Program Reviews

Great online course for anyone wanting to understand how Community Development works in practice, learn about common problems and solutions and look at various approaches to development programmes around the world. I had to re-evaluate my opinions around community development several times, it was definitely eye-opening and I think it will help me a lot in my further career path.
The live lectures were my favourite part, they were fun, engaging and it was great to hear other people's experiences and discuss ideas with them! For the assignments you get to either discuss your own ideas with other course members or explain how you would approach a certain situation or manage a fictional community programme.
Definitely an amazing way to learn about Community Development from home, yet still with other people to talk to and I will keep learning about the topic in the months to come for sure!

This was honestly such a great program! With real-world case studies and top-grade instructors, this is a great program for beginners and those wanting a refresher alike. I completed the Leading Teams for Emerging Leaders, Careers in Sustainable Development, and Introduction to Community Development courses. Each of these units offered something rewarding, with the Community Development course in particular giving great insight into what it's really like to work in the industry. The fact that they are accredited is a huge bonus!

I just completed the Introduction to Global Public Health course with GVI, and really enjoyed it so thought I would share my thoughts. Right from the very beginning the course content was relevant, thorough, interesting and comprehensive. I don't have a background in Public Health, but am very interested in projects for social good, and I did the course because I thought it would be interesting. In my opinion it's a great introduction to the subject, and given the depth of the information provided, I imagine it would be great even if you have a bit of background in Public Health. The course consists of readings, videos, a very practical and useful assignment, and 3 live lectures. I would say it took me around 25-30 hours to complete rather than the 15 predicted as I got really into it, and GVI supply a lot of resources, some of which are optional, but I read them all anyway! I'm really glad I did the course. I currently work in User Centred Design in the software field, and it was really interesting to me that the course discussed User Centred Design in Health, and the idea of designing health services alongside the service users themselves. Very interesting parallels with my day job! I'll be able to apply the ideas from the course to my work, and as well as that, I really enjoyed improving my knowledge of Global Public Health.

GVI have a fantastic range of short courses in sustainable development available online now, I have just spent the past month completing 5 of these courses. They're so accessible and packed full of information, statistics, references and experience from professionals in the field who are incredibly approachable and inspirational. A great element to these courses is the convenience and encouragement to engage with other students studying the courses too via online discussions on the website.
Human Rights, Scientific Research and Conservation, Careers in Sustainable Development and Community Development are some of the courses I completed and highly recommend!

In June of 2019, I volunteered with GVI in Greece, Giannitsochori, for two weeks on their turtle program - but I wish I had stayed longer! It was an incredible experience and your work really does make a difference to the conservation of turtle populations. The accommodation is in a tent, about a 2 minute walk away from the beach. The GVI staff were always around and happy to help with any queries or issues and I felt incredibly safe on this program. I would recommend to anyone with a passion for marine conservation, those who wish to make a difference/sustainable impact, or anyone who loves the outdoors!

I did a short-term wildlife internship with GVI at their Jalova, Costa Rica project in 2019. I researched many different organisations and decided on GVI, I loved their ethos and was glad to experience every bit of it being true. I felt in safe hands from the moment I booked, the support staff were friendly and gave lots of useful information. I was met at the airport by GVI and transfered to my hostel the day before travlling to base so I felt safe arriving on my own in a new country.

On base, the staff were excellent, very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Despite being in the remote Costa Rican jungle amongst the wild animals and with basic living conditions, I felt very safe. The opportunities to learn were second to none and we dived straight in to our duties after a solid orientation. I got to experience beautiful habitats and tonnes of wild animals in their natural environment. Contributing toward the protection and conservation of that special place was one of the best experiences of my life. If I wasn't mid-way through study then I would have undoubtedly stayed longer, I just didn't want to leave. The food was excellent and adjustments were made for any dietary requirements (vegan/gluten free etc.).

I now have a wealth of practical conservation experience and have made many friends for life, whom I see as much as possible back in the UK! I was so impressed with GVI that I have booked another trip (delayed due to Covid-19), but I am eager to work with GVI in 2020 to make the world a better place.

I had an incredible time volunteering in Kerala and would recommend this experience with GVI to anyone seeking to be pushed out of their comfort zone and contribute to making a positive impact in the wider world.
The Women's Empowerment project is an eye opening experience focused on sustainable development by building strong connections with its participants and creating an impact that is visibly lasting.

India is a vibrant country with a rich and diverse culture and I can't imagine anywhere better to have spent this experience.

My time with GVI in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica was phenomenal. I did the short-term internship in between my second and my final year of my university degree as part of my placement year and choose this program due to their very good reputation and to build my skills in conservation.
My role as an intern was to assist with the research projects which were being carried out at the biological research camp I was living at. Whilst there, there were jaguar and biodiversity projects running so I helped with the tracking and camera trapping of jaguars and biodiversity surveys of the surrounding habitat. Also, whilst on this internship I completed GVI’s biological survey technique program where I learnt how to apply conservation practise to a range of ecosystems and I also did an emergency first aid program to prepare for the realities of practising conservation in the wild. In addition, I completed the ILM endorsed leadership certificate where I had to do several presentations, assignments and attend weekly one to one sessions with my mentor.
The staff were paramount to the incredible experience as they offer a wealth of knowledge and make you feel welcome from day one in camp. Due to the remote and basic living conditions you quickly form very close friendships, unforgettable memories and meet amazing, likeminded people along the way which makes the experience so wonderful.
My high expectations of this program were massively exceeded, and I wish I choose to stay for more than 8 weeks. The program helped give me direction to my future career plans and guided me in picking final year modules at university that compliment these plans. Do not just consider doing a GVI internship, DO IT, you will not regret it at all.
I can hands down say this was one of the best experiences of my life and shaped me massively as an individual.

I have JUST completed GVI's new flagship program online - Foundations in Sustainable Development. This involved two core courses, Leading Teams for Emerging Leaders and Careers in Sustainable Development, and then I chose to specialise with an Introduction to Community Development. I have completed all three courses from the comfort of my sofa and have a new wealth of knowledge just bursting out of my mind.

The online platform used by GVI is user-friendly, self-explanatory and logical. The courses are comprised of multiple modules on a range of relevant, progressive topics and each has a challenging assignment that uses the knowledge that you have gained. This is a great way to apply this information and practice having a chance to do so before hopefully using it one day in country!

Each course is comprised of a mixture of live - and recorded in case you can't make them! - lectures, articles, videos, quizzes and discussions to create a diverse learning experience that appeals to all kinds of people. The course instructors are experts in their fields and some of the most relatable people I have ever met. It can be daunting to share ideas about topics that are new to you over the internet with a bunch of strangers, but with shared interests and passions, these strangers soon felt like friends and we have connected over LinkedIn / online networks since.

I would recommend GVI's online courses for anyone who wants to make a difference in this world and wants to keep preparing themselves to do so in this time of great unknown. I feel ready to approach my future with a stronger sense of preparedness and can't wait to use my new knowledge abroad.

Thanks GVI!

I have JUST completed GVI's new flagship program online - Foundations in Sustainable Development. This involved two core courses, Leading Teams for Emerging Leaders and Careers in Sustainable Development, and then I chose to specialise with an Introduction to Community Development. I have completed all three courses from the comfort of my sofa and have a new wealth of knowledge just bursting out of my mind.

The online platform used by GVI is user-friendly, self-explanatory and logical. The courses are comprised of multiple modules on a range of relevant, progressive topics and each has a challenging assignment that uses the knowledge that you have gained. This is a great way to apply this information and practice having a chance to do so before hopefully using it one day in country!

Each course is comprised of a mixture of live - and recorded in case you can't make them! - lectures, articles, videos, quizzes and discussions to create a diverse learning experience that appeals to all kinds of people. The course instructors are experts in their fields and some of the most relatable people I have ever met. It can be daunting to share ideas about topics that are new to you over the internet with a bunch of strangers, but with shared interests and passions, these strangers soon felt like friends and we have connected over LinkedIn / online networks since.

I would recommend GVI's online courses for anyone who wants to make a difference in this world and wants to keep preparing themselves to do so in this time of great unknown. I feel ready to approach my future with a stronger sense of preparedness and can't wait to use my new knowledge abroad.

Thanks GVI!