CUSO and VSO Canada – the two organizations that merged in 2008 to become known as Cuso International – 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. In 2011, the now merged CUSO-VSO organization evolved its name to Cuso International.
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. Combined, Cuso and VSO have placed over 45,000 volunteers.
In June, 2011, Cuso International celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Key dates in Cuso International’s history
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1958 – VSO is founded in the UK.
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1960 – Canadian Overseas Volunteers (COV) and Canadian Voluntary Commonwealth Service (CVCS) are created, and other university-based programs are in development.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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1965 – The Canadian government begins offering direct financial assistance to CUSO; support continues to today through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
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1979 – 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.
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1981 – Canadian University Service Overseas becomes just CUSO as many volunteers were now professionals with a wide variety of skills and experiences.
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1984 – CUSO begins formal linkage projects between groups with similar interests in Canada and the developing world.
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1985 – CUSO begins supporting developing world volunteers, not just Canadian volunteers. Starting in the 1990s, Southern volunteers are also posted to other developing nations.
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1995 – VSO Canada is launched.
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2001 – VSO launches support for in-country national volunteering, which is coordinated by local partner groups. After the CUSO-VSO Canada merger, Cuso International begins supporting national volunteering as well.
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2008 – CUSO and VSO Canada merge to become CUSO-VSO.
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2011 – CUSO-VSO evolves its name to Cuso International, and turns 50.
- 2012 - Cuso International opens an office in Washington, DC, to support volunteer recruitment in the US