Facilitating Cultural Understanding, Acceptance, and Respect amongst Participants
Why is the WYSE Work Abroad Association important?
WYSE Work Abroad members know that work abroad and volunteer experiences are essential in the cultural awareness and international education of students. A quality exchange programme can give young people greater knowledge, acceptance, and respect for other cultures, which is vital for the development of our future generation.
What do the association members stand for?
WYSE Work Abroad aims to further the industry by supporting its members—organisations that help to provide quality work abroad and volunteer programmes—and protecting the welfare of Work Abroad participants around the world. The activities of WYSE Work Abroad demonstrate the importance of these culturally oriented programmes to governments and the young people, so that more participants can benefit from exchanges without further restriction.
WYSE Work Abroad supports work abroad & volunteer opportunities by:
- establishing criteria for a Code Of Conduct among members, and for the treatment and protection of participants in work and volunteer abroad programmes
- assisting in the development of work abroad and volunteer programmes
and encouraging governments and official bodies to facilitate these
- programmes encouraging governments to treat work abroad and volunteer programmes as cultural exchange
- promoting WYSE Work Abroad’s International Standards Manual for Work Experience Programmes, which establishes best practices to the benefit of both participants, as well as work abroad and volunteer organisations
- increasing public awareness of the value of culturally oriented work abroad and volunteer programmes
- hosting conferences, seminars, and promoting the exchange of literature and information for members
- holding the WYSE Work Abroad “Expand Your Horizons” Video Contest, which celebrates the work abroad and volunteer experience
