Public Benefit Statement
Mission statement: Fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship by providing young people with quality opportunities for international volunteering, work experience, education and training.
Our aims: Concordia strives to enhance public benefit to all who are involved with the charity both directly and indirectly. Concordia offers a range of opportunities for people to develop and realise their potential.
Our history: Concordia first started in 1943 during the Second World War when young people were encouraged to support the war effort by gathering fruit and crops in the fields. After the war, Concordia invited young people from Europe to take part in a scheme to rebuild international friendship and to promote peace. Concordia has developed and changed much since those early days but is still true to its roots of giving people, especially young people, the opportunity to learn new skills, develop and gain experience.
Farms and Students: The employment service side of Concordia gives international students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain work experience both through study and training programmes and stand alone placements on UK farms and horticultural enterprises. Through programmes for undergraduates and post graduates, students gain an educational grounding in agricultural studies. Students have an opportunity to train in the most advanced techniques practised and to return to use them in their home country. Such a skills exchange is of great benefit for the development of agriculture in less advanced countries.
Concordia encourages a broad international mix on placements to encourage participants to develop an understanding of different cultures and nationalities. Many participants, and UK nationals on the placements, embrace this mind broadening experience and gain from making lifelong friendships that transcend national borders. This helps to work against discrimination and prejudice. Participants engage in meaningful activities in an international arena, where they can enhance their understanding of other languages cultures and work practices.
International Volunteering: Concordia International Volunteers provides opportunities to people of differing age groups and including people from disadvantaged backgrounds to volunteer on short term projects with other international volunteers. They have the chance to learn new skills, make new friends and be absorbed into a new culture by volunteering. Concordia is a member of two international networks that offer volunteer opportunites throughout the world. Concordia sends UK volunteers to many countries including Uganda, Germany, Japan, Peru, Canada and Russia to name just a few. There are also opportunities for international volunteers within the UK. The volunteer projects originate from the heart of communities. They include opportunities for environmental enhancement, work with children, help with community festivals and support on educational projects. The projects bring benefits to the individuals involved and to the wider communities.
An example of this is a UK project where Concordia provides volunteer opportunities at a Young Carers festival orgainsed by Fairthorne YMCA in Southampton each year. Concordia sends a group of international volunteers to assist at this festival for children who care for adults. The volunteers help run the festival and ensure that the young carers have an enjoyable time and benefit from the break from their caring. The benefits to both the young carers and international volunteers are exceptional.
The international volunteer team also organise education programmes for volunteers which give volunteers skills in development, motivation and support. One particular area is health and safety training which is of importance in every aspect of our work. The education programme enhances the work that the international volunteer team does.