Volunteer Action for Peace
Volunteer Action for Peace is part of an international movement called Youth Action for Peace which seeks to affirm the fundamental causes of lasting peace. We work through the twin tools of development education and international voluntary service. We work towards human justice and peace through support of cultural, socio-economic and political freedom. Our methods are seminars and international voluntary service. We work through a network of 50 national partner organisations, with locally managed development projects. These projects host the volunteers directly and control the projects. They provide the local link in a global movement to promote networks of human solidarity and the protection of the natural environment.
Youth Action for Peace was originally founded in 1923 as a direct result of the First World War, to promote reconciliation between French and German people. Our area of activities has grown from reconciliation and reconstruction to include self determination, anti-racism, women’s rights and human rights, environmental and ecological work, sustainable development, community empowerment, social inclusion, fair trade and cultural/arts projects for particular communities.
The international movement of Youth Action for Peace is made up of non-governmental national branches in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Switzerland and the UK. The International Secretariat of Youth Action for Peace is based in Brussels. The representatives of the national branches meet twice a year to discuss our priorities and agree on common action. Individual YAPUK members are encouraged to take part in these international activities and the management of our international organisation.
YAP is a member of the Co-ordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) which provides the global network of our exchange partners. CCIVS is an international non-governmental organisation with its Secretariat based at the UNESCO HQ in Paris. CCIVS has 150 members active in 90 countries around the world. Almost all the non-YAP partners of YAPUK are members of CCIVS and we share the same or similar aims, objectives and activities.
YAP is a recognised international non-governmental youth organisation and is a member of the Youth Forum Jeunesse (YFJ) which represents international youth organisations to the Council of Europe and the European Union.
We operate our international volunteer programme through the global network of 50 like-minded partner organisations. Some of these partners belong to other structures within CCIVS such as the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia, the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations, East Africa Workcamps Association and Southern Africa Workcamps Co-operation.
Volunteer Action for Peace is a member based association. We are member of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). We concentrate on international workcamp exchanges and organise a small UK workcamp programme. In the UK we work with other British members of the Workcamp Organisers Co-ordinating Committee (WOCC) on publicity, training and co-ordination when working with the same international partners.
VAP UK is a small organisation owned by its members and managed by an annually elected committee. Most committee members are former volunteers. The primary activity of VAP UK is the recruitment, training and exchange of international volunteers on international workcamps. Much of our work is spent developing international voluntary service in the UK either through publicity for volunteers or in support of our UK programme of international workcamps. The day to day work is carried out by the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary.
Published by Volunteer Action for Peace
Telephone 0844 20 90 927
E-mail: action@vap.org.uk
