This framing paper for IVCO 2021 connects debates around decolonising aid and development with discussions on diversity and inclusion in Volunteering for Development (V4D) programmes.  Both themes are ultimately centred around questions of power, privilege, structural discrimination and exclusive mechanisms. It aims to provide an overview of current debates and their importance for the V4D sector and thereby set the ground for further discussions at the IVCO 2021 conference.

It directs  attention to the internal structures of the V4D sector and questions such as: Who gets to volunteer and who does not – and why? How does this impact volunteering experiences and outcomes? How is this connected with debates around decolonisation in the context of power dynamics, privilege and inequality? What approaches and ideas can lead to the decolonisation of V4D programmes and initiatives?

This paper builds upon the conversations of IVCO 2018 and its framing paper on ‘Inclusive Development.’