Helping you get ready to volunteer with us.
Medical clearance and support
If your application is successful, the next stage is to be cleared by our medical team. This process is completely independent from your selection.
Our medical team are experts in the health of volunteers working in settings with limited resources. They’ll review whether the project is medically suitable for you, based on a risk assessment of your health.
If you have any questions about this process, you can contact the medical team in confidence at medical@vsoint.org.
Training
Our training programme focuses on broadening your understanding of international development, and preparing you for living and working in a new environment, if applicable.
There's also language training, if needed.
Training is delivered through a mix of online and residential courses, depending on where you're from and where you will be volunteering.
How long it will be before you start
It can usually take anything between three and 12 months from applying to starting to volunteer.
Each case is different, and the time it takes to move through the process depends on multiple factors including:
- your personal availability and circumstances,
- whether you’re applying individually or as a couple,
- your skills and our current demand for them,
- the nature of the role itself,
- the visa and work permit processes for your placement country, if applicable.
If you’re volunteering abroad, the longest part of the process is often waiting for visas and work permits to be issued.
Find out more
Support whilst you volunteer
Keeping you safe, healthy and happy.
Once you've finished volunteering
When you finish volunteering with us, you'll find that you're part of a global community of VSO volunteers.
Volunteering opportunities
Our current roles for expert volunteers in Africa and Asia.