Embargoed until 00:01 Saturday 15 March

VSO welcomes 50th anniversary pension boost for health workers volunteering in developing countries

International development charity VSO today (Saturday 15 March) welcomed the announcement by Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, of more support for public sector workers who want to volunteer overseas. The charity hailed the announcement of £13 million to fund pension contributions for health workers whilst they volunteer as a strong endorsement of international volunteering.

Public servants who choose to share their skills and give their time to help some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in developing countries, currently miss out on pension contributions when they volunteer. The new fund, unveiled at VSO’s 50th anniversary celebration at London’s Royal Festival Hall, will ensure health workers’ pension contributions are maintained whilst they are volunteering overseas.

Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of VSO said:

“This move is a strong and welcome endorsement by the Government of international volunteering. It recognises the critical contribution that health professionals can make to the fight against poverty through sharing their professional skills. It also acknowledges the huge benefits they then bring back to public service in the UK when they return with refined skills and a strong sense of personal and professional growth.“

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development highlighted:

“Volunteering brings vital skills and energy to our efforts to tackle poverty in the developing world. And now the Government is providing more support and encouragement for those who have skills to share.

“Volunteering plays a valuable role in our society, not just in helping to reduce global poverty, but in the wealth of experience volunteers will bring back to the UK and into public service. That VSO is celebrating its 50th anniversary is a testament to the strength and importance of volunteering in our society.”

VSO is the world's leading international development organisation working through skilled volunteers. With 3,300 volunteers in 49 countries since 1958, health volunteers are a crucial part of VSO’s work overseas. The charity aims to support disadvantaged people in fulfilling their rights to physical, mental and social well-being and to accessing good quality essential services. Seven of VSO’s country programmes have a specific health goal, and 20 programmes work on HIV & AIDS in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Health volunteers have contributed to VSO’s positive footprint in developing countries since the early 1960s:

• In 1962, one of the first health volunteers, Tony Howell worked in Labrador, using a portable x-ray machine to scan the native people for TB.
• By 1968, 118 qualified medical volunteers were placed overseas with VSO, 63 of which were nurses, and14 physiotherapists.
• By 1980, 9% of VSO placements were in health work, rising to 14% in 1990.
• In 1999, VSO began work on HIV & AIDS – not just involving health workers, but also working with campaigning and support organisations for people living with HIV & AIDS.
• Today, 10% of all VSO volunteers are from health; a figure VSO hope to increase through the governments pension support for public service health workers.

Alongside positive health contributions made by VSO volunteers, placements also offer real life experience and satisfaction to those involved. After 24 years spent nursing in Dundee, Pam Wilson decided it was time for a change. She volunteered as a clinical nurse instructor at Malawi’s College of Health Science in Zomba.

“As a clinical nurse instructor, I taught both at the college and on the wards of Zomba Central Hospital. I also travelled all around the southern half of Malawi supervising students in their clinical placements at rural hospitals and health clinics.”

“It was a wonderful, fulfilling and very rewarding experience; I truly settled into living and working there. I was there since April 2005 and enjoyed it so much that I’m extended my placement by nine months. I would urge other health professionals to come forward and make a real difference to those who truly need our help”.

Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary & Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said: “Nurses who volunteer make huge personal and financial sacrifices to help improve the healthcare systems in developing countries.

“This government recognition of the sacrifice that volunteers make will go a long way to ensuring NHS staff who volunteer overseas are not penalised by missing out on valuable pensions contributions. We hope this will encourage even more nurses to share their skills and expertise by volunteering to work in developing nations.

“Not only does volunteering make a life-and-death difference in developing countries, but it also reaps significant personal benefits for the volunteers, as well as for NHS employers. Many report that staff return to work with an even stronger commitment to nursing as well as with better leadership and project management skills. We hope in future that suitable incentives will be found for staff working in the independent sector as well, who are not part of the NHS pension scheme.”

VSO is currently recruiting professionals with experience in health promotion, midwifery, HIV & AIDS, occupational therapy, mental health and biomedical science.

To find out more about volunteering with VSO and the pension scheme go to: www.vso.org.uk/publicpensions or call 020 8780 7500.

ENDS

For further information please contact George Ames on: 020 7403 2230, george@forster.co.uk

Notes to Editors

• VSO is the world's leading independent international development organisation working through skilled volunteers around the world.
• Please visit www.vso.org.uk
• All public service positions are eligible for the scheme. There are no minimum or maximum age restrictions. Volunteering positions must last between 6 and 24 months overseas.