Careers and volunteering in international development

Careers in International Development

There is useful advice on careers in international development on the Careers Advisory Service website of the University of Durham. ELDIS, an information service operated by the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, announces job vacancies and internship and volunteer placement opportunities on its website.

Humanitarian relief

RTPI advice on offering help after a disaster is here.

Article25, a UK registered charity, has produced a comprehensive and inspiring guide to careers and opportunities in this area, particularly for professionals wanting to contribute to disaster relief. Download

Advice on Volunteering

The following web-sites have featured in newspaper articles on volunteering:

• Do It - set up by a UK youth work charity
• Idealist - volunteer vacancies by age, skills, interest or date
• Voluntary Work Information Service
• British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND)has a useful advice page

Volunteer opportunities other than Humanitarian/Emergency Relief

2-wayDevelopment
Volunteer placement agency specialising in work experience with development NGOs. A flat-rate fee is paid (750 in 2011).

Alpes-de-Lumière Work camps
Opportunity for up to two hundred young people from all over the globe to participate in voluntary projects in summer work camps for the restoration and renovation of the rural heritage of Provence. (The link takes you to the English area of the website.)

BUNAC Working Adventures Worldwide
No longer restricted, as it used to be, to summer camps in the USA: opportunities for work are now available all over the world.

Careers Europe
Employment database accessible via local careers centres.

Community Service Volunteers
The UKs largest directory of opportunities

Council on International Educational Exchange
Opportunities to work and travel in the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and China applicants need to raise sponsorship money.

Ethical Volunteering
Advice & information for people who are interested in international volunteering and want to be sure that what they do is of value to themselves and the people they work with.

European Commission and European Union countries
Work placements or traineeships in EU offices are known by the French term for a temporary placement, stage, and the person on the placement is a stagiaire. Frequently Asked Questions on the EU website give advice on finding and taking up employment in the European Union, including information on social security and pensions.

Fulbright Scholarships
Scholarships for postgraduate study, and scholarships and fellowships for lecturing and/or research in the USA. Further details from the US Educational Advisory Service.

Green Volunteers
World-wide information voluntary work in Nature Conservation (need to pay for access to the on-line directory).

International Voluntary Service / Service Civil International
Organises international work camps including environmental projects. IVS Great Britain is the British branch of IVS/SCI.

Jobs Abroad Bulletin
Free monthly e-mail newsletter.

Rempart
Programmes restoring castles, churches and old villages in France. Work is unpaid, but the programme gives time for sightseeing in the region as well as walking, climbing and swimming.

Skillshare International
A spin-off from IVS (see above). Skillshare was set up to deal with longer-term development projects while IVS concentrates on shorter placements.

Solace International
Consultancy agency specialising in finding placements for senior local government personnel.

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) including the European Partnership Scheme and now merged with British Executive Service Overseas (BESO). Apart from the traditional two-year placements, it now offers volunteer placements for experienced professional people to be short-term advisors in Third World countries.