Cross-Cultural solutions offers volunteer
programmes in 16 regions around the
world. placements are based on an
individual’s skills and interests and the
needs of the local community. all work is
with locally designed projects, usually in the
fields of education, healthcare and social
service. strong emphasis is placed on cultural
exchange, and participants are given the
chance to be immersed in the culture of
their host region through travel, activities
and seminars.
status: In the uK, Cross-Cultural solutions is a
registered charity and limited company. In the
us it’s a non-profit organisation.
timing & length of placements: placements
are from one to 12 weeks and can be
extended. there are start dates throughout
the year. apply 60 days in advance.
destinations: brazil, China, Costa rica,
ghana, guatemala, India, peru, russia,
tanzania and thailand.
Costs: the cost of a two-week programme
is approximately £1250 and each additional
week comes in at around £140. this includes
lodging, meals, in-country transportation,
airport transfers, full staff support, medical
insurance, language training and cultural
excursions (but not international flights).
eligibility: the minimum age of volunteers is
18 when unaccompanied by an adult, but
some programmes accept 16- and 17-year-
olds, at the discretion of the programme
manager. the minimum age for a child
travelling with a parent or guardian is eight. If
a volunteer is between the ages of eight and
16, the accompanying adult must be a parent,
legal guardian, or a person appointed by that
parent or guardian.
groups or Individuals: depends on
placement.
annual no. of Volunteers: over 3000.
partner programmes: over 200 partner
programmes worldwide.
selection & Interview process: anyone
with a desire to volunteer internationally is
encouraged to apply and placements are
designed to accommodate all kinds of skills
and levels of experience. Volunteers wishing
to apply their specific skills to local community
projects may do so through a customised
placement developed by the country director.
In-country support: professional, local staff to
provide orientation, safety, supervision and
guidance throughout each volunteer’s stay. a
staff member is always present and available
and the country director is available in case of
emergency at all times. for the convenience
of friends and families of volunteers, there
is a toll-free 24-hour emergency hotline in
the us.projects abroad
aldsworth pde, goring, sussex bn12 4tx, uK
%+44 (0)1903 708 300
fax +44 (0)1903 501 026
[email protected]
http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk
another large organisation with multiple
international offices, projects abroad deploys
armies of volunteers as english teachers
in China, rainforest defenders in peru,
turtle researchers in mexico, journalists in
romania and medical assistants in India- these are only some of the hundreds of
positions available. for every three months
of voluntary work with projects abroad, it’s
possible to take two weeks off for travel, and
independent travel is possible before or after
a placement.
status: limited company.
timing & length of placements: placements
can be from one to 12 months and you can
move from one placement to another, if you
wish. there are programmes year-round and
departure dates are flexible. try to give at
least three months’ notice.
destinations: the many destinations include
argentina, bolivia, Cambodia, China, ethiopia,
ghana, India, jamaica, mexico, mongolia,
nepal, peru, russia, south africa and
thailand.
Costs: two-week projects start from £845
and three months from £1595, which includes
food, accommodation, comprehensive
insurance and in-country backup.
International flights are extra.
eligibility: those from 16 to 70 are eligible.
annual no. of Volunteers: 5000
annual projects: 150
partner programmes: 50
selection & Interview process: after being
selected on the basis of their application
forms, participants reserve placements
with a £195 deposit that goes toward their
fundraising target.
In-country support: there are full-time, paid
and trained staff in every destination.
student partnerships worldwide
2nd floor, faith house, 7 tufton street,
london, sw1p 3Qb, uK
%+44 (0)20 7976 8070
fax +44 (0)20 7233 0008
[email protected]
http://www.spw.org
spw is an international development charity
that trains young people to work as peer
educators on programmes that address urgent
health and environmental issues in africa and
asia. spw offers the chance to work in rural
communities, developing young people’s life
skills and changing attitudes about health
and environmental issues. there are two
programmes: health education and community
resource work. You may run hIV/aIds
workshops in south africa, set up sustainable
organic farming initiatives in uganda or work
with a green Club in nepal. Volunteers from
the uK are paired with volunteers from a host
country. there are information days every two
months in london, and accommodation is
provided for international applicants (see the
website for details).status: Charity.
timing & length of placements: Volunteers
leave every september and january. the
assignments are four to nine months long,
depending on the programme. apply as early
as possible.
destinations: India, nepal, sierra leone,
south africa, tanzania, uganda, Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
Costs: each volunteer is asked to fundraise
a minimum of £3600, regardless of the
length of placement. this fee covers all costs,
including your international airfare.
eligibility: applicants should be between 18
and 28 and open to living in a different culture.
groups or Individuals: Individuals.
annual no. of Volunteers: In 2007, 800
volunteers were in the field reaching 400,000
young people.
annual projects: hundreds of educational and
development programmes worldwide.
partner programmes: unIC ef , unaIds, world
bank, swedish International development
agency, new Zealand aid, uK department
for International development, danish05: Organised Volunteer Programmes:Options for the Under 30sPhoto: http://www.biosphere-expeditions.orgVolunteers with Biosphere Expeditions talk to local people about surveying Arabian leopards in Oman