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Volunteering whilst traveling is a great way to ‘make a difference’. However, it’s not just about giving. Living and volunteering in a foreign country is a great way to know the different culture, meet new people, learn about yourself and the bigger picture. Hey, you may even gain a few new skills and life long friends. If you’re only on a short trip, take time to visit an orphanage, hospital, or the like. Those with more time can contact local NGOs, tourist offices or embassies, to inquire about longer term volunteer possibilities. Volunteer tourism is booming! Lots of people make money, and seek to make money from volunteers. We share this information freely to help you and your friends find genuine volunteer positions. Places where people profit from your efforts, not from your money. We believe we can make a difference, it is important to be in position where you and your efforts are appreciated and needed. Not in Volunteer tourism places which charge fees and make cash profits from you staying there.  PLEASE POST FEEDBACK, especially if its negative, we will delete any negative volunteer organisations and continue promoting and supporting the best.   helping people There are several ways to combine traveling and voluntary work:

  • In Europe, young European citizens can participate in the EVS program (“European Voluntary Service”), which allows you to work abroad for 3 months up to a year,funded by the European Union at some kind of charitable organization.
  • If you would like to combine traveling and working on an organic farm, the WWOOF-ing – Willing Workers on Organic Farms – might be something for you. You can be sowing seed, making compost, gardening, planting, cutting wood, weeding, making mud-bricks, harvesting, fencing, building, packing, milking and feeding livestock any of 80 countries.
  • Another organization with opportunities beyond the scope of just organics is HelpX. Ordinary people can join and offer vacancies here. Vacancies are more like working in a resort, private farm or anything like that, and instead of money, you’ll paid with free accommodation, possibly food and other benefits.
  • If you want to experience new cultures and ways of life by doing volunteer work, exchanges with hosts in different countries, check out Volunteerstays.
  • Workaway has a large database of options for those wishing to travel and volunteer in exchange for lodging and food. They have a worldwide selection of hosts from over 100 countries with a wide variety of opportunities including gardening, babysitting, art projects, language learning and animal care.

Various agencies of Western governments send volunteers abroad: the US Peace CorpsBritish VSOCanadian CUSO and so on. These are among the best volunteer jobs. All expenses — immunizations, travel, lodging, etc. — are normally covered and there is support — training, medical insurance, emergency evacuation if needed — and some sort of small salary. When you come back, these organizations look good on a resume. On the other hand, these positions are harder to get and usually require a heavier commitment, typically two years. As an alternative, or to complement the working holiday, many people have chosen to embark on a volunteering experience. These meaningful experiences allow individuals the chance to give back to the international community, whether this is teaching in underprivileged schools, working with animals in Africa, or helping with community development project. Typically there will be a fee to participate in these programs, and participants are not paid. Most famously, Prince Harry embarked on a volunteering Gap Year in 2004 when he went to South Africa. There are many organizations offering gap year placements. A few of these are:

  • Frontier Conservation specializes in scientific and conservation projects in locations such as Tanzania, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Fiji and Madagascar.
  • Global Vision International is an award winning volunteer abroad organization running projects all over the world.
  • volunteeringGap Year Diver, specialists in gap year and career break scuba diving trips. Marine Conservation initiatives, learn to dive, become a Divemaster, teach in local schools, community work, Instructor training, language learning and much more.
  • The Great Projects. Beginning life as the multi-award winning “The Great Orangutan Project“, the Great Projects now offers a wide collection of projects, used to showcase working models of animal conservation tourism around the world and promotes the importance of setting standards in endangered animal welfare and conservation in the tourism sector.
  • Yomps, Gap year, career break and adventure specialist, from volunteering in Africa to learning to surf in Ecuador, Yomps has it all.
  • Shumba Experience Specialists in conservation and veterinary projects in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
  • Xtreme Gap The adventure travel and extreme sports gap year company.
  • Global Vision International Specialists in gap year expeditions such as marine expeditions in the Indian Ocean and exploration in Patagonia. GVI also has over 150 volunteering projects around the world.
  • Gap Medics, Specifically aimed at students looking to go to medical or nursing school – Work experience and volunteer opportunities in The Caribbean, India and Tanzania.
  • Africa & Asia Venture (AV) – a founding member of the Year Out Group, offering 5 week to 5 month group volunteer projects in the developing world with 24/7 support throughout.
  • RealGap UK RealGap DE, Specialists in gap years, career breaks & adventure travel holidays. RealGap are experts in providing unique & exciting volunteer projects, working holiday programs & backpacking packages across the world.
  • VentureCo Worldwide, specialists in South America Gap Years. Combining language courses, volunteer projects and adventure travel.
  • The Leap, a family run British organization that offers gap year placements in Africa, Asia, South America and Australia.
  • Gap Year Ghana, small organization specializing in volunteer placements in Ghana, West Africa.
  • Raleigh Youth and education charity offering challenging environmental, community and adventure programs for 17-75 year old in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India
  • Projects Abroad, Global organizer of overseas voluntary work placements. Projects Abroad runs placements like Teaching, Care, Conservation & Environment, Medicine & Healthcare, Sports, Culture & Community projects and Journalism.
  • EDGE of AFRICA, Small organization that offers volunteer and internship placements in Southern Africa. Conservation, community and sports volunteer placements available as well as family and tailor made positions.
  • VAE Kenya, a small UK organization that organizes challenging teaching placements in rural Kenyan schools.
  • Skills Venture, a new company that runs short sabbaticals for US and UK business professionals, spent providing mentoring and consultancy support to entrepreneurs in Kenya.
  • Cross-Cultural Solutions(CCS) is a non-profit organization that offers 1-12 week volunteer abroad programs in 12 countries, where you work side-by-side with local people, stay in a CCS Home-Base, and learn first-hand about local customs by participating in Cultural & Learning Activities.
  • Praktikawelten offers more than 300 volunteer projects in 17 countries as well as work and travel programs in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

There are also various organizations that recruit volunteers. These may not cover the major expenses such as airfares and travel insurance. Some charge a fee for placement. A few of these are:

  • volunteerAction Volunteer Alliance (AVA)offers affordable volunteer opportunities abroad.
  • AFECT offers volunteering opportunities to assist Burmese refugees in north Thailand
  • Akha Asia has volunteer placements with Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
  • Center for Children in Need (Thailand) offers short and long-term volunteering in a grassroots orphanage for abandoned Burmese children. (http://www.volunteeringthailand.blogspot.com)
  • Ikando Volunteer & Intern in Africa
  • Global Vision International (GVI) has worldwide volunteering opportunities
  • Volunteers and Interns for Balinese Education
  • Year Out Group, a British organization promoting gap year volunteering
  • Overseas Working Holidays, an Australian organization that offers guaranteed placements in regions such as Africa and India.
  • Thai-Experience specialized in placements in Thailand.
  • Travel to Teach with jobs in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
  • Volunteer Abroad offers volunteer programs in Latin America, Asia, and Africa
  • Mundo Exchange non-profit organization for volunteering in Guatemala and Thailand.
  • Earthwatch lets volunteers work on scientific field research projects all over the world for 1 – 3 weeks.
  • Projects Abroad offers a diverse range of volunteer placements in 26 different developing countries – for students, gap years, grads and qualified professionals from 2 weeks and up.
  • The International Humanity Foundation works in Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya and is always looking for volunteers.
  • Intiwawa offers free volunteering in Peru. Opportunities mainly include social and educational projects as well as nutrition and water.
  • Mozvoluteers  offers affordable volunteer projects and medical elective placements in South Africa and Mozambique.
  • Mijn Bestemming Peru Dutch organization focusing in volunteering free, internships, work and support to communities all over Peru.

      Guys you are free to leave your comments, thoughts and new links anytime!   Update, June 2013: Spicy Guest Hostels, (Spicy Kho Tao, Spicy Pai, Spicy Chiang Mai), Nook Guest House (Kuching Malaysia) and Reggae Mansion (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), have various positions open for backpackers to stay, work, party and live for 1-3 months.

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