Burma Volunteer Program
About Burma Volunteer Program
UPDATE: BVP is phasing out and not accepting any more volunteers. Taking into consideration the changing needs of their local partners and their donors, BVP has determined a more sustainable way to impact the organizations they work with. Rather than focus on the provision of skilled volunteers, BVP now endeavors to equip its local partners with the necessary skills, knowledge and support to address and meet their own needs, empowering them to recruit their own volunteers. BVP will be conducting a series of capacity building workshops in various locations in Thailand throughout January – March 2013 aimed at training their local partners on how to successfully do this. For now the best advice for people looking to volunteer in this region would be to network on Facebook groups such as 'What's Happening in Mae Sot' and 'What's Happening in Chiang Mai'.
Though this particular program is being phased out, there are still many opportunities available for volunteers, several of which are listed on our volunteering page. BVP was founded in January 2001 and since then has had a tremendous impact on Burmese communities working in Thailand and on the lives of volunteers themselves. Since its inception, BVP has placed hundreds of participants with more than 100 partner organisations.
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Further InformationThe Co-Presidents and Founders of the OBA are both former volunteers with Burma Volunteer Program. For more information about their experiences volunteering, please contact oxfordburmaallian[email protected] (Attn: Volunteer) or read their stories on our Volunteering page.
BVP's website: www.burmavolunteers.org Facebook page: facebook.com/burmavolunteers Email: [email protected] 
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Types of Organisations
BVP works with numerous groups along the Thailand-Burma border that request foreign volunteers to help build their capacity. BVP placements include working with ethnic and women’s groups, news and political organisations, adult learning centres and community based organisations (CBOs).
Students taught through BVP placements are at a post ten (secondary school) level or above. Students include political exiles, refugees and migrants who have been forced into Thailand due to poverty, lack of safety, instability and frustration at Burma’s current situation. At most organisations BVP volunteers work with local staff members as well as interns who have temporarily moved to Thailand to learn English and participate in capacity building programs.
Students taught through BVP placements are at a post ten (secondary school) level or above. Students include political exiles, refugees and migrants who have been forced into Thailand due to poverty, lack of safety, instability and frustration at Burma’s current situation. At most organisations BVP volunteers work with local staff members as well as interns who have temporarily moved to Thailand to learn English and participate in capacity building programs.
Volunteer Activities
BVP volunteers work in numerous capacities at their placements. Volunteers are primarily involved with teaching English language classes, however some placements request that volunteers teach social sciences, history, computer skills, and human rights. At various placements, BVP volunteers assist with grant writing, organisational development and report writing. Volunteers’ tasks at their placement are determined by the needs of their organisation and each volunteer's skill sets. BVP prides itself on the fact that many former volunteers have leveraged their volunteer experience to gain full-time employment with international NGOs or local CBOs based in Thailand.
