Global Volunteers is guided by a unique
philosophy of service, stating, simply, that to be truly successful in sustainable development assistance, outsiders must work at the invitation and under the direction of those they are attempting to assist. By remaining faithful to this philosophy into our third decade, we've created opportunities for you to provide a genuine service to others all over the globe.
Read a feature on Global Volunteers' short-term volunteer development assistance by Jon Kohl.
We believe that if you embrace our guiding philosophy, you will personally enjoy the richness of the people you serve, and truly
wage peace in the most direct manner possible. The basic elements of this philosophy are:
- A foundation for world peace can be built through understanding and respect fostered by service
- Short-term volunteers can be important resources to community development projects
- Self-reliance is the ultimate objective in development
We uphold this philosophy by investing in host partners' development projects financially and through continuous volunteer service. We are dedicated to supporting on-going, sustained enhancements to local people's quality of life, with an emphasis on serving vulnerable and at-risk children worldwide. Likewise, we invest in continuous improvement in our volunteer management, ensuring team productivity and new volunteer learning opportunities.
Above all, we're committed to integrity in all our operations, striving for program excellence and transparency in our home office and abroad. Please read our formal "Philosophy of Service" here.
