Be a part of Something Big!

Since 2002 nearly 10,000 students have volunteered with ISV and contributed invaluable volunteer hours to projects in Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, Romania, the USA, Thailand and Ecuador.

ISV gives you the unique ability to combine meaningful volunteer work with an action packed adventure tour to enable you to experience everything your host country has to offer. With ISV, you will become part of the community, get to know the local people and become much more than a tourist.

During the summer of 2007, ISV reached its one millionth hour of volunteer work, reaching impoverished people, endangered species and fostering responsible travel and cultural awareness around the world. With ISV you can travel with a purpose and literally change your life and the lives of those that you help (or the natural world) through your efforts.

Our mission statement

ISV’s purpose and mission is “to create an volunteer environment conducive to combining education, conservation and recreation, into the most incredible experience of a lifetime while giving back to the local communities in the countries in which we are travelling” We call this Voluntourism!

What Makes Volunteering with ISV Special?

The ISV program is a unique opportunity for anybody wanting to travel and experience the world. Unlike many other organizations who act purely as sending agents, ISV takes care of your experience at every level, from pre-departure orientation to in-country support for the duration of your program.

1. Our project leaders: Our dedicated and knowledgeable project staff includes university lecturers, Masters or PhD academics or persons with extensive field expertise in conservation and/or community development, who work with ISV guiding participants from all over the world on our unique programs. Each project leader is carefully selected and thoroughly trained by ISV and first aid certified For more information refer to the ‘staff’ section on the ISV website.
2. Our tour leaders: ISV’s tour leaders are literally the best on the planet. They will make your experience fun, educational and inspirational. Each tour leader has been extensively trained by ISV and takes an interest in each and every participant to ensure you have the best time and learn a lot about your host country! Your Tour Staff are experienced in leading groups and outdoor education/recreation and of course first aid certified.
3. Safety: Every volunteer project, tour activity and location has undergone formal safety assessments and must meet ISV’s strict standards. All program staff are first aid qualified and trained to deal with any safety concern. Each activity has been site-inspected and tested by our dedicated in-country staff. In the event of an emergency, ISV has in-country staff and offices ready to assist 24 hours a day.
4. How do we choose projects: ISV partners with many local host organizations around the world to work on meaningful projects that make a difference to the communities and the natural environments of host countries. ISV volunteer projects are of the highest quality and are carefully chosen to ensure you have the best experience possible. ISV chooses its projects based on several factors including. Goals and needs of the host organisation; projects must be meaningful.
5. Skills: The skill level required to complete the work All your leaders are experienced in guiding students and first aid certified.
   • Safety
   • Fun
   • Sustainability
   • Measurable: you should be able to see your results at the end.
6. Tour locations and activities: The ISV adventure tour will allow you to do more things in two weeks than most people would dream about doing in a lifetime! Each tour activity is chosen to allow to you see the best your host country has to offer. ISV wants to show you all the natural wonders and cultural highlights of your host country through an action packed itinerary that is fun, safe, educational and packed with adrenaline and excitement. Whether is be white water rafting through World Heritage rainforests, visiting a historic temple or horse riding to secluded waterfalls, ISV will show you more than you dreamed of.
7. In-country support: Each ISV host country has our own ISV office for 24 hour support for all participants with a dedicated team of staff to oversee your experience.
8. Educational emphasis: The ISV program has a strong educational focus throughout the entire program. All participants will keep a journal to enhance their learning experience and focused group discussions with host organisations and project leaders will allow you to understand the many issues facing your host country. The academic rigour of the ISV program has been recognised by the wider community with several major universities throughout the USA, UK and Australia offering students academic credit for their participation on the ISV program.

ISV is the number 1 student volunteer and travel organization because you can:

• Combine volunteering with adventure travel.
• Travel with a purpose, knowing all ISV projects have been carefully selected, are meaningful and fulfil specific needs within a community or environment.
• Learn as you go – ISV’s staff will facilitate your learning experience so that you’ll walk away with a greater knowledge of the impacts of your volunteer work, your host country and responsible tourism. Participating in fun group discussions and writing a daily field journal are two personalized learning experiences that ISV’s staff will guide you through along the way;
• Be assured your program fee covers not only expenses needed for our host organization to achieve their project goals, but also allows you to see as much of your host country as possible by including an amazing adventure tour;
• Do things you never thought possible in a safe and fun environment;
• Enjoy your experience with professional and highly trained ISV staff, who will be with you throughout your trip to guide and educate you during the 1 month experience;
• Be assured that ISV has the highest quality control as we have our own in-country offices, pre-departure (for many departures) and in-country orientations, constant program assessment and evaluation and a consumer satisfaction rating of over 9.85 out of 10 (based on our 2007 student evaluations);
• Enjoy the highest quality program possible as ISV organizes and sets up all aspects of volunteer and adventure components to the highest standards;
• Know that ISV provides students with support and documentation, travel manuals and contact information for the before and duration of your trip;
• Be a part of a worldwide effort making a difference with students from all over the world;
• Have a life changing experience during your summer holiday; and
• Add this experience to your resume as ISV is recognized by many universities and host organizations.

Benefits of Volunteering
There are several benefits to be gained through your volunteer experience. These include:

• Increases self esteem and confidence;
• Expands life experiences;
• Learn skills and gain work experience;
• Develops a sense of responsibility; Provides experience to add to a resume;
• Develops teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Provides a greater understanding of others;
• Experience community involvement first hand;
• Develops greater cultural, community and environmental awareness;
• Make friends and have fun;
• Make a difference in the world;
• Contribute to protecting the world’s amazing natural resources; and
• Make a difference in someone’s life

Student Testimonies:

Candice Leung - University of Toronto, Canada: It was the most amazing few weeks I've ever experienced. It totally exceeded any expectations I had. I fell in love with the kids and the people here and feel lucky to have been able to make a difference in the community. All of the activities and places we travelled to were incredible. [Dominican Republic]

Kim Beyer - Purdue University, USA: Thanks for the amazing experience. I learned so much and experienced so many firsts. I was able to do more in one month than most will experience in a lifetime! [New Zealand]

Shanez Sinnathamby - University of Melbourne, Australia: You gain an experience in living that you couldn't possibly learn about from any book. The experience changes who you are and who you want to be. [Costa Rica]

Jessica Andrews – University of Leeds, UK: The people I met were amazing! Formed so many great friendships and formed memories that I will never forget. I had an amazing time; this really does change your life. You meet so many great people and see things you've never seen before. It will definitely take you out of your shell and expose you to another way of life. I loved it so much I don't want to go home. [Australia]

True Moua - CSUN, USA: I did things that I would have never done had I not been on this trip. I loved everything that we did here. Those who don't know how the outside world lives should experience Thailand. I recommend this trip to everyone. Thailand is all that I expected and SO much more. [Thailand]