Testimonials
"I'm sure when I ponder my life experiences, during the twilight of my years, I will regard my six weeks in Thailand as six of the most sensational weeks of my life... I traveled to Thailand hoping for an enriching experience. What I found exceeded my wildest expectations."
Chris Cox, International Health Program, Thailand
LONG TERM OVERSEAS VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS & INTERNSHIPS : 9 WEEKS TO 6 MONTHS
Are you looking for an enriching overseas volunteer experience involving international community development and training?  Whether you are a mid-career professional, an active retiree, or a student looking for an in-depth volunteer abroad/international internship experience, GSC’s longer term Overseas Volunteer Programs are for you.

GSC has created long-term volunteer abroad assignments and international internship programs for volunteer participants who want to gain first-hand experience of international development work through hands-on service-learning. These longer volunteer programs are available in all GSC Program areas in Cambodia, Thailand, and Tanzania, in both long-term and internship formats.  GSC’s International Internship Programs are scheduled to meet the minimum duration requirements of academic institutions (nine weeks); however, long-term GSC Overseas Volunteer Programs can be arranged for any length of time from nine weeks or more.

GSC’s International Internships Program is ideal for students looking to gain academic credit or fulfill university internship/service requirements.  Academic credit can be arranged through SUNY-Albany or through your own college or university.

All participants go through our Training of Trainers (TOT) Program, which includes language skill-building, education about local culture, and development training.  Once trained as trainers, volunteer participants then work with GSC staff and partner development professionals who share technical expertise on community training and GSC’s service projects.  These volunteer community training and service projects have grown and evolved over the years, earning GSC its current recognition as a leading community development organization.

Long Term Overseas Volunteer Programs In Tanzania

Tanzania Community Training Program

The Community Training Program is designed for individuals who are specifically interested in working with and training community groups.  Community Training participants may choose to focus on either HIV/AIDS Prevention and Nutrition Education or Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security. These volunteers are also encouraged, although not required, to take on an additional volunteer project in their extra time. Participants will have the opportunity to work with a local orphanage, support home-based care projects, and when appropriate, assist GSC’s Community Development volunteers with on-going development projects with local organizations.

By the end of the Tanzania Long-Term Community Training Program, participants will have provided life-saving information to the community.  They will have gained valuable training experience in their chosen field, as well as a greater understanding of project monitoring and evaluation. The minimum time commitment to this GSC program is at least nine weeks.

Tanzania Community Development Program

The Tanzania Community Development Program is designed for individuals who are interested in an in-depth experience of international development work. Participants explore the intricacies of international development by assisting with sustainable community development projects, implemented by GSC or one of its partners. This program requires a minimum three-month commitment. Community Development volunteers may choose to focus on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Nutrition Education, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, or on both areas in a six-month program.

Community Development participants receive one to two weeks of orientation and training, participate in three to four weeks of community training, and spend the remainder of their program time supporting a local community development organization.

Tanzania International Health Program

The Tanzania International Health Program is a great option for health professionals, but it is also designed to accommodate individuals interested in medicine or international or public health. After completing the one-week orientation and training, volunteers spend the next eight weeks or more providing HIV/AIDS prevention training to community members, shadowing medical staff at local healthcare facilities and supporting a community health project.  Community development project options include assisting with development and staff training on a hospital telemedicine project, working with a local orphanage, providing further HIV/AIDS prevention training, supporting GSC’s Peer Education Health Clubs, and assisting GSC’s Community Development participants with on-going development projects.  Project assignments will be determined based on the needs of the community during the volunteers’ program.

Tanzania International Health Program participants who are licensed health care professionals, such as doctors, nurses, or EMTs, can share their skills and knowledge by working directly with Tanzanian physicians and nurses. Tanzania licensing requirements do not easily allow volunteer participants to be directly involved in patient care or clinical work. Therefore, the shadowing aspect of the International Health Program is primarily educational and observational with care and clinical work dependent on the needs of the supervising clinician. 

Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Food Security Integrated Program

Designed for individuals with multiple programmatic interests, the HIV/AIDS and Food Security Integrated Program allows volunteers to participate in both the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Nutrition Education and the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security short-term or longer programs offered in Tanzania. The Integrated Program requires a nine-week minimum commitment.

Long Term Overseas Volunteer Programs In Thailand

Long-term assignments and internships are also available as options within GSC’s Teach English Abroad and Orphanage Care in Thailand.  At the start of each long-term program, interns undergo a six-day orientation and training period that begins upon arrival in Bangkok and concludes at the GSC orientation center in Singburi.  The orientation and training include Thai language lessons, discussions on Thai culture, and an introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).

GSC works with each participant to assist them in selecting the appropriate long-term program. Every effort is made to ensure that both the needs of the participant and the community are met during the internship. All volunteers, regardless of the focus they choose, spend some of their time teaching English as a second language. 
 
Integrated Thailand Long-term Programs

Opportunities are available for volunteers in Thailand to combine projects into an integrated program.  To find more information on Thailand Integrated Programs, please click here or contact the GSC headquarters, where the Thailand Program Coordinator can work with you to select the best integrated option.