link.

In the case of someone who has just completed their studies but has extensive previous experience through internships, etc., we might make an exception, but this would have to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Will you consider people with a military background as Experienced Relief Workers?

We will not consider people with military experience to fit into the experienced relief worker category even if they have been posted to a zone which is similar to those in which we work. The differences in the way of working, their internal structure, security, salary, reporting to donors, etc, are too different and great. We are looking for people who can hit the ground running because they are familiar with not only the working conditions but also the manner in which an NGO works.

This would also apply to those working in the commercial sector or teachers in a remote area. If they are not working with a relief organization, then we will not consider them as experienced relief workers.

I would like to do my civil service as a New Relief Worker with Medair but I only need to complete a part of the year. Can I do this with Medair?

Medair will only accept civilists who commit to a minimum of one year in the field. Therefore if you have less than that one year to complete as a civilist, you will have to complete the remainder of the “full” year under a Medair contract.

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When will I hear if I have been accepted for the ROC?

You will hear back from the HR team within four weeks after your initial application if you are being considered for the ROC. We begin the ROC selection process about six weeks prior to the ROC, so you will hear about six weeks before the course begins.

How soon after the ROC can I expect to leave for the field?

Most assignments occur within three to six months after the ROC. However, it can take longer if there are no available positions, and it can also be quicker if an individual’s profile fits an urgent need.

I live in a country where Medair works. Do I need to complete the ROC to work with Medair?

Candidates who are currently a permanent resident of the country in which they would like to work with Medair are not considered to be internationally recruited staff and do not need to complete the ROC. To apply for positions in your country of residence/citizenship, please contact your local Medair office directly.

I do not have a credit card. Is there any other way I can make the ROC payment?

It is possible to make a bank transfer to Medair Headquarters. To access Medair's banking information, please click here.

I would like to do my civil service as a New Relief Worker with Medair but I only need to complete a part of the year. Can I do this with Medair?

Medair will only accept civilists who commit to a minimum of one year in the field. Therefore if you have less than that one year to complete as a civilist, you will have to complete the remainder of the “full” year under a Medair contract.