VSO Volunteer Stories

"Being a VSO volunteer gives you the opportunity to use your knowledge and professional experience for a good cause. It's not a sacrifice. You leave behind a lifestyle that you probably feel comfortable with, that it's familiar, for a new way of life that's unpredictable and strange, but it's not a sacrifice. You gain more than you can offer, both professionally and personally. These are experiences that you will never live in your familiar environment!" (Cristina Gaşpar, Monitoring & Evaluation and Documentation Advisor, India)
What it's like to be a VSO volunteer: Cristina Gaşpar, from Timisoara, is volunteering with VSO in India right now!
			Cristina is helping out as a Monitoring & Evaluation and Documentation Advisor at Gram Vikas, a very strong and active rural development NGO working with tribal villages in the rural area of Orissa - one of the poorest states in India.
			Find out more about Cristina's experience in India here!

Send us your CV now to become a VSO volunteer, find out here what you'll need!

Here is also what a few British returned volunteers have to say about their overseas experience with VSO:

"If you’re the kind of person who’s always wanting to learn, who is fascinated by other people, who just loves other cultures, do VSO." (Matt Innes, Education Adviser, Cambodia)

"From a career perspective, VSO was probably the best thing I ever did and it remains one of the highlights of my CV." (Mike Greenland, Forestry Lecturer, South Africa)

"If you’re thinking about doing VSO, go for it! It’s an incredible experience. It’s made me a much stronger person, both in my job and personally." (Beck Mitchell, Teacher Training Adviser, Cambodia)

Read more about their experience at www.vso.org.uk/stories (Note: this link will take you to the VSO UK website)

You'll also have the chance to contact returned VSO volunteers in your field once you are preselected and booked to attend an Assessment Day at the VSO headquarters in London.

Other video stories:

Video - What has been your most memorable moment as a VSO volunteer?(Window Media Player, 6456 KB)

Video - What qualities do you need to be a good VSO volunteer? (Window Media Player, 1999KB)

VSO volunteer blogs and communities on the web:

* http://community.vsointernational.org/blogs
* www.vso-stories.net
* www.youtube.com/user/vsomediauk
* www.justgiving.com/vsofundraising (fundraising pages of VSO volunteers)
* www.volunteerlinking.org

You will also find many VSO fan pages, groups, networks, photo albums and serving volunteer blogs out there on the world wide web. Facebook, as well as other social networking websites, have several thriving VSO communities. And you will also find that many serving or returned volunteers have set up personal webpages, photo and travel blogs in order to share their excitement and experience with the rest of the world.