Do Good and Travel for Free
We constantly talk about how to travel economically. But you can also do it for free — by becoming an international volunteer. This way you can visit exotic places without having to save up for a ticket for half a year!
All volunteer activities are useful: architectural restoration, refugee assistance, working with trees and animals, environmental protection, etc. You work a few hours a day, having free evenings and weekends, and sometimes organizers arrange entertainment parties and field trips, and help find language courses.
What to do
Volunteering is done voluntarily. If you're not ready to clean out the Augean stables and scream at the sight of unknown animals, you'll have fewer options than more uninhibited people. But there are many activities, and everyone can find 'their own'.
All volunteer activities are useful: architectural restoration, refugee assistance, working with trees and animals, environmental protection, etc. You work a few hours a day, having free evenings and weekends, and sometimes organizers arrange entertainment parties and field trips, and help find language courses.
What Volunteering Gives
Oh, a lot. You'll improve your English or learn a new language. You'll make friends from the other side of the world (and then visit each other), get acquainted with the culture of a foreign country and local customs. But most importantly, volunteers live for free in countries where they do good.Types of Volunteering
There are commercial and public programs. The latter work on projects that help the environment and society: working with refugees, greening areas, saving rare plant species or lizards. In addition to food and accommodation, public programs also cover travel to the camp. If you don't have money for a ticket but want to help, this program is for you.
Popular Public Volunteer Programs:
EVS (European Voluntary Service)
A European program, but you can only participate in it once in a lifetime. They organize projects lasting from two months to a year.
They take volunteers to help with housework and childcare. And that's it. Appalachian Trail They welcome people who will take care of the Appalachian Trail hiking route (USA). WWOOF They gather helpers for growing produce on organic farms. It's different with commercial programs. Organizers recruit volunteers to prepare a music festival site, green non-state parks, restore buildings, etc. These programs are paid — on average 20,000 rubles. This amount includes your food and accommodation, and you arrange your own transfer to the location. This also includes international student exchange programs: Work and Travel, "International Volunteering" from TravelWorks, UNV, Conservation Volunteers, Peace Corps, Kibbutz Volunteer, Trip Leader for HF Holidays, VSO.
From Word to Deed
Every volunteer program (public or commercial) has an intermediary — a sending organization — with whom you interact. It helps you gather the necessary documents, get to the location, and answers questions during your 'shift'.Three steps to become a volunteer:
- Choose a project you like. Don't be afraid to write to someone who has already participated in it — ask them in detail what it's like, otherwise it might turn out not to be as interesting.
- Send your resume and cover letter to the organizers. Your task is to convince the committee that the program needs you.
- After a positive response from the host party, find an intermediary organization, make sure it has special accreditation, and forward your letter and resume to them. If a visa is needed, intermediaries will help arrange it. Consider it done, and you can pack your bags!
