Volunteering Abroad - Ideas?!

Does anyone know any good companies or organisations that do schemes to volunteer abroad that aren't too pricey?
I'd love to help those in need and do something within animal conservation, however I have no idea how to go about it, and where to apply. Has anyone done a volunteering position abroad before? If so, was it good? I'd love to hear more about it and hear about your experiences and hopefully partake in one of the experiences myself!

Thanks for reading :danceboy:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Claireart

There is a really awesome organisation I have volunteered with before in the summer for a few weeks. It's one of the cheaper ones I could find, and I believe they have some animal conservation trips. (Being cheap it doesn't mean they're a really bad, disorganised company, they's the opposite). I volunteered with children and it was so much fun, you meet great people and get to travel. They are called 'Original Volunteers' :smile:

If you have any specific questions about it let me know!

Reply 2

addymartin

Volunteering Solutions

Reply 3

amd1

Original post by Claireart

If you have any specific questions about it let me know!

I'm going with Original Volunteers in a week, so excited! Although they seem to have some mixed reviews :s Where did you go? I'm working with children in Peru :smile:

What I wanted to ask was what insurance did you get to cover you, cos from what I've seen there doesn't seem to be 3rd party liability that may arise during the actual voluntary work :s
Thanks!

Reply 4

fuglycorn

Original post by amd1

I'm going with Original Volunteers in a week, so excited! Although they seem to have some mixed reviews :s Where did you go? I'm working with children in Peru :smile:

What I wanted to ask was what insurance did you get to cover you, cos from what I've seen there doesn't seem to be 3rd party liability that may arise during the actual voluntary work :s
Thanks!

What sort of mixed reviews?
I've just looked into them and I want volunteer to help endangered animals! I'm rather excited!

Reply 5

LetMeFinishMySen

http://www.planmygapyear.co.uk/ - very cheap yet great service, fantastic reviews too. I went to Costa Rica for a month childcare volunteering and it was amazing!

This website shows a list of reviews for that sort of thing so you can check if any organisation is legitimate or not: http://www.reviewcentre.com/products4924.html

Reply 6

amd1

Original post by fuglycorn

What sort of mixed reviews?
I've just looked into them and I want volunteer to help endangered animals! I'm rather excited!

I've read that some people were pressured into making their decisions quickly by OV, being told that there was 1 space left for example, when that wasn't the case. I haven't had that problem at all though. Someone else wrote that they were left quite alone in Cambodia without an OV contact who was meant to be there. If you look them up there are more disgruntled people than I would like to see, but there are some good reviews too. Thing is, because they're only the 3rd party organising the placement, the success of the placement isn't up to them at all, but the people who run it, so I would also have a look at the website of the actual animal sanctuary you would be at.

Reply 7

charliesmith18

Original post by amd1

The first bit was true for me, they wouldn't stop calling and texting, pressuring me into making a decision and constantly asking if I've spoken to my parents yet. They've said the 'only 1 space left' to so many people and I just don't think it's true! They can be extremely annoying, especially as it was during my exams too..

Reply 8

fuglycorn

Original post by amd1

Ahh, okay. So not like them running off with your money or something like that?

Reply 9

pheekum

realgap.co.uk

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

amd1

Original post by fuglycorn

Ahh, okay. So not like them running off with your money or something like that?

Oh definitely not! I´m at my placement now and it´s great, OV doesn´t really have anything to do with it anymore, just the charity.

Reply 11

Gillybop

You could just backpack, and rock up anywhere and volunteer, they will bite the hand off you, and it's a fraction of the price. Done it in Asia and Africa.

Reply 12

fuglycorn

Original post by Gillybop

You could just backpack, and rock up anywhere and volunteer, they will bite the hand off you, and it's a fraction of the price. Done it in Asia and Africa.

Is it really cheaper?
And surely there must be negatives to it like... (I'm not sure, could someone else fill it in?)

Reply 13

Gillybop

Original post by fuglycorn

Is it really cheaper?
And surely there must be negatives to it like... (I'm not sure, could someone else fill it in?)

Well, I never looked into the volunteering organisations, so I can only base it on the discussions I had with folk who did.

in Ghana for instance there was folk who had volunteered (we just went on holiday, booked flights and nothing else) they were living in relatively squalid conditions, getting sick often, the locals thought they were nutters and complained about them not contributing anything to the local economy by not eating in the restaurants etc, and even taking our backpacker beach hut accommodation into account we were still paying half what they paid. They ended up staying at ours on several occasions for the luxury of using our outside shower and getting an actual nights sleep with air-con on.

We went down to the local orphan school, bought pens and paper and a few footballs, and ended up going down a few days in a row to help out in a few lessons, I paid to get a guy into fix the roof (very cheap). Was a cracking experience, but I would never volunteer, just backpack and help out where you can, less regimented. We done similar things in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, but at the same time had the freedom to go where we wanted, when we wanted and had the time of my life.

good luck.

Reply 14

Anjna

Original post by amd1

I'm going with Original Volunteers in a week, so excited! Although they seem to have some mixed reviews :s Where did you go? I'm working with children in Peru :smile:

What I wanted to ask was what insurance did you get to cover you, cos from what I've seen there doesn't seem to be 3rd party liability that may arise during the actual voluntary work :s
Thanks!

how long are you going for?

Reply 15

kate_louise21

Original Volunteers is the cheapest one i know out there atm. I only have experience tho with volunteering with GVI which is a brilliant volunteering organization but far more expensive. Ive done 2 months in India before and 2 weeks in Kenya both teaching projects. If the cost is very important to you i would say look at original volunteers however remember it does not provide food etc. Project Hope is also another organization for volunteering in Palestine etc.