International Volunteering
Tuesday 11th December 2007
The Dept for International Development announced last week on International Volunteer day (5th December) that they are to increase efforts by launching 2 new volunteering initiatives: Youth Volunteering and Diaspora Volunteering.
Youth Volunteering will be a £10 million 3-year initiative, beginning next year. It will engage young people, especially those who would not normally get the opportunity to volunteer, to get directly involved in poverty reduction schemes and to pass on their experience to their peers and within their communities.
Diaspora Volunteering is another 3-year initiative, with £3 million of support. It will encourage people from Diaspora communities to become active volunteers in their countries of origin – or in other countries – to develop a deeper understanding of the wider development context.
Des said
"The support for civil society organisations by DfID to support volunteering activities is making an impact in the developing world. The government support to Voluntary Services Overseas will be £28 million this year. Volunteers at home and abroad make a valuable contribution to society and we can never say thank you enough to them".
Ends
