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Voluntary Services OverseasVoluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent (non-governmental) volunteer-sending organisation in the world. VSO has offices in the UK, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, Kenya and the Philippines and a recruiting partner in India; it currently has volunteers of 14 different nationalities on placement. Since its founding in 1958, VSO has placed over 30,000 volunteers (2004) in developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. History It was founded by Alec Dickson through a bishop's letterhttp://briandeer.com/vsoletter.htm to the London Sunday Times as an educational experience overseas for school-leavers, initially only boys, before starting university. Volunteers offered unskilled help in exchange for basic accommodation and pocket money. In 1962 the more recognised scheme of using 'qualified' volunteers came about. By 1968 VSO had 1420 volunteers overseas. By 1980 the unqualified volunteers had been phased out and the period overseas had extended to two years, with a more professional approach. Active volunteer numbers initially fell to around 750 but by 2003 the number had returned to around 1,400. The introduction of shorter placements and opportunities for volunteers to enhance their learning increased participation. In order to meet the growing demands VSO established partner agencies in Canada, the Netherlands, Kenya and the Philippines, and, in 2004, launched a partnership called iVolunteer with an existing Indian NGO, MITRA. As at December 2004, applications to volunteer are accepted from people aged between 20 and 75, with at least two years experience in their field, and the average age of current volunteers is 38. Approximately threequarters of VSO's budget is provided by the UK government's Department for International Development, and there has been occasional controversy over whether this is the best use of scarce overseas aid resources, as most of the budget is spent in UK administration, and on airline fares. Volunteers in the field are paid wages by the host organisation. At the UK Charity Awards in June 2004, VSO was named International Development Charity of the Year. On December 17, 2004, VSO and beso (British Executive Service Overseas) formally agreed to merge; the new organisation will be known as VSO. See also External links VSO homepage VSO Ireland homepage VSO Canada hompage VSO Netherlands homepage (in Dutch) VSO Bahaginan homepage (Philippines) iVolunteer homepage (India) Investigation by British reporter Brian Deer
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