International Citizen Service (ICS)


 What is ICS?
Who is THET?
What is THET-ICS?
Who is it for?
What will I do?
Where will I go?
What will I achieve?
When will I go?
What will it cost?
How do I apply?
Questions and more information
Essential Information for Volunteers

What is ICS ?
ICS is your chance to make a real difference to the world we live in.

International Citizen Service (ICS) is a global volunteering experience which supports young people from all backgrounds to make a real difference to some of the world’s poorest people. This new initiative, launched by the Prime Minister and funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), will give thousands of 18 – 22 year olds across the UK the chance to serve in the fight against global poverty. Places are also available for some team leaders who will mentor the other volunteers and contribute their skills and experience.

We are passionate about the potential for people coming together to make a real difference to the world and build a bigger and stronger global society – if you are too then ICS is for you.

Who is THET?
THET is an international development organisation working to improve the health of people in Africa and Asia, and has over twenty years of experience working with health institutionsaround the world, promoting action that is mutually beneficial, sustainable and responsive. THET is committed to improving health services in developing countries by harnessing the skills and expertise of UK healthcare professionals to improve the skills of health workers and build long-term capacity in developing countries

What is THET-ICS?
The THET-ICS programme is being piloted at King’s Health Partners (www.kingshealthpartners.org), one of five Academic Health Sciences Centres in the UK comprising King’s College London and three NHS Foundation Trusts, which aims to deliver healthcare to patients as well as undertaking world class health-related research and teaching. This coalition of health partners together serve seven South London boroughs with a total population of more than one and a half million people from highly diverse backgrounds. King’s Health Partners work closely with THET to support health training and services in a number of developing countries.  THET-ICS volunteers will travel to Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia or Zimbabwe, through existing King’s Health Partners health links with organisations and institutions in these countries

Who is it for?
THET-ICS is open to any King’s Health Partners student or young graduate between the ages of 18 and 22 at the time of departure, with volunteer team leaders being drawn from a 23-30 year old age bracket. Volunteers will be from a diverse range of disciplines and backgrounds.

Applicants must meet one of the following nationality requirements: UK nationals with a UK address; EU citizens currently resident in the UK; non-UK / non-EU citizens with indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

If the pilot of this programme at King’s Health Partners is a success, this specific strand of ICS may be extended to  other universities that are engaged in international health partnerships, as well as open up to participation from young NHS staff from affiliated NHS Trusts, who do not come from professional backgrounds, to form part of the volunteer teams.

What will I do?
THET-ICS volunteers will work in multidisciplinary teams to design their own 12 week projects, based on needs identified by local partners and with guidance from experienced supervisors.  These projects will consist of varying combinations of the following types of activity:

  • Action research into the barriers to accessing health care from hospitals and clinics in both rural and urban areas.
  • Developing online distance learning communities for healthcare students between the UK and developing world partners
  • Developing, in partnership with local student volunteers, sexual and reproductive health education programmes and the evaluation of sexual health awareness in secondary schools.

Team leads are expected to take on a certain level of responsibility for the supervision of volunteers and project activities. Responsibilities may include providing updates on project activities, helping volunteers to design suitable projects together with partners, conducting home visits and collecting feedback, monitoring the emotional wellbeing of volunteers and reporting any problems to project managers. The role and responsibilities will be developed and clarified before departure, and full training and guidance will be provided.

Potential team leads will be asked to outline any past experience they have had leading a team or being responsible for others; managing projects; dealing with an emergency situation or ‘troubleshooting’ problems; and working across cultures or in developing countries.

Overseas volunteers will be  supported by the host institutions, and of course the THET-ICS team will always be a telephone call away.

This will be a unique opportunity to help tackle global health challenges whilst developing important skills and building sustainable relationships to promote future development.

Where will I go?
THET-ICS volunteers will travel to Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia or Zimbabwe, through existing King’s Health Partners health links with organisations and institutions in thesecountries

What will I achieve?
THET-ICS volunteers will provide a targeted contribution to health systems in Africa and work towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the four target countries, with work based always on needs identified by local partners.

Volunteers could make recommendations for improvements in healthcare policy and practice based on their research, could leave behind new materials and resources developed with national partners for in-service training and peer education programmes, or could support national volunteering counterparts to develop new skills and approaches that they can carry forward into healthcare provision in the target countries. Volunteers will also actively promote the development of online distance-learning communities, as a way to share healthcare teaching resources in a sustainable and mutually beneficial manner.

The experience will also have a lasting impact on the personal development of volunteers themselves: to broaden horizons, develop new skills, foster self-reliance, build friendships and professional relationships, and encourage lifelong interest, volunteering and leadership in global health and development.

When will I go?
The 20 THET-ICS volunteers are expected to depart from June/July 2011. The placements will last 10-12 weeks.

What will it cost?
The scheme is open to everyone, but those who can afford to contribute will be asked to pay for part of the costs of their volunteer placements overseas, while those with lower incomes will be able to go for free. All THET-ICS volunteers will be fully supported in their fundraising efforts.

Regardless, all ICS volunteers will be provided with:

  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Travel and Medical insurance
  • Medication & vaccines
  • Food and accommodation
  • Local allowance
  • In-country transport
  • Training in the UK and overseas
  • Full support throughout the whole programme

How do I apply?
Applications are now closed.

Questions and more information
For queries relating to THET-ICS, you can send an email to Lucy Andrews at lucy.andrews@kcl.ac.uk.

For general ICS enquiries, you can send an email to Enquiry@ics-uk.org.uk or sign up to the ICS Facebook page or twitter to receive updated information. ICS also works through five other experienced overseas volunteering organisations. To find out more, visit www.dfid.gov.uk/ics or join ICS on facebook. You can also check the other ICS options.

Essential Information for Volunteers
For volunteer handbooks and security information, please click on the link above.