Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)

VSO is a registered charity dedicated to assisting in developing countries. It is a recruitment agency which finds, selects and places volunteers in response to overseas requests.

This work makes it distinctive among other charities and organizations in the UK. It sends people, not money, so it tries to respond to requests from overseas which ask for volunteers. Its purpose is toward the poorest members of the community. Both staff and volunteers also pay special attention to women’s roles in development projects. This is because women’s roles in child–rearing, in education and community relationship are essential in any healthy process of change.

Over the past 38 years, more than 21.000 volunteers have worked abroad with VSO. There are now over 1,900 volunteers working in 59 of the less developed countries in Africa Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean.

The application of each volunteer is carefully considered in order to select and interview candidates against each job request from the field, to look for the person with the right blend of skills and personality.

VSO volunteers do not go to developing countries as visiting experts with all the answers. It is always a process of sharing and learning. The aim is that when the volunteer returns home, there exists a community with a stronger sense of independence, and a volunteer with a new understanding of life and people everywhere. The range of jobs required of VSO is wide, reflecting the needs of any society in the modern world.

According to those who work for VSO, who plays the most important part in bringing about change?