Skip to main content

Philip Goodwin

The value of volunteers

The value of volunteers - the state of the world's volunteerism. Volunteering is a fundamental part of any country’s development journey and when done properly, it can be a powerful tool.

Farmers in Cambodia

Distributed Leadership at VSO

VSO CEO Dr Philip Goodwin discusses the importance of distributed leadership and how this concept maximises organisational performance in conditions of complexity.

ICS volunteers in the field

Building understanding: Mental health and youth volunteering

As the world’s leading organisation that uses volunteering to tackle poverty, VSO is especially interested in understanding how we can best ensure that people of all sorts of backgrounds can access meaningful volunteering opportunities, writes Philip Goodwin, Chief Executive of VSO.

Safeguarding – a survivor-centred approach

Over the last year, organisations working in aid and development have been rightly challenged over their failings in dealing with abuse and harassment. In response to the scandals, the UK government is holding an International Safeguarding Summit in London in October.

Philip laying flowers in Rwanda

Transformation and resilience: the role of volunteers in Rwanda

Rwanda is truly a nation of volunteers. A commitment to working with your community towards a common purpose is engrained in its national spirit, and the role that volunteering has played post the 1994 genocide is a lesson we can all learn from writes VSO CEO Dr Philip Goodwin.

Community volunteer working in mudslide affected communities

Volunteers: Our not-so-secret weapon in creating resilient communities

A billion people in the world are volunteers. A new UN report rightly recognises their vital role combatting the growing global threat of natural and man-made disasters, writes VSO’s Chief Executive Philip Goodwin.

Community volunteer working in mudslide affected communities

Volunteers: Our not-so-secret weapon in creating resilient communities

A billion people in the world are volunteers. A new UN report rightly recognises their vital role combatting the growing global threat of natural and man-made disasters, writes VSO’s Chief Executive Philip Goodwin.

Philip Goodwin and Kandeh Momoh

What does ‘Zero Tolerance’ mean at VSO?

As new revelations about abuse and harassment within our sector come to light, we at VSO have also been reflecting on what ‘zero tolerance’ means to us as an organisation.

Philip Goodwin in Nepal

Our commitment to the world’s most vulnerable

As Chief Executive of an international development organisation, recent reports on sexual abuse and exploitation carried out by employees at aid organisations have been incredibly difficult to read and watch. They have left me feeling appalled and at times disillusioned.

Girl with test tube in Nigerian classroom

Lab on wheels: Bringing science to Northern Nigeria

An innovative new way of bringing science education to schools in Nigeria's rural north could offer a way unlock future tech prosperity, explains Chief Executive Philip Goodwin.

Pages