ISV offers a variety of projects in each host country. Please refer to each specific country page to see a list of the type of projects available along with ISV's partner organizations. Depending on host country, either conservation and/or community development projects will be offered, as below:
Australia: Conservation Costa Rica: Conservation and Community Development/Support Dominican Republic: Community Development Ecuador: Conservation and Community Development/Support New Zealand: Conservation Thailand: Conservation and Community Development/Support USA: Conservation
Participants are invited to submit a project preference upon being allocated a host country and departure date. This will come by email in the form of a project questionnaire. Participants who do not submit or return the completed questionnaire by email to the ISV office no later than 65 days prior to departure will be considered as having 'no project preference'.
ISV always endeavors to fulfill participants' project preferences. However, project assignment is dependent upon a number of factors, some of which vary by host country. Some factors common to each host country include:
Project availability: Some projects are available on specific dates only. Hence, depending on your assigned departure date, only certain projects will be available.
Limited space: Many projects have a maximum number of participants. Often this is about 10 to 20 participants per project (although this number varies according to host country).
Academic credit: Participants that decide to take the academic credit option with ISV must be placed on an approved academic credit project with a qualified academic credit supervisor (project leader).
Friend Preference: Participants may advise ISV if they wish to be placed on the same ISV program as their friend(s). Again due to limited space, this may also have some effect on project assignment.
Participants will be assigned to their volunteer work project approximately 30 days prior to departure. At this time they will be sent their project description. The project description will outline the goals of the program, background information on the host organization, the type of accommodation, the volunteer tasks, suggested reading materials, packing suggestions, health and safety considerations and much more.
Dietary information: Participants should advise ISV (by email or on their ISV application) if they are vegetarian. Participants with very specific dietary requirements may be required to supplement ISV included meals with additional foods at their own expense.
Medical information: Participants must advise ISV (by email or on their ISV application) of any pre-existing or current medical conditions and/or allergies.
Project leader: Each ISV volunteer group will be accompanied by an ISV project leader. The ISV project leader's role is to liaise with the host organization and to supervise the ISV group's safety and work activities. ISV project leaders are also responsible for facilitating group discussion sessions and assisting participants write their daily field journal. Project leaders will email ISV participants in their group approximately 2 to 3 weeks prior to departure; participants where possible are encouraged to reply.
