Since 1992, each of our 135,000+ participants has helped to move the planet in a positive direction.
We want past, present, and future participants to recognise they are part of something bigger, building a more secure and sustainable world together.
Their collective impact demonstrates the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Each participant’s individual contribution builds on the work of those previous, not only providing immediate support but addressing systemic and structural challenges.
Projects Abroad’s role is to serve as a platform for collaboration, connecting a diversity of stakeholders to combat inequalities around the world. To make progress, we need to come together, recognise our responsibilities in a global community, and take action.
Keep scrolling to read about our impact in 2023 and our contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, or visit our sustainability page to discover how we are adapting travel to solve social and environmental issues.
Impact Report
Our annual Impact Report shows the scale of the impact that our participants are making around the world across all our projects and destinations.
Highlights from the Impact Report 2023
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Another way we ensure high standards of impact is to follow the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in our projects.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals that are designed to make the world a better place. They were adopted by all 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015, and they are intended to be a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future".
The SDGs cover a wide range of issues, including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, climate change, biodiversity, and peace. They are all interconnected, and progress on one goal can help to achieve progress on others.
The SDGs are not legally binding, but they have been endorsed by all UN member states, and they have already had a significant impact on global development efforts. They have also helped to raise awareness of the challenges that we face, and they have inspired people around the world to take action.
Management Plans
Projects Abroad uses management plans to ensure that our short-term volunteer placements are making a meaningful and long-term impact on the communities we work in. These plans are developed in close consultation with local communities and are based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. They outline the specific goals for each project and ensure that all volunteers are working towards the same outcomes.