In addition to the wide variety of opportunities for service that exist within religious orders, there are a number of other organisations that offer opportunities for experiences of temporary apostolic commitments. The following list provides a few examples where placements might range from a few months to a couple of years.
-
The Claret Centre
- Address: The Towers, Buckden, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. PE19 5TA.
- Telephone:
- Web-site: http://centre.claret.org.uk
- Type of Work: Youth / Retreat Centre
- Minimum Age: 20-40 years
- Average length of service: 1 year
- Comments: The Claretian Missionaries are a missionary community involved in running a youth and adult retreat centre, also parish ministry and general youth work. The Pastoral Team includes Priests, Religious Sisters and lay men and women.
-
ATD Fourth World
- Address: 48 Addington Square, London. SE5 7LB.
- Telephone:
- Web-site: http://www.atd-uk.org/
- Type of Work: Youth / Lay Missionary Overseas / Social Work / Community Living
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: negotiable
- Comments: ATD Fourth World is an international voluntary organisation. It develops a human rights approach to overcoming extreme poverty, working in partnership with the most disadvantaged, supporting their efforts in the fight against poverty and their struggle for divinity.
-
Simon Community
- Address: PO Box 1187, London. NW5 4HW.
- Telephone: 020 7485 6639
- Web-site: http://www.simoncommunity.org.uk/
- Type of Work: Social work with homeless / Community living
- Minimum Age: 19 years
- Average length of service: 4 months
- Comments: The Simon Community is a community of homeless people and volunteers living and working together. It is Catholic in its foundation but accepts all faiths and none. It consists of a night shelter, outreach team, two London houses and a farm.
-
Nottingham Pilgrims Community
- Address: Presentation Convent, Chesterfield Road, Matlock, Derbyshire. DE4 3FS.
- Telephone: 01629 57704
- Web-site:
- Type of Work: Youth / Evangelisation / Social Work / Community Living
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 1 year
- Comments: A Catholic parish based community trained in discipleship and evangelisation. Working in teams among young people in the Nottingham Diocese. School missions, follow up retreats service and work in the community.
-
Lasallian Developing World Projects
- Address: La Salle House, 405 Beulah Hill, London. SE19 3HB.
- Telephone: 020 8670 1612
- Web-site: http://www.delasalle.org.uk/signposts.htm
- Type of Work: Lay missionary work overseas
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 5 weeks – 1 year
- Comments: We have two objectives, one is to supply educational facilities to enable young people go to school in developing countries, secondly by living out there and working with the local community, we ourselves are educated.
-
Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary
- Address: Lay Missionary Volunteer, 100 Hassett Road, London. E9 5SJ.
- Telephone: 020 8985 3047
- Web-site:
- Type of Work: Lay Missionary
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 1 year
- Comments: The Lay Missionary works alongside the sisters in their work for the poor in various missions at home and abroad chiefly in Zambia and El Salvador.
-
Catholic Children's Society (Westminster)
- Address: 73 Charles Square, London. W10 6EJ.
- Telephone: 020 8969 5305
- Web-site: http://www.cathchild.org.uk/
- Type of Work: Social Work
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: negotiable
- Comments: The CCS operates with the Westminster Diocese with Day Family Centre in Poplar, Adoption, Fostering, social work, school counselling and support for homeless families.
-
Jesuit Volunteer Service
- Address: St Wilfrid's Enterprise Centre, Royce Road, Hulme, Manchester. M15 5BJ.
- Telephone: 0161 226 6717
- Web-site: http://www.jvcbritain.org/
- Type of Work: Community Living / Social Justice
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 1 year
- Comments: The JVC is shaped by four values – community living, simple life style, social justice and spirituality.
-
Diocese of Salford Voluntary Service
- Address: 390 Parrs Wood Road, Manchester. M20 0NA.
- Telephone:
- Web-site:
- Type of Work: Community Living / Social Work / Residential Work
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 1 year
- Comments: The project is aimed at those who wish to take a year out and who wish in time to take up social work, or other vocational work.
-
Catholic Institute for International Relations
- Address: Unit 3, Canonbury Yard, 190A New North Road, London. SW9 9JF.
- Telephone: 020 7737 3237
- Web-site: http://www.ciir.org/
- Type of Work: Lay Missionaries
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: 2 years
- Comments: Charity working to overcome poverty in the Third World. Providing information on social, economic and political issues.
-
Volunteer Missionary Movement
- Address: 1 Stockwell Green, London SW9 9JF.
- Telephone: 020 7278 6601
- Web-site:
- Type of Work: Community Service
- Minimum Age: 16 years
- Average length of service: Flexible
- Comments: CVS invites young people to experience the challenge of volunteering. From supporting young people leaving care to respite for carers CVS are an innovative and flexible source of help.
-
Corrymeela Community
- Address: Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. BT54 6QU.
- Telephone: Ballycastle 62626
- Web-site: http://www.corrymeela.org/
- Type of Work: Community Living / Residential Centre
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Average length of service: Flexible
- Comments: The Volunteer will help with all aspects of the Centre, including hosting groups, planning activities, housekeeping, drama and much more.
-
Columban Lay Missionaries
- Address: 28 Reddington Road, London. NW3 7RH.
- Telephone:
- Web-site: http://www.columbans.co.uk/
- Type of Work: Community Living / Faith Sharing
- Minimum Age: 23 years
- Average length of service: 3 years
- Comments: The Columban Lay Missionary Programme is for people whose faith calls them to share in the lives of the poor and those on the margins of society.
-
Voluntary Service Overseas
- Address: 317 Putney Bridge Road, London. SW15 2PN.
- Telephone:
- Web-site: http://www.vso.org.uk/
- Type of Work: Overseas Development
- Minimum Age: 25 years
- Average length of service: 2 years
- Comments: VSO is a charity, sending aid to developing countries in the form of skilled professional and trades people. VSO offers the human resources needed, where local skills may be lacking, promoting self reliance and self sufficiency.
-
The Grail
- Address: 125 Waxwell Lane, Pinner, Middlesex. HA5 3ER.
- Telephone: 020 8866 2195
- Web-site: http://www.grailsociety.org.uk/
- Type of Work: Retreat Centre / Community Living
- Minimum Age: 20 years
- Average length of service: 3 months
- Comments: Volunteers assist the regular staff and community with all aspects of hospitality at this busy centre.