How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas
Authors
Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher. ©Penguin
Putnam, Inc., 2002.
- Prospective volunteers are surprised to learn that many programs charge their volunteers a fee to participate. At first, this can seem ridiculous —Why should you pay money to work for free? Aren't you already forgoing income you could be making? Here are a few things to keep in mind while trying to understand why the vast majority of programs charge international volunteers a fee:
- The local organizations and projects with which you volunteer overseas have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidize your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. (These costs include housing, feeding and transporting you, among numerous other things.)
- Identifying appropriate host organizations overseas and working with them is time-consuming, takes resources, and requires an experienced and professional staff.
- The process of preparing, training, transporting, housing, feeding, and supervising volunteers is not cheap. Additional services such as health care, re-entry assistance, travel medical insurance, and more, all add to the expenses of a program.
- The costs of recruiting volunteers, producing literature, answering the phones, sending mailings, developing a website, and interviewing potential volunteers are significant.
If you think you're just paying for the privilege of working for nothing, think again. (Verge Magazine)
- Paying to volunteer can seem a strange concept to the uninitiated. Why should someone charge you to work for free? But this is a common misconception about volunteer travel—the volunteer work is not what you are paying for.
- If, like thousands of others around the world this year, you decide to do supported volunteer work overseas, you are probably hoping use your time to make a difference on a project that could use your help.
- Chances are, the overseas organization you will be working with has precious few resources, and is not in a position to cover the costs of hosting you. Costs such as feeding, housing and transporting a volunteer can add up quickly—and, if such funds were available, they could likely be better used to create employment for local workers, who have relevant language skills who are more likely to stay with the project long-term.
- So where does your money go? It often pays for the cost of your housing, food and transport, as well as your training, preparation and supervision. It also goes toward the identification of worthy projects and host organizations, as well as the costs of recruiting you and other volunteers.
- If all goes to plan, you may see very little of some other important services that you paid for. Confused? It gets better. This doesn't necessarily mean you didn't get your money's worth. Because one of your biggest investments when paying to volunteer is in your peace of mind—having someone there in case of emergency. A local election raises political tension in the area; an earthquake disrupts the transport system; or you simply fall ill the moment you arrive. These are all things you are better off dealing with when an organization is behind you.
- For an organization to set up this kind of infrastructure around the world takes a lot of time and money. So at the end of the day, it is fair that they charge for the service.
- Not to say that paying to volunteer is for everyone. You might already have the contacts to get worthwhile volunteer work overseas, or simply enough time on your hands to make them as you go. Or perhaps you are just too damn independent to have someone looking out for you all the time.
- But for first-timers, people without time, people who want to gain experience in a particular field, or those who want to be part of a community when they travel, supported volunteer work can be just the ticket. Some even say it is life-changing. But that bit is probably down to you.
- What everyone gains is an edge for the workplace. Volunteering overseas can be the bridge between your education and a career—even if you volunteer in a completely different field. Because the great thing is, you don't need specific skills to join a project but you can be sure you'll be leaving with some.
- Wherever you go, the most important thing is to choose an organization with a sound infrastructure to provide for you before, during and after your placement. Here are some tips on what to look out for.
Staff
It's vital the organization you travel with has a good team both at home and abroad. Find out if their staff have volunteered abroad themselves. If it's a good company, they probably will have. And also ask about their overseas teams. Are they full time members of staff? Will they meet you at the airport? And will they be on hand throughout your placement?
Projects
Paying
to volunteer also means knowing you have a project to go to. Your
organization should therefore be checking regularly with their
projects to ensure they are still functional and, equally vital, in
need of volunteers. You might also ask them how the projects were
chosen. What makes the project you want to join particularly
worthwhile?
Training
Find
out what kind of training you will get beforehand. Some projects
may not require specific training, but a responsible company should
still be doing everything it can to prepare you for your experience
overseas. If you are staying with a local family, this may include
cultural and language lessons.
Safety Net
This is
the biggest difference between paying to volunteer and going it
alone. And to make sure you are getting your money's worth, find
out well how prepared the organization is for an emergency. Find
out what procedures they have in place and even whether they have
had experience of emergencies before (this can actually be a good
thing). Dig into your insurance policy too. Does it cover things
like repatriation and natural disasters?
Cost
Prices
and packages vary enormously, so do your research and always have
in mind what you want to get out of the experience. For a few
hundreds dollars, you might get the contacts and someone to call if
you get stuck; while a few thousand dollars will get you a fully
supported placement in the country and field of your choice. Many
larger organizations provide advice on fund-raising towards your
costs.
The Project
Perhaps
the greatest benefit of paying to volunteer, however, is seen by
the projects themselves. Most organizations have large numbers of
volunteers joining their placements all-year-round, so their
partner projects are always moving forward.
There's nothing worse than a well-meaning volunteer leaving a project without anyone to take up their good work. With a consistent supply of volunteers, projects can stop scratching the surface and start planning for the future.
Okay,
so you might not have the satisfaction of having organized the
whole thing yourself, but you will be part of something that lasts.
And if you can afford it, isn't that worth paying for?
