WorkingAbroad was established in Switzerland in 1997 by two ex-volunteers after they had travelled extensively and worked as volunteers abroad in India, Ecuador, the USA and Thailand.
We felt very privileged to have had the chance to work, learn and interact with people from different cultures and social and economic backgrounds. Seeing the vast opportunities to work with various projects or causes, we felt it necessary to communicate this to others. After returning from our volunteer travels, we started riding our bicycles around the countryside, and putting up posters all over the place asking people if they wanted to volunteer abroad! We went to Universities, book shops, travel agents, student cafes – you name it. A lot of people had no idea how to find their way or even consider how to volunteer abroad with charities – it was an unknown area. We both felt like we had lifted the lid on something that opened up to the world. Twenty years later, we are very happy to see thousands of volunteers who have passed through our organisation and and who have contributed enormously to all our projects in the field. – Andreas Kornevall & Vicky McNeil, Founders of WorkingAbroad
WorkingAbroad moved to East Sussex in the UK in 2000 where it has been thriving ever since. Our staff live in different parts of the UK and our wonderful interns and bloggers live as far as Canada and South Africa!