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InterVol
Founded2003
TypeInternational Volunteering Charity
FocusPoverty reduction
Location
Area served
Worldwide
MethodProject-based Development, Conservation, Education
Websitehttp://www.intervol.co.uk

InterVol is an international volunteering charity based in the United Kingdom.[1] InterVol currently run ten student-led international development projects which are based at the University of Birmingham[2] and the University of Nottingham.[3]

History

Formation

InterVol[4] was set up as a society in 2003[5] by a group of students brought together by Andrew Bartley and Graham Allcott from the Student Development (formerly Involve) department at the University of Birmingham Guild of Students.[6][7][8][9] The society was formed by students who, after hearing about Andrew and Graham's experiences volunteering abroad in Cambodia and Uganda, decided that there was an excellent opportunity to organise such projects on a larger scale within the University. InterVol's volunteers began a system of student-led sustainable development projects, aiming to make a long term difference to communities in developing countries whilst working in close partnership with local NGOs in each country.

Projects & development

In the summer of 2004 InterVol led three volunteering projects to Bulgaria[10], Cambodia[11] and Uganda.[12] The volunteers were involved in areas as varied as AIDS awareness training, work in orphanages, teaching English, creating a website and starting a paper recycling business.

In 2005 the projects roster was quickly increased to eight projects as the popularity and presence of the project on the University of Birmingham campus increased significantly. There were two new projects in Ecuador, based around cloud-forest conservation[13] and social development[14], as well as a community development project in Accra, Ghana[15], a teaching project in Poland and a social development project in South Africa.[16]

In 2006 InterVol began to consolidate after fast growth in its first two years. Previous projects were maintained while a new coastal development project in Thailand with Andaman Discoveries[17][18][19] and a teaching project in Nepal[20] were proposed. The teaching project in Nepal was later cancelled due to safety concerns following the country's political instability in Summer 2006. InterVol sent volunteers to teach at the New Future for Children Orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for the first time in July 2006.[21] InterVol received it's first national awards in 2006 when two founding members, John Gorski and Danielle Gerson, won Impact awards at the National Year of the Volunteer Awards.[22]

In 2007 a new project to construct school buildings and teach in rural Nepal commenced.[23][24] This year also saw InterVol send volunteers to both a trafficked animal refuge[25] and to teach Spanish to members of the Huaorani in Ecuador.[26] InterVol is a founding member of the Student Volunteers Overseas Partnership (SVOP), composed of UK student-led international volunteering charities.[27] InterVol organised and hosted the 2007 SVOP conference which included speakers from the Adam Smith Institute, Peace Child International and the director of the University of Birmingham's International Development Department, Dr. Philip Amis.

In 2008 InterVol began a new project in Kenya based on community development in partnership with the charity Challenge Africa.[28] The following year another project was set-up in Kenya, a sports-based development project in Nairobi's Kibera slum.[29][30]

InterVol's most recent endeavour has been to launch a youth development project in Kosovo in partnership with Oxford Aid to the Balkans (OXAB).[31] In July 2010 the University of Nottingham's international volunteering society, Dreams of Africa, affiliated with InterVol to become the first InterVol branch outside Birmingham.[32] InterVol's Nottingham project will continue to send volunteers to work with the Ugandan community development NGO, Little Big Africa.[33]

Charity Status

InterVol became a registered charity in England and Wales in May 2010.[34] InterVol's charitable objects are to act as a resource for international volunteers at universities in the United Kingdom while promoting development projects that focus on education, health, conservation and the relief of poverty. InterVol had previously attained charity status in July 2005 to aid fund-raising initiatives, however, due to restrictions on the operation of charities within the University of Birmingham Guild of Students this was voluntarily removed in October 2006.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Charity Commission Official Website Details of InterVol's charity framework and registration. Retrieved 28th of May 2010.
  2. ^ University of Birmingham News Centre Website Details of InterVol project at the University, page 6. Retrieved 29th May 2010.
  3. ^ University of Nottingham Student Volunteering Projects Website Details of the InterVol (formerly Dreams of Africa) project at Nottingham University. Retrieved 29th July 2010.
  4. ^ Official InterVol (University of Birmingham) Website Retrieved 25th May 2010.
  5. ^ University of Birmingham Buzz Magazine Details of InterVol set-up by volunteers including Tamzin Kensett, page 2. Retrieved 29th of May 2010.
  6. ^ READ International Trustees Details Retrieved 25th May 2010.
  7. ^ University of Birmingham Official Website Notes international volunteering projects at the Guild of Students. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  8. ^ Fruitful Consulting Official Website Details creation of InterVol by Graham Allcott. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  9. ^ Our Shared Resources Website Reprinted from Turn Your Organisation Into A Volunteer Magnet, 2nd edition (ed. Fryar, Jackson & Dyer), 2007. Retrieved 28th of May 2010.
  10. ^ Oxford Aid to the Balkans (OXAB) Website Details of Bulgaria Development Project. Retrieved 25th of May 2010. /
  11. ^ Cambodian Volunteers for Community Development Website Acknowledgments for InterVol volunteers. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  12. ^ Straight Talk Website Details of Uganda Project. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  13. ^ Santa Lucia NGO Website Details of volunteering programme. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  14. ^ CENIT Social Development NGO Website Details of donation by InterVol for CENIT's summer camp project. Retrieved 25th of May 2010.
  15. ^ BBC News Story detailing an InterVol volunteer's experience on project in Ghana. Retrieved 25th May 2010.
  16. ^ Horizon Farm Trust Official Website Details of InterVol's involvement in the volunteering programme. Retrieved 28th of May 2010.
  17. ^ Andaman Discoveries Official Website Details of InterVol project in August 2007. Retrieved 28th of May 2010.
  18. ^ University of Birmingham Website Honey Pot Funding Review - Abida Lalani, Thailand Project. Retrieved 28th May 2010.
  19. ^ Birmingham Mail Website Your News - Students Appeal for Sponsors, InterVol Thailand Project. Retrieved 28th May 2010.
  20. ^ Child Welfare Scheme Website Details of volunteer programme. Retrieved 28th May 2010.
  21. ^ New Future for Children Website Details of orphanage and volunteer programme. Retrieved 29th May 2010.
  22. ^ University of Birmingham Website Buzz Magazine - Birmingham's Year in Volunteering, page 4. Retrieved 1st of June 2010.
  23. ^ Partnership for Sustainable Development (PSD) Nepal Website Details of August 2007 InterVol project. Retrieved 28th May 2010.
  24. ^ University of Birmingham Website Honey Pot Funding - Teaching and building in Nepal. Retrieved 28th May 2010.
  25. ^ Merazonia Website Details of trafficked animals volunteer programme. Retrieved 29th May 2010.
  26. ^ Tropic Website Details of Huaorani voluntourism programme] Retrieved 29th of May 2010.
  27. ^ Oxford Development Abroad (ODA) Website Details of SVOP members. Retrieved 29th of May 2010.
  28. ^ Challenge Africa Website Details of volunteer programme and InterVol volunteers. Retrieved 29th May 2010.
  29. ^ Little Sports Organisation Website Details of charity and programmes. Retrieved 29th May 2010.
  30. ^ Ilkley Gazette Website Student takes sport to slum children. Retrieved 29th of May 2010.
  31. ^ Oxford Aid to the Balkans (OXAB) Website Details of Kosovo project and evaluation report. Retrieved 29th of May 2010.
  32. ^ University of Nottingham Student Volunteering Projects Website Details of the InterVol (formerly Dreams of Africa) project at Nottingham University. Retrieved 30th July 2010.
  33. ^ Little Big Africa Website Details of university volunteering programme. Retrieved 30th July 2010.
  34. ^ Charity Commission Website Details of InterVol's charity status. Retrieved 1st of June 2010.
  35. ^ Charity Commission Official Website Details of removal of charity status. Retrieved 28th of May 2010.
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