It provided a means of providing many young people with a paid holiday and at the same time, if they worked hard enough, earning them a small amount of pocket money.

The idea proved to be so popular that at the end of the Second World War there was a big demand to carry on. At about this time it was suggested that young people of all nations should be invited to take part in the scheme with a view to providing a better understanding between the youth of all nations and thereby make a positive contribution to peace among all the nations. It was at this time, 1949, that the charity changed its name to Concordia (Youth Service Volunteers) Ltd. Since that date Concordia has provided the means for thousands of young people drawn from over fifty different nations throughout the world to share in this scheme.

Aims and Objectives

Concordia aims to bring together the youth of nations throughout the world, to promote a better understanding between them of their ideas, beliefs and ways of living and thereby promote a better understanding between the nations throughout the world.

Concordia places participants with various fruit, vegetable, flower and hop growers in this country where they are able to earn sufficient money to pay their expenses and at the same time make some money to take home with them. It is NOT an employment agency.

Our Mission Statement

Fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship by providing young people with quality opportunities for international volunteering, work experience, education and training.

How Concordia Works

What makes Concordia different from an employment agency is that it operates on a not-for-profit basis. This culture engenders concern for the welfare of the participants, particularly for the quality of the work and cultural experience during their stay.

Participants for the Concordia programme come from a variety of countries.

Concordia is one of the Home Office approved operators of the SAWS scheme which permits recruitment of participants (who fulfil a number of Home Office defined criteria) from outside the UK to work for up to 6 months on a UK farm.

In addition, participants from inside the EU are accepted, particularly from the countries recently joining. The entry criteria to the Concordia programme for these participants is the same as under SAWS with the exception of the time limit; EU participants may be permitted to work for longer than 6 months, subject to permission from their university.

Concordia matches participants' availability to farmers' requirements, whilst ensuring a suitable mix of nationalities.

Benefits to Participants

Most participants return home with additional knowledge, experience and a maturity that will be of benefit to them and their universities. They can gain new skills, probably learn to budget for themselves and to cook, and will have a feeling of achievement when they get back.

Participants will also learn more about modern farming techniques and may undertake a certificated training course that will further their careers. Participants often make lasting friendships with the grower, their family and other participants.

Other benefits include:

• The opportunity to improve their English;
• A chance to see the UK;
• A working holdiay from which to return with extra money;
• Companionship with participants from other countries, and an opportunity to work alongside them, gaining real insight into their country, culture and traditions;
• An opportunity for some of the participants to return as supervisors the following year.

Please click here to read the latest Annual Directors' Report