Volunteers, schools and independent organisations keen on organising overseas humanitarian trips will now have a central body to turn to for information.

Launched yesterday, the International Volunteerism Association (IVA) aims to connect locally based groups who organise such trips into a close-knit network that shares resources through talks and joint training programmes.

The idea was mooted two years ago by a group of seasoned volunteers, such as the assistant director of the National Youth Council's Youth Expedition Project, Mr Theodore Teo.

These volunteers are now committee members of IVA.

Speaking at the association's inaugural event - a forum on international volunteerism held at the Rendezvous Hotel yesterday - Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports Teo Ser Luck said its founding was a timely move.

'With a growing interest in international volunteerism in Singapore, there is a strategic and urgent need to encourage more practitioners in the international volunteerism community to come forth and share experiences,' he said.

About 20 non-profit groups have already expressed interest in registering with the IVA. Its chairman, Dr Chan Yew Wing, said he hopes membership will grow to 70 within a year.

Membership fees have not been finalised but the IVA will be run as a social enterprise, said Dr Chan, who is also deputy director of the Defence Science Organisation and former president of Raleigh Society.

This means that it is likely to charge for training courses, but the revenue will be ploughed back into strengthening the international volunteerism sector in Singapore, such as funding research that would benefit all organisations.

It will be run by volunteers and two full-time administrative officers. The IVA will be funded by membership and training workshop fees.

One group keen to register is new non-profit outfit Books to Read. Its 11-member team collects past-syllabus Singaporean textbooks and plans to export them to needy children in Africa by the year end.

Its founding co-president, Mr Kyaw Pine, conceded that it was difficult making cold calls to schools and publishing houses and hopes to make more contacts through the IVA.

He added: 'With the recent NGO scandals, the public has become more sceptical when it comes to raising funds. We hope to learn about such challenges and processes from the more experienced organisations.'