VWB was founded in 2005 to facilitate volunteerism in developing countries. Volunteers (national and international) continue to play an essential role in our work.
Do you want your personal and professional endeavors to have purpose? Do you want to use your time, energy, and talents to create a positive impact for the animals, communities, and environment we share? Become a VWB volunteer! We are always looking for passionate and purposeful people to work with us in Northern Canada and overseas.
Apply today for a volunteer placement and see where in the world your compassion will take you...
Are you interested in volunteering with us? Simply click on any position title below to apply directly for that role.
Questions? Please don't hesitate to reach out: volunteer@vwb.org
The Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS) program aims to mobilize more than 190 volunteers in Africa and Asia over an 8-year period (2020-2028). Learn more about VETS.
Current VETS volunteer opportunities are listed below. If you don't see one that fits your skills and experience, apply using our VETS General Volunteer Application. Our partners often require skills and experience which may not be expressed in a position below so there may be an opportunity to design a custom placement based on your skill set which is in line with a partner's needs.
ANIMAL HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, AND FOOD SECURITY
GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
COMMUNICATIONS, MONITORING & EVALUATION, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Community One Health Empowerment in Rwanda and Senegal (COHERS) project strengthens community-led, gender-responsive One Health systems, supporting over 127,000 people to prevent, detect, and respond to targeted zoonotic diseases. Learn more about COHERS here.
We are not currently recruiting for any COHERS volunteer positions at this time.
Watch this page for future opportunities to volunteer with NAHI and support our drive-in / fly-in community trips. In the meantime, your comments and questions are welcome: northernprogram@vwb.org
There are many reasons to become a VWB volunteer. Here are a few:
Support local organizations: Volunteers support our partner organizations to make a positive difference in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Give and grow: Volunteers contribute to meaningful initiatives and gain personal benefits by sharing skills in complex and interesting contexts.
Be inspired: Volunteers often return to their lives and jobs inspired and refreshed, with a renewed sense of passion for animal welfare and international cooperation.
Expand your mind: Volunteers experience new countries and cultures, learning firsthand about the interconnected world we share.
Beyond the technical skills that are necessary for volunteer placements, we also are looking for volunteers with positive attitudes who are able to demonstrate the following competencies.
We have found that volunteers who possess these skills are both effective and successful in their roles:
The Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS) program aims to mobilize more than 190 volunteers in Africa and Asia over an 8-year period (2020-2028). Learn more about VETS.
VETS volunteers include veterinarians, veterinary technologists, animal and human nutritionists, professors of veterinary medicine, veterinary clinic managers, rural development specialists, communications advisors, business development advisors, monitoring and evaluation, gender specialists and others.
VETS volunteer placements range from three weeks to two years, depending on the nature of the position.
Open VETS volunteer positions are listed above, on this page.
Written by Janine Mitchell, Executive Director of VWB, in recognition of One Health Day (November 3), this article draws on the FAO Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems and the VSF International General Assembly to explore what it takes to turn One Health commitments into action—from building equitable partnerships and strengthening collaboration to ensuring practical systems and accountability.
On September 30, VWB joins Canadians in marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. We reflect on the importance of listening, learning, and respectful relationships in our work alongside Indigenous communities in northern Canada, and share resources for continued learning.
Watch a replay of our World Rabies Day 2026 webinar, which brought together perspectives from Alaska, Ukraine, and Laos to explore why rabies persists despite being preventable — and what stronger access, local capacity, coordination, and resilient animal and human health systems can contribute to progress toward ending human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
