Organization: Global Volunteers

Focus Areas:	Children, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health, Poverty, Conflict Resolution, Gender & Equality
Countries Served:	All 18 countries: Cook Islands China Costa Rica Ecuador Ghana Greece Hungary India Italy Jamaica Mexico Peru Poland Romania Tanzania, United Republic of United States Viet Nam South Africa   Summary by region: Australia & Oceania Asia Latin America & Caribbean Africa Europe Northern America

Description of Services:
Our service programs, which are determined by host partners, fall into four broad categories: teaching conversational English, nurturing and caring for children of all ages, providing assistance with infrastructure such as building and repairing homes, helping with ecological projects and providing professional services such as health care, business instruction and computer assistance. We maintain long-term partnerships with indigenous development organizations worldwide and mobilize teams of volunteers to work alongside local people on humanitarian projects that have been identified as being important to their community's long-term development. In addition, we support the host communities through direct project donations and sponsorships
History:
Founded in 1984, Global Volunteers grew from two service programs per year in one host community to over 150 service programs supporting more than 100 host communities annually through year-around volunteer service, on-going project funding and child sponsorships. As an early pioneer in international volunteer service, Global Volunteers helped lay the foundation for what became known a decade later as "volunteer vacations." Our short-term volunteer service opportunities focused on providing "helping hands" to community development programs in host communities abroad. Global Volunteers has gained national and international recognition as a leader in the international volunteering field.
Accomplishments & Progress:
Global Volunteers has mobilized some 27,000 volunteers on community development projects worldwide since 1984, touching hearts and changing lives. Volunteers build on three decades of international development experience to maximize the benefit to the local people worldwide. Global Volunteers set the standard for international best practices, promising excellence in all aspects of program development and volunteer direction. Nurturing long-term relationships is central to our worldwide success. We invest financial and human resources to provide continuous local program support and development. For more accomplishments, please visit out website at http://www.globalvolunteers.org.