International Volunteers
// programmes - MTV programme
- About the MTV Programme
- MTV Destinations
- mtv support and preparation
- MTV Programme Costs
- Terms and Conditions
- Application Procedure
MTV Programme Quicklinks
// MTV programme
Concordia offers a Medium Term Volunteer (MTV) programme. MTV projects usually last between 1 and 6 months (occasionally projects are available for up to 12 months, depending on experience) and take place with some of our partner organisations in Europe, Asia, North America, Central America and Africa.
MTV projects tend to be individual rather than group based. They respond to a need for organisations to have a volunteer present for a longer period than the traditional two to four week project.
MTV projects aim to support the development of local communities and to provide a non-formal intercultural learning experience for young people. For volunteers it is an opportunity to get to know a country and community in more depth and to make a more sustained commitment to a particular project.
The types of project available vary widely depending on country and host organisation. However, they can generally be split into two main categories.
Project placements
These projects are hosted by local community-based organisations. Projects could involve:
- conservation
- renovation
- archaeology
- construction
- the arts
- working with children or people with special needs
- teaching
The projects take place throughout the year and last for 1 to 12 months. You will usually be placed either individually or with one or two other volunteers, although there may be some involvement with international volunteer groups during the course of the placement.
Project details will be published on our website as soon as we receive them and can also be made available in paper copy if necessary.
Office placements with our partner organisations
If you have already participated in a Standard or North South Project, you can apply for one of the office volunteer placements available within our (mainly European) partner organisations during the busy summer season.
These placements will take place between the end of February and the end of August (exact times and length of placement depend on organisation) and will consist mainly of office-based work:
- dealing with the placement of international volunteers
- answering general enquiries by telephone, fax and email
- helping out with the preparation and training weekends
- general administrative tasks
There will often be the chance to co-ordinate an international volunteer project during your placement.
The summer season can be very demanding so you will need to be committed, flexible and prepared to work long hours where necessary. You will also need to be able to speak the local language to some degree (variable according to the partner and the work they need you to do) and have some previous administrative experience. With the right experience and attitude, these posts provide an excellent opportunity to experience the day-to-day operations of an international volunteer organisation.
Some of our partner organisations also offer positions that combine helping in the office with administration and leading or co-leading projects. These placements also take place between March and August.
As mentioned above essential criteria to participate in these projects is previous experience in either one of our Standard or North South projects, as the positions covered require a thorough understanding of what a volunteer project is.
Office placements are between 3-6 months in length. Project placements will vary between 1 and 12 months depending on the needs of the host organisation. Some of our partner organisations in the South run projects of up to 12 months in length, however for these projects we will ask that participants initially apply for a six month period, with an option of extending this if desired.
Requirements such as age, language ability and specific experience will vary according to the specific project and will be clearly indicated in the project details. As the MTV programme is still quite new to Concordia, we will also have quite strict requirements for participants. For projects over 3 months, or any taking place in the South, you must:
- Be aged 20+
- Have previous relevant experience. This will ideally be previous volunteer experience with Concordia. However, we will also consider applicants who have volunteer/travel experience for a similar amount of time and in similar conditions to those on the proposed project
- Be motivated, flexible and committed. You must be prepared to participate fully both in the work and in the cultural exchange with the host organisation and local community
- Commit to carrying out a full written evaluation on your return, which is essential feedback for Concordia
- Participate in a preparation weekend if participating in a MTV project through the North South programme