Decide whether to go solo or with a friend
First up, decide whether volunteering abroad is something you want to do alone, or if you would prefer to go with a friend, or as part of an organised group. It’s a good idea to have this clear from the start, so when you’re tossing up between projects and volunteer organisations, you can chose what’s going to work best for you and your travel buddies. International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) hosts over 5,000 volunteers every year and has vast experience in prepping solo travellers to volunteer abroad, as well as co-ordinating trips for corporate, university and family groups.
Pick the perfect project
Before deciding on a destination, think about which type of volunteer work would be most suited to you or your group. IVHQ offers a range of both indoor and outdoor based work in developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America – from teaching in Tanzania to sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica, so there’s something to suit everyone! If you’re someone who doesn’t mind getting your hands dirty and likes to see the results of your hard work, a construction or conservation project might be right for you.
Commit to a country
Now here’s the tricky part. Our volunteers often ask us, “Which country has the most need for volunteers?” IVHQ actively seeks partner organisations in developing countries that have a genuine need for volunteers, so it’s really up to you to decide where you would most like to assist. To help decide, take a look at what past IVHQ volunteers have experienced through the thousands of photos, videos and testimonials available to you on the IVHQ website and IVHQ Facebook page. The videos shared by previous volunteers on the IVHQ YouTube channel are also very helpful in giving future volunteers a visual overview of our various programs. Plus, the IVHQ Facebook group is a highly active hub where future volunteers turn to past volunteers to gain further insight into the country and culture they’re interested in.
Choose a trustworthy organisation
When you’ve got an idea about how you want to help and where you want to go, start the search for a trustworthy volunteer organisation that offers the package you’re after. Keep in mind that there are a number of organisations out there charging elevated prices for volunteering programs, so make sure you find an organisation with an affordable and transparent fee structure and look into where your fees are going and what they cover. Consult social media and review websites to speak to previous volunteers’ about their experience with these organisations.
Find your wings
When the time comes to book your flights, find out which airport your volunteer organisation will be collecting you from and start searching for an affordable set of flights. Consult flight search engines like Cheapflights to secure the best deal and make comparing costs between airlines easy. Keep an eye out for stopovers, especially if you’re traveling alone and don’t want to be landed at an airport for 10 hours waiting for your next flight. Last but not least, remember to let your organisation know your arrival time!
Talk to a travel doctor
It’s wise to visit a travel doctor before travelling abroad to ensure you have the correct vaccinations for your trip and any booster doses of childhood vaccinations you may need. Although vaccinations are generally optional when you travel, if you are travelling to certain Africa or South American countries, Yellow Fever vaccinations are required by international health standards. Make an appointment with your doctor between four to six weeks before your trip to allow sufficient time for immunization.
Ensure you’re insured
Once you’ve made the call to volunteer abroad, it’s vital to ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance (as with all overseas travel) to keep yourself covered should you fall sick, your bags go missing, or something is stolen. Before handing over your money to a travel insurance provider, remember to check your policy covers medical emergencies, emergency evacuations, trip cancellation, personal belongings and personal liability. World Nomads allows travellers to claim whilst travelling or extend their policy if they decide to stay longer – which is a common decision IVHQ volunteers make once they have started on their volunteering program.
Get fundraising
Despite IVHQ doing our utmost to make our programs affordable, we realise that the total cost of volunteering abroad can still be expensive once flights, insurance and vaccination fees are paid. Many of our volunteers are using crowd funding platforms, such as GoFundMe, to raise sufficient funds to finance their trip, or to bring along additional donations to their projects.
Learn the lingo
Although IVHQ volunteers are given basic language lessons during their program orientation, it’s always a good idea to get clued up on common phrases in the local language before arriving in country, in addition to researching the city where you will be volunteering.
Blog about it
Keeping in touch with family and friends while overseas can be tricky, especially when you’re contacting everyone individually. Setting up a travel blog is a great way to share your volunteering experiences and weekend adventures with your loved ones back home, without the hassle of having to attach multiple photos to multiple emails. IVHQ is soon to launch a Volunteers Diaries section on the volunteerhq.org website to facilitate this and give future volunteers easy access to the experiences of our past volunteers.
For more information visit volunteerhq.org
(Featured image: Frisno)
