Community Ambassador

Bring our work to places where we cannot always be ourselves.

Helping Hands Academy e.V. cannot be personally present at every event, in every community, at every association or in every company.

Our Community Ambassadors help us close precisely this gap.

They bring our work directly to people, talk about our projects, create new connections and recognise opportunities we might never see from a distance.

This is not about advertising or handing out as many flyers as possible.

It is about genuine conversations, personal contacts and people who share our message credibly.

You know your community better than we do

Perhaps there is an Africa Day event in your area. Perhaps you know an association, a company or a church community that could be a good fit for our work. Perhaps a conversation unexpectedly leads to a contact that later develops into a collaboration.

These are exactly the opportunities that interest us.

We do not just want to tell you where to go.

We also want to hear where you think we should be.

You know your region, your networks and your community better than we do. This experience is an important part of your role as a Community Ambassador.

What does a Community Ambassador do?

There are many possibilities.

You can introduce Helping Hands Academy e.V. at an event, speak to people at an information stand, raise awareness of our projects within an association or organisation, or make an interesting contact.

Perhaps you attend a local event, leave information materials in a suitable place or tell us:

“You should definitely speak to someone there.”

We do not expect a specific number of events or conversations.

One good contact can be worth more than 500 flyers handed out.

Representing, not selling

Being a Community Ambassador is not a promotional or field sales job.

You are not expected to sell anything to anyone or persuade anyone to donate.

You explain who we are, what we do and why our projects matter. You answer simple questions, direct people to our website and information resources, and make connections when someone wants to learn more.

Our aim is not pressure.

Our aim is interest, trust and connection.

We provide the tools you need

Anyone representing Helping Hands Academy e.V. to the outside world should be able to do so professionally.

That is why we provide suitable information and presentation materials for each activity. These may include flyers, project information, QR codes, tabletop displays, roll-up banners or HHA clothing.

For larger events, additional presentation materials such as banners or a gazebo can also be provided by prior arrangement.

We decide together which materials make sense for each activity.

You should not be standing somewhere with a stack of photocopies – you should be able to represent us in a way that reflects our organisation.

You do not have to know everything

Our projects are constantly developing and some topics are complex.

We therefore do not expect a Community Ambassador to know every project budget, every collaboration or every organisational detail by heart.

One of our most important rules is very simple:

If you do not know something, you do not have to invent an answer.

Take the person’s contact details or put them in touch with us – we will take care of the rest.

This is more professional than giving a quick answer that may not be correct.

Working together responsibly

As a Community Ambassador, you represent part of Helping Hands Academy e.V. to the outside world.

That is why we work with shared communication principles: respectful, factual, reliable and consistent with our values.

You have plenty of freedom for your own ideas and personal style. At the same time, we work together to ensure that information remains accurate, internal content is protected and our communication always portrays people with dignity and respect.

You should not just make us visible – you should represent us credibly.

Binding commitments, contracts, financial agreements and official statements remain the responsibility of the designated people at Helping Hands Academy e.V.

A personal connection to Gambia? All the better.

Many people get involved in supporting Gambia because they have a personal connection to the country.

Perhaps you come from Gambia. Perhaps you have family there. Perhaps you have a Gambian partner, travel there regularly, have worked there or have built personal relationships over many years.

This experience can be very valuable to us.

But it is not a requirement.

Even if you have only come to know Gambia through our work, you can become a Community Ambassador.

What matters is that you share our values and enjoy bringing people together.

Volunteering that fits your life

There is no fixed number of hours for Community Ambassadors either.

Perhaps there are only a few events a year in your area that are a really good fit for us. Perhaps interesting contacts arise regularly.

For us, quality matters more than quantity, and consistency matters more than activity for its own sake.

Three worthwhile activities a year can achieve more than ten events where no one is really reached.

And we do not expect you to spend your own money on our work. Necessary costs for larger or agreed activities are discussed together in advance.

Your feedback helps us move forward

After an activity, we are not interested in how many flyers have disappeared.

We want to know:

What happened? Which conversations were interesting? What questions were asked? Are there contacts we should follow up with? Has a new opportunity perhaps emerged?

In this way, a Community Ambassador becomes more than someone who represents Helping Hands Academy e.V. externally.

You also become our eyes and ears on the ground.

Your involvement can grow

You can join us directly as a Community Ambassador.

If you are already active online for Helping Hands Academy e.V., you can of course combine both forms of engagement – but this is not a requirement.

And if you contribute reliably over the long term and would like to take on more responsibility at some point, further opportunities may develop.

We particularly value long-term engagement. With a strong connection to our work, this can also lead to honorary membership of Helping Hands Academy e.V.

Not as a reward for a certain number of activities, but as an expression of a connection to our work that has grown over time.

Would you like to get involved?

Do you enjoy approaching people, know your region and want to share the work of Helping Hands Academy e.V. in person?

Then tell us briefly about yourself, your community and how you imagine getting involved.

We will work out everything else together.

Become a Community Ambassador

You know people, places and opportunities we do not yet know. That is precisely what makes a Community Ambassador so valuable.