Just released! The volunteer market has experienced a significant growth in recent years. The desire of young people for new experiences that bring them into contact with new people and cultures, and give them opportunities to help people has driven a major expansion in volunteer programmes. The basic aim of the WYSE Work Abroad Member Volunteer Programmes Survey 2008 was to find out more about the volunteer activities of WYSE Work Abroad members, and to identify ways in which WYSE Work Abroad can best support this important sector within the Association.

WYSE Work Abroad’s Market Barometer, released in March 2009, focuses on the inbound US market from both the sender and receiver perspective, which will serve as the first in a series of surveys analysing these issues. Additional surveys, covering other major markets, will follow, and will assist WYSE Work Abroad members in making smart business decisions through valuable market intelligence. Key Findings • For work & travel programmes, US sponsors report that the the total number of job cancellations rose by 4% in spring/summer 2008, and winter 2008 by 7.7%. For 2009, respondents expect this trend to continue, with spring/summer participant numbers set to fall by 12%, and the number of placements by 4%. • Three quarters of work experience organisations had experienced some impact from the economic crisis. • Weaker economies in the sending countries, and a lack of placements in the US were most frequently mentioned as impacting the work exchange business. • Members are reacting to the economic situation mainly by cost cutting, developing new programmes, and increasing marketing. This research report is available to members only. Members can request their copy from Stephanie Manning at mailbox@wysetc.org.

To better understand the impact of government regulations on your programmes, WYSE Work Abroad conducted a member survey in 2009, to gather information which could be useful to WYSE Work Abroad and its member organisations in lobbying and developing relationships with governmental organisations. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY National governments play an important role in the regulation and facilitation of work abroad programmes. This survey of WYSE Work Abroad members indicates that: • Over three-quarters of work abroad organisations are subject to government regulation. • Inbound work abroad programmes are viewed by national governments as cultural exchange (50%) or labour programmes (47%). • Outbound programmes are slightly more likely to be viewed by national governments as cultural exchange (56%) and less likely to be seen as labour programmes (38%). • The regulation of work abroad programmes is most frequently undertaken by the Department of Labour (36%), the State Department/Home Affairs (24%) or the Department of Foreign Affairs (24%). • Regulation is most frequently applied to inbound programmes (50%), particularly in terms of licensing sponsor organisations. • Outbound programmes are less subject to regulation (34%) and licensing is usually subsumed in general travel sector legislation. • Almost half of work abroad organisations indicated that they are facing challenges with government legislation, particularly related to tightening of visa rules and increased regulation of the sector. The full results of this survey are available to members only in WYSE Work Abroad’s Member Survey of Advocacy Issues 2009. To request your members-only copy, contact Stephanie Manning at WYSE Work Abroad.