Programmes update: International Citizen Service and Volunteering for Development

As Chief Executive of VSO, I am very conscious that every one of our supporters is part of the VSO family and that you have an interest in the programmes and partnerships that we are part of. I want to update you on the current status of two of our biggest programmes which are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

We saw the sustainable impact of the programme during the COVID-19 pandemic when young alumni from the programme and the youth networks that had developed out of it, were extremely active in providing a range of support services to vulnerable people around the world.

Pre pandemic, an independent report on the programme had already demonstrated the positive social return on investment of ICS and that return on investment has only increased during the last 18 months.

The UK government has said that it will revisit decisions on the future of the ICS programme once global travel resumes. That decision on whether to reopen the programme, or close for good, is one that is entirely in the hands of the government.

VSO has no say in this matter but given its enormous impact for development and on the young people who take part in the programme, we very much hope that the UK government will continue its investment in international youth volunteering. We know that many of you have direct experience of the ICS programme and are keen for it to resume as soon as possible.

Rest assured that VSO continues to make the case for ICS or a similar initiative and we welcome your support on this. 

Volunteering for Development (VfD)

Over the last four years, the 60 year strategic partnership between VSO and the UK government was funded through the Volunteering for Development grant (VfD) with the specific aim of driving volunteer impact to deliver improved health, education and livelihoods outcomes for two million people. We are extremely proud that the programme has now reached over 5m people more than twice its original target. During that time, VSO has placed almost 6000 expert volunteers in our programmes, including 2610 community volunteers.

The original VfD grant was due to end in March 2021 and at the time, we were very concerned that, despite its significant impact, the UK government might bring to an abrupt end the strategic relationship with VSO.

As many of you will remember, we wrote to supporters asking people to write to their elected Members of Parliament voicing your support for VSO. Hundreds of you took the time to do so, which played a significant part in the FCDO's decision to extend the grant until the end of March 2022.

You may have seen in April this year, that the Prime-Minister expressed his support for VSO in the House of Commons and the then Secretary of State, Dominic Raab said that VSO and its work, would be “protected” by this government.

As many of you will be aware, in July the government voted to keep the budget for international development at 0.5% of national income, reduced from the 0.7% spending which the Conservatives had promised to preserve as a manifesto commitment in the last election.

We cannot express enough how much your support has meant to us in what have been some of the most challenging times in VSO’s history. VSO is currently in talks with FCDO officials about the next phase of the VfD grant.

Time is pressing and we very much hope that a decision will be made in the coming weeks. This will enable us to plan effectively for future projects and allow certainty for the millions of primary actors and hundreds of partners, we support around the world as well as for the volunteers involved in VfD funded projects. We will continue to keep you updated on progress on funding.