Training and orientation
VSO recognises that volunteering abroad is a life changing experience for many volunteers and has put together a robust induction programme to support our volunteers in adapting to living and working in a new country. Read below for more information on how we prepare volunteers.
The Volunteer Induction programme is primarily to equip volunteers with the skills they need to be effective in a VSO placement. This takes the form of a blended learning approach which includes elements of self briefing, E-moderated online and residential courses.
Self briefing
‘Volunteering Starts Here’ is our self briefing course that gives volunteers insight into the realities of volunteering in a development context.
Residential weekend
Depending on your country of residence, you may be invited to a residential training weekend. For UK-based volunteers, our weekend residential course ‘Skills for Working in Development’ (SKWID) covers working in a cross cultural context using participatory approaches and is delivered by dynamic trainers, many with extensive experience of working in a different cultural context overseas. A recent attendee commented, “the SKWID course was excellent, the facilitators were fantastic and really did a great job of getting the most out of all the participants and giving us all plenty of food for thought.”
Pre-departure orientation
Before departure, you can begin to learn the local language of your host country through audio language resources on our learning hub, connect with serving and returned volunteers through forum discussions and read other self briefing materials available from our websites.
In-country training
To support your adaptation and settling into the placement, a detailed and well planned in-country orientation is provided upon arrival by the local VSO country office. Part of your in-country training may include further language training which can last for anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months.