Executive Summary Volunteer Groups’ Thematic Paper to the HLPF 2018

The value of international volunteer-driven development is a question of debate and occasional scepticism, and contrasting viewpoints each have merit. The impacts of international volunteer service as a development strategy ultimately depend on whether programs recognise and implement effective institutional practices based on the outcomes they desire to achieve.1 Studies linking practices to impacts are still rare, and are only beginning to emerge as a priority for the field.