Elle to take her skills on Africa mission

Feb 13 2008 by Katie Norman, South Wales Echo

A COUNCIL worker is preparing to take her skills to Africa.

Elle McBride, a consultation and participation officer for Rhondda Cynon Taf council, is preparing to swap the Welsh Valleys for Cameroon, in Africa, for six weeks. The 28-year-old is one of three Welsh volunteers preparing to fly out on Thursday.

As well as working with town hall officers, she will work with traditional tribal chiefs, women’s groups and voluntary organisations in an attempt to help improve community services.

The setting will be very different to her job in Wales, where she also helps to identify the services residents want and assesses how council staff and partner agencies can deliver them.

Elle hopes the trip will help improve her skills for the council by testing her ability to cope in unusual situations.

She said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge, in terms of helping others with the skills I have learned in Rhondda Cynon Taf, improving myself as a person and increasing my experience.”