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Ever wanted to get away from it all for a while, want to get that dream job but no-one will give you the opportunity or the experience in the first place, why not take part in volunteer work abroad to help out a worthy cause? Projects can be short term, long term, paid, unpaid, skilled, unskilled - it all depends on your needs, qualifications and personal interests….
What is voluntary work ?To volunteer, means simply, to be motivated and give one’s time or energies to work towards a project or cause that you are interested in. Voluntary work falls mainly in three broad categories: (a) long term, paid positions; (b) short, medium and long term, unpaid positions; and (c) short term expeditionary conservation projects where volunteers are self-funding, which are described in further detail below.
(a) Long term, paid: In this category, volunteers are usually sent to work on long term projects lasting for over a year in which the volunteer may almost lose contact with his or her old way of life. For these positions, volunteers with qualifications or specific skills and relevant work experience are usually recruited, and they receive benefits including a monthly salary based on the local rate, air tickets, insurance, lodging etc. (b) Short, medium and long term, unpaid: These positions can last from anything between a couple of weeks to nine months, that are suitable for many people, including students taking a year off, professionals taking sabbaticals to work on a specific project, individuals wishing to gain further "hands-on" practical field experience and so on. Usually, they must pay for their transportation to and from the project. In most cases, volunteers pay a monthly fee which covers living costs, project materials etc, which cannot be paid by the volunteer organisation. Costs depend upon country and so on, but as a general indicator, volunteers may be asked to contribute between 100 to 400 GB pounds per month. (c) Short term expeditionary eco-conservation projects: There are also opportunities for people who are limited by time, and wish to take part in conservation and wildlife surveying projects as an alternative to a holiday. Such projects are usually located in tropical and remote areas and volunteers are expected to be self-funding and to pay for the costs of the expedition. - Volunteering your services as a community development worker in India - Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Thailand, Poland and Vietnam - Assisting scientists in Indonesian tropical forests - Black bear tracking in Canada - Excavating archaeological sites in France - Working with orphans and street children in Guatemala, Cambodia and Mexico - Protecting wildlife in national parks and reserves in the United States, Ecuador, Scotland and Costa Rica - Providing medical assistance to children in South Africa - Organic farming & permaculture in Argentina and Brazil and more... Why should people volunteer ? Volunteering gives individuals the chance to explore avenues that would not usually be open to them. This experience enables an exchange of cultural and social contact between volunteers and their host nationals. It enables people to learn new skills and languages, to develop and gain practical experience in the field in, sometimes demanding conditions, and to develop leadership and teamwork skills. In addition, personal satisfaction which is difficult to evaluate, is one of the greatest benefits to working and travelling amongst people from different cultures |