News & Events

UNA Exchange Internship, 2013 (Added 12-11-2012)

Would you like to join the UNA Exchange team next year? Are you looking to gain experience of working for a charity? We're now recruiting for our 2013 Volunteering in Wales Intern. We're looking for someone to join us for approximately five months next year to support our volunteering programmes between February and June. You can find full details and an application from in our Volunteering in Wales Intern 2013 information pack . The deadline for applications is midnight on Wednesday 12th December.

Volunteers' Day 2012 (Added 22-10-2012)

Our annual Volunteers' Day celebrations will take place on Saturday 17th November. Everyone is welcome, whether you've been volunteering with us for years or are simply interested in finding out more. We'll spend the morning volunteering in the Garden of Peace, just behind our Cardiff offices, to help clear the garden and get it ready for winter. In the afternoon, there will be the chance to meet active UNA Exchange volunteers and find out about the opportunities we offer in Wales and overseas, followed by our AGM (Annual General Meeting). We'll finish the day with an 'Around the World' evening celebration including international food and music. You can find out more here and confirm your place by sending us an application form .

2012 Volunteer Stories Competition (Added 08-10-12)

The deadline for our Volunteer Stories competition is fast approaching. If you've volunteered with UNA Exchange in Wales or overseas this year, then send us your entries by 31st October. You can choose your format to tell us something that's important to you about your volunteering experience - photos, short films, writing... Here are more details about how to enter. We're looking forward to hearing your story!

Last chance for a weekend at the Green Valley! (Added 03-09-12)

Our final weekend project of 2012 will take place from 21st to 23rd September. We'll be back at the Green Valley community site in Brycynon, north of Cardiff, to complete work on the pollinator garden that our international volunteers built this summer. Join us to spend a weekend outdoors before autumn sets in! Find out more from the information sheet and complete an application form to apply.

Awesome autumn environmental projects announced (Added 05-07-12)

We will be running three environmental volunteer projects in Carmarthenshire in September and October. Volunteers will be part of an international group working together for a fortnight to improve access to the countryside across the county.  You'll live, work and play with volunteers from around the world and spend time in a beautiful corner of Wales. Find out more by reading our project information and apply with our application form . If you fancy more of a challenge, we're also looking for a team of volunteer leaders to lead the three projects - here's more information .

Make Hay While the Sun Shines! (Added 30-05-12)

Well, contribute to some good old environmental volunteering at our June weekend project, at least! Join us from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th June at the Green Valley in Bryncynon, just north of Cardiff. There will be plenty of work around the Green Valley's community allotment site, and you'll get to try some of their delicious homegrown fruit and vegetables, too. Here's some more information and an application form . NB Application deadline - Friday 15th June.

Volunteer in our offices (Added 25-04-12)

Are you interested in gaining experience of working for a charity? We're launching our new programme of Office Opportunities to help volunteers gain work experience and see UNA Exchange from a different perspective. We're looking for an EVS (European Voluntary Service) Assistant to support our EVS volunteering programme, and a Supper Club Organiser to coordinate some delicious fundraising events (no cooking skills required)! If you're interested, just complete an application form.Both roles are based at our offices in Cardiff.

Spring project Sir Gar 3 announced

We have just confirmed the third Sir Gar project of the year. The dates are 18th - 31st of March and it will be an environmental project. Come and greet spring in South West Wales with 10 volunteers from across the world. Here's some more information.

Weekend Projects for 2012 announced!

Weekends aren't designed for lying around, are they? We think the best way to spend a weekend is to volunteer with a group of energetic and inspiring UNA Exchange volunteers! We have two volunteering weekends planned at the Green Valley site in Rhondda Cynon Taff in June and September. Sign up now before they fill up! 

A new challenge for 2012 - Lead an international volunteer project (Added 05-01-12)

Fancy doing something that's going to challenge you, let you meet many interesting new people and get you some great experience all at the same time? Then why not become a UNA Exchange international volunteer project leader. We're now recruiting for our Leaders' Training event from 5th to 9th April. Interested? Find out more about becoming a UNA Exchange project leader.

Outdoor volunteering to start 2012 with a bang! (Added 15-12-11)

We have two fortnight-long environmental volunteer projects planned between 26th February and 24th March 2012. Join a group of international volunteers and work with the Countryside Rangers in Carmarthenshire. You'll be based at the Mynydd Mawr Country Park near Llanelli and working on a range of environmental tasks. Perfect if you want to get muddy and make the most of the fresh winter air! Here's some more information.

Spend 11 months on the Norwegian seas (Added 23-11-11)

We are currently recruiting a volunteer aged 18-30 to join the 'Mathilde' as her fifth crew member. You will be involved in all aspects of the season from mounting the rigging at the start to the dismantling at the end. This is an amazing opportunity to live onboard a boat helping with maintenance, sailing and the running of 'camp schools' aboard the boat with Norwegian students. As this is an EVS opportunity it is fully funded. Find out more.

Sing Up for Volunteering! (Added 22-11-11)

Forget the X Factor, we think everyone can sing. So why not join us next weekend? Singing, environmental work and a winter warmer lunch, what more could you want?

If you're interested please let us know by 4pm Thursday 24th November because we need to know whether we'll have enough members for UNA Exchange's first ever choir! Here's some more information .

UNA Exchange AGM this Saturday (Added 16-11-11)

We will be hosting our Annual General Meeting (AGM) this Saturday, 19th November. The AGM is open to UNA Exchange members, Executive Committee, staff members and those attending the Volunteers’ Day. To read the 2010 AGM Minutes, the agenda for this year’s meeting or UNA Exchange’s Annual Report 2010-2011 please choose the relevant links.

Join the UNA Exchange team (Added 01-11-11)

We're looking for an Intern to join us in the UNA Exchange offices for six months next year. Read our Volunteering in Wales Intern information pack .

Winter at UNA Exchange (Added 01-11-11)

The cold weather is making us extra-active to keep warm! Check out our updated winter calendar .

Final Bryncynon Environmental Weekend Project (Added 28-10-11)

What could be a better way to enjoy a golden autumn weekend than volunteering  at the Green Valley Project in Bryncynon? Join our weekend project from 3rd to 4th November. Read our information sheet for more details.

Volunteers' Day and Twmpath (Added 04-10-11)

Find out more about UNA Exchange, meet other volunteers and enjoy some old-fashioned swinging and stomping at our Twmpath (a Welsh Ceilidh) on Saturday 19th November. Here's some more information about the day. Contact us to reserve your place.

Autumn with UNA Exchange (Added 12-09-11)

There are lots of things happening this autumn including our Twmpath, weekend volunteering projects in Wales and a Step by Step fundraiser. We want you to be able to keep up to date with them all (and future events) so we have now added a brand new calendar to the site. It can be found in our 'About UNA Exchange' dropdown list or if you prefer you can just click here.

Get outdoors this autumn (Added 08-09-11)

Summer may be over but our projects aren’t! Why not join one of our weekend projects at the Green Valley site in Bryncynon this autumn. In September help prepare a new woodland area, pick apples from the orchard and maybe even make some chutney! In October help a polytunnel find a new home and in November prepare the area around the pond for new footpaths or help plant some saplings.

New weekend project for autumn 2011 (Added 22-08-11)

We still have a few spaces on our Big Skill weekend project (2nd - 4th September) - volunteer at the outdoor crafts festival near Brecon. We also have three environmental projects planned with the Green Valley Project at the Bryncynon Strategy in the Rhondda Valley. This work varies with the time of year and is always environmental and based on the large community allotment site. Project dates for 2011 are 23rd - 25th September, 21st - 23rd October and 4th - 6th November. Contact us for more information or sign up with an application form.

New weekend project - Big Skill Festival, Brecon! (Added 27-07-11)

How better to end the summer than joining a UNA Exchange weekend volunteer project at the Big Skill Festival near Brecon? You'll be helping the festival organisers make the event a success and, of course, enjoying the festival when you're not on shift! The festival celebrates a huge range of rural and outdoor crafts and is organised by PowysSense. Here's an information sheet about the project. Sign up to our online newsletter to read about our special autumn programme of Weekend Projects!

Competition winner announced! (Added 20-07-11)

Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald has been picked as the winner of our International Volunteering Project competition. Rhiannon’s prize includes a short term project of her choosing to mainland Europe, travel to the project as well as insurance. On finding out that she was our lucky winner Rhiannon said, “I can't wait to get on a project and experience another place and way of life... it's just choosing the project that's going to be the tricky thing now - so much choice!" You can read more about our competition winner here.

Great night had by all (Added 14-07-11)

Comedy fundraiser with Rhod Gilbert and Isy Suttie raised £1308 for the UNA Exchange. A big thank you to Rhod, Isy, The Globe, Cardiff and everyone who came for making the night such a great success. 


Are you a photographer? (Added 11-07-11)

We're looking for a volunteer photographer to come and join us in Wales for a month in August/ September. You'll get to visit different projects in Wales and meet international volunteers from around the world. We're looking for someone who is able to take plenty of photographs (and possibly videos!) of our work in Wales. We can provide accommodation, food and a small allowance. Here's more information about this volunteer photographer opportunity. If you're interested, please get in touch before 22nd July.


Win an international volunteering opportunity abroad! (Added 24-06-11)

Win the opportunity to participate in one of UNA Exchange’s worldwide volunteering projects. The prize includes a choice from hundreds of 2 – 3 week projects in mainland Europe, together with travel and insurance. UNA Exchange is offering the opportunity to take part in a locally run and initiated project, to work with volunteers from across the world and make a real contribution to that local community. 


'Pay What You Will' Weekend Project (Added 23-05-11)

Our environmental project at Bryncynon Strategy from 17th - 19th June will be a special 'Pay What you Will' project. All we ask is that you contribute at least £1 - and tell us why you're paying the sum that you are! Find out more about this and other weekend projects and take part by comleting an application form.


New weekened projects in Wales (Added 18-04-11)

Weekend projects are a great way of trying out international volunteering for the first time. They might help you to prepare for a more challenging experience overseas. Why not take a look at our latest weekend projects taking place in Wales over the coming months. If you're interested in applying then please download an application form.


Leaders’ Training event, Easter 2011 (Added 06-04-11)

We still have a few places left on our annual Leaders’ Training course over Easter. The training prepares volunteers to lead our two-week projects in Wales this summer. The training is open to people who have already volunteered with UNA Exchange or have taken part in a similar project. So if you’re free over Easter and want to spend four days on a Farm in Wales, get in touch! Here’s some more information on Leaders' Training and an application form.


Design a logo for International Volunteer Projects (Added 04-04-11)

Any budding artists out there? Vision Youth Action (VYA - one of our international partner orgainsations) have been tasked with creating a common logo to be used by all organisation that run international volunteer projects. If you're interested in creating something or want to find out more then please take a look at their website for more information.