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Nicaragua
*UPDATE*Unfortunately we are unable to offer placements in Nicaragua in 2018-19.*
Placements are available in:
Bangladesh Cambodia Kenya Malawi Nepal Tanzania Uganda*If you have already been placed, your…
I raised my target by tapping into the thing people love the most - food
Happy Friday! Before the weekend starts, take a seat and listen to the wise words of two wonderful ICS volunteers who cooked and climbed their way to the top!
Restless Development ICS volunteer, Cheree Vaan Jaarsveld …
Volunteers repair community well supplying 500 people with clean water
Three cycles of volunteers working in the same community teamed up to raise money and help repair a community well, enabling up to 500 local residents access clean water.
Bernice is a young woman from Owuram in Ghana.…
Without sight, with hindsight: Mahomed’s ICS experience as a blind volunteer in Zambia
At 16, Mahomed Khatri lost his sight from retinal detachments in both his eyes. He was forced to quickly learn to cope with a life without vision – and all the challenges that suddenly came with it.
Now 26, ten years later…
9 top tips for planning to make your fundraising a success
Hello lovely fundraisers!
We’re mixing it up in the ICS office this week and bringing you our first themed blog. So, what better way to start than with Planning.
Coming up with a plan for your ICS fundraising is key to…'Bubbles and Bush': Meet Eleanor, the ex-ICS volunteer tackling sexual health taboos
For 23-year-old Eleanor Calver, her ICS placement gave her the opportunity to gain more experience of working in sexual health – a sector she felt passionately about.
After returning from Zimbabwe, she’s now working for The…
Action after ICS: Cianne's project tackling youth unemployment in Uganda
Starting your own charity or NGO can seem like a scary prospect. Where do you begin? How do you test your ideas? What contacts do you need to make? And will it really make a difference?
But ICS can be a great chance to get…
Here's why women belong in the cabinet, not the kitchen
Amelia Womack was just 29 when she was elected as The Green Party’s Deputy Leader in 2014 – the youngest ever in political party history. Two years and one re-election later, she’s more vocal than ever about the power young people…
Protecting the environment
Climate change will affect the world’s poorest the most. Extreme weather and natural disasters – like drought and flooding – are likely to increase as the world gets warmer, and poor communities struggle the most to cope with these…
Staying healthy
ICS volunteers are ideally placed to reach out to other young people, particularly on issues like sexual health. Projects also focus on making sure people have decent toilet and washing facilities, which can hugely reduce sickness…
Working for a fairer world
We want to make sure that people around the world know their rights and can make their voices heard.
Getting a good education
Every child deserves a good education.
More and more young people are getting the chance to go to school, but some are still excluded.
Earning a decent living
Helping people to support themselves and their families.
Supporting small businessesWe believe that everyone should be able to earn a decent living and become self-sufficient, because no one wants to…
Data Protection and Privacy Statement
International Citizen Service is a development programme led and managed by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).
VSO is committed to safeguarding your privacy online. This statement explains how we will collect, use and…
Cost and funding
The UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) funds 90% of the ICS programme. The other 10% is funded by volunteer fundraising.
You don’t have to pay for ICS, but volunteer…
Safeguarding
ICS takes its responsibility for safeguarding and child protection seriously. We will do all we can to ensure, as far as possible, the safety and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in ICS.
…
Getting ready
An ICS placement is a big undertaking but we’re here to help you get prepared, from providing training and travel arrangements, to making sure you’re fit to travel.
We offer comprehensive support to…
Department for International Development
The Department for International Development (DFID) funds ICS – representing a significant investment by the UK Government in young people.
Why volunteer with ICS?
All you need to volunteer with ICS is the ambition to make a difference.
International Citizen Service (ICS) is a UK Government funded programme providing volunteer placements to 18-25 year olds and Team…
NCS graduates
If you've done NCS then you're guaranteed an invite to an assessment day,
Providing there is space and you're eligible, all NCS graduates are guaranteed an invite to an assessment day.
With your…
ICS quality principle: Active citizens
ICS quality principle: Supported learning
ICS volunteers visit Upendo enterprise, a local garment making company in Lindi, TanzaniaICS quality principle: Community integration
ICS quality principle: Shared working and learning
ICS volunteer Dan Hensman playing his guitar to his fellow volunteers and host home family members…ICS quality principle: Project impact
VSO ICS volunteers in Banteay Char, Cambodia meet with the leaders of the local Agriculture Co-operative…ICS quality principle: Personal development
Cathryn Tomnay with team of volunteers prepare for their school training session with pupils as part of the…ICS quality principle: Diversity
Seven quality principles
ICS is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and delivered by a consortium of organisations led by VSO.
Different ICS agencies work in different ways, but they all work to seven agreed quality…
Nepal
As one of the world’s poorest countries, Nepal’s economy took a huge hit following the devastating earthquake in 2015 which killed thousands of people and damaged much of its infrastructure.
Employment…
What you could do
ICS makes the most of the unique contribution young people can bring to development – passion, energy and the ability to reach other young people.
All of our projects are carefully planned to be…
Safety and security
Our volunteers' health, safety and security is our first priority.
Safety and Security on PlacementBefore placing volunteers into projects we take a number of steps to minimise the risk of placements,…
Liberia
*UPDATE*Unfortunately we are unable to offer placements in Liberia in 2018-19.*
Placements are available in:
Bangladesh Cambodia Kenya Malawi Nepal Tanzania Uganda*If you have already been placed, your…
Volunteering overseas
Volunteering overseas with ICS is a life-changing experience.
You'll spend 10-12 weeks supporting a development project overseas as part of a team of British and local volunteers.
You will live and work side-by-…
Our partners
ICS is funded by the UK Government and run by some of the most experienced and respected development organisations in the UK.
ICS is run by professionals with years of experience in international…
Selection day
Becoming an ICS volunteer is a big commitment, so every applicant will be invited to a selection day to help ensure that ICS is the right programme for you.
After we receive your applicationOnce we…
VSO ICS
VSO's vision is a world without poverty.
We bring people together to fight poverty. As an international development organisation with over 60 years' experience, we know that when passionate volunteers are…
Restless Development ICS
Restless Development is the youth-led development agency.
Our mission is to place young people at the forefront of change and development. Our strength comes from being led by young people, from the…
Raleigh International ICS
We believe that when local communities and young people work side by side to create positive change, it empowers them. And it’s the energy and motivation of empowered people that creates lasting change.
…
Fundraising support
When you are selected to take part on ICS, you will be assigned one of our experienced team to help you get to your target.
From planning a bake sale to hopping up a hill dressed as a giant rabbit, they have seen it all…
Why fundraise?
Fundraising is part of your placementFundraising is an important part of the volunteer journey. While your placement is largely funded by the UK government, by raising funds you contribute back to ICS and show your commitment to…
Fundraising
The UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) funds 90% of the ICS programme. The other 10% comes from funds raised by volunteers.
If accepted onto the programme you must fundraise…
Contact us
General enquiriesIf you have any questions or queries about ICS, get in touch:
Tel: +44 (0)20 8780 7400
Email: enquiries@volunteerics.org
Family liaisonIf you have any questions out of hours in relation…
Meeting your needs
Our commitmentAt ICS we are committed to delivering a diverse and inclusive programme and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the journey to ensure that all volunteers have a positive experience of international…
Ghana
*UPDATE*Unfortunately we are currently unable to offer placements in Ghana.
Placements are available in:
Bangladesh Cambodia Kenya Nepal Tanzania Uganda ZambiaCountry offices
ICS programmes work by pairing UK, EU or EEA volunteers with national volunteers in seven countries around the world. You may be able to take part in ICS if there are programmes running in your country.
…
Applying for ICS
Is ICS right for you?Before you apply you should ensure that volunteering with ICS is right for you. Find out more about the requirements and what is expected
The application processThere are three parts of your…
Cambodia
Although tourism is expanding, Cambodia is still one of the world’s poorest countries, with its economy dominated by garment-making and agriculture.
There’s tough competition for jobs. ICS volunteers with…
Burkina Faso
*UPDATE*Unfortunately we are currently unable to offer placements in Burkina Faso.
Placements are available in:
Bangladesh Cambodia Kenya Nepal Tanzania Uganda ZambiaBangladesh
One of the world’s most densely populated countries, Bangladesh has 47 million people living in poverty.
Formerly East Pakistan, it is one of the world’s youngest countries, having only come into…
Funded by the UK Government
ICS is funded by the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID) which leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty.