Our history
CUSO and VSO Canada – the two organizations that merged to form our organization in 2008 – share parallel histories of international volunteerism.
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) was founded in the UK in 1958. VSO Canada started operations in 1995.
CUSO was launched in 1961, built on the foundation of early university-based initiatives including Canadian Overseas Volunteers (COV), Canadian Voluntary Commonwealth Service (CVCS) and Le Mouvement Universitaire National pour le Developpement Outre-Mer. Originally known as Canadian University Service Overseas (and in French, SUCO – Service universitaire canadien outre-mer), the organization eventually moved beyond university boundaries, and in 1981 became just CUSO.
VSO and CUSO were both pioneers in the field of development, believing in the ability of international volunteers to be agents of positive change. The two organizations shifted their respective missions over time from service to solidarity. With CUSO joining the community, VSO now works in over 40 countries. Collectively, the members of VSO International have placed over 45,000 volunteers.
In June, 2011, CUSO-VSO will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Key dates in CUSO-VSO’s history
1958 – VSO is founded in the UK.
1960 – Canadian Overseas Volunteers (COV) and Canadian Voluntary Commonwealth Service (CVCS) are created, and other university-based programs are in development.
1961(June 6) – The new volunteer movement spreads to other Canadian universities, and a national body is needed to coordinate the program. Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO) is founded in Canada at McGill University in Montreal. Many university presidents attend, along with representatives of 21 organizations including COV, CVCS, WUSC, UNESCO and the Student Christian Movement.
1961 (Summer) - The first 15 COV volunteers leave for one-year postings in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Sarawak (now an autonomous state of the federation of Malaysia). That same year, the first CVCS short-term volunteers leave for Jamaica.
1963 - COV unites with CUSO/SUCO (as does CVCS a year later). Nearly 100 volunteers depart under the banner of CUSO for placements in 15 countries.
1965 – The Canadian government begins offering direct financial assistance to CUSO; support continues to today through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
1981 – CUSO's Quebec operations (SUCO – Service universitaire canadien outre-mer) separate from the organization. SUCO exists to today as an independent NGO. Note: our count of 15,000 returned volunteers includes the SUCO volunteers recruited prior to the '81 CUSO-SUCO separation.
1981 – Canadian University Service Overseas becomes just CUSO as many volunteers were now professionals with a wide variety of skills and experiences.
1984 – CUSO begins formal linkage projects between groups with similar interests in Canada and the developing world.
1985 – CUSO begins supporting developing world volunteers, not just Canadian volunteers. Starting in the 1990s, Southern volunteers are also posted to other developing nations.
1995 – VSO Canada is launched.
2001 – VSO launches national volunteering, its in-country volunteering program.
2008 – CUSO and VSO Canada merge to become CUSO-VSO, the North American member of the VSO International Federation.
2011 – CUSO-VSO turns 50!
