Volunteers’ Role in Community Service

Assisting communities to help children thrive is the volunteers’ primary role on Global Volunteers teams. Everyone, regardless of age, has skills and talents to help children and families reach their full potential.  Learn more about a volunteer’s role in community service.

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Building a Solid Foundation for Children’s Futures

Our community development projects worldwide integrate UN prescribed essential services through Global Volunteers Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) initiative in every service program. You are central to this important work!  To accomplish this, we strive for a steady stream of skilled volunteers returning to each partner community month after month, and year after year. This chain of volunteers – over time – provides important resources which most often are not otherwise locally available. The volunteers’ role in community service is essential. You are, in fact, a “vital link” helping children to thrive.

What are “Essential Services?”

The 12 Essential Services are identified by United Nations’ agencies – the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and UNICEF specifically – to address the complex issues preventing children from fully developing.  These interventions are foundational to healthy families, and a productive community.

We — and you — work with local leaders on community-based projects providing essential services to children, because our partners know that’s where together we have the greatest impact. Research clearly demonstrates that children who have enough food, sufficient nutrition and adequate protection from infectious disease progress better and develop normally as compared to children without those essentials. Mother’s and children’s nutrition, health and cognition are fundamental to every community’s future vitality. By contributing to projects that provide all 12 Essential Services as a Global Volunteer, you invest in the entire community’s success.  It’s an additive process that yields long-term results.

The Power of Volunteers Changes Everything!

The volunteers’ role in community service is measurable and significant!  Listen to volunteers describe this change in our Be The Change Podcast.

While Global Volunteers recognizes that it is the community members and the parents and children that are doing the hard work to see positive results, we also acknowledge that volunteers inspire and act as catalysts for that change.

Join us to experience first-hand how you can impact the community you serve, in both big and small ways.

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Learn more about our Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) Demonstration Program here or watch the video below. If you wish to donate towards our effort, visit our website.