You can volunteer abroad with ethical organizations that offer short-term opportunities and don’t require you to pay expensive volunteer fees. There are lots of “voluntourism” programs that you can join if you want a give back a little while on vacation, but it’s often harder to find free volunteer opportunities abroad that allow you to really help others. If you want to be part of a project that can help create a positive impact, then one of the five organizations on this list may be for you.
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FAQs About Volunteering Abroad
What is voluntourism?
Voluntourism is combining your vacation with volunteering. Usually, you pay a fee to join a program that allows you to volunteer while you are traveling. It’s a hot topic regarding, if voluntourism is negative or positive, but it really comes down to the ethics of the individual volunteer companies/programs.
The organizations on this list are NOT voluntourism programs.
Do these organizations give you time off to travel?
You will be living abroad, and that alone brings many amazing opportunities, but you will be there to help first and foremost. There is no built in time to explore the country and see the sites while you are volunteering.
Do you need to pay to volunteer abroad?
The organizations on this list have no registration or volunteer fees. In order to make volunteering possible, they offer specific assistance to their volunteers such as housing and meals. Some of them offer travel assistance, and some ask that you obtain your plane tickets and VISA at your own expense.
What is the time commitment to volunteer abroad?
The volunteer programs on this list are all short-term and offer opportunities starting at 1-week or 1-month. You will be working full days and most likely long hours.
What is the volunteer work like?
The work these organizations do is not easy. Odds are, you will work long hours and some projects will be physically demanding. The type of work will depend on the specific project these organizations need help with.
How can you tell if a volunteer organization is ethical?
Always do your research on the organization you want to volunteer with. Even if some organizations have good intentions, they may be doing more harm than good to at-risk or developing communities. There are also organizations out there that focus on making a profit rather than making a real difference.
You should look into the organization’s mission, values, and true impact on the communities they serve. Read reviews from past volunteers and see what the communities they work with are saying about them.
Are the organizations on this list ethical?
While I have not personally worked with these organizations, I believe they are ethical. They are careful about how they incorporate volunteers. They listen to community needs and focus on mobilizing volunteers to complete tasks that will sustainability support the communities they serve in and/or support the greater picture.
5 Organizations to Volunteer Abroad
1. All Hands & Hearts
Mission: “All Hands and Hearts provides community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief.”
Type of Work: Their main focus is on disaster recovery and relief. This means they spend time mucking and gutting houses, home repairs, demolition, and construction.
Project Length(s): Ranging from 1 week to 1 month, depending on the project/location/need.
Locations: Locations change depending on need. Some places they serve are; Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, Texas, Nepal, the Philippines, Turkey, & the Ukraine.
Requirements: Full time volunteers must be ages 18+. (Youth ages 16-17 can volunteer during the day but need to arrange their own housing off property.) You will need to pass a background check and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. No experience is needed because training is provided.
What is Provided: Accommodation and meals on workdays.
Other Notes: You are responsible for booking your own transportation and getting the proper visa. Every 30 days you must take at least 3 days off and you will need to cover expenses for this break.
2. Team Rubicon
Mission: “Team Rubicon serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service, leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises.”
Type of Work: Team Rubicon focuses on disaster response and relief. This organization greatly emphasizes the fact that the type of projects their volunteers are sent out on are difficult, physically demanding, and can be long hours.
Project Length(s): There is no minimum or maximum time commitment.
Location(s): Current projects take place across the USA, Canada, and in the Ukraine. They have previously served in Australia, Uganda, Nepal, and Greece.
Requirements: Most of their volunteers are military veterans, but you do not need to be a veteran to participate.
What is Provided: Transportation, meals, and lodging while on project.
Other Notes: In order to apply you will create a detailed profile and Team Rubicon will match you to a project that they believe can use your skills. They aim to make the greatest impact by pairing their volunteers with projects in which their skillset matches the need/type of work.
3. Peace Corps Response
Mission: The mission of the Peace Corps is “To promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals: To help the countries interested in meeting their need for trained people, help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served, [and] help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.”
The main difference between the Peace Corps and Peace Corps Response is the length of commitment, orientation time, and type of project.
Type of Work: Volunteers assist in one of 6 main sectors; Agriculture, Education, Health, Community Economic Development, Environment, and Youth in Development. Volunteer openings depend on the type of help other countries request.
Project Length(s): Projects range from 3-12 months.
Locations(s): Worldwide.
Requirements: U.S. citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to volunteer. Some opportunities may require a college degree, but not all will.
What is Provided: Benefits may include the following; transportation, living stipend, medical care, and a readjustment allowance per each full month of service.
Other Notes: To apply, you will need to view their open position page and directly apply to volunteer opportunities. If there is nothing currently open that matches your skills/knowledge, they encourage you to check back periodically for new openings.
4. UN Volunteers
Mission: To “mobilize volunteers to serve in UN agencies, both in development programmes and peacekeeping operations.” Their volunteers program aims to “contribute to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide.“
Type of Work: There are so many different opportunities with UN Volunteers that type of service work will greatly vary across projects.
Project Length(s): Projects range from 1 week to 12 months, however the majority tend to be between 3-12 months.
Locations(s): Worldwide.
Requirements: International volunteers must be at least age 18 (other programs may have age requirements) and must know either English, French, or Spanish. A bachelors degree is required for most assignments, but not all. Other requirements may vary depending on project.
What is Provided: There are so many different opportunities with UN Volunteers that what is provided for volunteers will vary across projects.
Other Notes: Virtual/online assignments are available. The website has hundreds of service opportunities posted, you will need to comb through these yourself to find what you are looking for.
5. IESC
Mission: “IESC is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that catalyzes private sector growth and creates economic opportunity for people and communities throughout the economically developing world.“
Type of Work: A lot of their volunteer opportunities focus on projects in the agriculture sector. However, there are other opportunities such as technical support and consulting.
Project Length(s): Projects vary from several weeks to several months.
Location(s): Worldwide.
Requirements: Many opportunities call for volunteers with a specific agricultural skill set, but this is not necessary for all of them. Qualifications and requirements will depend on specific projects.
What is Provided: Logistical/travel support and a stipend for meals and expenses.
Other Notes: To apply, you can directly apply to specific work posted on their careers page, or create a general resume and they will try and match you to a project that matches your skill set.
Conclusion
Finding a free volunteer opportunity abroad is not easy and it can be hard finding organizations who run projects that are both ethical and sustainable. If your goal is to make a positive impact abroad then one of the organizations on this list could be a great option for you. Have you worked with one of these organizations before? Is there another organization you think should be on this list? Please share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
