Work Overseas > Volunteer Overseas - MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Volunteering overseas is becoming an increasingly popular activity for travellers wanting to experience work abroad. For travellers looking to totally immerse themselves into a new culture, volunteering would be an ideal choice. What is it? Volunteering overseas is the compliance of an individual wishing to work abroad without expectation of pay, putting their time and energy into worthwhile causes. Many travellers choose developing nations to conduct their volunteer work selecting destinations such as Africa, Asia, Central and South America or the South Pacific. Why Volunteer? So why do people choose to volunteer? Well, not everyone’s idea of a holiday would be lying on beach, trekking through Asia, or even working in the ski fields of North America. Volunteering provides the individual with the opportunity to spend some time living with a local community, and do some good with their time away from their lives back home. Volunteering can be extremely rewarding, and an eye opener to the real world. It is true to say that it can be a life-changing experience, as some volunteers decide not to go back to their day job and completely change their career on return home. Whilst volunteering is not just conducted by gap year students, individuals that choose to take time out before embarking on a career gain opportunities for invaluable work experience that would benefit them in years to come. Employers look very favorably on individuals choosing to volunteer during a gap year, and sometimes do not consider university degrees to be sufficient preparation for the working environment. There are many university students and graduates that choose to volunteer in order to gain practical experience to supplement their chosen degree. For example Environmental Science students taking part in a volunteer conservation program would gain invaluable hands-on experience which may even lead to paid employment in the field.

"Working as a volunteer in a developing country can be a life-altering and educational experience" says Connie J. Martin, the author of Volunteering in Latin America. If South America is your chosen volunteering destination then let this guide provide you with the information, first-hand experiences and contacts to get your experience happening. Price: $20.00 (incl GST) Pages: 170 [only available as an e-book]

Finding a volunteer position

The first place to look for a volunteer program would be on the internet. However with a growing number of volunteer agencies popping up on search engines to meet the demand for overseas volunteer opportunities, it is no wonder travellers are confused as to where to look and who to choose to take them on their trip of a lifetime.

First and foremost, travellers should research the organisation they are about to join. Safety is paramount, particularly when volunteering in remote locations in developing nations. It is important to find out about health and safety practices on volunteer placements. Travellers should obtain references for ex-volunteers that have participated with the organisation before and arrange to meet or speak to them on the phone. It is important to ensure the volunteer organisation has strong values to support local communities, and at the same time provides volunteers with adequate in-country support all the way through their work placement.

Why pay to volunteer?

People are often surprised that many volunteer organisations charge a fee to participants - it seems ridiculous that you should be paying to work for free!

There are several good reasons why the vast majority of programs charge international volunteers a fee:

Volunteer contributions are in many instances the only money supporting a project. Local organisations and projects with which you volunteer have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidise your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture.

The process of preparing, training, transporting, housing, feeding and supervising volunteers is not cheap. Additional services such as healthcare, funding of overseas projects, volunteer re-entry assistance and alumni networks all add to the expense of a program.

In summary, by paying to volunteer you ensure that projects that would otherwise be unable to utilise and accommodate overseas volunteers benefit from your support, supplementing what little (if any) funds they do receive and ensuring that it can be spent on the things most needed.

Type of Volunteer Placement

More commonly volunteer placements would involve activities such as humanitarian, conservation, education, environmental research and construction work.

Some travellers might have a certain type of project in mind, such as working with children or wildlife. Others might have a certain country or region in mind, such as India or Africa. With internet search engines becoming easier to navigate, it is relatively simple to find a placement that best suits the individual’s needs.

There are some organisations that specifically recruit for long term qualified Medics or Teachers, some of which are postings which last for 1 - 2 years. There are many volunteer placements however that can last for as little as 1 – 4 weeks, or 3 - 6 months, without the need to be qualified in a specialist profession, as training is provided as part of the program.

The type of placements available range vastly from conserving turtles in Panama, teaching and community development in Thailand, climate change exploration in Patagonia, to marine conservation programs in the Caribbean or Indian Ocean. There really is a suitable placement out there for everyone; it is just a question of taking the time out to find it.

Summary

Volunteering can add a great deal to your life, your career, for the environment and to local communities. If you are considering taking part in a volunteer adventure, please do, if you don’t you’ll spend the rest of your life wishing you had.

Thanks to Erica Louise, GVI