Planning
Choosing volunteer work abroad without falling for the business
There are projects that are genuinely needed and there is tourism dressed up as help. The questions that separate them, before you pay anything.
Irene Salazar 7 min Photo by MARIOLA GROBELSKA on Unsplash International volunteering has a well-known problem: alongside projects that work, there are programmes charging a lot for two weeks of experience and contributing little where they go. Telling them apart isn't hard, but you have to ask before you pay.
The six questions that separate everything
- What happens to the project when there are no volunteers? If the answer is that it stops, the project depends on tourism rather than on need.
- Who runs the work, local people or the organisation charging you?
- What exactly is my payment used for, itemised?
- What training or requirements are asked of me? A serious project asks for something, not just money.
- How long is the minimum commitment? Two weeks rarely serve anything that isn't purely logistical.
- Can I speak to someone who has been?
The first question is the most awkward and the one that works best.
Warning signs
- Programmes that accept anyone with no requirements at all to work with minors.
- Photos of identifiable children in their advertising.
- High prices with no breakdown of where the money goes.
- Very short stays on projects that need continuity.
- Orphanages as a tourist destination, one of the most documented and most strongly advised-against cases in the sector.
If the project stops when there are no volunteers, the project is you, and that isn't help.
The practical side: permits and insurance
A tourist permit often doesn't cover volunteering, even if nobody asks at the border. And a normal travel insurance policy can exclude work or manual activities, so read the policy before you sign it.
What travel insurance covers and what it doesn't is in what travel insurance really covers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a volunteering programme is serious?
Ask what happens to the project when there are no volunteers, who runs the work, what the money is used for and what requirements are asked of you. A serious project asks for more than money.
Is it normal to pay for volunteering?
Paying for accommodation, food and organisation is common. What isn't normal is having no breakdown of where that money goes.
Is a tourist visa enough for volunteering?
Often not, even if nobody asks at the border. Check on the country's official site.
Why is orphanage volunteering advised against?
Because the constant turnover of adults harms the children, and because the model has produced documented abuses. It's one of the sector's most clearly flagged cases.
