What We Do - A Guide For Potential Volunteers

We invite you to look at the various services that we offer and to consider whether you might be able to help us doing one or two of them. If you see something that you think particularly suits your gifts and temperament, click on the link that says, "I Would Like To Help". This will take you to a web form where we ask you to check the boxes for your chosen service(s) before going on to "Step 2" where we ask you for some personal details and a formal confirmation of your support for what we do. Thanks!

Click on any button for more details.

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Typing Scripture

Most of the keyboarding work that we do to help missionaries involves typing out Scripture, although sometimes we do get asked to type other material. Often the Bibles and New Testaments that we work on are out of print and need typing onto a computer so that they can be prepared for re-printed. If you volunteer to help with this work, we will normally send you about four chapters of the Bible at a time. Although the material is not in English, you do not need to know any foreign languages and you will be able to use your own PC at home. For every letter in the original language that is not on your keyboard, we ask you to type in a substitute character. For example, instead of typing an accented character like this: "é", you would type this: "/e".

We need high accuracy in this work because we are typing parts of the Bible so we have developed special checking techniques that normally enable us to produce a very accurate version with virtually no mistakes. We also need a fairly quick turn-around of work, usually within a month at the longest. If you find yourself unable to complete the work in this time, we ask that you return it to us so that it can be assigned to another keyboarder.

So, we will ask you to let us know:

• How accurate are you as a typist?
• How fast can you type?
• Will you be able to do a preliminary proof-reading and correction of your own work?

Please note that this is voluntary work to help missionaries overseas and there is no payment involved.

Formatting Documents

Do you have experience in applying paragraph styles to Microsoft Word documents? If you do, and if you have a sense of good page layout design, then you may like to help us with document formatting work. Recently we have been formatting a book on how to do Bible translation. We have also had books of Scripture to work on.

Usually the documents we are working with are quite long. They may even be up to a book's size in length. So you will need to apply the paragraph styles consistently in order to get a professional appearance. We also have an occasional need to scan and run "optical character recognition" software, plus accurate proof reading to correct OCR errors.

Computer Advice

Many missionaries working overseas do not have much help available locally when they have computer problems. So Wycliffe Associates has set up a system whereby missionaries can send an email asking for help. The main package that we support is MS-Office and, if you offer to help by giving advice with this, we'll need to know which parts of it (Word, Access, Excel, or PowerPoint) you know particularly well.

We also aim to support all versions of Windows starting with ver 3.1 and including 95 and 98, NT, XP and now Vista. Desktop Publishing packages and networks cause particular problems and we've had queries on many other hardware configurations and software applications.

If you volunteer, we will assign you to the appropriate mailing list for the topics with which you are familiar. You will then receive the emails that come in and can respond to any that you think you can answer. In order to arrange this, we ask you to let us know:

• Are you an experienced user of any software packages and, if so, which ones?
• Do you have any professional computer training or qualifications?
• Do you have expert knowledge in any particular area of computing?
• Do you have any experience in training or troubleshooting?

Again, please note that this is voluntary work to help missionaries overseas and there is no payment involved.

Internet Research

Although missionaries often have access to email now, they may not have full internet access. This means that they are not able to search or use the vast resources available there. We mostly get requests of two types. We are often asked to find rare books (sometimes in other languages that need to be traced on the Net to see if they are available). We also get requests to find miscellaneous information about all sorts of things. For example, we have been asked recently to find out about solar panels, digital recorders and the phases of the moon for the next five years!

We don't get requests for this type of help every week but we need a team of researchers who can go into action when help is needed. So, if you are a fan of the internet, and if you have a persistent approach that will work hard to find information, please contact us.

Writing EasyEnglish

EasyEnglish is a new WA development. We have developed specialised writing techniques using limited vocabulary and grammatical forms. We use these to produce easy-to-understand reading materials for people whose first language is not English. We are producing Bible commentaries and studies suitable for church pastors who have had little training. If you can write simply and clearly, and can express biblical ideas in simple language, please contact us. We will need to know:

• What experience do you have of writing in English?
• What experience do you have of communicating ideas in simple terms for ordinary people to understand?
• What is your level and knowledge of English grammar?

Translation of Documents

Could you be a Translator for a Missionary?

• Are you a fluent speaker of Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Indonesian, French, Spanish, Italian or German?
• Are you a native speaker of a major world language other than English? We get many requests to translate articles and texts both from major world languages into English and vice versa.

We are looking for a number of people who are able to translate documents from major languages into English, and from English into the major languages. We always ask ofr the translation to be done by a native speaker of the target language. So, for example, if we want translation from English into German, we would look for a German speaker. We have a constant need for native French speakers who can translate documents from English into French. We break long documents down into smaller sections so no one gets asked to do too much.

This is voluntary work to help missionaries overseas and there is no payment involved.

If you are able to help with this, we will want to know:

• What is your first language or mother tongue?
• What other languages do you know and how well do you know them?
• Have you had any study experience in these languages?
• What is your level of education (high school, college degree or post graduate)?
• What translation experience do you have, if any?
• Do you know of any other people who might be interested in helping. We particularly need native French speakers.

Functional Literacy

Before people can read the Bible they have to learn to read. So Wycliffe Associates is helping to produce a series of simple reading booklets to help adults who want to learn. The booklets we produce are very practical. They deal with topics like basic health and hygiene, how to make items with local materials, basic repairs and animal husbandry. These booklets are called "Shell Booklets". This is because they contain all the text and all the pictures in a desktop published format. This makes it easy for a Bible translator or other missionary to simply translate the text into the local language and then "pour it in" to the ready-made DTP file. (Click here for more information on these books.)

We need help with selecting and editing existing materials into a simpler form. So, if you have an ability to shorten and simplify written materials, and have a clear writing style, we would like to hear from you. (You don't need DTP skills for this type of work.)

Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design

If you have skills in desktop publishing we'd like to hear from you. You could help with the layout and preparation of an important series of "How To Do It" booklets for new readers. If people are going to read the Bible in their own language, then first they must learn HOW to read. So literacy is an essential part of Bible translation work. They go hand in hand. Hence, there is a need for reading books to be designed and laid out.

We produce booklets on community health and community development, practical skills, child care and many other topics. These booklets are produced in multi-language, international editions. The software packages we use are MS Publisher and MS Word. These are fairly simple software tools, chosen because they are readily available in developing countries where the materials will be used. We don't always have this kind of opportunity but if you would like to be considered when the time comes, please let us know.

Drawing and Illustration

Do you have skills as an illustrator? We are looking for people who can help to produce line drawings to illustrate an important series of "How To Do It" booklets for new readers. The illustrations need to be crisp, decisive and realistic. They can be based on photographs. If you would like to help with this important work, using your artistic gifts to help people round the world, please contact us soon.

Picture Clean-up

We are working on a large project to digitise and clean up a large collection of line drawings. The drawings need to be scanned, sometimes from photocopies. Then they need to be "tidied up" before they can be put on to a CD. The illustrations will be used by Bible translators and literacy workers round the world. This work does not require great artistic skills but it does require knowledge of utility software like "PaintShop Pro" or Adobe "PhotoShop". It will also need a diligent and persistent approach to get the pictures into shape. If you are interested in helping with this specialised work, do please contact us.

Tracing Books and Articles

Often missionaries need their own copies of books that are hard to find. We have a team of people that search for these books in second-hand and antiquarian bookstores, as well as internet bookstores. The missionaries will pay for the books and for shipping them out to the field, so you won't be out of pocket

As well as needing copies of whole books, many missionaries need access to books and technical articles that are only available from large university or national libraries. These articles are often about the people, group or language in the place where the missionaries are working. We get regular requests for articles about anthropology, theology, missiology, specific languages or ethnic groups and medical articles.

If you have personal access to a good university library or are a librarian yourself, you may be able to help missionaries get the technical articles they need. This will help to give them a better understanding of the local situation and help them to communicate the Christian message better. If you have access to a large university collection, we would like to hear from you and, specifically, to know the following:

• the name of the library and your ability to access it;
• details of any specialist collections owned by the libary.

This is voluntary work to help missionaries overseas and there is no payment involved.

Theological Checking

Our series of EasyEnglish Bible commentaries is proving extremely successful. Last year about 100,000 commentaries were downloaded from our web site by people in over 140 countries.

We have a team of EasyEnglish writers and translators but we do need to ensure that the commentaries and Scripture translations that they produce in EasyEnglish are theologically accurate. So, we are looking for people who can help with this theological checking. You will need a theological background, and an appreciation of the difficulties of translating using a word list of only a few thousand English words; a list that doesn't include the theological jargon words. So, if you have a desire to see the great theological truths expressed in ways that common people can understand, you may like to help us!

Prayer Support

We depend on people around the world holding up our ministry before God in prayer. If you have a prayer ministry and would be prepared to support us in this way, please let us know. We will send you our prayer bulletin that is circulated from time to time by e-mail.

Kid's Clubs

Missionaries often get together for an annual, spiritual retreat or conference. During this time they need a child care programme so that the adults can derive maximum benefit. If you would be interested in joining a child care team to provide a vacation Bible School for the children, please let us know. You will need to raise your own support for the international travel and other expenses.

We will also ask you to answer the following questions:

• What experience do you have of working with children?
• Have you ever led a children's vacation Bible school (VBS)?
• Have you ever participated as a team member of a VBS?
• Do you have special skills such as music, drama, art or adventure that could be used in a children's programme?
• Do you have any professional qualifications for children's work?

Hospitality and Accommodation

Would you like to join our network of people in Britain who are willing to let missionaries stay for short periods with them? Sometimes this is just an overnight stop; sometimes it is for a few days. We also have volunteers who have holiday accommodation and are willing to let missionaries use this, either free or at cost. Please tell us:

• How many adults and children can you accommodate?
• How many nights' stay can you offer?
• Will there be a cost to the missionary? If so, what is this likely to be?
• Are there times of the year when this would (or would not) be available?
• Do you have any professional qualifications for children's work?

This can be a real blessing and help to the people who will stay with you. Normally overnight stays would be offered free. If you need to cover some expenses, please let us know.

Letters and Magazines

Missionaries working overseas often need help with the production and distribution of their news and prayer letters. If you have access to good, clean photocopying facilities, can keep a computer address list up-to-date, make labels, and don't mind folding, stuffing, sticking and stamping, please contact us. It will help us to know:

• Have you had any experience of office work?
• Have you produced mailing labels before?
• Could you maintain a mailing list of perhaps 200 names?
• Do you have access to a good photocopier?
• Can you ensure a quick turnaround and get the letters out quickly?

Please note that the missionaries will refund the costs of the copying, envelopes and stamps.

Missionaries are also human and they like to read, especially when there may be no local TV and little local information. If you already take a magazine regularly or your kids have a comic, don't throw it away when you are finished with it. Send it to a missionary.

Perhaps you would be willing to buy a subscription and send it overseas? The missionaries there would be delighted. Please let us know what magazines or comics you would like to send and we will try and match you up with a missionary who has the same interests. Some of our volunteers offer to buy and send out a magazine they don't normally take themselves but which the missionaries are requesting. This service is VERY much appreciated overseas.

Please note that you will be responsible for sending out magazines at your own expense.

Airport Transportation

Travel to and from airports in the UK is generally both tiring and expensive. Many long-distance overseas flights necessitate the use of the London airports in particular and this can take a significant toll on missionaries and their families. We are always looking for drivers (especially in the London area) who can pick up missionaries and take them to or from Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick airports.

This is very interesting work, and you will meet all kinds of people just coming from the field or heading back. You will need a reasonably sized car which can take both people and baggage. The missionaries are asked to pay for this service so your petrol expenses will be covered. Please let us know:

• Which airports are within your range?
• What size of vehicle do you have?
• How many passengers with luggage could you carry?
• When would you be available (and when would you not be available)?
• Are you able to help with early morning flights, at evenings or at weekends?

Web Design and Management

Do you have well-developed skills with designing or managing web pages? If you do, please contact us. In addition to looking after our own website, we have requests coming in for the use of these skills for various missionary agencies. Please let us know the kind of work you have done, and let us have the URLs for sites that you have helped to develop.

Coordination of Volunteers

If you have any experience of working with volunteers; if you have a friendly, encouraging nature and if you are prepared to serve team of people, please contact us. Working with volunteers is different from the world of business. You have to get the best from your team without using the carrot of bonuses and without using the stick of giving them a hard time. But it can be very rewarding. We don't always have this kind of opportunity, but if you would like to be considered when the time comes, please let us know.

Practical Skills and Services

Do you have professional skills in the areas of plumbing, electricity, construction, steel-erection, carpentry, painting and decorating or any other skill used in building construction or maintenance? If you do, there are opportunities for you to travel to locations, both in the UK and the developing world, for shorter or longer periods to use your skills there. You will need to pay your own travel and living costs. Again, we don't always have this kind of opportunity, but if you would like to be considered when the time comes, please let us know.

Computer Skills

If you are an experienced programmer, able to produce programs for use in Windows, and you have determination to see a project through to completion in line with the client specifications, please contact us. We may have a project that you could work on that would help Christian work to move forward. This is voluntary and unpaid work but you may like to use your programming skills in the Lord's service.

We are also working on a project called "Bible For The Future" that aims to preserve copies of computer files of the whole of Scripture for future generations. Currently, much of this data is being lost, either because of technological obsolescence, damage to media or simple physical loss. We are compiling this important collection to enable Christians in the future to benefit from the huge amount of Bible translation work that has already been done.

We need a few people to help with file conversions, data checking, Unicode conversions and data copying. If you have an archiving background and good computer skills, or if you just have good computer skills, a careful way of working and a desire to see the Bible preserved, then please contact us.

Office Administration

If you have a variety of office skills and have worked in office administration, we would like to hear from you. You may be able to help in various ways to promote the Christian message round the world, without leaving home. We would certainly like to hear from you.

Professional Advice

Are you a professional who is currently working in or has recently retired from the legal, health-care or educational professions? If you are, and would be willing to give your professional advice at no cost to Christian missionaries, we would like to hear from you. We will place you on a panel that can be called on by e-mail from time to time, as requests for advice come in. Missionaries often have very limited financial resources and also often wonder if the advice available to them locally overseas is the same that a professional back home would give. They may just want the reassurance of a second opinion and you could help them in that way. If you would like to participate in such a panel, please give us details of your specialist fields of interest and knowledge.

Financial Support

You may think that you do not have many practical skills but that you do have the spiritual gift of generosity. Perhaps you would like to enable others to serve by providing financial support. Money is NOT high on our agenda: service is. But, if giving money (rather than time or skill) is your way of serving the Lord and extending His Kingdom, then we would like to hear from you. You can even start straight away by making a donation online. Click here for more details.

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© Wycliffe Associates (UK) · Registered Charity 1007772 · Last updated: 24 Jul 2008