Overseas volunteering

[uni_student]

I'm would like to volunteer overseas, preferably for a short duration (1-2 weeks) and am wondering if anyone knows of any good companies that provide such services. I don't have any savings really so it would need to be as cheap as possible. Any ideas how I can volunteer overseas for low or no cost? I know there's a lot of dodgy companies out there, so some first hand of vicarious experience would be great thanks!

[walkec]

Do not go with Projects Abroad. They may seem like they have really good programs. However, it is really a money making scheme instead of them actually giving decent wages back to the people and towns you work in. I watched this documentary last year about the hidden costs and secrets of a Projects Abroad program. I'll see if I can try and find the link.

Red Cross Australia run some good volunteering programs, I think. You can be sure these are not for profit as they are run by a NGO, therefore ensuring the people you are helping do actually benefit in the long term from your assistance.

[Inside Out]

I'm would like to volunteer overseas, preferably for a short duration (1-2 weeks) and am wondering if anyone knows of any good companies that provide such services. I don't have any savings really so it would need to be as cheap as possible. Any ideas how I can volunteer overseas for low or no cost? I know there's a lot of dodgy companies out there, so some first hand of vicarious experience would be great thanks!

try antipodeans

[slothpomba]

It might be good to read this article first.

If you just want to pay obscene amounts so you can pat yourself on the back and feel like you're doing something, by all means go anywhere. If you want to really help locals, you would be best to do an exhaustive search of all your options and consider them deeply. Keep in mind, if you have no specific skills, there is a limit to the kind of things you can actually help with as well.

Trying not to discourage anyone but we have to be realistic about the truth of the matter and it's important not to get ripped off by someone trying to sell you a "feel good" experience when you're actually doing no good.

[Fyrefly]

It might be good to read this article first.

If you just want to pay obscene amounts so you can pat yourself on the back and feel like you're doing something, by all means go anywhere. If you want to really help locals, you would be best to do an exhaustive search of all your options and consider them deeply. Keep in mind, if you have no specific skills, there is a limit to the kind of things you can actually help with as well.

Trying not to discourage anyone but we have to be realistic about the truth of the matter and it's important not to get ripped off by someone trying to sell you a "feel good" experience when you're actually doing no good.

I think these are some very important points. Many companies are really just in the business of selling you a "volunteer experience". You'd be better off donating a portion of your money and spending the rest on a holiday. Same effect.

[mseleanor]

Latitude Global Volunteering and AYAD.

When looking at different companies you just want to make sure the volunteering projects are actually contributing something to the community/people you're seeking to help. Don't fall into the 'voluntourist' trap whereby little is actually contributed.

Nonetheless there are some great ways to help people in a practical way

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pippa-biddle/little-white-girls-voluntourism_b_4834574.html

http://blog.panampost.com/alex-clark-youngblood/2014/05/07/volunteering-gone-wrong-the-ugly-side-of-voluntourism/

[M_BONG]

I'm would like to volunteer overseas, preferably for a short duration (1-2 weeks) and am wondering if anyone knows of any good companies that provide such services. I don't have any savings really so it would need to be as cheap as possible. Any ideas how I can volunteer overseas for low or no cost? I know there's a lot of dodgy companies out there, so some first hand of vicarious experience would be great thanks!

Hey. I went to Kenya (in a school volunteering expedition) with a company called Camps International for 2 weeks for about $4,500. Most trips to Africa would cost that much (if that's where you're looking to go).

http://www.campsinternational.com.au

I don't think there is a "cheap" way of volunteering, like you are trying to seek. Main problem is even if they don't charge you for volunteering, you need to pay for airfares. My airfares were about $1,800. Depending on where you go, there are also a lot of vaccinations, which costed me around $500 in total (yellow fever, malaria tablets, Hepatitis etc.) plus travel insurance and of course, visa fees (around $100). Spending money surprising was around $200 (even though I thought the currency in developing countries would be small).  Of course these things are not compulsory but they are essential, for your own safety and enjoyment. And also there is a need to pay for accommodations (no volunteering company that I know of, will pay for your accomodation, especially if you are going there for a short period of time). Plus, they're quite costly if you want to live in a guarded property.

Anyway, to the main point. Yes, you need to look out for a lot of these "volunteer tourism". A lot of them are more self-fulfilling than actually doing something for the community. Eg World Vision's Gap year program - you climb a mountain, go hiking etc. and hence your ability to help the community is reduced. With Camps International, we were doing manual labour every day; raising income and sustainability; wildlife conservation etc. (look it up if you are interested).So another point of consideration is: are you doing it to actually help people, or are you looking more of a holiday/sight-seeing etc.

[dyskontent]

If you just want to pay obscene amounts so you can pat yourself on the back and feel like you're doing something, by all means go anywhere. If you want to really help locals, you would be best to do an exhaustive search of all your options and consider them deeply. Keep in mind, if you have no specific skills, there is a limit to the kind of things you can actually help with as well.

Trying not to discourage anyone but we have to be realistic about the truth of the matter and it's important not to get ripped off by someone trying to sell you a "feel good" experience when you're actually doing no good.

Definitely agree with this.
As the poster above me said, there is really no 'cheap' way of volunteering, airfares are already quite high along with the other costs that quickly add up. In my opinion it really isn't worth it to volunteer overseas, especially if you're only staying for a week or two. Basically you're mostly paying for the feel-good factor.

Then you have to consider what you can physically do there - do you have any skills that the local people themselves do not have? Spending >2000$ for what you can accomplish in a week or two is a very inefficient form of assistance, if you were to stay at home and donate 2000$ directly, even after reductions, a good charity can probably contribute much more to whatever community you wanted to volunteer in.

Now of course I'm not saying that volunteering overseas is a bad thing, it obviously shows an awareness of the world's problems and a desire to help, but in reality, voluntourism is probably never gonna be worth the money you pay for it. On the other hand, if you want to help struggling people, its much cheaper and arguably more rewarding to look locally. Volunteering at op shops, homeless shelters, soup vans, animal shelters, local conservation projects, Salvation army etc are all great local choices where you can make a lasting difference as well as maybe a few friends!

[slothpomba]

I think these are some very important points. Many companies are really just in the business of selling you a "volunteer experience". You'd be better off donating a portion of your money and spending the rest on a holiday. Same effect.

I'm with what Fyrefly and dyskontent say.

It's doubtful what you could accomplish in a week or two. More importantly, if its manual labor (or any labor), you are taking jobs away from the local population which is already impoverished enough. I can assure you these countries have no shortage of labor, it's more a shortage of work.

The industry they've set up is a bit dodgy, sometimes even stocking fake orphanages (google it, it really happens). I can understand the desire to help, especially the bright idealism of someone just coming out of highschool but the truth is, you as an 18 year old who (probably) doesn't speak the local language and has a few to none useful skills can't really help all that much. Even if its just teaching English or something like that, even then your ability to help is a bit doubtful.

I third the idea of donating a chunk of money to a worthy organisation, it's much more likely to help the locals and create some sustainable change. There are charities out there for *everything* and some innovative projects like http://www.zidisha.org . I'm sure you can find something. Donate a chunk of money and use the rest to go on holiday, perhaps the same country you would have volunteered in (tourism creates jobs and helps the local economy).

Helping out locally is a great idea as well! Massive respect to begin with for wanting to create a better world than the one we're currently in though, if only everyone had the same ideal .

[Fyrefly]

Zidisha is a good idea, actually. It's one of the few things I make charitable donations to. I must emphasise that you should consider all money you put into Zidisha a donation, not an investment.

Edit: If you'd like to join Zidisha, please use my referrer link. If you're referred by someone, both you and the referrer get $25 credit each to donate, so it's a great way to test it out.

[chasej]

Zidisha is a good idea, actually. It's one of the few things I make charitable donations to. I must emphasise that you should consider all money you put into Zidisha a donation, not an investment.

Edit: If you'd like to join Zidisha, please use my referrer link. If you're referred by someone, both you and the referrer get $25 credit each to donate, so it's a great way to test it out.

I love micro lending. Far more secure to give the money directly to the people and know how it's used then donate to a charity where there's a chance like 30% of the money would go to advertising (for example) with no direct benefit to the group/person/cause/whatever you think you are contributing to.

P.S.First time signing up to this specific site so used your referral link Fyrefly.

[slothpomba]

Long time Zidisha user, i think i actually introduced Fyrefly to it as well. As she says, consider it a donation. I've put maybe $300 back in there. Whilst technically the idea is you earn the interest and make money, instead of some big evil bank, it doesn't always work out that way in practice. I know i've lost a fair chunk of money (as you should expect).

It has vastly improved recently though, i've been following their internal developments and procedures and they've really tackled the number of write ups (not to mention getting funding and resources from the prestigious start up funder, y-combinator).  Great thing about this is its just you (lender) and the borrower, totally peer to peer. In other models like Kiva, there is a bank or local intermediary in the middle. They collect the interest and charge exorbitant fees.

[ninwa]

Zidisha is a good idea, actually. It's one of the few things I make charitable donations to. I must emphasise that you should consider all money you put into Zidisha a donation, not an investment.

Edit: If you'd like to join Zidisha, please use my referrer link. If you're referred by someone, both you and the referrer get $25 credit each to donate, so it's a great way to test it out.

I used your link, thanks! How the heck do you choose what to fund?! I want to give money to everyone!

[chasej]

I used your link, thanks! How the heck do you choose what to fund?! I want to give money to everyone!

I normally choose one specific area I want to fund and then it limits the people you can fund to. For example for my $25 credit I said I'll chose to fund something education related and there were only a few options, so it narrows it down a fair bit.

[walkec]

I think you've also got to remember there are many causes within Australia that need committed volunteers. Why should we give overseas causes more priority when we have significant issues in our own country?

I went on a Central Australia trip last year with school in the September holidays. We travelled with a tour group called Jungala Enterprises, which is owned and run by Indigenous Australians. Whilst we weren't volunteering for the whole of the trip (mainly hiking in 40+ degree heat) and getting a better understanding of Indigenous culture, we did help out at an Indigenous school for a couple of days doing odd jobs that they don't have the resources (or funds) to do. It got me thinking that from Melbourne, the Northern Territory is like a 2-3 plane trip, yet so many people don't realise the horror and essentially third world conditions that people are living in within Australia.