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Jobsearch > Voluntary work, voluntary organisations, NGOs, Gap Year 07 January 2009  
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Voluntary work & organisations (NGOs), paid & unpaid work, Gap Year activities, conservation, working abroad, field work, expeditions
Permanent jobs in the voluntary sector
  • Charity Net - large site for the voluntary sector in the UK, includes emailed new digest, lists of charities on-line and jobs

  • Charity People - including vacancies and training

  • Community Service Volunteers - projects in the UK and Europe, also news, bulletin board, volunteering, work placements, publications, job opportunities

  • Ethical Careers Service - job opportunities, magazine and news bulletin for permanent and temporary jobs and volunteering

  • exec-appointments - an advertiser of executive jobs over £50,000, permanent, interim and contract, including director and management appointments, non-executive director and comparable senior voluntary positions, with email alert service

  • Experience Corps - volunteer opportunities for people over 50, also staff jobs within the organisation

  • Groundwork - news, public policy and research, work with communities, education, landscapes, young people and children, also jobs and voluntary work from environmental regeneration charity

  • Idealist.org - wide range of volunteer opportunities around the world, also very useful resources on careers in the voluntary and NGO sectors, with increasing number of resource guides online. Also academic programmes for careers in the non-profit sector


  • NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) - wide range of information for the voluntary sector

  • OverseasJobs.com - includes an email newsletter, employer profiles, career newsletter, articles on preparing for work overseas, work permit and visa information, health and safety and country by country guide 

  • Public Appointments - information about opportunities and vacancies throughout the UK

  • Regeneration, SRB, community development, economic development, neighbourhood renewal, urban design etc. - jobs related to community development and voluntary sector initiatives

  • Relief Web - humanitarian vacancies around the world, with vacancies mailing list, also training courses and wide range of information 

  • Third Sector - charity jobs, news, training 

  • Working for a Charity - includes information on training, advice on finding voluntary and paid work, links to relevant organisations and work placement information for charities, in the UK

  • World Service Enquiry - provides a magazine of international development jobs, a guide to working including lists of agencies, an online guide of practical advice and information, one to one advice and an online course (payment required for some services). The Guide to voluntary agencies includes organisations that offer summer placements, organisations that offer placements in Europe, including the UK, and worldwide, organisations that requires people with Christian faith or Islamic faith. 

  • workwithus.org - Scotland's portal to the voluntary sector, includes section for volunteers, other specialist sectors, news and discussion forum
General volunteering and gap year information
  • The Backpacker's Guide - planning advice and information on hostels, tours, travel, online booking, world bar guide, also message board and mailing list

  • Backpackers Ultimate Guide - advice and suggestions for travelling abroad including transport, destinations, hostels, work and festivals

  • Code of practice - developed by the Year Out Group, which is supported by UCAS and DfES. See also their list of student guidelines, questions to ask when choosing an organisation to travel with. There are also information and guidelines for student advisers and a list of approved Year Out providers

  • experiencedevelopment.org - information and links on international development, including lists of NGOs, companies and consultancies, with opportunities for volunteering, internships, work experience and jobs, also provides useful information for students in the field

  • Find a gap - general information on destinations, projects, placements, jobs and backpacking, with monthly newsletter 

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel information - includes country advice, tips on laws and customs abroad, what to do if things go wrong and a section for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travellers

  • Gapwork - Gap Year Educator - useful site with advice and information on planning gap years and work experience, including good links to other resources

  • gapyear.com - including a gap year vacancies service, placement service, large number of useful guides, newsletters, country information, ideas section, travel products and other resources

  • The Gap-Year Guidebook - selected information from the Gap Year Guidebook with links and a message board

  • Idealist.org - wide range of volunteer opportunities around the world, also very useful resources on careers in the voluntary and NGO sectors, with increasing number of resource guides online. Also academic programmes for careers in the non-profit sector

  • Institute for Volunteering Research - including bulletin, journal, library of publications, research award and projects

  • Online Volunteering (OV) - online volunteers translate documents, write articles, research data, build web sites, mentor young people, design logos and engage in many other projects to benefit organizations serving people in the developing world. Online volunteers are volunteers without frontiers.

  • Staying healthy abroad - including planning before travel, hazards abroad, medication, avoidance strategies, and other useful sections, from Oxford Brookes University

  • Taking time out - helpful advice on travel, holidays and course abroad, voluntary work, employment, short courses and more links to gap year opportunities

  • This is Travel - Gap Year - planning and practical advice on gap years from the Daily Mail

  • Transitions Abroad - online magazine and resources including studying and travel, volunteering, internships and work experience

  • UK Rag.net - general resource for student charity fundraisers including online forums 

  • Ultimate Gap Year - travel safety advice and short courses 

  • Volunteering England - integrated national volunteer development organisation for England with advice and information for volunteers, agencies and organisations, including a section on health and social care 

  • Voluntary Work Information Service (VWIS) - an international networking service for volunteers, workers and travellers, including guides, guidelines, tips, news, project information and opportunities

  • World Service Enquiry - provides a magazine of international development jobs, a guide to working including lists of agencies, an online guide of practical advice and information, one to one advice and an online course (payment required for some services) 
Conservation work, expeditions, field work
  • African Conservation Experience - up to 3 months doing Conservation Work in Southern Africa

  • African Experience - volunteer work with wild animals, working with vets, practical courses in conservation, also adventure activities

  • Africa and Asia Venture - students or graduates under 24, teaching in primary or secondary schools in Africa or Asia - in Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana, Northern India and Nepal, also conservation projects in Kenya
  • Agriventure - for people 18 - 30 to travel and work in 12 different countries, staying with host families and working on a farm or horticultural enterprise, from 4 months to a maximum of 15 months. Some farm experience preferred. Includes pay, board and lodging, Arrangement fee to pay but scheme includes pay, board and lodging

  • AIESEC - exchanges and work abroad programme, including management, development and technical traineeships

  • Archaeology Abroad - contact information about applying for around 1000 opportunities for archaeological fieldwork outside the UK

  • Backdoorjobs - mainly US opportunities, including adventure, camps, ranches and resorts, environmental, sustainable living, artistic, community, overseas settings

  • British Trust for Conservation Volunteers - promoting practical conservation work by volunteers in the UK and internationally, opportunities include holidays, training and employment

  • Cat Survival Trust - supporting wild cats, large number of links to international organisations

  • Concordia - UK and international volunteer activities for young people 18-30 (occasional places in Germany and France for people aged 17). Also offers farmwork schemes in Switzerland and Norway or training to be a project leader.

  • Council for British Archaeology - information about archaeological fieldwork in the UK

  • Earthwatch - promoting sustainable conservation of natural resources and cultural heritage by supporting scientific field research and educational programmes in 25 countries. Opportunities for paying volunteers on 130 different international projects - some grants, links from the website.

  • The Environment Council - volunteer information and vacancies, has helpful volunteer policy online

  • Frontier - Coral reef conservation diving expeditions, wildlife and rainforest conservation expeditions, expedition management training in remote locations, departing throughout the year

  • Global Vision - wide range of conservation expeditions, voluntary work, training courses and career Opportunities, including marine conservation in Mexico, rainforest research in Costa Rica, working with orangutans in Sumatra, working with elephants in Namibia or Sri Lanka and more 

  • Global Volunteer Network - environmental, conservation work, rescue wild animals and environmental education in New Zealand, Ecuador, Nepal, Thailand, also teaching and child care in China, Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal, Romania, Russia, Uganda (also medical, construction, and community work)

  • Greenforce - wild life conservation expeditions - in the Amazon, Africa, Caribbean, South Pacific, South China Sea, includes training in scientific methods and identification of species as part of the expedition

  • Green Volunteers - sample of projects in the guide to voluntary work in nature conservation, including archaeological and cultural heritage volunteering, conservation and wildlife projects, international humanitarian and development voluntary work, including workcamps

  • Groundwork - news, public policy and research, work with communities, education, landscapes, young people and children, also jobs and voluntary work from environmental regeneration charity

    Idealist.org - wide range of volunteer opportunities around the world, also very useful resources on careers in the voluntary and NGO sectors, with increasing number of resource guides online. Also academic programmes for careers in the non-profit sector

  • i-to-i - volunteer, work, travel and teaching, including TEFL training, from 2 week Mini-ventures to 1 year opportunities, information for Gap year students, university students, graduates, career breakers and over 50s.

  • Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange UK - voluntary work opportunities abroad for people 18 to 30 year old, information on Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, eco camps and volunteer news online.

  • International Service - recruits on behalf of local organisations in West Africa, Latin America and Palestine, e.g. non-governmental organisations (NGOs), municipalities, community groups, grassroots organisations, who have identified a need for specific skills for which they are unable, for whatever reason, to recruit locally, people with professional skills and at least two years’ experience. 

    oneworld.net - includes voluntary sector jobs and volunteering

  • Orangutan-Health - mainly collecting samples and data for research, conservation and education in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia

  • Outreach International - Gap Year projects, work experience, teaching and school assistants, environmental and conservation work, social work, dance, craft, aid work in Mexico, Ecuador and Cambodia

  • Project Trust - gap year organisation that sends secondary school leavers abroad for a year's voluntary work in 24 different developing countries around the world, in Latin America, Africa, the Far and Middle East

  • Quest Overseas - projects in Africa and South America, also 6 week expeditions for school leavers, gap year students and graduates and 2 week diving trip to the Caribbean.

  • Raleigh International - environment, community and adventure projects for volunteers aged 17 - 25 or staff 25+, projects in Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, Ghana, Namibia, Mongolia, Borneo

  • Relief Web - humanitarian vacancies around the world, with vacancies mailing list, also training courses and wide range of information 

  • SADEP (Solidarity for African Development) - workcamps on conservation and construction projects and expeditions in Ghana 

  • School for Field Studies - environmental study abroad program, for a semester or a summer, to study sea turtles in Mexico, monitor coral reefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands, explore human/wildlife conflicts in Kenya, restore rainforest in Australia, test organic farming protocols in Costa Rica, and more. Some programs require a college-level course in ecology, biology or environmental studies 

  • Skillshare International - Voluntary opportunities for professionals and graduates with two years experience in Africa and Asia, supporting the development of people and communities as a key step in tackling poverty, inequality and injustice.

  • Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) - a charity which runs school-based and environmental grass-roots development programmes in Africa and Asia for young volunteers, 18 - 28, tackling health and environmental threats in rural Africa and Asia

  • Trekforce Expeditions - projects concentrate on the endangered rainforests and wildlife of Belize, Indonesia and Kenya

  • Volunteer work placements - from Travellers Worldwide site

  • VOIS - the National Centre for Volunteering - resources and information for volunteers, recruiters and voluntary sector professionals

  • Voluntary Work Information Service (VWIS) - a range of voluntary work opportunities in environmental and humanitarian work abroad. Site includes links to various large voluntary work organisations, stories from volunteers, useful links to relevant sites and organisation relating to travel and networks of activity around environmental and development action, FAQs (frequently asked questions) and information on VWIS publications

  • VSO - Voluntary Service Overseas - information for volunteers, teachers, the media, "routes in rhythm" events and information

  • Worldwide Volunteering - database of opportunities and can match interests to vacancies, some free access points identified on the website

  • World Challenge Expeditions - includes Gap Challenge of 3 and 6 month paid and voluntary placements for people 18 - 25 and other opportunities
UK voluntary and short-term work and UK organisations

  • British Trust for Conservation Volunteers - promoting practical conservation work by volunteers in the UK and internationally, opportunities include holidays, training and employment

  • Charity Net - large site for the voluntary sector in the UK, includes emailed new digest, lists of charities on-line and jobs

  • Community Service Volunteers - projects in the UK and Europe, also news, bulletin board, volunteering, work placements, publications, job opportunities

  • Concordia - UK and international volunteer activities for young people 18-30 (occasional places in Germany and France for people aged 17). Also offers farmwork schemes in Switzerland and Norway or training to be a project leader.

  • Cordon Bleu Schools - short courses to support gap year activities such as winter chalet season or yacht crew work

  • Do It - UK national volunteering database

  • Ethical Careers Service - job opportunities, magazine and news bulletin for permanent and temporary jobs and volunteering

  • Experience Corps - volunteer opportunities for people over 50, also staff jobs within the organisation

  • Gap Activity Projects - includes opportunities for UK volunteers and for volunteers from (some) other countries wanting experience in the UK, also a business partnership scheme, network for returned volunteers

  • Groundwork - news, public policy and research, work with communities, education, landscapes, young people and children, also jobs and voluntary work from environmental regeneration charity

  • hotrecruit - full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal jobs in the UK, including unusual opportunities

  • i-to-i - volunteer travel and TEFL training, from 2 week Mini-ventures to 1 year opportunities, information for Gap year students, university students, graduates, career breakers and over 50s.

  • jobcentreplus - working or volunteering abroad- advice for people considering paid or volunteer work, with some links to major charitable organisations

  • Just Jobs for Students - holiday, part-time, year out and graduate jobs in the UK

  • National Centre for Volunteering - key site for information about how to volunteer, volunteering abroad, a number of online information sheets for volunteers and those working with volunteers, publications

  • National Mentoring Network - information on mentoring in education, communities and business

  • National Youth Agency - includes information on volunteering and organisations


  • NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations)

  • Student Volunteering England - an information service, which includes publications, toolkits, news updates and personal support

  • Volunteer work placements overseas - teaching, conservation placements, work experience in a range of occupations including Journalism, Law, Medicine, Architecture, Tourism, Veterinary, also learn a language, cultural exchange and other courses, from Travellers Worldwide

  • VOIS - the National Centre for Volunteering - resources and information for volunteers, recruiters and voluntary sector professionals

  • VSO - Voluntary Service Overseas - information for volunteers, teachers, the media, "routes in rhythm" events and information

  • Voluntary Work Information Service (VWIS) - a range of voluntary work opportunities in environmental and humanitarian work abroad. Site includes links to various large voluntary work organisations, stories from volunteers, useful links to relevant sites and organisation relating to travel and networks of activity around environmental and development action, FAQs (frequently asked questions) and information on VWIS publications

  • Working For A Charity - information, advice and training on working in the voluntary sector good list of charity recruitment agencies

  • Working with PGL - opportunities in children's outdoor activities centres

  • Worldwide Volunteering - database of opportunities and can match interests to vacancies, some free access points identified on the website

  • workwithus.org - Scotland's portal to the voluntary sector, includes section for volunteers, other specialist sectors, news and discussion forum

  • Worldwide Volunteering - online database of volunteering opportunities in the UK and worldwide, online newsletter about the organisation

  • Year in Industry - opportunities in major UK companies, scheme also includes graduate opportunities
Projects, work opportunities, travelling and courses worldwide
  • Adventure Jobs 4 U - database of paid work around the world 

  • AIESEC - exchanges and work abroad programme


  • Amistad Institute - various volunteering and internship programmes, including education, environment, ecology and agriculture, community, social work etc. in Costa Rica

  • Art History Abroad - range of courses including gap year courses, summer holiday courses, weekend breaks, holiday tours, revision courses

  • Backdoorjobs - mainly US opportunities, including adventure, camps, ranches and resorts, environmental, sustainable living, artistic, community, overseas settings

  • The Backpacker's Guide - planning advice and information on hostels, tours, travel, online booking, world bar guide, also message board and mailing list

  • Backpacker Jobs 4 U - database of paid work around the world 

  • Backpackers Ultimate Guide - advice and suggestions for travelling abroad including transport, destinations, hostels, work and festivals

  • Beyond Tourism - sustainable travel and articles and opportunities around the world

  • British Council Language Assistants - language assistants in the UK and outside of the UK, supporting language teachers in English classes, includes separate website on teaching ideas, resource manual and support, qualifications not required, paid placements around the world

  • BUNAC - paid and volunteer work around the world

  • Camp America - summer work and travel

  • CCUSA (Camp Counselors USA) - work and travel programmes in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil and the UK

  • Challenge Educational Services - work experience in the USA, mainly in the San Francisco area

  • Challenges Worldwide - 3 - 9 month placements in developing countries

  • CIEE (the Council on International Educational Exchange) - summer jobs, work placements abroad, teach English in China or Thailand (degree only and good English skills required)

  • Community Service Volunteers - projects in the UK and Europe, also news, bulletin board, volunteering, work placements, publications, job opportunities
  • Connect Youth International - promotes exchanges of young people between the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, including youth exchanges, voluntary work and other projects, with information about grants and training materials for anyone providing international and inter-cultural experiences for young people, from the British Council
  • Concordia - UK and international volunteer activities for young people 18-30 (occasional places in Germany and France for people aged 17). Also offers farmwork schemes in Switzerland and Norway or training to be a project leader.

  • Coolworks - summer and winter jobs mainly in the US, especially in resorts, parks, camps and on water, including voluntary work

  • Cordon Bleu Schools - short courses to support gap year activities such as winter chalet season or yacht crew work

  • European Voluntary Service - information on activities, support for volunteers including follow-up after placements

  • Gap Activity Projects - includes opportunities for UK volunteers and for volunteers from (some) other countries wanting experience in the UK, also a business partnership scheme, network for returned volunteers and links

  • Gapwork - advice on working abroad and gap year activities and placements, including directories of accommodation, ski schools, tours, employment, graduate recruiters, information on destinations, health and travel safety and occasional competitions

  • Global Volunteer Network - environmental, conservation work, rescue wild animals and environmental education in New Zealand, Ecuador, Nepal, Thailand, also teaching and child care in China, Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal, Romania, Russia, Uganda (also medical, construction, and community work)

  • Global Volunteers - international volunteering projects, including child care, tutoring, conservation, teaching, healthcare, construction

  • Gwendalyne - work experience and travel programmes in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, UK and USA, also language assistants in Spain and volunteering in Costa Rica, Peru and South Africa

  • Idealist.org - wide range of volunteer opportunities around the world, also very useful resources on careers in the voluntary and NGO sectors, with increasing number of resource guides online. Also academic programmes for careers in the non-profit sector

  • i-to-i - volunteer, work, travel and teaching, including TEFL training, from 2 week Mini-ventures to 1 year opportunities, information for Gap year students, university students, graduates, career breakers and over 50s.

  • International Academy - gain qualifications as a professional skiing or snowboarding instructor, scuba diving instructor, yachtmaster, or play and train soccer (football) around the world

  • Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange UK - voluntary work opportunities abroad for 18 to 30 year olds, information on Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, eco camps and volunteer news online.

  • InterExchange - American non-profit making organisation providing opportunities for au-pair work, working and travelling in the USA for overseas students, US summer camps, working in US companies, teaching, working or internships abroad for US students

  • JobMonkey.com - summer jobs, seasonal jobs, unusual opportunities including canneries, fisheries, resorts, lodges and parks, airlines and airports, land tours, guides, outdoor activities, teaching abroad, casinos, gaming and gambling, ski resorts, cruise ships, sailing, river boats

  • Kiwi Experience - alternative coach travel network developed specifically for backpackers and independent travellers, around New Zealand

  • Let's Go Adventure and Alternatives to Tourism - useful links to opportunities, educational resources and other resources online for travellers

  • Outreach International - Gap Year projects, work experience, teaching and school assistants, environmental and conservation work, social work, dance, craft, aid work in Mexico, Ecuador and Cambodia

  • PAYAway - working holidays, GAP year opportunities and jobs abroad, including a magazine for working travellers, descriptions of work available for worker travellers, links to organisations providing paid and voluntary jobs overseas, country information and other links

  • Peaceworkers UK - jobs, volunteering and training in the field of prevention, management and resolution of conflict

  • Project Trust - gap year organisation that sends secondary school leavers abroad for a year's voluntary work in 24 different developing countries around the world, in Latin America, Africa, the Far and Middle East

  • Quest Overseas - 3 month projects in Africa and South America, also 6 week expeditions for school leavers, gap year students and graduates, and 2 week diving trip to the Caribbean.

  • Raleigh International - environment, community and adventure projects for volunteers aged 17 - 25 or staff 25+, projects in Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, Ghana, Namibia, Mongolia, Borneo

  • ResortJobs.com - worldwide resort jobs with ski (and snowboard) resorts, camps, national parks, cruise ships, restaurants and hotels

  • Ski le Gap - ski and snowboard instructors courses in Quebec, Canada

  • Sports Skills for Life Skills - volunteers required to help young people in the township in Cape Town, South Africa through sports development projects, including soccer, rugby, table tennis, gymnastics, keep fit 

  • Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) - a charity which runs school-based and environmental grass-roots development programmes in Africa and Asia for young volunteers, 18 - 28, tackling health and environmental threats in rural Africa and Asia

  • Teaching and Projects Abroad - wide range of teaching and other volunteering opportunities around the world. 1,000 placements are available each year, supported by over 40 staff in 12 destinations worldwide

  • Travellers Worldwide - teaching, conservation placements, work experience in a range of occupations including Journalism, Law, Medicine, Architecture, Tourism, Veterinary, also learn a language, cultural exchange and other courses, from Travellers Worldwide

  • UNA Exchange - Volunteer placements overseas for between two weeks and 12 months in more than 60 countries worldwide, training, action programmes for returned volunteers, also frequently asked questions and links on website.Charity based in Cardiff, Wales

  • United Nations Volunteers - information about and for volunteers, vacancies, search by thematic areas and countries, news, articles and events and factsheets

  • Volunteer Africa - range of projects, including Tanzania in 2005

  • Volunteering in Europe - information on volunteer projects in Europe, also information about traineeship, work experience and working in Europe

  • Volunteer work placements overseas - teaching, conservation placements, work experience in a range of occupations including Journalism, Law, Medicine, Architecture, Tourism, Veterinary, also learn a language, cultural exchange and other courses, from Travellers Worldwide

  • The Virtual Volunteering project - US site, encouraging volunteering through the use of the Internet and a home or work computer. Advice and resources for agencies and volunteers

  • VSO - Voluntary Service Overseas - opportunities for experienced professionals to work in projects around the world

  • Voluntary Work Information Service (VWIS) - a range of voluntary work opportunities in environmental and humanitarian work abroad. Site includes links to various large voluntary work organisations, stories from volunteers, useful links to relevant sites and organisation relating to travel and networks of activity around environmental and development action, FAQs (frequently asked questions) and information on VWIS publications

  • World Service Enquiry - provides a magazine of international development jobs, a guide to working including lists of agencies, an online guide of practical advice and information, one to one advice and an online course (payment required for some services)

  • World Volunteer Web - information on volunteering for organisations and individuals worldwide

  • Worldwide Volunteering - database of opportunities and can match interests to vacancies, some free access points identified on the website

  • Work and Travel Company - working holidays in Australia and the USA
Useful books on volunteer work and gap year activities
 
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