What International Volunteer HQ does

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) is a New Zealand-based volunteer travel company founded in 2007, operating as a division of HQ Travel LP and headquartered in New Plymouth. The company curates and distributes affordable volunteer abroad programs — 333 projects across 50 countries with durations from 1 to 24 weeks, starting at $20 per day — spanning childcare, teaching, medical and health, marine and wildlife conservation, community development, construction, sports, and other categories. Programs are delivered through a global network of Independent Local Teams that provide accommodation, meals, in-country orientation, airport pick-up, and 24/7 support, while a dedicated Program Manager model adds centralized pre-departure preparation for each volunteer.

IVHQ's core technology is the MyIVHQ web portal (my.volunteerhq.org), which manages applications, bookings, payments, communications, and program details, supported by country-localized websites for the US, Australia, UK, and Canada, multi-currency support, Stripe payment processing, and Google Analytics for traffic reporting. The business runs a direct-to-consumer model monetized primarily through a US$329 non-refundable Registration Fee and destination-specific Program Fees that flow to local host communities; ancillary revenue streams include travel insurance commissions via CISI, flight referral fees, add-on tours (e.g., a One Life Adventures Bali partnership), academic credit enrollment fees, and customized group bookings for corporate (e.g., Microsoft, Salesforce), university (e.g., UC Berkeley, University of Michigan), faculty-led, high school, and family groups of 8+ handled by a dedicated Group Support team.

The customer base spans individual volunteers (gap year students, backpackers, solo travelers, and 20s-30s lifestyle travelers as the primary segment), university students seeking academic credit, teens aged 16+, seniors and retirees, medical/healthcare professionals, and institutional and corporate groups. IVHQ has positioned itself as the world's #1 rated volunteer travel organization, earning the Go Overseas Top Volunteer Abroad Provider designation for eight consecutive years (2018-2025), being the first global volunteer abroad organization certified as a B Corporation, and maintaining 100% carbon neutral operations since 2019 across a cumulative base of 160,645 volunteers served.

Name

International Volunteer HQ

Legal name

International Volunteer HQ

Website

https://volunteerhq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International Volunteer HQ is a New Zealand-based volunteer travel platform offering 333 affordable programs across 50 countries. It serves individual travelers, university students, families, seniors, and corporate and institutional groups through a direct-to-consumer model with centralized booking and local delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Travel Services

NAICS

All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)

akta.pro primary industry

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Health & Medical Volunteering Programs (EDAIAGAC)

Keywords

• Volunteer abroad programs
• International volunteer travel
• Service learning trips
• Volunteer placement services
• Group volunteer travel

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Program Fees (Program Fee): The primary revenue stream is the Program Fee, paid by volunteers to cover accommodation, meals, in-country support, orientation, airport pick-up, and other hosting services provided by the Independent Local Team. These fees go directly to the local community. Program durations range from 1 to 24 weeks. Fees start at approximately $20/day depending on destination and project type. The company charges a Registration Fee of US$329 to confirm a volunteer's place in a program, separate from the Program Fee.
2. Registration Fee: A one-time Registration Fee of US$329 is charged when a volunteer secures their place in a volunteer program. This fee is non-refundable and separate from the Program Fee.
3. Tours, Experiences, and Add-ons: Volunteers can purchase additional in-country activities, upgraded accommodation, language lessons, academic credit transcripts, excursions, and tours through IVHQ. These are classified as additional paid services beyond the core program.
4. Travel Insurance: IVHQ offers travel insurance to volunteers through a partnership with CISI (underwritten by Crum & Forster Specialty Insurance Company). Insurance is mandatory for all volunteers and is sold as an add-on to the core program.
5. Flights (Humanitarian Flights): IVHQ offers flight booking services to volunteers through preferred partners, providing commissions or referral revenue.
6. Academic Credit Services: IVHQ offers academic credit enrollment options for university and college students, which may generate revenue through associated administrative or processing fees.
7. Group Booking Management: Specialized support for groups of 8+ volunteers (corporate groups, faculty-led trips, high school groups) requiring dedicated Group Support team services, which may carry associated fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IVHQ organizes and delivers volunteer abroad programs across 333 projects in 50 countries, providing vetted accommodation, meals, in-country orientation, airport pick-up, and 24/7 on-the-ground support to individual volunteers and groups. Programs range from 1 to 24 weeks, priced from US$20/day plus a one-time US$329 Registration Fee, and are delivered through a global network of Independent Local Teams coordinated via the proprietary MyIVHQ platform.

Product overview

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) operates as a platform offering affordable volunteer abroad programs across 333 projects in 50 countries. The core offering consists of IVHQ Volunteer Programs with durations from 1 to 24 weeks, managed through the MyIVHQ web portal. The company provides 19 distinct project types including Childcare, Teaching, Medical & Health, Marine/Wildlife Conservation, Environment, Community Development, and more. Programs are available across multiple travel styles including Gap Year, Group Volunteering (with custom options for faculty-led, corporate, and family groups), and International Internships through the sub-brand Intern Abroad HQ. Additional services include Travel Insurance, Flights, Academic Credit options, and flexible payment solutions (Zero Risk Booking and Interest-Free Payment Plans). IVHQ Legends is a loyalty program recognizing repeat volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IVHQ Legends: A community program recognizing volunteers who have completed multiple IVHQ volunteer trips
• Intern Abroad HQ
• MyIVHQ

Products and services

• IVHQ Volunteer Programs Core volunteer abroad program offering 333 placement projects across 50 countries with durations from 1 to 24 weeks. Includes accommodation, meals, in-country orientation, airport pick-up, and 24/7 local support, priced from US$20/day plus a US$329 Registration Fee.
• Group Volunteering Programs Custom volunteer programs for groups of 8+ including corporate team-building trips, faculty-led university groups, high school groups, and family/friends groups. Handled by a dedicated Group Support team with custom program design and centralized administration.
• International Internships (Intern Abroad HQ) Career-focused international internship programs abroad through IVHQ's sister brand Intern Abroad HQ, offering professional placements across various career fields.
• Travel Insurance Mandatory travel insurance administered by CISI, one of the world's leading providers of insurance for study abroad and international travel, with cover underwritten by Crum & Forster Specialty Insurance Company.
• Humanitarian Flights Flight booking services offered through IVHQ's preferred airline partners, providing convenient travel arrangements for volunteers traveling to their program destinations.
• Academic Credit Programs Program allowing university and college students to earn academic credit through their IVHQ volunteer experience, potentially saving on tuition fees and integrating with home institution requirements.
• Tours and Experiences Optional in-country activities, upgraded accommodation, language lessons, excursions, and tours to extend or enhance volunteer trips, offered as additional paid services beyond the core program.
• Training and Courses Pre-departure training and skill-building courses designed to prepare volunteers for their international placements, including discounted language lessons.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named Top Volunteer Abroad Provider for 7 consecutive years (2018-2024) by Go Overseas among 13,000+ providers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• One Life AdventuresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIVHQ partnered with One Life Adventures to offer a prize promotion for IVHQ Bali registrants. One lucky winner receives a 12-day Bali Classic tour valued at approximately US$1,475, as an incentive for completing IVHQ Bali program registration. The partnership is structured as a co-marketing promotion with One Life Adventures as the prize provider and IVHQ as the administrator.
• CISI (Crum & Forster Specialty Insurance Company)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerIVHQ's travel insurance is administered by CISI, one of the world's leading providers of insurance for study abroad and international student travel. The cover is underwritten by Crum & Forster Specialty Insurance Company, an 'A' rated insurance provider with a 200-year underwriting history. Insurance is mandatory for all volunteers and is sold as an add-on service, generating revenue through premiums.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationIVHQ uses Stripe as its online payments platform for processing volunteer fees. Online payments are processed through Stripe, and IVHQ does not receive or have access to personal information such as bank or credit card details. IVHQ may be required to submit personal data, including background checks and passport information, to Stripe for credit card chargeback requests.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GoOverseas: Reviews and program directory for volunteer, intern, and teach abroad programs. Closely adjacent to IVHQ as both a traffic/referral source and a recognized awards body (Top Volunteer Abroad Provider), shaping the same buyer journey.
• Projects Abroad: One of the largest volunteer abroad operators, offering fee-based placements across many countries and project types. Highly comparable to IVHQ in pricing-led, multi-destination volunteer travel with structured in-country support.
• Volunteer World: Online marketplace for volunteer abroad programs across many countries. Direct competitor to IVHQ in facilitating volunteer placement discovery and bookings, with overlapping project categories.
• Global Volunteers: Long-running volunteer travel organization running short-term service programs worldwide. Comparable to IVHQ in serving individual volunteers on multi-week placements with a focus on community impact.
• Maximo Nivel: Volunteer and study abroad provider with strong Latin America presence and expanding global destinations. Comparable to IVHQ in multi-country program structure, in-country support teams, and academic/credit offerings.
• Volunteer Forever: Scholarship and crowdfunding platform that partners with volunteer abroad organizations to help fund placements. Comparable to IVHQ as a demand-side enabler targeting the same budget-conscious volunteer segment.
• GVI (Global Vision International): Provider of volunteer and internship programs focused on conservation and community development across multiple continents. Comparable to IVHQ in program structure, in-country teams, and project-based pricing.
• Frontier: Conservation-focused volunteer travel operator running animal and environmental projects abroad. Highly comparable to IVHQ in marine and wildlife conservation programs and per-night fee structure.
• Love Volunteers: Volunteer abroad organization offering affordable programs across a wide range of countries and causes. Direct competitor to IVHQ in the budget-friendly volunteer travel segment with similar per-diem pricing.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity: Large, established nonprofit mobilizing volunteer labor globally, including international 'Global Village' builds. Comparable to IVHQ as a broader, mission-driven incumbent in international volunteer travel with deeper funding and brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/volunteerhqorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ivhqvolunteer
• Instagraminstagram.com/ivhq
• TikToktiktok.com/@ivhq
• Xx.com/ivhq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-volunteer-hq

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Volunteer HQ