Welcome to the career site of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) on Impactpool!
About VSO
VSO is the world’s leading international non-governmental organisation that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. Over the last 2 years more than 7,700 dedicated individuals from across the globe volunteered with VSO, bringing their abilities to support almost 11 million people in 35 countries. We work bring together key stakeholders to coordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments.
Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, inclusive and resilient education, and resilient livelihoods, with an emphasis on women and youth empowerment, adolescent sexual reproductive health rights, early child development, systems strengthening, girls education, technology, decent jobs and access to food. Across all our programmes we focus on building communities that are resilient, inclusive and accountable.
That is why we believe our approach to development provides a sustainable, long-term solution to the complex global problems, that are affecting millions of vulnerable people around the world.
We have also been at the forefront of developing The Global Standard for Volunteering for Development - a standard of practice that volunteer-involving organisations can adopt to align themselves with a global standard of excellence.
Our unique strength lies in our global volunteer and youth networks who advocate and work in collaboration with marginalised communities in every aspect of project design, delivery and evaluation, enabling communities to take charge of their own change.
We are guided by 5- year Strategy 2022-28 to deliver on the strategic ambition to bring lasting and positive change in the lives of the people we work with, focusing on the marginalised and vulnerable. We make a significant contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by using the transformational power of volunteering.
Learn more about our mission, current projects and impact in our Impact Report 2022/23.
Our vision: A fair world for everyone
Our purpose is to create lasting change through volunteering. At VSO we do development differently. We harness the skills and expertise of volunteers to deliver long-lasting change.
We put people first and empower them to be in the driving seat of their own development. Our volunteers work in collaboration with marginalised communities in every aspect of project design, delivery and evaluation, enabling the worlds poorest communities to take charge of their own change.
How we work
At VSO, we know that people in developing countries have the power, courage and desire to help themselves. That’s why we use our volunteering for development approach that puts the most marginalised people first, to build a more equitable society. Our volunteers work with communities to strengthen education, livelihoods and health systems, tackling vulnerability and marginalisation.
About our unique Volunteering for Development approach
Our approach to development provides a sustainable, long-term solution to the complex global problems, that are affecting millions of vulnerable people around the world.
Through volunteering for development, we focus first on those who are left out by society – those living in extreme poverty, or with disability and illness, those who face discrimination and violence for their gender, sexuality, or social status.
These are not passive “beneficiaries” of aid. They are the “primary actors” at the heart of our work. It is from their viewpoint and actions that we seek to define the issues, opportunities, and solutions that deliver sustainable and locally led change.
Our Volunteering for Development method recognises the importance of relationships in forging a shared understanding and commitment and building collective action to lasting change.
Watch this short animation to learn all about our unique approach:
Our Values
At VSO, our values guide us in every aspect of our work, from recruitment to the design and implementation of our programmes, shaping our culture and our efforts' impact.
Collaboration
- Empower poor and marginalised people to take charge of their own development.
- Share skills and knowledge to create long lasting, sustainable change.
- Build collaborative partnerships that promote innovation, growth and impact.
Knowledge
- Lead volunteering for development, setting the standard for ourselves and others.
- Use evidence and insight to guide our actions.
- Recruit the right people and work where we have the greatest impact.
Inclusion
- Stand beside and advocate for those who have been denied choice and opportunity.
- Promote diversity and equality throughout our work.
- Encourage different, inquisitive perspectives.
Integrity
- Commit to safeguarding and take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and harm.
- Treat others with respect, as equals.
- Be open, transparent and accountable in everything we do
Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunities at VSO
At VSO, we prioritise diversity and inclusion in recruitment by actively encouraging participation from volunteers belonging to vulnerable and marginalised groups. We recognise that these individuals bring valuable perspectives and lived experiences of exclusion and discrimination, making them particularly effective in driving change within marginalised communities. We are committed to making necessary changes and providing support to ensure that the journey with VSO is impactful and barrier-free, enabling us to fulfil our mission of addressing global exclusion and fostering change.
We are committed to augmenting disability inclusion and, to this end, have pledged to suitably adopt the Washington Group Set of Questions in recruitment, our programme design, implementation, and research processes.
Opportunities at VSO
At VSO, we have three types of roles that we continuously recruit for – employee, volunteer, and consultancy opportunities. You can explore our Careers page and filter relevant opportunities by Recruitment Status and Job Type.
If you support VSO's vision – a fair world for everyone in which people work together to fulfil their potential and can offer their professional experience and skills to contribute to a positive impact; you enjoy working in a diverse and multicultural environment, welcome new challenges and opportunities for growth and learning, we’d love to hear from you!
Learn more about us:
- Our People: Life at VSO Series
- Vision, values and strategy
- How Volunteering Works: What to expect | VSO
- Volunteering FAQs: Most Frequently asked Questions about Volunteering with VSO | VSO
- Structure and governance | VSO
- Working and Volunteering with VSO: Careers at VSO | VSO
- How Volunteering Works: What to expect | VSO
- Volunteering FAQs: Most Frequently asked Questions about Volunteering with VSO | VSO
Homepage | VSO
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