Program Search Results

Goal of Program

FIDESCO USA recruits volunteers, ages 21 and through 68 (for a two year mission) or 69 (for a one year mission), who are US or Canadian citizens or legal residents. The mission comes to a mandatory end on the eve of the volunteer's 70th birthday. They are trained and sent (including families whose children will attend grades 4 and 5 or lower grades during the mission), in groups of two or more, to under-served areas of the world for typically two years. The volunteers make their professional skills available to those in need, aiming at the full development of human beings without regard to religion, ethnic or culture differences.

Type of Placement

Healthcare, paramedical, business management, agriculture, education, social work, information technology, finance, engineering, law, architecture, construction, project management, special needs projects and more.

Service Area

Asia, Africa, Central and South America, Caribbean, Pacific.

Service Length

Typically 1 to 2 years

Program Size

170 volunteers - who are sent as a team of 2 volunteers or more. The mission size varies: in Guinea, a Dispensary of 42 employees and 6 volunteers and a mission in South Africa with 1 family.

Requirements

College degree or equivalent or applicable experience. Attend FIDESCO discernment & training sessions. Able to travel and live abroad. US citizen/resident with green card or Canadian citizen/resident.

Financial Arrangements

A modest and just stipend as defined per local customs and per project assignment, healthcare insurance, and paid round-trip to mission assignment.

Living Arrangements

As the minimum, individual bedrooms for singles. We find special accommodations for families and couples.

Training

A spring discernment weekend, then video/teleconference training over 2 months, and a summer week training in France with all FIDESCO volunteers (from all nations) going on mission after the training.

Application Deadline

Applications accepted through March for annual summer send-off after summer training in France.

Start Date

Apply by March to qualify for the annual summer training & send-off