Apply to BVS!
Submit an application on the BVS website. BVS staff will acknowledge that your application has been received within a few days. Applications are considered on a rolling basis, so you can apply at any time of year. Submitting an application is not a formal commitment to volunteer.
Interview with BVS staff
BVS staff will be in contact for an interview, and following the interview will check your references. In some cases, second interviews are held.
Acceptance into BVS
After your interview(s), it usually takes less than a week to hear back about your acceptance. Once accepted, BVS staff will provide you with paperwork for you to fill out, including the volunteer covenant. You will also pick the orientation that you will attend.
Project placement
About 6 weeks before your orientation, you will meet with BVS staff and other volunteers to review possible placements. BVS staff will then meet with you one-on-one to talk through your interests and possible placements.
Interview with potential projects to find the right match
During the placement process, you will have a chance to interview with your top project(s). The final placement is mutually agreed upon by you, the project, and BVS staff. In most cases, you will know your placement before orientation.
Attend a BVS orientation
Our 9-day orientations are held in the summer and fall. They are a time to build community with other volunteers and prepare for your year of service. Orientations are held at various locations across the United States. Your volunteer fee should be paid by this time.
Travel to your project and begin to serve!
Volunteers usually start their year of service directly after orientation. While the BVS staff will continue to support you, you will also be building relationships and working with staff at your project.
Attend Mid-Year Retreat
All U.S. based volunteers gather for a 5-day retreat, typically held in March, about halfway through your service year. All volunteers serving internationally receive a retreat stipend to support a preferred leisure activity or time away at the midpoint of your service year.
Return home changed!
Your end date is a year from the date you started at your project. There are other options to extend your service beyond one year!