Volunteer Global

Please click on a question to jump down to the answer.

• Who are you?

• Why isn't my organization listed on this site?

• What are service trips?

• Why do I need to pay to volunteer?

• I am disabled, but I still would love to do service work. Can I?

• I am a student and I would like to volunteer abroad, but my parents won’t let me. What can I do?

• Can I make a living off of working for human rights or the environment?

• What kinds of internship opportunities are available for service work?

• Can I receive college credit from volunteer work?

• Is it safe to volunteer in Mexico right now?

• How can I tell which organizations are scams?

• I heard that people who volunteer find it difficult to get a job later on because they don’t have “real world experience.” What’s up?

• When I am abroad, how will I get my medications?

• I want to study abroad – is there some way I can combine my studies with service work?

• I want to go on a service trip, but I don’t have enough money for it. What can I do?

• How do I get a passport or a visa?

• For which countries do I need a visa?

Who are you?
Glad you asked! You can read all about me and Volunteer Global here. You can learn a bit more about me by reading my blog as well. The short story is I'm a twenty-something girl who knows a bit about web design and a lot about international volunteering. Unfortunately you won't find my resume on here, as I must keep my current workplace and Volunteer Global separate from one another. What I can tell you is that for the past five years I've worked with volunteers in a domestic capacity, meaning that I've helped them with readjustment upon their return home from abroad. This allows me not only to understand from my own research and experience what it's like for volunteers to go TO their project locations, but it also gives me a different perspective -- what happens when the project is finished, and how to use your experience to your advantage when pursuing school or career opportunities.

Why isn't my organization on this site?
Hey, before you get angry, let me explain! In August 2009, I stopped researching individual volunteer opportunities, as I was receiving enough requests for listing from groups, so the list could populate on its own without more effort from me. So between then and now, we might have become friends, chatted on Facebook or Twitter a bit, and whoops! You're not on VG! Well shoot, I didn't forget you. Just take a gander at this page on how to get listed.

So in other words, the list is populated by YOU! Much like...well...any other website listing volunteer opportunities, ever. The only difference is I still read each submission and I post it myself. So if you're not on here and you think you should be, shoot me a message or fill out that handy-dandy form I linked above.

Please note, I will NOT post every group sent to me. Some organizations just don't fit with the theme of this site, and while I don't want to alienate you, there may be other websites better suited to your organization's goals and practices. Some examples of programs I can't include on here are study abroad, cultural immersion, adventure travel, language study, and what a friend has dubbed "pet the children" programs.

What are service trips?
These are trips where you work with a volunteer organization to help their cause. They often range from one week to several years, and they cost about as much as, or even less than, one would spend on a regular, leisure trip.

Why do I need to pay to volunteer?
Many organizations ask their volunteers to pay a fee. Usually, this is because donations are some of the only means of funding for the organization. These expenses may cover the cost of the housing, meals, supplies needed for the work performed, and building maintenance and upkeep.

Sometimes, there are organizations that place a volunteer with another program and ask for an up-front application fee. My recommendation is to apply directly through the group that you will be working with. Nine times out of ten, you'll save money.

Please note, there are a few organizations who place you directly but also charge an application fee. If you are at all unsure, ask the group where your money is going and why it costs that much. Most of the time, they're up-front about it.

I am disabled, but I still would love to do service work. Can I?
Absolutely! Many volunteer programs offer opportunities for disabled individuals to perform service work. Check with your organization; many of them offer alternative programs.

I am a student and I would like to volunteer abroad, but my parents won’t let me. What can I do?
There are many opportunities available to junior high and high school students who want to do service work, including service-study programs and alternative breaks. Many organizations also offer family trips.

Remember, you can focus on your own community, which may have excellent volunteer programs that are open to young people. If you want to get involved in an international program, you might want to start a club to focus on global issues and what you can do from home to help. Many organizations, such as Amnesty International, offer student programs catered toward your school's needs.

Can I make a living on working for human rights or the environment?
Service work is not a lucrative business. But it is possible to make it your life work and to turn it into a career.

One common way to start with global issue work is through education. For example, recent college graduates often are recruited to teach English in Japan through programs that offer housing and a stipend, allowing the teacher to gain international experience. Long-term service programs, such as AmeriCorps, Teach for America, and others have proven to be a gateway into the international service field.

You need to be willing to travel someplace that is very different from your own home, and not many people are willing to do this. You also need to understand that there are no quick fixes. These are issues that need to be addressed by dedicated, passionate individuals who believe that they can do their part to change the world, even though the process is a slow one.

What kinds of internship opportunities are available for service work?
Many of the medium-length (six weeks or longer) service programs offer internships. Most of these ask for students who are majoring in the subject area, but some offer programs for students with some coursework or a relevant background in the subject.

Can I receive college credit from volunteer work?
You sure can! Many students opt for this instead of a standard study abroad program. You'll need to watch out for a few things:

1. How many credits does the group offer? If it's less than 10 or 12, your school might not count you as a full-time student and you may lose financial aid for that semester. See if you can pad this with independent study, find another program that offers full-time credits, or bite the bullet and pay out of pocket for that semester.

2. Clear this with your department and advisor well before you book your trip! I cannot stress this enough. You don't want to find out the day before your trip - or during - that you didn't receive any credit for your work, and you'll have to graduate a semester late.

3. Make sure you actually do your work. That should go without saying, but I know of people out there who saw the program as a long vacation, and then didn't do the required amount of work needed to receive credit.

Is it safe to volunteer in Mexico right now?
Usually volunteer programs are safe, but you always should be aware of the political and economic situations of the country. If an incident does come up in which there is a war or a natural disaster in that area, then most programs evacuate their volunteers. Recently I had a friend evacuated from Kenya due to the election issues -- she was placed in another area there within a couple of months.

You can check out the CIA World Factbook, which lists the most updated economic and political information about every country.

How can I tell which organizations are scams?
Unfortunately, some programs are out there primarily to make money, with little interest in helping the community in which they work. These usually are the ones that charge an outrageous amount of money for very little volunteer work and for a very short amount of time.

That is not to say that service trips should not be fun! Many of them offer events and tours as part of your leisure time -- you can work for several hours each day, and then attend a guided tour or a performance later that evening. Many people opt for adventure tours, where they not only learn about important issues, but they also get to go whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain climbing, or other activities. These tend to be on the more expensive side, but that does NOT mean they are scams.

You have a right to know where the organization gets its funding and where your money is going. Legitimate programs will be happy to offer that information to you, and many display it on their websites.

Finally, you must remember that most service programs charge a fee. Just because a group charges you to work with them does NOT indicate a scam! I have encountered far too many blogs of people who did very little research and concluded that every group that charges is a scam. This is untrue. Please see my answer above as to why you are asked to pay to volunteer.

I heard that people who volunteer long-term find it difficult to get a job later on because they don’t have “real world experience.” What’s up?
It is a true complaint among many long-term volunteers that it is difficult to find a job because they are told that they have no “real world experience,” when in fact, they have quite a lot of it.

Many organizations and colleges offer career fairs that volunteers can attend and talk with employers. You also can talk to your host group to see what they recommend. If you're a long-term volunteer, the group you're working with probably offers a readjustment orientation. This helps you get back on your feet once you've returned from your tour of service.

When I am abroad, how will I get my medications?
Usually you can contact your doctor and pick up all of the prescriptions you will need for the amount of time that you will be abroad. Unfortunately, many insurance companies won't cover the cost of your medications if you're picking several up at once.

An alternative is to have someone pick up the prescriptions for you each month and then mail them to you. Some pharmacies overseas will carry the prescriptions you need, though oftentimes you will be in a remote location with little access to a pharmacy. Speak with your doctor and with your host organization to figure out the best option.

I want to study abroad – is there some way I can combine my studies with service work?
You can! In fact, so many of them offer this sort of option that I would recommend finding a group or study abroad program you like, and seeing what they have available.

I want to go on a service trip, but I don’t have enough money for it. What can I do?
Fundraise! Here's my page on fundraising -- and a few quick ideas include creatng a PayPal link for your friends and family to donate any amount they'd like; starting a Facebook group or event; applying for a research grant (for long-term volunteers); or hosting fundraising parties, such as bake sales, contests, or raffles.

How do I get a passport or a visa?
The United States Department of State has an in-depth section on how to apply for passports.

For which countries do I need a visa?
Here is a list of countries for which you will need a visa.