Work Travel Volunteer

Volunteering abroad is becoming more and more popular each year. Volunteering abroad is not limited to young gap year whippersnappers either. Whether you are 18 or 80, there are all sorts of options out there.

With the vast array of choices available, volunteers can assist in some incredibly interesting and worthwhile projects. Most projects are run by larger organisations who offer the whole package such as food, accommodation, insurance and 24 hour support should you need it. The downside to this is some projects seem quite expensive.

Many people choose to fundraise to raise money to go on their placement. This can also be an excellent way to raise awareness of your project and to increase valuable life skills such as budgeting, organisation and communication.

Organisations based out in the country you are volunteering in may well have lower overheads and therefore may well be cheaper (or free) to go on. However, you may not receive any support whilst away, insurance or food, which are all things to consider when choosing a placement.

For the more independent minded, many opportunities will arise by just travelling and asking around to see if any voluntary help is required anywhere.

There has been a big backlash in the media recently about whether volunteering does actually benefit the organisation you choose to help. We say make sure you know your reasons for doing it - is it for personal development as well as feeling like you want to make a difference? If so, great but you must have some skills that you can offer your organisation too. Think about what you are good at and offer to use these skills in a positive way whilst you are there. Find out why they need volunteers too and then you'll be fully aware of your reasons for being there.

Volunteering opportunities can be found just about anywhere in the world. Many organisations do require volunteers to have specific professional skills such as medical, financial or project management experience but there are now many organisations that just need non-skilled help, be it washing dishes, carrying logs or feeding animals.

The length of time spent on a project is also extremely variable. Most organisations require you to stay at least one month, although there are some that allow you to stay for only 1 week. Most volunteers say a three month period is the minimum before you see any visible impact upon a project.

There are a number of things to think about when choosing a placement to go on;

• What is the cost of volunteering?
• Is accommodation included?
• Is food included?
• What will I be doing on a day to day basis?
• Is insurance included?
• Is any support in case of emergency included?
• Are there any age restrictions?
• How long can I stay for?
• How many other volunteers will there be?
• Can I work on a number of different projects?
• Is there any chance for sightseeing as well as volunteering?

Search our directory for free to find your perfect volunteer placement or choose more from the links below to find out more about volunteering.