What is the AUA Directory of Recommended Organizations©?
One of the reasons that so few Americans volunteer in the Muslim World is that we don’t know as much about the service opportunities that are available in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia as compared to similar styled volunteer programs in other regions, like Europe or South America. To enable access to credible volunteer service opportunities in the Muslim World, the AUA team compiled a searchable AUA Directory of Recommended Organizations©that send or host American volunteers in Muslim-majority countries. Through a thorough research process, the AUA program researched over 1000 organizations and recommends these 59 as the starting point for finding the volunteer opportunity that is right for you. The organizations recommended in this Directory all have the following characteristics:
- They use people-to-people partnerships to support the development initiatives of local communities in lasting and meaningful ways.
- They encourage direct people-to-people interaction between volunteers and local communities in key human development areas that include education, youth, basic community needs, civil society, and health.
The AUA Directory of Recommended Organizations©is searchable by country or region, sector (education, youth, etc.), duration of service, and level of experience. Additional search options allow you to find volunteer organizations that match your preferences according to program type (summer program, internship, etc.), program requirements, and program components (language instruction and/or academic credit). The 59 organizations featured in the AUA Directory are diverse: some send volunteers of all ages together as a group, and others are only open to high school students. Some organizations require that volunteers possess a specific skill, and others provide foreign language instruction as a component of the volunteer experience. Regardless of your age, experience level, or interests there is an opportunity to volunteer in the Muslim World that is right for you!
The AUA Directory of Recommended Organizations© is a dynamic resource meant to assist you in accessing the many outstanding opportunities there are to support development initiatives in an environment that builds mutual respect and understanding between America and the Muslim World. Our team is constantly researching additional organizations that provide opportunities to volunteer in the Muslim World.
The AUA Directory of Recommended Organizations© is a living resource. If you volunteered with one of the organizations listed here, we encourage you to post your thoughts on the Organization’s profile page. If you have questions about volunteering, post them on the organization’s page as well, or email stefanc(at)creativinglearning.org. And if you are an Organization that would like to be considered for inclusion in the Directory, please contact us.
Take a look and let us know your thoughts and plans!
For more information on the directory, download a fact sheet here.