Reality Check: Volunteering Abroad (especially for Westerners)

Updated July 21, 2012

Reality Check: Volunteering Abroad / Internationally

When I think of international volunteering, where a person from one country goes to another country to engage in humanitarian or development activities, here is how I break it down:

Type of Volunteer People with much-needed education and/or experience going abroad for months, a year, even two years, to help with a specific project designed by the volunteer-sending organization and/or the local host organization.	Type of Volunteer People with much-needed education and/or experience going abroad for just a few weeks, to help with a specific project designed by the volunteer-sending organization and/or the local host organization. Short-term disaster-response volunteers fit here.	Type of Volunteer People that do not have specialized skills in high-demand in developing countries, that want to volunteer for a few weeks in a project that doesn't require any specialized skills.	Type of Volunteer Independent travelers who do not go through any volunteer-sending organization; instead, they make all arrangements directly with an NGO in a country where they want to help, and coordinate all activities themselves. Their skills vary. (transire benefaciendo)

Costs These volunteers do not pay travel or accommodation expenses themselves, nor have to pay any placement fees; the host organization or the company they work for pays for their travel, housing and all in-country needs. The host organization provides insurance, will evacuate them if needed, etc. Volunteers work full-time on the assignment.	Costs These volunteers may be expected to at least pay for their travel to and from the country; the host organization may take care of their in-country needs, OR, the volunteer may be expected to pay all expenses himself or herself. The host organization will evacuate them if needed. Volunteers work full-time on the assignment.	Costs These volunteers are expected to pay for most or all expenses themselves: travel, accommodations, food, and fees to the host organization to cover work permits, security, training, evacuation if needed, etc. In addition to the work, they may also have language classes, attend trainings, attend "cultural" events, go on organized tours of the region, etc.	Costs These people pay all expenses themselves: all travel, accommodations and food. They also arrange for and pay for their own security, translation services, etc. They decide how much they will work, for how long, etc.

Application/Acceptance Process People apply to participate as volunteers through the volunteer-sending organization and most are not accepted.	Application/Acceptance Process People are accepted as volunteers by the volunteer-sending organization both because of their skills and their ability to pay. Unqualified/low-skilled people are not accepted even if they can pay all expenses.	Application/Acceptance Process Most, even all, applicants are accepted as volunteers by the volunteer-sending organization if they have the ability to pay the fees and meet minimal interview and self-assessments. Level of skills or qualifications has little or no bearing on a person being accepted or not - soft skills are emphasized instead (desire to help others, self-reliant, etc.).	Application/Acceptance Process There is no volunteer-sending organization involved.

Web Site / Brochure Focus Emphasizes the skills and qualifications volunteers must have, the kinds of projects volunteers engage in, profiles of projects rather than of volunteers. Not much talk about the importance of "inter-cultural exchanges" and how the experience will change/benefit the volunteer.	Web Site / Brochure Focus Emphasizes the skills and qualifications volunteers must have, the kinds of projects volunteers engage in, and profiles of projects rather than of volunteers, though talk about the importance of "inter-cultural exchanges" and how the experience will change/benefit the volunteer may also be present.	Web Site / Brochure Focus Emphasizes the volunteer experience and how the volunteers benefit from the experience. Talks a lot about the importance of "inter-cultural exchanges" and how the experience will change the volunteer.	Web Site / Brochure Focus There is no web site or brochure, because there is no volunteer-sending organization involved.

The borders on these definitions are quite porous - for instance, PeaceCorps fits the first column until you get to the "Web Site / Brochure Focus" category. And there's no judgement here - I'm not saying that one kind of program is better than another kind of program. But, for the most part, this is how international volunteering breaks down and this is how I find it easiest to talk about. And for many people, it's a disappointing reality, because it means you, as a person that wants to volunteer internationally, either need a great deal of highly-desired skills and experience or a LOT of money.

Times have changed drastically in the last 30 years regarding "Westerners" (North Americans, Europeans, Australians, etc.) volunteering in economically-disadvantaged countries. In contrast to 30 years ago, the emphasis now in relief and development efforts in poorer countries is to empower and employ the local people, whenever possible, to address their own issues, build their own capacities, improve their environments themselves and give them incomes. The priority now for sending volunteers to developing countries is to fill gaps in local skills and experience, not to give the volunteer an outlet for his or her desire to help or the donor country good PR. It's much more beneficial and economical to local communities to hire local people to serve food, build houses, educate young people, etc., than to use resources to bring in an outside volunteer to do these tasks.

That said, the days of international volunteers are NOT numbered: there will always be a need for international volunteers, not just paid consultants or international staff, either to fill gaps in knowledge and service in a local situation, because a more neutral observer/contributor is required, or because a priority in a particular situation is inter-cultural understanding.

Highly-Skilled Volunteers Sent Abroad - What it Takes

To volunteer overseas and not have to pay for it - or to find paid work as an aid worker or humanitarian worker, for that matter - you need to have skills and experience that are critically needed in a particular region, and that can be utilized by local institutions and local people quickly. To be able to train others in these skills increases your chances of placement as a volunteer abroad.

There is no way to list all of the skills needed in the developing world, and there's no way for one person to acquire them all. A listing of international volunteering opportunities will include calls for midwives, civil engineers, lawyers, financial managers, weavers, sanitation experts, police trainers, wine makers, cheese makers, nurses, car mechanics/trainers, photographers, solar energy experts, farmers, domestic/household engineers, tourism experts, computer repair experts, and various other specialists. Many volunteer postings, particularly those where the volunteer does NOT have to pay for placement, require people with a Master's degree in a specific area.

But there are certain qualities that are looked for in all volunteer abroad candidates, and certain areas of specialization that are in frequent demand, many of which can be acquired through volunteering in your own home city and country. These include:

experience in training others in a specific area of specialization, such as an activity that could lead to job development for local people, an activity that directly improves local people's quality of life (in a way that will be sustained after the volunteer leaves), or an activity that raises the professional skills of local people so they are better able to administer and manage their own local institutions.
For instance, teaching motorcycle or tractor repair, training nurses aides, training in tailoring and sewing, teaching elderly people to use the Internet to find information they need (government pension, health, etc.), teaching a community or families about caring for people with HIV/AIDS, teaching children about good sanitary practices or peaceful conflict resolution, teaching an entire department to use a new, complicated database program, teaching adults to read, teaching farmers how to fight pests organically, training teachers to implement a particular teaching tool, training local NGO staff in accounting standards and best practices, training local government workers in setting policies and procedures for purchasing, etc. Many of these are experiences you can gain as a volunteer in your local community (more on that later), or through your professional work wherever you live now.
experience working with people who are traditionally socially-excluded, such as immigrants, ethnic minorities, tribal groups, people with mental or physical disabilities, people with HIV/AIDS, prisoners, etc. Or, other specific populations who may have special needs, such as women, children or the elderly.
experience managing or facilitating a capacity-building program, such as a literacy project, or an income-generating program, like a cooperative.
experience in high stress, crisis situations, such as in a disaster or a conflict situation.
experience relating to educating people, particularly children, teens, sexually-active adults, about HIV/AIDS and other health risks.
experience working in an election, such as setting up and staffing a voting site, and training others to work in an election.
experience helping or directing a large-scale, highly-specialized local community-transformation projects, such as building a canal, putting all local government public documents into a searchable database, creating a cooperative, etc.
any experience teaching any subject on a high school, college or university level.
experience working in another language. For instance, not just that you took two years of high school Spanish, but that you have traveled extensively in Spanish-speaking countries, or that you use at least some Spanish in your job. Language skills most in demand in aid and development? French (by far the most sought-after, IMO), Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, and Farsi/Dari/Tajik, as well as any local language of a particular region in a developing country.
demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure and in a highly political environment.
demonstrated ability to navigate and work with large bureaucracies.
strong inter-personal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity.
extensive experience in making presentations and conducting workshops, particularly to diverse or non-traditional audiences.

Some of the experience I've listed above one would get only through a university degree and on-the-job. But much of the above can be gained locally, right in your own city, by volunteering, taking informal classes, or choosing a career with non-profit organizations. For instance:

volunteering or working for a few years at local nonprofit organizations that serves high poverty areas, people with disabilities, youth, the elderly, abused women, women re-entering the work force, prisoners or former prisoners, youth offenders, at-risk girls, etc.
taking emergency response courses and volunteering through the American Red Cross (or the Red Cross, Red Crescent Society or Magen David Adom in your local area); this is essential if you want a chance to participate in disaster relief efforts.
volunteering or working for organizations that help people with HIV/AIDS, or that educate people about HIV/AIDS.
volunteering or working in a hospice, particularly one that serves people with HIV/AIDS or cancer patients.
volunteering or working for organizations that provide health-related education, advocacy or care.
volunteering or working in a literacy program, not only in helping people learn to read, but also helping with the administration of the program and promotion of such a program to low-literate and semi-literate communities
volunteering or working at a job-training organization or initiative.
volunteering or working as part of a voter-education initiative or local election.
volunteering as a firefighter, and receiving training in specialist areas, like hazardous material cleanup.
volunteering or working as part of an advocacy effort, such as advocating for recycling, women's rights, indigenous rights, immigrant rights, environmental regulation or education reform, particularly in a highly-political environment.
volunteering or working at an organization focused on micro-financing and financial education for people from low-income communities, immigrants/migrants, etc.
helping at a youth center that is focused on at-risk young people, and develops positive, worthwhile activities for the youth to engage
creating or leading a sustainable, lasting project that benefits the community or a particular population
taking intensive language courses, becoming certified in that language by the official language body, such as DELE for Spanish, and seeking local opportunities to use your language skills. If you are looking to add a second language to your English abilities, consider any of the other official UN working languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian. Hindi is also an excellent language to learn, as it is even more widely spoken by some of the previously-mentioned languages. Portuguese speakers are in high-demand as well. Farsi/Dari/Tajik speakers are also in high demand, as well as any local language of a particular region in a developing country.
volunteering online with organizations focused on the developing world. The Online Volunteering service is where organizations working in the developing world recruit online volunteers to design web sites and publications, build databases, research information, translate documents, prepare presentations, moderate online discussion groups, etc.
volunteering long-term with a local government committee (city or county): a bicycle and pedestrican committee, a planning committee, a mass transit committee, a youth committee, a committee focused on the elderly, a small business committee, etc. (look at your city or county web site for these many opportunities).

Get the idea? In short: your first experience with people living in poverty, people who are in need, people who are very different you, people working to build up local businesses and make local government more responsive, advocacy, etc., shouldn't happen in the Peace Corps or with another volunteering abroad agency for professionals to donate their services. Your first experience using a pit toilet, going for several hours not having electricity, getting around by walking, bicycle and mass transit, being in a room full of people who don't speak English and being around people who are not the same culture or religion as you shouldn't happen in the Peace Corps or with another volunteer-sending organization. Get that experience locally, through volunteering, through camping, through traveling, and through going to various events, so you are going to be at least somewhat prepared for what you will experience abroad.

As far as your skills-development in pursuit of becoming a great potential candidate for service, do not try to "do it all." Specialization is more valued by potential placement agencies than generalization.

Your curriculum vitae (CV) should detail your volunteer and professional experience that will be of particular value in-the-field. You might want to prepare a special CV or resume specifically for seeking volunteer assignments, that is focused on the skills and experience you think would be most valued by volunteer-placement agencies.

Use action-verbs and results-oriented-verbs to describe your volunteer and professional accomplishments. See this excellent, very long list of action verbs relevant to describing most middle to senior level management jobs.

One thing your CV won't always reflect, but which you will also need to volunteer internationally, is a very stable emotional and financial state. If you find yourself easily frustrated or having trouble dealing with stress, daily activities or people you view as uncooperative, if you are feeling overwhelmed or depressed, or if you are facing financial problems and debt, volunteering abroad is not something you should consider right now.

For an idea on what is looked for in international work, have a look at the job postings on ReliefWeb. Although most of these postings are for paid-placements, the listings give a good idea of what is being looked for in international volunteers as well.

Organizations that place volunteers in developing countries, mostly for long-term assignments, and that do NOT require the volunteer to undertake costs his or herself, include the following:

Peace Corps, long-term opportunities for USA citizens only
CHF International, short-term international volunteering opportunities for USA citizens only (candidates should have a specific area of expertise).
Winrock International, short and long-term assignments, mostly (but not all) relating to agriculture, for USA citizens only. Look under BOTH "volunteers" and "jobs" (candidates should have a specific area of expertise).
CNFA, specializing in agriculturally-related assignments (candidates should have a specific area of expertise).
International Executive Service Corps (IESC), now includes Geekcorps. Short-term volunteering assignments for USA citizens only (candidates should have a specific area of expertise).
Volunteers for Prosperity is a US government program for USA citizens only. The web site does NOT accept applications from volunteers; if you want to apply to volunteer, you have to do so through one of the partner organizations listed on the page (candidates should have a specific area of expertise).
The International Educators for Africa (IEFA) program by the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH), sends American citizens with experience as teachers, professors or administrators for organizations or departments to work within African countries' local educational systems, as volunteers, to assist in strengthening the quality of primary and secondary teaching methodologies and to support education planning and reform.
VSO, based in the United Kingdom, involves mostly UK-citizens in its ranks, but does involve some long-term volunteers from other countries
Australian Volunteers International, for citizens of Australia only
Cuso International (formerly VSO Canada), for both Canadian and USA citizens
NetCorps Cyberjeunes Canada, for Canadian citizens only
German Development Service, Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst, or DED, for German citizens only
France Benevolat, for French citizens only
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, for Japanese citizens only
iVolunteer Overseas, for citizens of India
Korea Internet Volunteer (KIV) programme, part of the Korea National Information Society Agency (NIA) (here is information about KIV in English)
United Nations Volunteers

Note that many of these organizations receive thousands of applications (Peace Corps receives 10,000 applications annually; UNV receives more than 40,000 annually; both of those organizations have just 2000 - 4000 people abroad at any given time). In other words, the selection process is highly competitive.

When evaluating an applicant, these organizations consider the "whole person," including the applicant's life experiences, community involvement, volunteer work, motivations, and even hobbies.

If you want to understand what Peace Corps volunteers do in the field, "like" the Peace Corps Facebook page. You might also want to "like" the VSO UK Facebook page, to learn what VSO members do in the field. Reading these Facebook profiles regularly will help you understand what international volunteers really do in the field, and why applicants with an area of expertise and/or extensive local experience addressing various issues are preferred candidates.

Paying To Volunteer / Short-Term Volunteering

There are many, many organizations that place international volunteers but require that the volunteers pay the costs associated with the placement, which include: international travel, in-country travel, housing, security, staff time to train and supervise volunteers, and work permits. Some of these organizations even require at least a bit of experience or even a lot of expertise in a particular field, but, as noted in the chart at the top of the page, there are volunteer-sending organization will place people who are unskilled, have no area of specialization, have no higher education degree, etc. I'm not listing those anyone-that-can-pay-goes placement agencies because there are so many such agencies. Hundreds. Thousands.

Before you pay to volunteer abroad, however, note that many of these programs are not worthwhile and, in fact, harm local people -- especially those programs focused on orphans. An incendiary report by South African and British academics focuses on "orphan tourism" in southern Africa and reveals just how destructive these programs can be to local people, especially children.

Here are directories of short-term volunteering organizations, online and in print, that can help you identify credible programs:

Idealist.org International Volunteerism Resource Center (IVRC) has both advice and links to programs.
There is a listing of the more-than-30 member organizations of the International Volunteers Program Association (IVPA) that is a good place to find reputable volunteer-for-a-fee programs.
For people in the United Kingdom, there's the Year Out Group, an association of gap-year-abroad organizations that meet certain standards in order to be a member. The Year Out Group does not however organize or arrange year out programs, but it's a good place to find reputable programs.
There is this web page of a massive number of links to organizations that place volunteers internationally; this is a mixture of organizations that do and don't charge volunteers for placements.
The Learning Abroad Center Work, Intern, Volunteer (WIV) Database, hosted by the University of Minnesota, allows you to search work, internship and volunteering opportunities all over the globe. There are more than 500 programs to choose from, and you can search by keyword, region, type of program, etc.
The Complete Guide to Finding a Job Overseas, from Transitions Abroad Publishing.
Lonely Planet published the book Volunteer: A Traveler's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World. It lists and reviews more than 190 organizations that provide short-term volunteer-abroad experiences.

I strongly recommend the book How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas, by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zehara Heckscher. It will give you details about what international volunteering really entails, why some organizations require that international volunteers pay, suggestions on how to raise funds for such, and an excellent overview of your options for fee-based overseas volunteering. But best of all, it provides tips and worksheets that can make your volunteering have real impact for the local people, and benefits for you long after the experience is over.

Here are FOUR endorsements of pay-to-volunteer programs or DIY programs that I will make, but only because:

I know or am very familiar with people involved in these organizations and know their credentials, OR, I'm very familiar with the organization and know what their emphasis is regarding local projects
These organizations have an excellent reputation among professional aid workers and international aid agencies, who view their work as credible and needed
I know these programs do not take just anyone with the money to go as a volunteer
The onsite activities are designed involving local people, and local people decide what activities volunteers will do
These organizations are more focused on the projects to be done than giving volunteers a warm, fuzzy experience
The projects volunteers work on are very much needed by the local community, and involve the local community

These organizations would all fit in the second column of the chart that start this web page, IMO:

World Computer Exchange

Unite For Sight and its partner eye clinics and communities work to create eye disease-free communities. "While helping the community, volunteers are in a position to witness and draw their own conclusions about the failures and inequities of global health systems. It broadens their view of what works, and what role they can have to insure a health system that works for everyone..." This program was featured on CNN International. Volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, are 18 years and older, and there is no upper age limit. It is obligatory for accepted volunteers to purchase insurance coverage through Unite for Sight's recommended provider, and volunteers are responsible for all travel arrangements, visa vaccine requirements, lodging, airfare, food, and any additional expenses.

The Kiva Fellows Program requires a four-month commitment. It offers individuals from any country the opportunity to be officially associated with Kiva and to witness firsthand the impact and realities of microfinance, by working directly with a host microfinance institution (MFI). You do not pay a fee to Kiva, but you are required to undertake all travel and accommodation expenses yourself. A mandatory five-day training is provided (you must pay all expenses to attend). You must be at least 21 years old to apply. Here is the main page for the Kiva Fellows Program and here are the FAQS for the program.

GlobalGiving Foundation Field Visitor Internships. GlobalGiving connects organizations from all over the world with donors who can support their work. They are often looking for self-funded travelers who will be in a region for several months to act as representatives of the organization, conduct site visits of partner organizations and identifying organizations that would be a good match for the Global Giving fundraising site. Volunteers also organize informational workshops during these travels. Volunteers can weave these responisibilities into their tourism of a region. "You will work closely with GlobalGiving's DC staff in preparation for your trip, planning site visits, workshops, travel, and accommodations, while gaining skills in organization and cross-cultural understanding. Upon returning to the U.S., you will present your findings and experience to the GlobalGiving staff." This position is unpaid and program participants are expected to fund their entire trip including airfare, in-country travel and accommodations. GlobalGiving provides training, office support, travel medical insurance, a minimal stipend for communications costs and workshop funding.

I have more recommendations for specific programs on this page: Funding Your Volunteering Abroad Trip.

If you have volunteered overseas and paid a fee for the experience, I strongly urge you to offer comments about that company on Yelp, another customer reviews web site, or your own blog. Some of the most frequently asked questions on online groups, such as Also see: YahooAnswers or The Thorn Tree, are regarding experiences with fee-based volunteering abroad programs. People ask, "Has anyone heard of such-and-such organization, and is it a good idea to use them to go to Africa to volunteer?" You could help others make the right choices by reviewing the company that sent you abroad, on Yelp or any other customer review site.

A WARNING: Several individuals and organizations have posted horror stories about volunteering through the Institute for International Cooperation and Development (IICD), also affiliated with California Campus TG (CCTG). Both organizations are part of a Danish network known as "Tvind." Its volunteering program also operates under the name "Humana People-to-People". See Zehara Heckscher"s warning about this very shady organization for more details and links to other sources. IICD/CCTG/Tvind/People-to-People is not an organization I recommend.

For those who think it's wrong to have to pay to volunteer overseas: again, remember that it is much more beneficial to local communities to use funds to hire local people to serve food, build houses, educate young people, etc., than to use those resources to bring in an outside volunteer. The priority is not you and your desire to help -- the priority is local people being employed. Volunteers from outside of a community are needed to fill gaps in local skills and experience, but it's not cost-effective for most organizations to pay for someone to come only for a few weeks or months. If you want a short-term volunteering assignment, be prepared to pay for at least your travel and accommodations.

Also see:

Vetting Organizations in Other Countries
A resource that can help you evaluate volunteer-placement organizations that charge you for your placement as a volunteer, as well as for people interested in partnering or supporting an organization abroad but wanting to know it's a credible organization, that it's not some sort of scam, or an 'organization' of just one person.
Safety in International Volunteering Programs
How to plan for your own safety while living and working abroad as a volunteer.
Volunteering To Help After Major Disasters
Whenever a disaster strikes, hundreds -- even thousands -- of citizens in the USA start contacting various organizations in an effort to try to volunteer onsite at the disaster site. But what many of these people don't realize is that spontaneous volunteers with no training and no affiliation can actually cause more problems than they alleviate in a disaster situation, particularly regarding disaster locations far from their home. If you want to be a part of the mobilization for a future disaster, here are tips to help you get into "the system," get training, and be in a position to make a real difference.
The realities of voluntourism: use with caution
Voluntourism is really awful and really good. I'm totally against it and I support it. Confused yet? This opinion piece is my attempt to explain why voluntourism sometimes works and why, very often, it's dreadful.
Hosting International Volunteers
More and more local organizations in developing countries are turning to local expertise, rather than international volunteers, to support their efforts. However, the need for international volunteers remains, and will for many, many years to come. This resource provides tips for local organization in a developing countries interested in gaining to international volunteers.
transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good."
Advice for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing and shopping.
How to Get a Job with the United Nations or Other International Humanitarian or Development Organization

Book recommendation: Lonely Planet Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide to Making a Difference Around

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