Garavelli wrong about VSO costs

DANI Garavelli's article "School of hard knocks" (Insight, 21 March) is incorrect to dismiss "a spell of working with VSO" as unaffordable for parents. There is no cost attached to volunteering with VSO and volunteers are provided with flights, accommodation and an allowance.

We recruit volunteers based not on their ability to pay but on their ability to make a real and sustainable difference to a host of communities across the developing world. This is the bedrock of all our work, for both our youth programmes, Youth for Development and Global Xchange, as well as mid-career professionals.

With this in mind, perhaps Dani Garavelli could look again and see VSO as a realistic and credible development opportunity for today's youth. Perhaps VSO is the "obvious solution" after all?

Judith Brodie, UK director, VSO