International Citizen Service

ICS is a UK government-funded development programme that brings together 18 to 25-year-olds from all backgrounds to fight poverty in overseas and UK communities. To volunteer overseas with ICS you don’t need cash, skills or qualifications – just the ambition to make a difference!

ICS is led by VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas), one of the biggest and most respected names in volunteering for international development, in partnership with a number of other respected development organisations.

The ICS programme is currently being reviewed and they are running less opportunities than usual this year.

ICS Volunteers:

Projects take place in Africa, Asia, and Central America.  With VSO ICS, volunteers work with local volunteers on a range of projects designed around community need in six core areas:

  • Youth employment
  • Education
  • Youth leadership
  • Access to healthcare
  • Climate change
  • Enterprise

For example, you could help people access better healthcare, work with local entrepreneurs to grow their small businesses or train young people to use IT and other media.  You could use sport and other activities to build life skills, raise awareness of climate change or work with farmers on sustainable development.

All projects are 10-12 weeks long.  Each ICS organisation runs different projects in different countries, and they recommend being open minded and looking at several partners and countries, as you won’t necessarily be guarantee you your first choice.

ICS Team Leader roles:
ICS Team Leaders are aged 23-35 and play a key role in supporting their diverse teams of young people to give their best and gain as much as they can while on placement.  ICS Team Leaders spend three or six months overseas offering pastoral support to small groups of volunteers aged 18-25 from the UK and the country you’re in. There’s a project management element to the role but the most important thing is the wellbeing of the ICS team and doing everything you can to help young people from different backgrounds work well together. 

  • Volunteers must be aged 18-25 (23-35 for Team Leader positions) and a UK / EU / EEA citizen and have lived in the UK for the last 12 months.
  • You must also be committed to fundraising and attending training in the UK, be able to stay away from home for the duration of the placement and be committed to sharing your experience with others and taking action in your local community when you return.

  • Placements take place all year round and applications can be made at any time of year.
  • Placements in summer:  10-12 week summer placements run between June and September.  Assessment days for the summer placements are likely to be in March / April.
  • For Team Leader roles dates are variable all year round.
Volunteers attend a training course where you will learn more about international development and your placement, and are required to fundraise £800 prior to travelling.
Accommodation varies depending on the organisation and project; you could be staying in a local homestay, a volunteer house or a guesthouse.  You will be supported by local in-country staff and an ICS Team Leader, and you will volunteer alongside in-country volunteers.
  • ICS is fully funded by the UK government.  This includes structured training and support, visas, flights, travel and medical insurance, medication, vaccines, food and accommodation and a small allowance during the placement.
  • You'll be given a fundraising target, usually a minimum of £800. You’ll be supported by one of ICS’s experienced fundraising team who have loads of good advice and encouragement to help you reach your target.
  • Please apply using Volunteer Hub. 
  • Search for 'ICS' and click on 'apply' in the relevant advert.

Information sessions

We will be running more sessions throughout semester 1 and 2, details will be listed here as and when they come up.

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+44 (0) 161 306 6000

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