You are now temporarily in Armenia, have you considered having a longer experience here?
Birthright Armenia and Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) offer individual customized volunteering or internship placements in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanazdor, Dilijan, etc. to 21+ students, junior specialists, more experienced professionals or seniors – non-Armenians and Armenians living abroad.
These placements are based entirely on your interests and background. We work with more than +1,200 partner organizations in a range of sectors spanning business, education, environment, culture, health, government, NGO, and more. You will receive full logistical support including homestay options, Armenian language classes, excursions, and much more to ensure you seamlessly integrate and uniquely discover Armenia.
Samson Karapetyan
Samson Karapetyan (25, Russia) decided to join the Birthright Armenia family and bring in his photography and videography skills to help local media grow. In about three months, Samson learned how to communicate in Armenian and helped organize EVN Media Fest, one of the largest media festivals of the year. The primary reason why Samson decided to come to Armenia is that he wanted to explore his Armenian identity which he never had done before. Now, Samson wants to stay and live in Armenia.
Elise Youssoufian
Elise Youssoufian (45, United States) yearned to always visit her fatherland and share her experience with the Armenian community. In 2022, she came to volunteer with a plan to stay for a long period and formed a special bond with her host family. After that, Elise repatriated to Armenia and is a poet, artist, scholar, and the founder of Sound of Ten Thousand Stones, an “arts initiative sparking creation in response to cultural destruction.” She is also a trainer at Proshyan Arts Projects where she teaches crochet as a form of therapy
Natalia Sarkisian Tavares
Natalia Sarkisian Tavares (25, Brazil) wanted to participate in the Birthright Armenia program to gain experience in different professional fields and finally understand what career path to take. Throughout the last years, Natalia explored the fashion and museum industries in Brazil. However, it was her knowledge of Portuguese and Spanish that was her biggest contribution helping Armenian businesses go global. After finishing her volunteering term, she applied to the Pathway to Armenia program and is currently living in Armenia.
Tomás Manoukian
Tomás Manoukian (35, Argentina) joined AVC in search of his family’s legacy. Tomás came all the way from Argentina, to research for his extended family that lost their connection during the Genocide. He reached out to the Genocide Memorial Museum and discovered that his great aunt has written a book during the Genocide. As a descendant of a Genocide survivor, Tomás is now leaving to Western Armenia (current-day Turkey), to look for the missing family members that he’s lost touch with ever since.
Christopher Ohanian
Christopher Ohanian (27, Germany/USA) began his Birthright Armenia journey from the city of Gyumri, where he volunteered with local NGOs bringing in his skills and passion for reusable fashion. Throughout his six-month experience in Gyumri and Yerevan, Chris has been volunteering with eight different organizations that focus on fashion, community development, and culture.
Léana Correia Pinto
Léana Correia Pinto (23, France) decided to join AVC as an opportunity to gain professional experience abroad in the communications and management sectors. During her four months here, she had five different placements where she supported PR efforts, wrote articles for publications, and created partnerships. She was also at the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development (AF4SD) where she published newsletters, improving French publications, and enhancing project communications on their digital platforms.
These are just six examples of Birthright Armenia and AVC profiles. But we have much more! Over the last two decades, more than 3,300 participants became a part of Birthright Armenia and Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC). From 56 countries, more than 350 of our program alumni have repatriated and currently live in different cities of Armenia.
Let alone professional opportunities, Birthright Armenia and AVC participants go on weekly excursions, participate in Armenian language classes regardless of their knowledge level, get to meet successful entrepreneurs, and experts, and discover Armenian culture through dance classes, cooking gatherings, as well as live with local host families, who are ready to share their home and everyday life with you.
If you are 21-32 and of Armenian origin
or get in touch with us
info@birthrightarmenia.am
If you are 21+ with no Armenian heritage or 32+ of Armenian origin
or get in touch with us
info@avc.am
You can also visit our office from 10 am to 6 pm on business days located on 37 Hanrapetutyan Street, Yerevan (H. Hovnanian Family Foundation building)