World of Difference (WoD) is an innovative charitable volunteering initiative currently being delivered across the international network of Vodafone Foundations.
WoD is based around the concept that individuals and community organisations should identify what they feel passionate about and then be provided with the resources to make changes happen.
WoD creates the opportunity for individuals to work for one year for a charitable partner organisation, with salary and related support provided. The winners are chosen on merit through a public competition. To date, 52 individual winners have participated or are currently participating.
Based on a model which was initially developed by the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation in 2002, WoD programmes have also been successfully launched by the Vodafone Australia Foundation, the Vodafone Netherlands Foundation and the Vodafone Ireland Foundation.
There are some slight variations in programme implementation from country to country, but the basic format of the WoD model – support for an individual to work for one year in a cutting-edge charitable organisation to achieve pre-agreed outcomes – is the same in each foundation.