About Volunteers For Peace

Founded in 1982, VFP is a non-profit membership organization. We do not have any political or religious agenda. We are partner to a large network of similar organizations worldwide. Our goal is to work toward a more peaceful world through the promotion of International Voluntary Service (IVS) projects, historically known as International Workcamps, and the exchange of volunteers. Through our international alliances, we work together to help communities meet local needs and some of the goals of the United Nation's Millennium Declaration.

Our projects provide intercultural education through community service. We offer placement in over 3000 IVS projects in more than 100 countries each year, including over 40 in the USA. At each project, volunteers from diverse backgrounds, typically from four or more countries, work and live together like a family. The sharing of everyday life, both with the local community and among the international volunteers, is an integral part of the learning and serving experience. Most projects are open to volunteers with any type of background and do not require any specific professional or language skills.

There are many types of work available because projects arise from grassroots local community needs. Most projects are 2-3 weeks long. Accommodations vary widely, but usually volunteers share the same living space, doing all their own cleaning and food preparation on a rotating basis.

Our placement fees are very affordable. A $300 registration fee covers most projects except those taking place in developing countries. A VFP membership fee of $30 is also required for placement. The registration fee covers food, accommodations and work materials for the duration of the project. Volunteers arrange and pay for their own transportation to and from each project. We hope that you will join us!

Our services include providing consultation to past, present and future volunteers. We also serve as a placement service for project hosts and volunteers, linking people with projects. Our projects foster international education, voluntary service and friendship. Over the past 28 years we have exchanged over 28,000 volunteers in international projects world-wide.

VFP is a Vermont non-profit membership corporation with tax exempt status (501 (c) (3), as determined by the IRS. We are a member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) at UNESCO and works in cooperation with Service Civil International (SCI), the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations, and International Youth Action for Peace (YAP). The history of International Voluntary Service dates back more than 85 years. Our office staff, Board, Advisory Board and thousands of volunteers in the field help to facilitate these projects. Within the CCIVS network, over 100,000 volunteers are exchanged annually. In 2008, VFP exchanged over 1000 volunteers with our partners abroad.

VFP is located at 1800 feet in the Green Mountains of Vermont, in the village of Belmont within the Town of Mt. Holly.

The VFP Board has adopted a policy protecting the privacy of our volunteers & donors. We never loan or sell our membership list or provide contacts to anyone without prior approval. A conflict of interest statement has also been approved by the Board. In the interest of transparency, our most recent IRS 990 form is available for viewing as a PDF file to the general public.

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Volunteers For Peace Mission Statement

Volunteers For Peace promotes International Voluntary Service as an effective means of intercultural education, service learning and community development. We provide projects where people from diverse backgrounds can work together to help overcome the need, violence and environmental challenges facing our planet. Our projects are truly a microcosm of a world where nations join together to improve life on our planet.  They are a practical way to both prevent and resolve conflict. By participating in a voluntary service project, volunteers help sow the seeds of a better future for us all.

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What Are International Voluntary Service Projects?

International Voluntary Service Projects emerged from war-torn Europe back in 1920. They are known abroad as International Workcamps. They are an affordable and meaningful way that you can travel, live and work in a foreign country. The average cost for a 2 - 3 week project is $300.

Intercultural immersion, communicating and adapting is what the Projects are all about. They are a way you can respond positively to the many challenges facing our planet by getting to know people and working with them to improve their lives in some tangible way. Because our projects arise from local needs there is a wide variety of work types available. For many, they are a good way to "test the waters" of international service prior to joining longer term programs like the Peace Corps.

Volunteers in each project usually come from four or more countries. You will have fun building bonds with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Volunteers learn a lot about themselves, one another and the social, cultural and political conditions that exist throughout the world. Discussions on issues of common concern, free-time activities and local excursions are an integral part of every project.

It may seem incredible that, through VFP, you can live in a foreign country for 2-3 weeks for as little as $300. The registration fee, which you pay to VFP, is used in part to help cover the costs of hosting and insuring foreign volunteers serving in the US. Our incoming foreign volunteers pay a registration fee to sending organizations in their home country. VFP works with these foreign partner organizations and exchanges volunteers like you. Camp costs in all countries are low because housing is simple, often donated and the volunteers usually prepare their own meals. VFP strives to keep administrative costs low.

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Achievement Awards

On June 1st 2008, Peter Coldwell (VFP Founder & President) and Volunteers For Peace received the Jack Hickey, O.P. Award from Vermont Dismas House.

VT Dismas House reconciles prisoners with society and society with prisoners. For many years Volunteers For Peace has organized projects alongside Dismas House of Vermont at both of their Vermont locations, Burlington & Rutland. In the 1990s VFP Volunteers worked on readying the house for occupancy and in the summer of 2007 VFP Volunteers from around the world helped paint the exterior of the Rutland House. Dismas House has hosted individuals from Kenya, Japan, Belgium, Germany, Italy, England and South Korea. These volunteers live in community with Dismas House residents while helping staff with their work.

VFP was honored with an e-achievement award from etown in 2006 for the impact of our international voluntary service projects.

etown is a weekly radio broadcast on NPR® offering high quality programs of diverse music and conversation in order to entertain, educate and engage a wide audience in appreciating and protecting our cultural and natural resources.

In 2002, VFP received the Daily Point of Light Award from the Points of Light Foundation, supported by both Presidents Bush and Clinton.

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