World’s Largest Expat Network Expands Global Volunteering Program to 35 Countries in 2016
Munich, 15 December 2016 — Having been lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to move abroad, many expats share a desire to give something back to their new home. InterNations (www.internations.org), the world’s largest expat network, unites 40,000 of its members in a global volunteering initiative. The Changemakers Program has expanded from 32 to 45 cities in the last year, and is now present in 35 countries and territories. In 2016, close to 1,000 organized activities gave InterNations members the opportunity to donate their time and talents to people in need — not only in expat hubs such as Dubai, Singapore, or London, but also in smaller destinations such as Quito or Dublin.
An Easy Way of Volunteering Abroad
With the Changemakers Program, InterNations offers its 2.4 million members a simple and accessible way of volunteering in their new destination. Spanning 45 cities and 40,000 members, it is one of the largest community outreach programs for expatriates. The biggest InterNations Changemakers communities are Dubai, Munich, Singapore, London, and Madrid with about 1,500 to 3,000 volunteers in each city.
Changemakers provide regular and sustainable support for local non-profit organizations by organizing at least one activity per month. Handicap International, Red Cross, Caritas, and Make-a-Wish are just some of over 200 organizations that InterNations collaborates with. Many more organizations, especially smaller local initiatives, also receive help from the program.
The activities are organized and coordinated by dedicated InterNations Consuls such as Temenuga Bakalska, a Bulgarian expatriate living in Munich. She explains: “All our activities have one common goal — to connect those in need with those who like to give a helping hand, and make a difference for both.”
Educational Work on a Global Scale: InterNations Changemakers Cooperates with Handicap International
For its Social Impact Nights, InterNations invites experts from local non-profit organizations and social businesses to speak about a variety of socially relevant topics. On 3 December 2016, the International Day for People with Disabilities, InterNations and Handicap International joined forces to raise awareness of people with disabilities. Events took place in London, Berlin, Geneva, Luxembourg, Tokyo and Munich, featuring different guest speakers, including Thomas Peters, the founder of the Handicap International foundation funds, in Germany.
According to Mr. Peters, non-profit organizations can strongly benefit from cooperating with international networks such as InterNations: “Helping people in need is not a local or a national, but a global task. The InterNations principles and philosophy are an ideal way to bring people around the world together to support a good cause. This is how helping others becomes possible on a global scale.”
If you are interested in receiving additional information about the InterNations Changemakers Program or would like to interview one of our local volunteers, please visit us on www.internations.org/changemakers, or contact press@internations.org or +49 (0)89 461 3324 79.
About InterNations
With more than 3.7 million members in 420 cities around the world, InterNations is the largest global community and a source of information for people who live and work abroad. InterNations offers global and local networking and socializing, both online and face to face. At around 6,000 events and activities per month, expatriates have the opportunity to meet other global minds. Online services include discussion forums and helpful articles with personal expat experiences, tips, and information about life abroad. Membership is by approval only to ensure we remain a community of trust. InterNations is part of the New Work SE, a group of brands that offer products and services for a better working life.
Find more information about InterNations on our press page or in our magazine.
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