Nathalie Gordon, head of programme delivery at the International Citizen Service (ICS), said its volunteers reported understanding their communities better after spending a period of time working on foreign development projects.
She said many ICS volunteers return to the UK to take up youth work or other roles that involve supporting young people.
A recent survey by the Department for International Development-funded programme showed 81 per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds who volunteered said they had an increased sense of responsibility to their local community when they came home.
A further 93 per cent reported their experiences had engendered a sense of global citizenship.
Gordon said the skills people gain when volunteering abroad made them better able to understand and bridge differences when working in UK communities that have a mix of cultures.
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