World Vision Australia
World Vision was founded in the USA by Bob Pierce during the 1950s. It all began after a life changing trip to China and Korea in 1947. A missionary, he saw that words alone were not necessarily good news to those without food, clothing, shelter or medicine.
Bob’s concern for children was strengthened by his experiences in Korea during the Korean war (1950-54). Orphanages were set up in South Korea to look after children who were abandoned or orphaned.
When he returned to the US, Bob started to raise money to help other families and orphans in Asia. The response was so great that he could not administer it alone, so in September 1950, World Vision was established with Bob Pierce as its president.
In the 1960s World Vision expanded its operations to meet the needs of refugees in Indochina and of people recovering from disasters in Bangladesh and in several African countries. Where long-term assistance was needed, children began to be sponsored by Americans, Australians and others. World Vision Australia began in 1966.
In the 1970s World Vision's focus broadened from assisting the individual child to include community development. Since the 1980s, the “welfare” approach has gradually changed to a more collaborative relationship. Poor, marginalised people and communities work with World Vision to improve their lives and take control of their futures.
Who we are
World Vision is Australia’s largest overseas aid and humanitarian organisation. As well as providing relief in emergency situations, we work on long-term development projects with local communities to address the causes of poverty and help them become self-sufficient.
Our mission
Our mission is to be a Christian organisation that engages people to eliminate poverty and its causes.
Our vision statement
Our vision for every child,
Life in all its fullness
Our prayer for every heart,
The will to make it so.
Our motivation
World Vision is committed to the poor because we are Christian. We work with people of all cultures, faiths and genders to achieve transformation.
We enact this through:
- Relief and development - implementing best practice programs overseas and in Australia to save lives and build sustainable communities.
- Policy change - advocating to change government and institutional policies in Australia and internationally to benefit people in need.
- Synergy and effectiveness - striving to be a collaborative, efficient and effective organisation that we are proud of and others speak highly of.
- Engaging Australia - continuing to educate Australians about the causes of poverty and encouraging involvement in alleviating poverty and its causes.
- Christian engagement - increasing our stakeholders’ understanding of the hristian message of personal growth, social justice and the development of our spiritual lives in relevant ways.
Our values
We are committed to the poor
We value people
We are stewards
We are partners
We are responsive
We are Christian
Our Work
Like most development agencies, World Vision’s work is project-based. Relief projects may be short-term, while rehabilitation and development projects may last for five to ten years.
Earlier projects focused on small communities, but since the 1990s, Area Development Programs (ADPs) have been the project model. These work in clusters of neighbouring communities numbering several thousand people, in order to share resources and take greater advantage of increased knowledge and skills. Within an ADP, the aim is to empower people to become self-reliant through a range of activities, which may include health improvements, agricultural training, small business workshops and leadership development.
World Vision often receives requests to assist poor communities; in other cases, we initiate contact. World Vision staff visit to assess needs, meet with key community members and discuss responses that are likely to have the greatest benefit for the community.
In consultation with the community, priorities are identified, a project designed and a budget prepared. A committee is selected by the community to manage the project over several years and to report regularly to World Vision staff on activities and expenditure.
So what does it mean working for World Vision?
World Vision Australia and its partnership offices employ people all over the world to fight poverty and injustice.
As a child focused organisation, World Vision Australia is committed to the protection of children and does not employ staff whose background is not suitable for working with children. All employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all applicable background checks, including criminal record checks.
We will endeavour to:
- Recruit staff who possess appropriate technical skills and will promote and support World Vision's core values
- Ensure a fair and consistent recruitment and selection process to all job applicants
- Communicate employment decisions in a timely and clear manner to every applicant
- Attempt to maintain applicant goodwill regardless of the outcome of the employment decision.
