From refugee camps in Uganda to post-conflict areas in the Balkans, economic hardship and social exclusion rob thousands of young people of their childhood.

We believe that every child has the right to play.

WE have suspended recruitment of international volunteers temporarily

Dear volunteer

With the current global outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent disruptions to international travel, we are sad to announce the suspension of our international projects.

World at Play prioritises the safety and security of our volunteers, staff and the communities where we work. With this in mind we took the difficult decision to temporarily suspend all current projects based abroad and hope to provide you with a further update as soon as we are able to.

If you are considering applying for one of our international projects in the future please register your details below.

However

We are currently running a project in South Wales, our local response to reintegrating after the Covid-19 Pandemic. If you are interested in getting involved you can register below.

For more specific enquiries please contact our management here:

Sarah Miller sarah@worldatplay.org.uk

ABOUT WORLD AT PLAY VOLUNTEERING

World at Play enriches lives through sport and play, supporting the development of disadvantaged children through inclusive and transformational play sessions.

For over 16 years, our dedicated volunteers are trained to deliver high-quality sessions designed to teach children teamwork, confidence, social integration, equality, and inclusion.

We work with small teams of volunteers, meaning we are able to provide an unparalleled level of personalised support to our volunteers on their journey - from fundraising at home to life overseas. Meanwhile, our close and well-established partnerships on the ground mean we can remain responsive to young people’s needs.

Our work is consistently praised for the impact it has on both our volunteer and the young people we work with. Hear from our past volunteers and partners direct here.

DESTINATION DETAILS

UGANDA

Uganda is one of the largest refugee-hosting nations in the world. You’ll be working in the Rwamanja Camp, managed by UNHCR in the south-west of the country.

Rwamanja hosts around 78,000 refugees, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and around 68% of the population is under 18. Education opportunities are extremely limited, with just 3% of young refugees able to access the only secondary school in the camp.

World At Play volunteers will run sport and developmental play sessions with children and young adults in the settlement. The activities will bring joy to lives, build essential skills and improve social inclusion within the host and refugee communities.

For more information email: wendy@worldatplay.org.uk

EUROPE

Our European programme will see you travel across five countries: Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Croatia.

You will work in orphanages, care homes, Roma communities, homes for those with disabilities and refugeee camps. The diversity of needs makes this a challenging but highly rewarding programme, where no two days are the same.

World At Play volunteers will run sport and developmental play sessions adapted to suit each context.

The activities will bring joy to lives, build essential skills and promote equality between different genders, ethnicities and nationalities.

For more information email sarah@worldatplay.org.uk

If you believe in the power of play, then it takes just one minute to register your interest.

We’ll then follow up with further details about the experience and how you can MAKE A FULL APPLICATION.

TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

A child’s learning is not only academic. Having the freedom to play and learn builds confidence and emotional balance. Playful education develops the whole personality of a child. - Restituta, Team Leader at UNHCR

The volunteers succeeded in bringing together children from different ethnic backgrounds and made them feel equally respected. This is very important in our communities. - Selma, Director of Programmes at SOS Bosnia

I found it very touching to see some of the children who were most isolated from others overcoming their fears and joining the World At Play games. - Brian, Lutheran World Federation

The team were very inclusive and managed to engage different groups of children – different ages, different nationalities and ethnicities, children with special needs. The valuable sports activities gave some colour to the everyday life of the children in the refugee camps. - Sadie, Teacher for CARITAS Bulgaria

I particularly want to commend the volunteers for the way they showed our children that all are equal and all have something to contribute. - Bajram, Educational Advisor at SOS Kosovo

The World At Play volunteers are professional, energetic, organised, skilled and knowledgeable. They bring so much joy to the camp, busying otherwise stressed minds, and creating some very happy memories for both the children and adults that they work with. - The Ideas Partnership Kosovo