Catholic Relief Services Volunteer Program

Volunteers respond to a faith call to serve to honor the dignity of the human person and to work for a world in which all people flourish in accordance with that dignity.

The goal of the Catholic Relief Services Volunteer Program is to provide avenues for lay Catholics in the United States to live their faith in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world by actively sharing gifts and talents through CRS.

Volunteers make a full-time, two-year commitment, of which 12 months is served overseas and 12 months in the United States.

Program Status

Currently the Volunteer Program is in hiatus. Catholic Relief Services is not accepting applications at this time. In the event that the Volunteer Program status changes, this will be communicated on this web site.

Program Pillars

The CRS Volunteer Program has four pillars through which volunteers integrate and live their faith in solidarity with the world's poor:

• Catholic Social Teaching
• Simple Lifestyle
• Spiritual Development
• Service

What do Volunteers do Overseas for 12 Months?

Volunteers support CRS' work in the following program sectors:

• agriculture
• community health
• education
• HIV and AIDS
• microfinance
• peace building
• safety net programming

Volunteers support CRS' work in these thematic areas:

• capacity building
• food security
• gender issues
• justice

Types of Placements

• Accounting / Finance
• Agriculture
• Business Administration
• Computers
• Education
• Engineering
• Health: HIV and AIDS related
• Health: Not HIV and AIDS related
• Legal
• Medical
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Organizational Development of Partners
• Parish Ministry
• Peace Building / Conflict Resolution
• Research
• Writing

Where do Volunteers serve?

Volunteers potentially work in any of the regions of the world in which CRS is present:

• Africa
• Asia
• Caribbean
• Eastern Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East

Qualifications

1. Faith Requirement: Overseas volunteers will be lay Catholics who are active in a faith community.
2. Experience: Volunteers have appropriate experience and skills that can support the work of CRS overseas and in the United States.
3. Commitment to the Poor: Volunteers demonstrate a previous commitment to serve the poor.
4. Cross-Cultural Experience: Overseas volunteers have cross-cultural experience.
5. Vocational Commitment: Volunteers demonstrate a vocational commitment to service as part of one global human family.
6. Age Range: Volunteers are at least 25 years of age.
7. Marital Status: Volunteers may be single or married, but without dependent children at the time of placement.
8. Language Requirement: Where the primary language spoken in the country is French, Spanish or Portuguese, a working knowledge of that language is required.
9. Education: College degree preferred.
10. Citizenship: U.S. Citizens or permanent residents.

Successful Volunteers

Successful volunteers will:

• Be flexible.
• Have a good sense of humor.
• Be willing to live a simple lifestyle.
• Be open-minded.
• Be adaptable.
• Enjoy having a challenging experience.
• Be mature.
• Be eager to learn from people and experiences.

Financial Arrangements

Volunteers will receive:

• Housing
• Food
• Small stipend
• Transportation to and from the country of placement
• Medical expenses and insurance
• Life insurance

What do Volunteers do during the twelve-month United States component of the commitment?

The last twelve month of the volunteers' two-year commitment is to work full-time in the U.S. within their home diocese or with a national partner to apply and share their overseas experience in efforts at the local level to promote global solidarity. Specific activities could include:

• Working with the CRS Diocesan representative to raise awareness about the work of CRS,
• Assisting in implementing CRS domestic programs at the local level, and/or engage constituents in specific activities that help people respond to global issues;
• Developing and giving CRS presentations at venues around the U.S. where a speaker is requested;
• Working with a national partner to provide an overseas perspective to materials or a program designed to promote global solidarity.
• Precise assignments will likely be determined during the overseas component and will be informed by the skills and professional experience of the volunteer, in conjunction with the area where the volunteer served overseas, to best contribute towards promoting solidarity generally and around specific issues of social and economic justice.

Living Arrangements

Volunteers usually live alone or possibly with one other volunteer.

Size of Program

Ten to 24 volunteers per year.

Training

A three-week group orientation in the United States takes place in August. CRS Country Program and specific placement site provide in-country orientation and training. Opportunities for faith formation and spiritual development will be available. Spiritual support for volunteers could include retreats, spiritual direction, community reflection, prayer and faith sharing.

When volunteers return to the United States following 12 months overseas, tthere will be a reentry and reorientation program, preparing volunteers to integrate their overseas experience into their ministry, life and work both during the twelve-month United States component of the Volunteer Program and beyond.

Short-Term Volunteering

At this time CRS does not offer volunteer opportunities overseas other than the Volunteer Program that requires a two-year commitment.