A short presentation about the International Citizen Service program.

2. International Citizen Service (ICS) is
a global volunteering experience
which supports young people from
all backgrounds to make a real
difference to some of the world’s
poorest people. It was launched by
the Prime Minister in March 2011,
and is funded by the Department for
International Development (DFID).
The programme will give thousands
of 18-25 year olds across the UK the
chance to join in the fight against
global poverty.
What
is ICS?

3. The International Citizen Service ran a
pilot year in starting in March 2011
which was delivered by a consortium
of six agencies led by VSO, and
including Restless Development,
Skillshare International, Progressio,
International Service and THET
(Tropical Health Education Trust).
Between them, these agencies
provided 1250 volunteer placements
for young people in 2011/12.

4. Each of the agencies shares a
passionate belief in
demonstrating the potential
for young people to make a
real difference in the world
and to develop as active
citizens in a stronger global
society.

5. The ICS consortium members are:
Volunteer Sending Agencies

6. UK Strategic
Recruitment
 Catch22
 Islamic Relief

7. National
Volunteering
Strategy

8. History
Similar youth volunteering programmes - under various titles such as
International Volunteer Exchange (IVE), World Youth Millennium Awards
(WYMA) and more recently World Youth (WY) – have been running since 1999.
In 2012, VSO launched its first Position on Youth, highlighting the importance of
working with and through young people in all our programmes. ICS forms a
significant part of this.
The full ICS programme builds on the success of its initial pilot year, which
VSO lead.
ICS has been developed based on the achievements and lessons learned of
Global Xchange, which VSO ran in partnership with the British Council
between 2005 and 2012.

9. Who can take part?
• ICS is committed to including people from diverse backgrounds,
in terms of geographical, social and ethnic background, disability
and gender.
• No skills or qualification are required to take part.
• ICS is committed to increasing the number of disabled
volunteers and is working to ensure that VSO is welcoming
and inclusive of disabled people in this programme.

10. • Volunteers must be between 18 – 25 years old (they cannot start
the programme until they have turned 18 and must be no older
than 25 when they start the programme)
• Volunteers must be willing to undergo a medical examination
and take vaccinations recommended by VSO
• Volunteers must be able to commit to a full time 3 month
programme away from home
• Volunteers must attend and be selected at a ICS Assessment Day

11. How does it work?
General guidelines for all programmes are:
• Volunteers will live and work in a community for 3 months.
• UK volunteers will work alongside national volunteers from the
host country. Sometimes these volunteers come from the local
community.

12. • Volunteers will stay in host homes.
• Volunteers will work with community-based
organisations or local government authorities
• All volunteers are required to complete a UK-based
activity on their return to promote awareness of
international development issues

13. What are the benefits of ICS to the volunteers?
Becoming an ICS volunteer provides young people with an
opportunity to:
• Learn more about how other people live and about themselves
• Gain experience and skills which will enhance their
employability
• Do work which is of practical value to people in a developing
country
• Develop skills, knowledge and attitudes, which will enable them
to play a positive role in their individual society.

14. What
support is
provided?

15. Training
Selected volunteers receive 3-6 days of training
before the start of the programme and further
training in-country at the start of the programme.
This provides an opportunity to understand the
ICS programme and to for volunteers to begin
developing the necessary skills to take part in the
programme.
Volunteers also begin to look at cross cultural
issues and team building.

16. Facilitation and Support
Two Project Supervisors will usually accompany
the volunteers during the programme.
They also provide training, mentoring and
medical support if needed.
Some countries may provide alternative
support, for example through programme
managers

17. Who pays?
The ICS Programme pays for:
• Travel costs
• Training
• Accommodation, food and
basic allowance throughout
the 3-month programme
• Medical cost and personal
accident insurance

18. Programme
Countries
2012-2015

19. Between 2012 and 2015, the ICS programme
will work in a number of countries in both
Africa and Asia. Individual programmes will
work around various different themes, but
these will be based on VSO programmatic goals.

20. Ethiopia
Kenya
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
BangladeshIndia
Indonesia
Nepal
Philippines
Tajikistan

21. THANK
YOU!