VOLUNTEER IN THE UK

Would you like to volunteer in the UK?

ICYE programme

As part of our unique exchange programme, ICYE UK arranges placements for and supports around 50 international volunteers here in the UK each year. 

Volunteers come to the UK for 6 or 12 months with placements starting in August and February of each year. We have a wide range of placements these can include volunteering in residential homes for people with disabilities, assisting at outdoor activity centres with delivering activities and maintenance, supporting students with disabilities in educational settings, providing respite care for elderly people, helping out at a service for young people, etc.

If you would like to see more about what it is like to volunteer in the UK with ICYE then please check out the volunteer stories.

We don’t ask for any specific skills just enthusiasm and a motivation to learn about a new culture and to be actively involved with the work of the host project. You will also need to be able to communicate in English and please note that there are certain placements which require volunteers to have a high level of English.

In order to apply for a placement in the UK with ICYE you will need to contact ICYE in your home country. The contact details for all the ICYE offices worldwide can be found on the ICYE International website: www.icye.org

Volunteers are selected by ICYE in their home country, where they also receive preparation training and support. When volunteers arrive in the UK, they attend an orientation training which also includes a language course. Throughout the time that volunteers are in the UK they are supported by ICYE UK and we also provide mid-term and final evaluation trainings as well as on-going support.

Hosting

ICYE UK is a UK charity (charity number 1081907) working in the field of international volunteering, intercultural exchange and youth mobility. We are part of the ICYE International Federation which has over 60 years of experience.

In the UK we work with different charities to provide full-time voluntary placements for international volunteers. We are always looking to expand the range of charities that we work with and to widen the impact of our work.

ICYE volunteers come to the UK for 6 or 12 months and arrive in August/September and February of each year. We do not ask for any specific skills from volunteers to take part in the programme just enthusiasm, flexibility and motivation to support the work of the project where they are placed. Our volunteers are aged 18 to 35, they come from all over the world and from a wide range of different backgrounds with different skills and interests. We take time to ensure that volunteers are matched to the right project and provide support throughout the placement to both the volunteer and to the host project to ensure that the experience is mutually beneficial (positive for everyone?).

If you would be interested in hosting a volunteer or if you would like to find out more about our hosting programme please contact Dan at hosting@icye.org.uk

What are we looking for from a host project?

• A not-for–profit/charitable organisation that can provide a full time role for a volunteer
• Provision of accommodation for the volunteer as well as food/personal allowance
• A commitment to cultural diversity in the work of their organisation and a willingness to share their culture with the volunteer
• A structure and meaningful volunteer role that provides the opportunity for the volunteer to develop and tasks well suited to the volunteer’s skills and abilities.
• Provision of training to ensure the volunteer can carry out the tasks required
• Provision of a supervisor who can provide ongoing support and constructive feedback
• Clear safeguarding and health and safety policies

What can you expect from ICYE UK?

Our volunteers are aged 18 to 35, they come from all over the world and from a wide range of different backgrounds with different skills and interests. We take time to ensure that volunteers are matched to the right project and provide support throughout the placement to both the volunteer and to the host project to ensure that the experience is positive for everyone. Apart from a very careful matching service, you can expect ICYE-UK: 

• To organise a training course for the volunteer upon arrival and at least two weekend trainings for the volunteers during the year
• To maintain regular contact with host projects and volunteers
• To provide a contact person for both the project and the volunteer
• To organise the volunteers’ visas and insurance, police checks, references, any other documents specific to the host project, as well as any other related paperwork
• To meet with the volunteer and the supervisor at the work placement during the course of the year to ensure that the relationship is mutually beneficial and to assist in improving relations where applicable
• To arrange for a different project should the relationship be ineffective