case-by-case basis. no building skills are
required and all faiths are welcome.
groups or Individuals: Volunteers travel and
work in teams of approximately a dozen.
You can join a team as an individual or
with a friend or partner. groups can also
be accommodated, with projects designed
specifically for them.
annual no. of Volunteers: Internationally,
thousands of volunteers are mobilised
throughout the world.
annual projects: 150
partner programmes: the organisation works
with other habitat for humanity groups,
located in the countries where they send
teams.
selection & Interview process: an application
form is used to determine if the applicant is
insurable on the building site and whether
their particular needs can be accommodated.
Interviews are occasionally conducted.
In-country support: habitat has an
established network in all countries hosting
volunteers, and teams are supported by a
team leader through the planning process, on
the ground and after the trip. the team leader
remains in close contact with the hosting
country staff through the planning stages and
for the duration of the project.
hCjb global
131 grattan rd, bradford,
west Yorkshire bd1 2hs, uK
%+44 (0)1274 721810
fax +44 (0)1274 514960
[email protected]
http://www.hcjbglobal.org.uk
this protestant organisation is strongly rooted
in the Christian faith and has offices around
the globe. Its aim is to show the love of
god through its work in developing nations.
professional volunteers interested in sharing
its vision can work in the media, It, hospitals,
clinics, community development, training
and education.
status: Charitable company limited by
guarantee.
timing & length of projects: placements are
from four weeks to a year, with departures
possible year-round.
destinations: latin america, europe, the asia-
pacific and africa.
Costs: Volunteers must be self-funding.
Costs vary depending on the destination and
duration of placement.
eligibility: Volunteers must have a strong
Christian commitment and be willing to
complete a statement of faith. professional
skills are also required. You must apply in your
country of residence (see the website for links
to worldwide contact details). applicants must
be at least 18 years of age for some projects,
20 for others. spanish is required for healthcare
placements in ecuador. applications from those
with disabilities are welcome.
groups or Individuals: placements are
usually for individuals. partners and friends
can sometimes be placed together if an
appropriate placement can be found.
annual no. of Volunteers: 4-6
annual projects: 3
partner programmes: depending on
the project, hCjb works with many local
organisations and programmes.
selection & Interview process: applicants
need to complete a form and supply
references. they are then invited to attend an
interview in bradford.International China Concern
UK Office: po box 20, morpeth ne61 3Yp, uK
%/fax +44 (0)1670 505622
[email protected]
http://www.intlchinaconcern.org
this Christian organisation works with up to
250 abandoned, disabled children in China.
Its aim is to provide them with love, hope
and opportunities through practical ministry.
Volunteers receive an orientation in hong
Kong or beijing and then work with children in
hunan and henan provinces. placements can
include various elements of the children’s care,
development and integration into society.
status: registered charity.
timing & length of projects: two-week team
placements depart four times per year. long-
term placements are available for periods
of three months to five years. ICC also now
accepts applications from community teams –
groups of individuals who wish to travel
together at a time that is more flexible than
the scheduled projects.
destinations: China.
Costs: there is a £32 registration fee for
all placements. In addition, two-weekteam placements cost £600 for food,
accommodation and in-country transport.
International airfares are not included. long-
term volunteers must be self-funding.
eligibility: applications are welcome from
Christians. the minimum age is 18, but
minors accompanied by an adult may be
accepted. no skills are required for two-week
team placements, other than a genuine
desire to make a difference in the lives
of the children. long-term volunteers will
preferably have experience and training in
nursing, medicine or special education, or in
physiotherapy or occupational, music or art
therapy.
groups or Individuals: two-week teams and
approved community teams work as a group
of up to 25. family and friends can apply
together. long-term volunteers work as part
of an expatriate team.
annual no. of Volunteers: up to 100.
annual projects: 3
partner programmes: 5
selection & Interview process: for a two-
week placement, an application form and
two references are required. for long-term
placements, an application form, references,
a CV and an interview are required.
In-country support: ICC staff travel, work and
live with volunteer teams during two-week
placements. long-term volunteers are based
with an expat team who offer support. many
full-time staff members have medical, therapy
or educational backgrounds.International federation of l’arche
Communities
25 rue rosenwald, paris 75015, france
%& fax +33 (0)1 5368 0800
[email protected]
http://www.larche.org
l’arche is a federation of 131 communities
which provide a family-style living
environment for people with intellectual
disabilities. Volunteers work as assistants
in a home, workshop or day programme
and most often live within the community,
accompanying people with disabilities in their
daily routines.
status: not-for-profit organisation.
timing & length of projects: these differ
from one community to another but most
volunteers stay for at least several months, if
not a year.destinations: there are l’arche communities
in 34 countries on all continents.
Costs: this also varies. Volunteers are usually
provided with accommodation and meals
and sometimes pocket money. airfares are
covered by the volunteer.
eligibility: while l’arche communities are
usually of a particular religious denomination,
every community accepts people of all
faiths or no faith. age restrictions apply to
volunteers in some countries. applicants
should be prepared to engage in close
relationships with others – both those with
and without intellectual disabilities. people
with physical disabilities are invited to apply.
groups or Individuals: Volunteers are usually
accepted as individuals. It is rare that
couples or friends are admitted to the same
community.
annual no. of Volunteers: l’arche has 131
communities, each with a large number of
volunteers, but is unable to provide an annual
estimate. however, due to the high turnover
of assistants, l’arche communities are always
in need of volunteers.
annual projects: there are 131 l’arche
communities worldwide.
partner programmes: unable to estimate.
selection & Interview process: Communities
usually select applicants via telephone or
email. In some cases, it is the regional or
national office which carries out the selection
process and then dispatches volunteers to
different communities.
In-country support: Volunteers usually
work under the supervision of a leader. all
volunteers are mentored by an experienced
member of the community, who helps to deal
with difficult situations. l’arche communities
comply with the health and safety procedures
of the country in which they are based.uK organisations
Building, Construction &
Conservation
Quaker Voluntary action
1 holt lane, holmfirth,
west Yorkshire hd9 3bw, uK
%/fax +44 (0)1484 687139
[email protected]
http://www.qva.org.uk07: Religious Organisations:Developmentcontinued on p204