Sustainable Development Goals
The Project
The Finance and Fundraising Mentor in Aileu Municipality Youth Center will strengthen the financial stability and long‑term sustainability of the Aileu Municipality Youth Centre by improving organisational financial systems and building staff confidence in core financial management practices. Through practical mentoring, the volunteer will help staff develop essential skills in budgeting, record‑keeping, reporting, and financial planning, while also supporting the creation of simple, effective systems that enhance transparency and accountability.
The mentor will further strengthen the Centre’s ability to generate and manage resources by developing a clear, achievable fundraising strategy and building staff capacity in proposal writing, donor communication, and community‑based fundraising. By embedding financial planning and fundraising practices into everyday operations, the Youth Centre will be better equipped to maintain stability, meet community expectations, and plan for future growth.
Overall, the volunteer will help the Aileu Municipality Youth Centre become more organised, more confident, more transparent, and more sustainable by leaving behind systems, skills, and local capacity that continue to strengthen the organisation long after the assignment ends.
The Location
Timor-Leste is one of Australia’s nearest neighbours and the poorest country in our region but has much to offer in terms of beauty and adventure. Despite almost 400 years of neglect during the Portuguese colonial period, Japanese invasion and Indonesia’s occupation from 1975 -2001, Timor Leste is now a new vibrant democracy enjoying its independence. Governance systems are being established and rebuilding of infrastructure destroyed by Indonesian backed militias in 1999 – 2000 is happening.
Timor Leste is a young nation where 59 percent of the population is under 25 years of age. Among the many challenges facing the government are how to ensure all children receive an education from primary to high school, and that employment opportunities are available once leaving high school or university.
Aileu is a municipality, and was formerly a district, of Timor-Leste. It has a population of 48,554 and an area of 737 km2. The municipality’s capital is also named Aileu.
The Challenge
The Aileu Municipality Youth Centre is an under‑resourced grassroots organisation led and run by dedicated volunteer staff who are often overstretched, operating with minimal systems and in need of more sustainable and diversified income sources. The volunteer will provide intensive mentoring and establish practical financial systems to help address the issues faced by the Youth Centre.
About You
Palms participants for this placement will need to demonstrate the following qualifications, skills, and attributes:
- Degree or certificate in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration.
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, other basic computer functions and ability to transfer this skill.
- Experience in fundraising and donor relations.
- Experience in working with small and or low-resource organisations or community-based organisations.
- A commitment to teamwork, coaching, and mentoring others.
- Patience, adaptability and flexibility in responding to diverse challenges.
- Cultural sensitivity and openness to engaging within a diverse cultural context.
- The ability to cope with cultural isolation and different living standards.
- Commitment to serve in Aileu for a minimum of 12 months and up to two years, working with limited resources and facilities.
- Willingness to engage their Australian community in promoting the work of the host organisation and their role.
How You Will Help
First, you must be willing to learn from the local community.
Over the first few weeks you are asked not to change anything or suggest a change to operations. During this period, you will take the time to learn language and cultural mores from a local counterpart willing to mentor you. You will also start a register of the strengths of the current personnel and the assets in the community/country that might be used to achieve the goals of the assignment.
You need to commit to clarifying why things are done the way they are rather than presuming from your own cultural lens to outline what is missing. So, you need to ask questions to enable you to learn from your hosts, rather than in ignorance make suggestions about how things can improve. Palms training will prepare you for this approach.
From then onward, you will apply your expertise in the following areas:
1. Strengthen and simplify financial systems
Develop and embed practical budgeting, cash flow, record keeping, and reporting systems that staff can use confidently and independently.
2. Build staff financial management skills
Provide hands on mentoring and training to improve bookkeeping, reporting, and financial decision making capacity.
3. Improve transparency and accountability
Support clear documentation, approval processes, and donor compliant reporting to build trust with partners and the community.
4. Develop a realistic fundraising strategy
Create a simple, achievable fundraising plan and guide staff to diversify income sources through grants, partnerships, and local initiatives.
5. Strengthen proposal writing and donor communication
Coach staff to prepare strong proposals, budgets, and donor reports, and help establish or maintain relationships with potential funders.