---
title: Volunteer Locally
description: Volunteering locally and abroad are not mutually exclusive
---

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# Volunteer Locally

## Volunteering locally and abroad are not mutually exclusive

At Global Brigades, we believe that service abroad and service locally within our home countries are not mutually exclusive endeavors. [**Volunteers should think globally**](https://blog.globalbrigades.org/the-impact-of-global-brigades-on-local-communities?hsLang=en) and act locally.

Over the years, Global Brigades student volunteers have looked for ways to apply [**skills learned through Brigades**](https://blog.globalbrigades.org/medical-brigade-worth-it?hsLang=en) to serve community needs in their home countries. These are Local Initiatives, or service projects designed to address the needs of communities in student volunteers’ home countries. Through partnerships with third-party organizations, local projects allow students to serve the same communities that have supported their Global Brigades experiences abroad.

For a university's Global Brigades Chapter, Local Initiatives also serve to boost year-round student engagement and member retention. They encourage students to be involved in Global Brigades Chapters even if they are unable to travel abroad. They promote the mission, vision, and values of Global Brigades in communities at home.

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