The world’s largest independent volunteer sending organisation, VSO, celebrates its 50th birthday this year. It was launched in 1958 and on 19 May that year, the first Voluntary Service Overseas volunteers (thirteen 18-year-old men) left the UK to give a year’s voluntary service in Ghana, Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Sarawak.

Since then, VSO has sent over 30,000 volunteers to work in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Eastern Europe in response to requests from governments and community organisations. ‘Celebrity’ volunteers include the BBC’s Brian Hanrahan, Channel Four’s Jon Snow, Gillian Merron, Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for International Development, and Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer. At any one time VSO have around 1,500 people working in placements in up to 34 countries. The original ‘gap year’ students have disappeared – today’s volunteers often have tangible, transferable professional skills and a deal of experience, with an average age of 41. Most placements are for two years, but can be as short as two weeks. Volunteers can be aged between 18 and 75 years old, and must have a formal qualification and some work experience. Though founded in Britain, VSO now takes volunteers from an increasing range of countries and backgrounds, with partner agencies in Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands, the Philippines, India and Ireland. “What is essential, and what I’ve seen time and time again, is the on-the-ground partnership and genuine sharing of skills,” said VSO President, broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby. “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, added Dimbleby, “it changes their world perspective... They become ambassadors for internationalism and this could not be more important than now, amongst the backdrop of global challenges we face.” Speaking at London’s Royal Festival Hall at an event held to celebrate VSO’s 50th anniversary, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander took the opportunity to announce that DFID (who provide more than 70% of VSO’s income) would be providing £3 million to support a VSO initiative to encourage more people from diaspora communities in the UK to volunteer in developing countries. He said, “In the last 50 years (VSO) has grown to become quite literally a great British institution, and a source of national pride.”