In the era of Skype, Facebook, Google Earth, and a host of other globalizing technological, educational and social advances, making connections with individuals across the globe has become as easy as typing in a keyword or clicking an icon. Going to Asia for a summer or a year, once a unique journey that only a few brave and adventurous individuals undertook, has now become part of many Americans personal and career plans.

There are now many ways to go to Asia to work, volunteer or travel. We believe that going with VIA is unique.

What makes a VIA experience unique?

For 45 years, VIA has been working with populations in Asia. VIA is a small non-religious, non-government organization that gives volunteers a powerful voice in shaping their own experiences and the programs they join. We offer substantial training and in-country support that allows volunteers to develop leadership and professional skills.VIA offers affordable programs and some scholarship opportunities. Our well-established relationships with host institutions and extensive list of involved alumni are evidence of VIA's strength and stability.

VIA is a small organization

We have about 10 home office and in-country staff members dedicated to 35 summer and 40 long-term volunteers a year and we like it that way. Our small size enables us to understand our volunteers' interests and needs. Our staff has the time to get to know you and support you in your big move to Asia. Our host institutions trust us and value our volunteers just as much as we do. Simply, we care about you and who you touch.

VIA is non-government and non-religious

How else are we able to place volunteers in countries and areas in which other organizations cannot? We were in Indonesia starting in 1967 and remained in-country through the Suharto regime. We were one of the first American organizations to send volunteers to China in 1980. We placed volunteer in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967, before the war forced us to close the program. We ewre one of the first American volunteer organizations allowed back to Vietnam in 1990. Wherever we go, we step lightly. So far, it's worked!

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VIA gives YOU a voice

Volunteers help shape the future of our programs. They discover new partnerships, explore new country opportunities, and tell us what the needs are in their communities. Once a year, volunteers convene to share their input and perspective on where VIA should stay and where VIA should go.

VIA offers substantial training

We provide volunteers with the knowledge and skills to help them do a better job. Long-term volunteers receive cultural training, TWO weeks of teacher training, and THREE weeks of language training in their host countries. In some countries, language tutoring is provided by the post for the entire time the volunteer is posted there, as stipulated in our contracts with partner institutions.

VIA offers substantial in-country support

As a volunteer, you have a solid support network of current and former volunteers, a full-time program director, and in countries with enough volunteers, an in-country field coordinator. You can take advantage of this network as often as you need it but it's flexible enough to allow a more independent experience.

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VIA builds leadership and professional skills

Our volunteers are given a stake in our organization and as such, are given the opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways. Previous volunteers have led workshops at conferences, spearheaded new initiatives to meet special needs at their posts, helped create new posts or country programs, served on advisory committees, raised funds for a local project, and returned to work as directors in our office!

VIA is affordable

It costs a lot of money to recruit, select, train and manage volunteers, and the program fee for long-term volunteers is less than one fifth of that cost. A comparison with our peer organizations reveals that our program fees are very competitive. Our alumni believe in the importance of our work and help us keep our program fees low with annual donations. Further, we want our programs to be accessible to everyone, including those with financial hardships. That's why we offer partial scholarships that cover part of the program fee to approximately 40% of our volunteers, a unique benefit of VIA.

VIA has established relationships with partners

VIA takes our partnerships in Asia seriously and our host institutions do as well. Applying for a VIA volunteer is a lengthy and involved process of evaluation by potential partners, current volunteers and alumni, in-country staff, and program staff. We have been working with some of our partner organizations for more than ten or twenty years, which means that volunteers have a hand in a long-term impact that goes beyond their own individual service.