ICS FAQ

International Citizen Service (ICS) is a government funded development programme that brings together young people to make a difference in some of the poorest communities around the world. al. The programme is delivered by respected development organisations , including Lattitude Global Volunteering, under the direction of the central ICS Hub. The purpose of the programme is work towards three development outcomes:

1. Project impact overseas
2. Volunteer Personal development
3. Active citizens in UK and overseas

Lattitude Global Volunteering has been sending volunteers overseas on meaningful placements for over 40 years. We are proud to be a part of ICS and believe it is a great programme and fantastic opportunity for young people in the UK. Our projects have been developed especially for the ICS programme and aim to deliver a rewarding and meaningful development opportunity for young people, as well as working towards tackling one or more of the United Nations Millennium Development goals.
On our ICS programmes, UK volunteers will have the chance to live and work alongside local volunteers within a community in either Malawi or Ghana , working directly alongside the beneficiaries of the project, in a supported environment.

To apply you will need to fill out an online application form found on the central ICS Hub website. Find out more about how to apply?

Once you have applied through the online application form found on the central ICS Hub website your application will then be screened against eligibility criteria. If you have selected ‘Lattitude Global Volunteering’ as your preferred provider, it is likely you will be assigned to us, although this is not a guarantee, as your application may be deemed to be more suitable for another agency programme.If you are assigned to Lattitude, your details will be passed on to us and we will invite you to a selection day. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee you a place on ICS .

Not everyone is suited to the ICS programme. A selection day allows us to assess a candidate’s suitability for ICS. The selection day is challenging but informal; candidates will take part in team activities and problem solving. More information about selection will be sent to you prior to the day itself which will give candidates time to prepare. The selection day is not set up to ‘catch you out’ or trick you in anyway. It exists to ensure that volunteers chosen for the programme are suitable for the rigours and challenge of overseas volunteering and that they will benefit from being a part of the programme.

ICS Lattitude programmes are offered in Ghana or Malawi, although further country options are offered by other ICS consortium members. (Remember to select ‘Lattitude Global volunteering’ when prompted on the application form if you wish to volunteer on the Lattitude programme, see how to apply)

The Lattitude programme offers volunteering projects tackling education, community and health issues. The mechanism to deliver these outcomes could be through sport, teaching, community work or infrastructure projects.

Volunteers are placed overseas for 10 weeks, but you will also be required to work on action at home upon your return. Team Leader positions will be required to volunteer abroad for a minimum of two cycles (i.e. 20 weeks)

Volunteers on overseas projects work in teams made up of other young people from the UK as well young people from f the local community. Teams are made up of around 15 mixed UK and local volunteers and will be led by a Volunteer Team Leader

Food will vary depending on where you are placed. But volunteers will live as part of the host community where they are placed and as such the food they are offered will be local.

Accommodation is provided by the host community and you may feel this is fairly basic. It may consist of living with a host family or making use of a local community building.

Due to the rural nature of our placements in developing countries, keeping contact with home may not be easy. However your friends and family will be able to keep up to date with your progress via the Lattitude blogs and you can be assured that if you need to be reached in an emergency, we will ensure that messages are passed onto you as quickly as possible via our in-country staff infrastructure. You are advised to think of the experience as an opportunity to immerse yourself in a work and social culture different from that you are used to.

Bringing people of different backgrounds together to work as one team is part of what makes the ICS programme a fantastic development opportunity. The application and selection process assesses you on individual merits.

The ICS programme is far more encompassing than one overseas placement. As part of the assessment process, all ICS participants are expected to commit to continuing their volunteer work once back home in their community. Find out more about action at home.

The programme is funded by the Department for International Development; this includes the cost of flights, visas, vaccinations, insurance, food and accommodation while volunteering on a project overseas.You are however required to fundraise a minimum of £800 which is contributed back into the programme. Read more about costs and fundraising