Working in Partnerships

Creating projects through partnerships

UNA Exchange projects are designed by local communities, for local communities.  We work in close co-operation with over 80 partner organisations worldwide.  These are all independent organisations who share our values and our belief in not-for-profit international volunteering.

Our partners work with communities to create projects that will make a real difference to local people.


How our international partnerships work
  • Each organisation runs a programme of projects in its own country and sends volunteers to participate in projects abroad.
  • UNA Exchange does not organise any projects outside Wales but acts as a sending organisation for UK volunteers. Likewise, UNA Exchange receives volunteers from our international partners to take part in our projects in Wales.
  • This system of volunteer exchange has been established over many years and enables volunteer costs to be kept to a minimum.
  • Working with trusted partner organisations means that we can be confident that the projects are of a high standard. It also means that we can communicate quickly and easily with the project where you are placed.

International networks

Volunteer exchanges with our partners are coordinated by international networks. UNA Exchange is a founder member of the Alliance of European Voluntary Service organisations, and most of our partners are members of the Alliance.  All our partner organisations are members of a global network, the Co-ordinating Committee of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS, part of UNESCO).

 

                    
                

Our international networks provide minimum standards for member organisations to support international volunteering. For example the Alliance’s Quality Charter. 

If you are not resident in the UK and want to find out if there is an organisation similar to UNA Exchange in your own country, please visit the websites of the Allliance or CCIVS.


Why is working with partners so important?
  • We can be confident that the projects we send you on are well organised and addressing local needs.
  • Our partners support us to communicate quickly and easily with the project where you are volunteering.
  • Working with our partners enables us to help you prepare for your project.
  • UNA Exchange and our partners work to shared codes of practice and meet regularly to review our projects.
  • The two-way nature of our programmes ensures that we are able to offer international opportunities to young people from the communities in which we work.