International Development Charity VSO celebrates 50th Anniversary: Welsh volunteer in first ever VSO group to Ghana

VSO, the world’s leading development organisation, begins the countdown this week to its 50th anniversary on Sunday, by celebrating the contribution volunteers from Wales have made worldwide. Wales volunteers have been involved right from the start with John Grundy from Penarth being one of the very first volunteers, when he travelled to Ghana in 1958.

From Cambodia to Cameroon, South Africa to Sri Lanka, India to Indonesia, over 750 Welsh residents have volunteered in 51 countries in the 50 years since VSO was set up. During that time, the type of person volunteering has changed greatly to meet differing needs. From the original ‘gap year’ students of the 1950s to highly experienced volunteers today with an average age of 41, VSO volunteers skills have progressed from a keenness to do something worthwhile to a much more strategic emphasis on tangible, transferable professional skills. Indeed, Welsh volunteers have shared skills and experience right across the globe from occupations as diverse as architect, midwife trainer, agricultural economist, English teacher, forester, accountant, pharmacy lecturer, physiotherapist, marketing advisor, doctor, and organisational development advisor.

The Welsh, along with volunteers from an increasing number of countries, have done much to help VSO meet changing global needs across the last five decades:

• 1950s: Wales’ involvement with VSO begins with John Grundy’s trip to Ghana.
• 1960s: VSO works with victims of leprosy and supports countries preparing for decolonisation.
• 1970s: VSO focuses more on professional skills as it places its last school leaver overseas.
• 1980s: The average age of a VSO volunteer rises to 28 and 1,125 volunteers are overseas.
• 1990s: VSO is invited to help rebuild the destroyed education system in Rwanda, post genocide and at the end of the decade launches VSO Business Partnerships, enabling companies to release staff for placements of between three months and two years.
• 2000s: VSO begins recruiting volunteers from Kenya, Uganda, India and the Philippines in recognition that people living in developing countries also have skills and experience to share and a right to participate in volunteering.
• 2008: VSO and Public Service Management Wales form a partnership to enable public sector managers to volunteer overseas for eight weeks. The first seven volunteers are currently working in public and voluntary services in Cameroon and Zambia.

Recently, a regional survey revealed that 72% of Welsh people believe skills to be the most valuable thing we can pass onto others; more important even than money. On their 50th anniversary, VSO are urging people to put their skills to good use and come forward to volunteer, and reach out to communities on the other side of the world.

Jonathan Dimbleby, President of VSO said:

"I've been involved with VSO for many years. What is essential, and what I've seen time and time again, is the on the ground partnership and genuine sharing of skills. The impact on the individuals and organisations with whom we work is far greater and far more sustained than you might imagine of a charity of VSO's size. Relationships are forged that endure. Relationships that are extremely useful in both countries.

There is no question that people who do VSO find it a life changing experience, as anyone who has done VSO will testify. Whether they belong to an earlier generation when volunteering was done in a much more simple way, or whether they are high fliers from business or public sector doing a short term placement today, they are hugely affected by it and it changes their world perspective. They may have been sympathetic before, but after volunteering they see the country they volunteered in as part of a set of greater challenges globally. They become ambassadors for internationalism and this could not be more important than now, amongst the backdrop of global challenges we face."

Philip Champness, 62, from Cardiff volunteered with VSO in 1967 in Kenya as teacher and again in 2007 when he returned to Kenya to work as a management consultant facilitating the merger of two development organisations in Nairobi.

“It was wonderful to go back,” he says. “Forty years later I think the real achievement of VSO for me has been the strength and quality of long lasting cross-cultural friendships. The continuing engagement with people who have different perspectives and values is a valuable source of learning and enjoyment. It has helped set the direction for my life and work.”

To find out more about volunteering with VSO go to: www.vso.org.uk or call 020 8780 7500.

ENDS.

For more information, footage and stills or to set up an interview with a returned volunteer please contact George Ames, 020 7403 2230, george@forster.co.uk A Welsh-language speaker is available for interview on request.

Notes to Editors

• VSO is the world's leading independent international development organisation working through skilled volunteers around the world.
• www.vso.org.uk
• For Wales’ volunteering footprint over the last 50 years and case studies see separate sheet.
• Archive broadcast quality footage and stills are available of VSO through the ages.