VWB/VSF was founded in 2005 to facilitate volunteer work by Canadian veterinarians in developing countries around the world. Since that time volunteers have played an important role in VWB/VSF's work.
The Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS) program aims to mobilize more than 190 volunteers in Africa and Asia over a seven-year period.
The program participants include veterinarians, veterinary technologists, animal and human nutritionists, professors of veterinary medicine, veterinary clinic managers, rural development specialists, business development advisors, monitoring and evaluation, gender specialists and others.
Volunteer placements range from three weeks to two years, depending on the nature of the position.
There are many reasons to become a Veterinarians Without Borders volunteer. Here are a few:
To apply for an open position, follow the links below to read the full placement descriptions. Please read the eligibility requirements and application submission instructions carefully.
VWB/VSF's Young Volunteer Program aims to improve food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the global south while providing Canadian students and recent graduates with opportunities to learn and grow in a cross-cultural setting. Read the YVP 2023 Program Description to find out more.
The 2023 Young Volunteer Program application period is closed.
Applications for summer 2024 will open in the fall. Interested? Email volunteer@vetswithoutborders.ca to let us know!
International volunteers often experience new and challenging circumstances. It's hard to know how we will react until we face those challenges. However, there are personal and professional qualities that help to identify people who will be effective working and living in another country.
It is important to be flexible. International volunteers often need to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances. At times you could experience inconvenience or discomfort. Volunteers need the self-confidence to take action on their own. The most effective volunteers also thrive as collaborative team members, overcoming cultural and language barriers to share accomplishments as part of a team.
International volunteer work is an opportunity to develop and strengthen skills and abilities that will last a lifetime.
If you would like to contribute to the health of animals, people, and the planet, then a volunteer assignment may be right for you.
As part of #IDW2023, Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Canada (VWB/VSF) will be hosting two webinars focused on building a more sustainable future.
December 5, 2022 is International Volunteer Day.
Dr. Janet Davis, DVM fills a room with kindness during her time in Romania. “This tiny, emaciated kitten just arrived at the clinic. Nursing such a tiny baby back from the brink of death, it’s something that never gets old."
