Volunteering Overseas
The information below covers a range of organisations that specialise
in overseas volunteering.
Coming to the UK? Please read this »
British Executive Services Overseas
Sends senior, experienced volunteers to developing countries and Eastern
Europe:
British Executive Services Overseas
164 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2RB
Tel: +44 (0) 171 630 0644
Central Bureau for International Education & Training
Administers a number of projects for young people, including the European
Volunteer Scheme, and teaching in Israel:
Central Bureau
c/o British Council, 3 Bruntsfield Crescent, Edinburgh
Tel: +44 (0) 131 447 8024
Challenges Worldwide
Challenges Worldwide organises projects for skilled, experienced and professional individuals looking to volunteer overseas. Challenges Worldwide engage with a wide network of host organisations overseas and work with them to identify their needs. These needs are addressed by volunteers recruited, prepared and trained in the UK. Our programmes last for 3-6 months and cover a multitude of different areas of work: capacity building, research, management training, financial planning, strategy writing and many more. We match voluneers with suitable projects overseas taking into account their experience, availability and interests.
Locations:
Belize, Bangladesh, India, Sri-Lanka
Skill's Required:
Relevant work experience or relevant university study
Challenges Worldwide
54 Manor Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7EH
Tel: 0845 2000 342
Email: helen@challengesworldwide.com
Web: www.challengesworldwide.com
Concern Worldwide
Focuses on emergencies and long term development projects in Africa,
Asia and the Caribbean. Opportunities for volunteers in Engineering,
Health Care, Natural Resources, Community Development.
Concern Worldwide
Overseas Applications, Level 2, 80 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, G1 3HA
Tel: +44 (0) 141 221 3610
Concordia
Concordia is a small not-for-profit charity committed to international
youth exchange. Our International Volunteer Programme offers 16-30
year olds the opportunity to join international teams of volunteers
working on community based projects in over 40 countries world-wide.
Projects are diverse ranging from nature conservation, restoration,
archaeology, construction, art and culture to projects that are socially
based including work with adults or children with special needs, children’s
playschemes and teaching. Projects last for 2-4 weeks. Generally the
work doesn’t require specific skills or experience, though real
motivation and commitment to the project are a must.
Volunteers pay a registration fee of £85 - £115 depending on the
country (£60 for projects in the UK) and fund their own travel. Board and
accommodation is free of charge. Concordia also recruits volunteers (20+) to
act as Group Co-ordinators on UK based projects, for which training is provided
and all expenses are paid.
Concordia, Heversham House, 20-22 Boundary Road, Hove, BN3 4ET,
Tel +44 (0) 1273 422218 Fax:01273 421182
info@concordia-iye.org.uk www.concordia-iye.org.uk
Edinburgh Global Partnerships
We send groups of dedicated, creative volunteers to work alongside
people in Asia, Africa and Latin America providing focussed support
to small-scale community projects. These range from working with Street
Children in Mexico City; sex education and life skills training in
Uganda to construction of a malnutrition ward in Tanzania. They take
place during the summer months but are preceded by training and fundraising
in Edinburgh. For further information or an application form contact
us at:
EDINBURGH GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
60 The Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ
Tel: +44 (0) 131 5569497
Email: edinburghglobalpartnerships@hotmail.com
Engineers Without Borders
Provides opportunities for undergraduate and professional engineers
to work overseas as volunteers on 3 month placements. EWB is also based
at universities around the UK where branches organise talks and events
and encourage development related research in their universities.
www.ewb-uk.org
Frontier
Frontier projects entail rigorous, “hands-on” fieldwork, benefiting endangered tropical wildlife and their ecosystems and directly assisting developing countries rich in biodiversity but poor in the capacity to manage natural resources. Frontier projects advance field research and implement projects that will help conserve biodiversity and help develop sustainable livelihoods.
Frontier
50-52 Rivington Street, London,
EC2A 3QP
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7613 2422
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7613 2992
Email: info@frontier.ac.uk
Web: www.frontier.ac.uk
GAP Activity Projects
Offers 1500 placements each year to 18 and 19-year-olds to work abroad.
Voluntary placements include teaching English, conservation, medical
and caring work for between 4 and 12 months. Projects are in 34 countries,
including south America, eastern Europe, south east Asia and southern
Africa.
GAP Activity Projects
44 Queen's Road, Reading, RG1 4BB
Tel: +44 (0) 118 959 4914
Email: volunteer@gap.org.uk
Web: www.gap.org.uk
i-to-i
i-to-i is a leading volunteer travel & TEFL training organisation.
i-to-i develop people and share cultures with quality training and
worthwhile volunteer projects. The i-to-i network is global: volunteers teach English, work in conservation,
community development, the media, medicine or business in 19 countries,
across Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Web: www.i-to-i.com
Email: info@i-to-i.com
Tel: +44 (0)870 333 2332
International Voluntary Service
IVS offers a range of options for volunteering both in the UK and overseas. Short term projects (2-6 weeks) take place in around 50 countries worldwide. The North South Programme is for more experienced volunteers and offers short and longer term opportunities in Africa, Asia and South America. If you are seeking a longer term commitment (6-12months) overseas, and you are aged between 18 and 25, then the EU sponsored programme European Voluntary Service might be for you.
International Voluntary Service
7 Upper Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2JN
Tel: +44 (0) 131 226 6722
Web: www.ivs-gb.org.uk
Email: ivs@ivsgbscot.demon.co.uk
Intervol
"Whether you're looking for a career break or a new job, finishing
school or university, wanting to develop your skills or to develop
the world, challenging yourself or just making the most of a trip overseas
- InterVol gives you the inspiration, information and impartial advice
you need to discover your perfect volunteering opportunity overseas."
Web: www.intervol.org.uk
Tel: 0845 601 4008
Project Trust
A range of projects for people aged 17 - 19 years.
Project Trust
Breacachadh Castle, Isle of Coll, Argyll, PA78 6TB
Tel: +44 (0) 1879 230 444
Quaker International Social Projects
Groups of people from different cultures, nationalities, abilities
and backgrounds live and work together on projects which fulfill a
community need.
Quaker International Social Projects
Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ
Tel: +44 (0) 171 663 1043
Email: marlish@quaker.org.uk
Web: www.quaker.org.uk
UNA Exchange (United Nations Association)
Specialises in short term International Volunteer Projects as a means
to achieve the wider ideals of peace through international understanding
and community development. Wide range of projects for all abilities.
UNA Exchange
Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff CG10 3AP
Tel: +44 (0) 29 2022 3088
Email: unaexchange@btinternet.com
Web: www.unaexchange.org
VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas)
Places skilled volunteers with projects worldwide; as well as running
a youth a project placing 18-25 year olds.
VSO
9 Minto Street, Edinburgh, EH9 1RG
+44 (0) 131 6673073
Web: www.vso.org.uk
United Nations Volunteers
The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is the UN programme
that supports human development globally by promoting volunteerism
and by mobilizing volunteers. Every year some 5,000 UN Volunteers from
more than 150 different nationalities actively support the programmes
of the United Nations itself and almost all UN funds, programmes and
specialized agencies.
United Nations Volunteers
Postfach 260, 111 D-53153 BONN, Germany
Tel: (49 228) 815 2000
Fax: (49 228) 815 2001
Web: http://www.unv.org
World Exchange
Arranges 6-12 month voluntary work placements and 4 week work camps
in the developing world. Volunteers live and work in the local community,
using their skills in health, education or community development.
World Exchange
St Colm's International House, 23 Inverleith Terrace, Edinburgh, EH3 5NS
Tel: +44 (0) 131 315 4444
Email: we@stcolms.org
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