BRIAN ROCKLIFFE OBE

12 Jan 2010 10:11 AM

Brian Rockliffe, Director of the VSO Federation, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List. The award was given for 'services to International Development'. For those of you not familiar with the British honours system, OBE means Officer of the Order of the British Empire. This 'order' is the central way that distinguished service is recognised in Britain.

Brian has been a significant figure in the world of international development and volunteering over many years having begun his work with VSO as a volunteer teacher in Tanzania 35 years ago. Since then he has worked for VSO as everything from country director in Sierra Leone to his current position as Director of the VSO Federation.

"I am sure everyone in VSO and beyond will want to join with me in congratulating Brian on this achievement. His deep respect for the experience, capacity and perspective of poor people, and for their right to determine their own futures, has made him one of the best advocates VSO could possibly have. In all his many roles in his career, whether a volunteer, a country director, director of what we now know of as a federation member, or SMT director, Brian has brought not only passion and commitment, but a belief in the power of volunteering that has stood the test of time. I am absolutely delighted that he has been honoured in this way." Marg Mayne, CEO - VSO International

The shape and achievements of VSO and their impact on beneficiaries and partners in the developing world are due in large part to Brian’s thinking and influence. He established VSO’s Development Education programme in the early 1980s and appointed VSO’s first national member of programme staff in Sierra Leone. He also opened the VSO programme in Liberia in 1984. Now over 75% of programme office staff members are national.

After a period working to build links with international funders, Brian moved to be Director of Volunteer Recruitment and in 1986 began recruitment of volunteers in the Netherlands and then, in 1992, began recruitment in Canada. Brian established VSO Canada (now CUSO-VSO) in 1995 and served as director of the organisation until 1998 during which period he created and developed links with CIDA that have since grown to deliver a significant multi million-dollar partnership agreement.

Returning to the UK, Brian expanded VSO's vision of international working and directed policy that resulted in the creation of recruitment offices in Kenya and The Philippines, opening up opportunities for international volunteering from the South. The VSO Federation now recruits volunteers in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America as well as throughout Europe and North America.

Brian has steered the creation of openings for young people, in the South and the North, to become involved in development including establishing VSO’s World Youth exchange programme (now Global Exchange), which allows groups of young people from South and North to work together in each other’s communities to promote international understanding. There have now been more than 75 exchanges in 25 separate countries involving nearly 1500 young people.

Brian has also been deeply involved in the development and leadership of VSO’s concept of National Volunteering, which promotes and supports local and national volunteering for development as a direct form of participation. In 2007/8 half of VSO’s programmes were involved in National volunteering and more than 290 organisations, with either direct support from VSO, or through the work of our partners, were supported to develop stronger volunteer management systems. VSO estimates that these organisations have supported more than 20,000 volunteers who in turn are estimated to have reached in excess of 570,000 disadvantaged people.

Most recently, as Director of the VSO Federation, Brian has been central to the development of a federal structure for VSO increasing the voice of participants from around the globe in the governance of the organisation.