Image source: Globalvolunteernetwork.org
It’s a wonderful thing when entrepreneurs discover an important niche, especially when that niche serves the greater public good. Over the past few weeks I’ve explored several volunteer networks: sites that connect volunteers with projects that need their help. I don’t think we can ever have enough of these networks. With so many volunteer/voluntour opportunities out there, no single site can serve them all. These sites are critical for the industry. As we’ve explored before, they work like filters, sorting the good from the bad. And they also give volunteers a voice, allowing them to share their experiences and to continue giving back to the organizations they support. One of the volunteer organizations I found while researching one of these sites (GoOverseas.com) was Global Volunteer Network (GVN), a company that places volunteers worldwide. They have placed over 15,500 volunteers over the past 10 years.
Image source: Facebook.com
On Go Overseas, GVN received very high reviews from volunteers: a 96% overall rating. I kept reading. A thorough review offered a presumably unbiased third-party perspective. Of course, on the Internet you never know if sock puppetry is going on behind the scenes, but from what I can tell, this review is from an experienced volunteer reviewer. According to the byline, her name is Sarah Palmer and she’s been “educating others about international volunteering for six years.” She details everything about the organization, from information about placements, to the application process, to details about community support for GVN projects.
Image source: Kenyahope2009.com
GVN is based in New Zealand. It’s focused on working with local partners, in keeping with a familiar trend: making the most of local know-how to attack local problems. They value relationships, like an old-school businessman. Volunteering relies so heavily on local goodwill and the participation of local people in the volunteer experience. Without that, the experience is inauthentic and often counterproductive. GVN, like other responsible organizations I’ve profiled here, cares deeply about creating sustainable, effective change wherever they work.
Image source: Theplanetd.com
Maybe I’m a nerd, but I found it exciting and fascinating to discover an organization through a vetted network. Until now, I’ve been doing all of the research on my own despite my constant support of the networks I’m reviewing. Somehow I thought it was my job to do the legwork, even while I encouraged volunteers to make the most of the online tools, the networks, available to them. I still value the balanced perspective one gets from consulting multiple sources but the networks do exactly what they promise: organize and collect reviews to create a well-rounded portrait of an organization.