International Volunteer Projects
International Volunteer Project
What are you doing this summer? An International Volunteer Project (IVP) is a short term project (2-4 weeks) bringing together a group of young people from many different countries. The group lives and works together on a specific project in a community.
These can range from looking after turtle eggs in South India to helping prepare intercultural festivals in the Czech Republic. The main categories of project are: Social, Environmental, Educational, Cultural, and Archaeological. You do not require any specific skills to go on an IVP - just plenty of enthusiasm!
IVPs take place in over 60 countries worldwide, with over 1600 diverse and exciting projects throughout 2010. So there should be one to suit you. In each project we work together with local partners, which not only helps keep volunteer costs to a minimum but guarantees that the project meets the local community's needs.
Volunteers on these projects arrange their own travel and pay a project contribution - £200. Every volunteer has their food and accommodation provided free at the project.
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Click and choose your favourite. Happy hunting!
Once you have selected the projects that you are interested in then just email us your choices and we'll get the application process rolling.
For more info, please check out the FAQs.
The Xchange Factor hits East Ayrshire - Aug 2010
Half-page article in the Kilmarnock Standard about the Xchange Scotland project at Dean Castle - Aug 2010 Clydemuirshiel IVP - Aug 2010 :-)
12 fantastic volunteers from all France, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain and Belgium working hard for 2 weeks to maintain Scotland's largest Regional Park - Clydemuirshiel. Over 1000 work-hours went in across the fortnight to contribute huge amount to the Park.
The volunteers were working part of the time on renovating the sheillings at Barnbrock, and part of their time doing work at the Lunderston Bay site.
Experience...
In Summer 2023, Katrina from Fife went to Vietnam on an International Volunteer Project through Xchange Scotland. Here, she writes about her time...
"I had a fantastic month volunteering at an orphanage in Vietnam and really didn’t want to leave. Although the conditions were a bit shocking at first, we could really see that the work we were doing was making a difference."
"Everyone I encountered thanked us for coming and the project was very worthwhile. I feel by volunteering I really got to know the country and its people in a way I could not have had I simply been traveling through. Seeing the work you have done at the end and how much it is appreciated is an amazing feeling and I would recommend volunteering abroad to everyone. The only problem is…you might get addicted to it!"
Muirkirk IVP - 17th-31st August 2023
Xchange Scotland teamed up with ’s Countryside Services Section and Muirkirk Enterprise Group this August (in beautiful weather!) to host an environmental International Volunteer Project (IVP) based in the Muirkirk community...
ABOVE: The international volunteers, team leaders and project hosts celebrate their work Clyde Muirshiel IVP - 1st-15th August 2023
"This experience has been unforgettable and I think it will be just the beginning..."
That was how one volunteer summed up their time on the second Xchange Scotland International Volunteer Project (IVP) of the summer. 11 volunteers - from different countries such as Belgium, USA and Catalunya - came together at near Lochwinnoch for 2 weeks of environmental work, cultural activities and a bit of ceilidh dancing :-)
ABOVE: Xchange Scotland International Volunteers at the opening ceremony of the Parkhill Wood Maze Kingslink Carnival IVP - 15th-29th June 2023
12 volunteers from all over Europe – from Sicily to Finland, Catalonia to the Czech Republic – came together to live and work in the Knightswood area of Glasgow.
The volunteers worked alongside local community charities from the West Integration Network to help out with events around Refugee Week, go into schools to help with workshops and also to support the Knightswood Fun Day and community parade. The volunteers stayed at Knightswood Congregational Church Hall.
Volunteers at the Community Parade (photo by Gareth Harper - )