Core Expectations for Peace Corps Volunteers

As members of the Peace Corps community, Peace Corps Volunteers and Peace Corps Trainees are responsible for fulfilling and sustaining the highest ethical standards of the Peace Corps and of the broader communities in which they serve and will abide by the following commitments.

With integrity, and a shared commitment to equity and intercultural understanding, I will:

  1. Prepare my affairs to ensure I can keep my commitment to serve the full term of my assignment.
  2. Work alongside community members on locally prioritized projects that build relationships, promote knowledge exchange, and contribute to a lasting impact.
  3. Serve where the Peace Corps places me with the flexibility needed for effective service.
  4. Recognizing that collaboration with the local community on sustainable development work is based on trust and respect, I commit to spend most of my time appreciating and integrating into the host community and culture.
  5. Recognize during service that I am responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for my personal conduct and professional performance.
  6. Honor diversity, advance equity of marginalized peoples, champion inclusion, and treat every human being with dignity and respect.
  7. Adhere to and work within the policies and rules of the Peace Corps and the local and national laws of the country where I serve.
  8. Exercise judgment and personal responsibility to protect my health, safety, and well-being and that of others.
  9. Recognize, in the host country and community, that I represent the people, cultures, values, and traditions of the United States of America.
  10. Promote a better understanding of other cultures and the communities where I serve, by intentionally and ethically sharing my Peace Corps experience with family, friends, and the American public during and after service.