Projects Abroad (formerly Teaching & Projects Abroad) is a commercial volunteer travel organisation based in the United Kingdom.
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Projects Abroad was a founding member of the Year Out Group and is a member of the IVPA (International Volunteer Programs Association). The organization is also affiliated with the Reconstruction Project (later renamed the Projects Abroad Foundation) which was set up following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Funds from the Projects Abroad Foundation go to projects improving education, alleviation of poverty, human rights and the environment with no administration costs.
History
Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 (then known as Teaching Abroad) by Dr. Peter Slowe. After a few years sending volunteers to Eastern Europe teaching the organization expanded to sending volunteers around the world doing a wide range of projects.[8] After becoming Teaching & Projects Abroad, it became simply Projects Abroad in 2007. Projects Abroad now has recruitment offices in a number of countries around the world.
To date, Projects Abroad has over 20 years of experience on organizing volunteer and internship projects overseas. They are situated in continents all around the world with programs in Argentina, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Samoa, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, and Vietnam. The organization has placed 60,000 volunteers all over the world and offers programs anywhere from child care and teaching, conservation, disaster relief building projects, to medical and dentistry missions. Projects Abroad places local staff in each destination as to provide constant support for international volunteers and organize all aspects of the journey. The volunteer is accommodated with a carefully-chosen host family in most programs which helps integrate an individual into the culture of their visited country.
The organization ensures security to their volunteers through placement in secure facilities. No individual can be sent to a country that is not stable at the time of travel or that is estimated to become unstable during the duration of their trip. All placement and accommodation details, including the location in which a volunteer will work, is provided before departure from one's country of origin to ensure that they are comfortable and prepared before arriving to their placement. Local staff make arrangements for each volunteer to be picked up from orientation where after they are given a thorough orientation and background on anything from culture in the city to transportation.
Media coverage
(March 2011) Breaking Travel News, Projects Abroad Provides Support for Fleeing Refugees
(April 2011) Le Devoir, Veterinaires Sans Frontieres
(July 2011) New York Times, Learn a Language While You Volunteer
(November 2011) San Francisco Chronicle, Volontouring Offers New Way to Experience Mexico
(May 2012) Al Jeezera English, Cambodia's Orphan Business
(May 2012) Boston Globe, Projects Abroad Helps US Teens Volunteer Overseas
(May 2012) Jamaica Observer, Projects Abroad Gets Support From Partners in Manchester
(April 2013) Los Angeles Times, Projects Abroad Gives Teens a Chance to Lend a Hand
(May 2013) Jamaica Gleaner, Projects Abroad Aims To Impact Lives
(June 2013) Modern Ghana, Projects Abroad Supports 400 Kids
(August 2013) The Jet Fiji, Foreign Students Volunteer in Holiday School
(August 2013) The Hindu, A Different Project for School Students
(November 2013) WSJ Market Watch, The Best Holiday Jobs for Boomers
(November 2013) International Business Times, How to Help The Philippines After Typhoon Haiyan As A Volunteer Or Tourist
(November 2013) Jaunted, Projects Abroad is Already Organizing Typhoon Relief Volunteer Trips to Philippines
(May 2014) USA Today, Delay College for a Gap Year
(June 2014) Vancouver Sun, Summer Internships Allow Students to Sharpen Skills, Explore the World
(February 2015) International Business Times, Alternative Spring Breaks 2015: 5 Opportunities at Cool Destinations
(February 2015) Los Angeles Times, Want to give high school students the world? Projects Abroad can help
(May 2015) Los Angeles Times, Want to help rebuild Nepal? Projects Abroad is organizing relief trips
(July 2015) Samoa Observer, Volunteer helps tackle mental health challenges in Samoa