inclusion: Accommodating spouses/partners :
Tips and Tools

Tips and Tools

IITA Community Resources Center

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The IITA Community Resource Center

1 The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Community Resources Center (CRC) was founded by 15 spouses at IITA headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. Initially IITA provided an office and US$15,000 in seed funding. Subsequently IITA provided additional funds to employ an administrative assistant (the only non-volunteer at the CRC).

2 As part of their activities, IITA CRC volunteers:

• developed an information booklet;
• provide a personal welcome to newcomers;
• assist with settling in, through the provision of food, bed linens, etc.;
• provide information about job opportunities;
• provide information about distance learning (correspondence courses were the only option for formal education, because of the distance from the duty station to the city);
• run a childcare/playgroup for children under the age of 3;
• conduct courses in computer skills, cooking and languages (French, English and Yoruba);
• created a spouses’ cv database (which subsequently led to a number of spouses gaining employment for varying periods, despite serious limitations on expatriate employment); and
• provide occasional reports to the IITA Board.

© CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program 2006