DiA's mission is to "promote global citizenship by improving understanding and encouraging engagement in development issues amongst young people in the UK".  This is achieved through all our volunteering opportunities, both in India and the UK.

DiA understands global citizenship to include:

• Understanding of global issues, including global interdependence
• Awareness of the impact that an individual's choices make on the world and others around them
• Active citizenship, through personal actions, education and engagement.

Volunteering in India

While on placement in India, volunteers complete a project for DiA, based on an aspect of their experience.  The projects are diverse, from following the lives of street children to exploring the experience of overseas volunteering, investigating the use of water to comparing perceptions of the UK and India.

The project provides a focus for learning during each volunteers placement, and can then be used as an educational tool in the UK.  This provides a means to build awareness of global issues beyond the individual.

Apart from the project, the pre-placement training, orientation in India and placement itself all emphasise the global dimension and awareness of development issues.  Volunteers therefore complete their placements with a wider view of their role in the world.

Global citizenship in the UK

By volunteering in the UK as a DiA Educator or by supporting the Committee, you are promoting global citizenship to a wider audience.  DiA runs a number of workshops at universities across the UK, as well as supporting DiA educators to run similar workshops in their local communities.

DiA focuses on post-16 education, which is an often under-served area, as it is outside of the National Curriculum.