In the USA, VFP organizes projects for more than 300 international volunteers to serve. VFP believes in the importance of cultural exchange, international collaboration, and community development within an increasingly globally-connected world.
Volunteers For Peace is a non-profit membership organization that promotes International Voluntary Service as an effective means of intercultural education, service learning and community development. We provide projects where people from diverse backgrounds can work together to help overcome the need, violence and environmental challenges facing our planet. They are a practical way to both prevent and resolve conflict. By participating in a voluntary service project, volunteers help sow the seeds of a better future for us all. Through our international alliances, we work together to help communities meet local needs and some of the goals of the United Nation's Millennium Declaration.
VFP works in cooperation with partner organizations via several international service networks: Co-ordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations (ALLIANCE), Service Civil International (SCI) and Youth Action for Peace (YAP); to set up projects that foster intercultural education, voluntary service learning and friendship.
Over the past 26 years, VFP has exchanged over 26,000 volunteers with our partners abroad.
Types of Programs
Volunteers For Peace offers placement in over 3000 IVS projects in more than 100 countries each year, including over 40 in the USA. Since 1982, VFP has been offering projects that provide intercultural education through community service. At each project, volunteers from diverse backgrounds, typically from four or more countries, work and live together like a family. The sharing of everyday life, both with the local community and among the international volunteers, is an integral part of the learning and serving experience.
Most projects are open to volunteers with any type of background and do not require any specific professional or language skills. There are many types of work available because projects arise from grassroots local community needs. Most projects are 2-3 weeks long. Accommodations vary widely, but usually volunteers share the same living space, doing all their own cleaning and food preparation on a rotating basis.
Programs for Teens and Families
We’ve got hundreds of ways for you to explore the world, make new friends, give back, and discover what you like and don’t like. Plus we will provide you with a certificate of volunteer hours served which looks great on college and job applications.
Most of our teen projects take place June through August, they do fill quickly so for the best selection apply as soon as possible. If you don’t see the teen volunteer opportunities or teen projects you are looking for, or would like to speak with a former teen volunteer about their experience just contact us and we can help.
We offer limited opportunities for families to serve together but can often help families plan a unique group volunteer vacation. Please contact us with information about your family volunteer vacation, how long you would like to serve, and the countries you are interested in and we will let you know what opportunities are available.
