Reviews

 I am often asked for 'recommendations' for volunteering organisations. It is impossible for me to offer a robust exhaustive list of all the good (and bad) organisations out there. But what a I can offer is a biased selection of organisations that i have encountered and for various reasons feel offer quality placements of one sort or another. 

So if you are Using this list still ask the hard questions, still look at others and make you own mind up. And if you have organisations that you would like to recommend (and for whom you don't work!) then get in touch

2 Way development  This is a small social enterprise based in the UK. They focus on providing placements for skilled volunteers they have a great ethic and  a proper understanding of international development issues. Their web site isn't great but in this industry that is a good sighn! This is an organisation for those who are looking for more than swanky marketing. 

Quest Overseas    Quest are gap year specialists who mainly run group based volunteer placements and expeditions. What makes them special is that they have long running relationships with their community partners, this means they know their partners well, the project have been created locally and there is a real investment in the communities they work within.

Challenges World Wide Based in Edinburgh these folk focus on providing placements for skilled professional volunteers. They are a social enterprise (a business that trades for a social purpose) and though their web site looks a bit old and not too flashy  they know what they are doing and are worth calling up directly.