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A global movement of volunteers working effectively for a world where no one is left behind.

Welcome to Forum

The International Forum for Volunteering in Development (Forum) is a global network of organisations that work through volunteers to achieve sustainable development. We promote and support responsible and impactful volunteering through convening, research, and standards.

Join us for IVCO 2025 – Strengthening Civil Society in Challenging Times

IVCO 2025 will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia from the 14th to the 18th of September, in partnership with the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia. This year’s theme, Strengthening Civil Society in Challenging Times, will open the door to critical and timely conversations about the pivotal role that volunteers play in civil society, and how we can counter challenges to a thriving civil society.

Visit the IVCO Website to learn more, browse the programme, apply to speak and register for IVCO 2025.

Introducing the Global Volunteering Standard

The Global Volunteering Standard is a framework that sets out the volunteering for development sector’s collective understanding of good practice.

The Standard acts as a starting point for volunteer-based organisations to assess their practices and make changes that will help them be more responsible and impactful in their work. The Standard considers all the actors involved in a volunteer placement, from the volunteers to their organisation, project partners, the wider community, funders and other key stakeholders.

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The Global Volunteering Standard Platform

The Global Volunteering Standard Platform is the first global online-based one-stop shop for good practice in volunteering for development. Forum designed the Platform to bring the Global Standard in Volunteering principles to life and put them into practice.

Developed by the volunteering sector, for the volunteering sector, the Platform is the ultimate resource providing those who work with volunteers with practical tools to assess, monitor and improve programmes and practice, while giving access to the most extensive global library of volunteer resources.