The work of PBI volunteers is indispensable.

Teams of volunteers provide moral and physical support to human rights defenders and organisations working for social change and the development of civil society, whose lives and work are threatened by violence.

Preparation process

Each volunteer goes through a training period to fully prepare them for the challenges of working with a PBI field project. If you are interested in volunteering, you must meet the language requirements of the project you're interested in. If you are living in the UK, the UK office should be your first point of contact for information and support throughout the application process.

The application process involves two residential preparation sessions:

1. An orientation weekend in the UK
2. A project-specific training

Orientation weekend

The first step in becoming a volunteer is to attend a PBI orientation weekend, which provides a useful general introduction to the principles, aims and policies of Peace Brigades International. It is designed to be an informative and enjoyable weekend for anyone wanting to learn more about the work of PBI and international accompaniment.

The weekends are led by returned field volunteers and take the form of an intensive residential training over 2-3 days. The sessions deal with the principles of non-violence and non-partisanship, and the trainers explain their practical application to the specific countries where they have served with PBI.

Apply for a place on an upcoming orientation weekend

Read about one persons experience on an orientation weekend

There are two to three orientation weekends held each year, usually in spring, late summer and autumn. Contact the office at the address below if you are interested.

Training

The second stage for joining a project as a field project is participating in a regional training. Each project holds between one and three trainings each year in Europe, America and the Asia/Pacific region.

In the 7-10 day training, potential volunteers will look at the history and current political situation in the project country, the causes of the conflict and PBI's role in that situation.

Participants will explore concrete situations that a field volunteer may encounter. At the end of the training, a decision is made on whether candidates are ready to join the project.

Frequently Asked Questions about  volunteering for PBI

More about volunteer selection criteria

Read about some current and former field volunteers