What is International Citizen Service?

International Citizen Service (ICS) is a global volunteering experience which supports young people from all backgrounds to make a real difference to some of the world’s poorest people. This new initiative, launched by the Prime Minister and funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), will give thousands of 18-22 year olds across the UK the chance to join in the fight against global poverty. Places are also available for some team leaders who will mentor the other volunteers and contribute their skills and experience.

Applications for the pilot first year of ICS are now open and the first volunteers will go overseas from June 2011. Placements will be available for 1,080 18-22 year olds and 170 team leaders (23 years +) in the pilot phase in 2011/12. Participation is free for people on low incomes.

You will spend three months making a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Each project is designed to bring about lasting change for very poor communities, and as a volunteer with ICS, you will get the opportunity to contribute directly to this change. ICS volunteers will work in groups on projects run by local development organisations and in some placements will work alongside young local volunteers.

The ICS project involves various UK-based volunteering development agencies to pilot the scheme in the first year. Although all ICS volunteer placements will have common elements, each of the agencies will work in different ways and provide different opportunities for volunteers.

Progressio is running two ICS opportunities – Empower and COAST.

ICS Empower gives volunteers interested in faith and international development the chance to spend 10 weeks in Malawi, El Salvador or Peru, volunteering on community, educational, health or environmental projects. You will be working in a small group of UK volunteers with a team leader, alongside local community organisations. You will be doing activities such as raising awareness on HIV, working with farmers on sustainable agriculture, training young people to use IT and other media, and supporting teachers and youth leaders to educate others.

Progressio’s Community Organising and Social Transformation programme (ICS COAST) enables young people already involved in UK community action to transfer existing skills to a developing world context. Volunteers will spend ten weeks in Malawi or Peru participating alongside local partners in social transformation projects. These could include youth programmes, research, monitoring and evaluation, fundraising and advocacy work. This collaboration, paired with the experience as a whole, will offer volunteers multiple learning opportunities. They will then apply new knowledge and abilities within their own local communities on their return.