Project Trust
Project Trust is a UK-registered educational charity, founded 1967, that runs 8–12 month international volunteering placements for young people aged 17–25 in teaching, TESOL, youth work, and social care across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, supported by selection, training, and debriefing programmes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersArrochar, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Trust does
Project Trust is a Scottish-registered educational charity (No. SC025668), founded in 1967 and headquartered at The Hebridean Centre on the Isle of Coll, Argyll. It organizes long-term (8–12 month) international volunteering placements for UK-based young people aged 17–25, placing them in teaching, TESOL, youth work, and social care projects across 15+ countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The end-to-end programme comprises selection, volunteer-led fundraising toward a £7,450 (12-month) or £6,850 (8-month) target, residential training on the Isle of Coll, in-country placement supported by local representatives and project hosts, and post-return debriefing.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean and entirely third-party: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for CRM (UK-hosted, replacing the US-based MailChimp for email communications), JustGiving for online donations and fundraising pages, Shopify for the merchandise storefront, and Microsoft Teams for internal collaboration. There is no proprietary platform, no API surface, and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed. Discovery Evenings, school and careers fair presentations, an organic social presence (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn), and word-of-mouth from the 8,000+ strong returned-volunteer alumni network form the demand-generation backbone.
Revenue is a blend of volunteer-raised funds (covering ~£4,450 of placement cost), charitable donations from individuals, trusts and corporates (eligible for Gift Aid reclaim), small merchandise sales (£9.99–£31.99 range), and an internal subsidy of approximately £3,000 per volunteer funded by the charity's own revenue fundraising. The 11–50 employee operating base supports a single primary segment (UK school-leavers and gap-year candidates), with schools and colleges acting as secondary recruitment channels.
Project Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Trust
- Legal name
- Project Trust
- Website
- https://projecttrust.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Project Trust is a UK-registered educational charity, founded 1967, that runs 8–12 month international volunteering placements for young people aged 17–25 in teaching, TESOL, youth work, and social care across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, supported by selection, training, and debriefing programmes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Gap Year Volunteering Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Project Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arrochar
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Volunteer Fundraising: Volunteers aged 17-25 fundraise toward a target (£7,450 for 12-month Immersive placements, £6,850 for 8-month Focused placements) which covers selection, training, flights, insurance, living allowance, international support, and debriefing. Project Trust subsidizes approximately £3,000 per volunteer from its own revenue fundraising efforts.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization receives donations from individuals, charitable trusts, and corporate sponsors. JustGiving is used for online donations. Gift Aid declarations allow reclaim of 25% from HMRC on eligible donations (though Gift Aid does not count toward individual volunteer fundraising targets).
- Merchandise Sales: An online shop sells branded clothing items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, polo shirts, and tote bags. Prices range from approximately £9.99 (tote bag) to £31.99 (hoodie). Revenue supports general charitable activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Immersive 12-month placement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Project Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Trust is a UK-registered educational charity that organises fully supported 8-12 month international volunteering placements for young people aged 17-25 across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, in the sectors of teaching, TESOL, youth work, and social care. The programme is delivered as a structured pathway covering selection, volunteer-led fundraising, residential training on the Isle of Coll, in-country placement with ongoing support, and post-return debriefing, supplemented by a returned-volunteer community and a branded merchandise online shop.
Product overview
Project Trust is an educational gap year charity founded in 1967, offering a structured international volunteering program for young people aged 17-25. The core offering consists of fully supported 8-12 month placements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America across four sectors: Teaching, TESOL, Youth Work, and Social Care. The program follows a comprehensive pathway including selection, fundraising support (with Access Fund Bursary options), mentor matching, residential training on the Isle of Coll, placement with ongoing international support, and post-return debriefing. The organization also maintains a returned volunteer community for ongoing engagement. Supplementary merchandise (clothing and bags) is sold through an online shop. All operations are supported by Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM and JustGiving for fundraising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- International Volunteering Placements Fully supported international volunteering placements for young people aged 17-25, lasting 8-12 months, in teaching, youth development, TESOL and social care across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The programme includes pre-departure fundraising, residential training on the Isle of Coll, ongoing in-country support, and post-return debriefing.
- Selection Process
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,000+ volunteers empowered since 1967
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Trust
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Project Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Diversity TravelcoreTravel booking partner through whom Project Trust books flights for volunteers. Acts as a data processor under GDPR, receiving volunteer personal information necessary for flight arrangements.
- Ian Dickson TravelcoreTravel partner used specifically for booking China in-country travel for volunteers. Shares data as a data processor for flight booking purposes.
- CEAIEcoreChinese Society for Technical and Educational Exchange - organizes project placements in China and provides support to volunteers. Project Trust shares volunteer personal and sensitive data with CEAIE as a data processor. One of the few data processors operating outside the EU.
- Aviva InsurancecoreInsurance provider through whom Project Trust provides comprehensive medical, accident and public liability insurance for volunteers during their overseas placements and training courses.
- Caledonian MacBrayne (Caledonia MacBrayne)minorFerry operator used for booking travel to and from the Isle of Coll for training courses. Data shared as processor for ferry ticket booking.
- Microsoft Dynamics 365coreCRM platform used for managing volunteer data and communications. Hosted in the UK, providing GDPR-compliant mailing functionality as a replacement for MailChimp.
- Healthlink 360minorHealth advice and support provider contacted by Project Trust when volunteer health information needs to be shared for medical support purposes.
- CEGAminorAviva Insurance's international support provider used for handling medical or accident claims and emergencies for volunteers abroad.
- Duke of EdinburghminorAwards scheme for which Project Trust provides proof of completion for specific sections when volunteers participate in their programme alongside the placement.
- In-country RepresentativescoreLocal representatives in host countries who provide in-country support to volunteers. Essential for volunteer safety and ongoing assistance during placements. Data shared with these partners as required for placement organization.
- Project HostscoreLocal organizations and communities hosting volunteers. Feedback on volunteer performance is shared with Project Trust. Sensitive personal data may be shared with hosts as necessary for accommodation and placement coordination.
- Accommodation HostsminorCommunity volunteers on the Isle of Coll who provide accommodation during training courses. Data shared as necessary for training logistics.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AIESEC: Global youth-led organisation offering international volunteering and internship exchanges for students and recent graduates. Comparable on youth demographic and international mobility programmes, though focused on short-term exchanges rather than long-term community placements.
- Operation Wallacea: Provider of international conservation and community volunteering expeditions for school and university students. Comparable on youth demographic, overseas placement model, and UK-led programme design, though weighted toward biodiversity research rather than teaching/social care.
Direct peers
- Lattitude Global Volunteering: UK charity (formerly part of CSV) placing school-leavers and young people in international volunteering placements. Highly comparable on youth demographic, long-duration placements, fundraising model, and school-leaver recruitment channels.
- Restless Development: Youth-led international development charity placing young volunteers in Africa and Asia on education and youth work placements. Comparable on demographic focus (young people), international programme sectors, and not-for-profit structure.
- Camps International: Provider of structured international volunteering and expedition programmes for school groups and gap year students across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable on geography, programme sectors, and school-leaver demographic.
- Volunteering Matters: UK charity running structured volunteering programmes for young people, including international placements. Overlaps with Project Trust on youth demographic, structured programme model, and UK-based not-for-profit operations.
- Raleigh International: UK-based charity running structured international volunteering expeditions for young people aged 17+. Directly comparable to Project Trust on target demographic, programme model (international placements, fundraising, training, debriefing), and UK-centric recruitment.
- Projects Abroad: International volunteer placement provider offering structured overseas volunteering including teaching, TESOL, and social care programmes. Comparable on programme categories, sector mix, and end-customer (young people seeking international experience), though operates globally and is more commercial.
- Frontier (Frontier Gap Year): UK-based gap year provider offering international volunteering placements in conservation, teaching, and community projects. Overlaps with Project Trust on target demographic, programme structure, and volunteer fundraising model.
Broad incumbents
- VSO (Volunteer Service Overseas): Large UK-based international development charity placing skilled professionals on overseas placements. Comparable on international volunteer placement model, though targets more experienced professionals rather than school-leavers, and operates as a much larger incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Project Trust social profiles
Digital presenceProject Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Project Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Project Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Trust
What does Project Trust do?
Project Trust is a UK-registered educational charity that organises fully supported 8-12 month international volunteering placements for young people aged 17-25 across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, in the sectors of teaching, TESOL, youth work, and social care. The programme is delivered as a structured pathway covering selection, volunteer-led fundraising, residential training on the Isle of Coll, in-country placement with ongoing support, and post-return debriefing, supplemented by a returned-volunteer community and a branded merchandise online shop.
Is Project Trust a public or private company?
Project Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Trust founded?
Project Trust was founded in 1967. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Project Trust based?
Project Trust is headquartered in Arrochar, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Project Trust make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Volunteer Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Giving and merchandise Sales.
Who are Project Trust's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are AIESEC and Operation Wallacea. Direct peers are Lattitude Global Volunteering, Restless Development, Camps International, Volunteering Matters, Raleigh International, Projects Abroad and Frontier (Frontier Gap Year). VSO (Volunteer Service Overseas) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Project Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Trust.
What industry is Project Trust in?
Project Trust's product category is Educational Gap Year Volunteering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAI, Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAGAO, Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8200.