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When you’re planning your first trip abroad as an international volunteer, there are many considerations to think about beyond making a list of what you should pack. For instance, is the program an ethical one? How much will it cost? What is that money paying for? Who will the program truly benefit? Do you have the right skills? How to know if a volunteer project is ethical

Combining volunteerism with travel is one of our favorite ways to explore the globe, though it’s absolutely vital to choose a project which makes a genuine difference to the community and society as a whole. While investing in your personal development and growth as well.  international volunteer programs

Realizing that this is now an industry which can turn a profit, some companies and organizations are ignoring the long-term effects of volunteering on host communities, and as such the market is saturated with costly projects taking advantage of volunteers, and there is now a lot of cynicism about those who want to become an international volunteer to “do good”.

When structured correctly, volunteer placements can be mutually beneficial to both the volunteer and the local community, though how can we as travelers know which programs are responsible and which are not? What are the signs of an ethical volunteer program?

As a leader in the field of ethical volunteering, we reached out to Mark Horoszowski from Moving Worlds about tips for first time prospective international volunteers, and the things every international volunteer needs to know before they go. What do I need to know as an international volunteer.

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What is the best thing about international volunteering?

International skills-based volunteering, or “Experteering, is more than just an immersive trip, it’s a transformative experience that benefits all parties and helps build a better world.

But I think one of the best aspects of international volunteering, when done right, is the after effect…organizations continue to grow, people are more confident with their skills, and new connections developed turn into long-lasting friendships, and sometimes, even new social impact organizations.

What inspired you to start volunteering?

I grew up volunteering and continued to volunteer throughout college and the first part of my career. But when I hit a dead-end in my career, I turned to volunteering as a way to really explore the types of work that got me the most excited, the industries I was most passionate about, and the best way I could make a positive impact with my career.

What is ‘MovingWorlds’ all about?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfataustralianaid/10675560175/

Our goal is to connect people to live-enriching experiences that make the world a better place. Globally, one of the biggest barriers to progress is a lack of access to talent, so we help people find where their skills are needed the most, prepare them to make a real impact, and provide resources and support to make sure they have a powerful experience.

What are the different ways a traveller can ensure a prospective project is an ethical one?

So “voluntourism”(paying to volunteer) is getting a lot of heat right now because of the issues it can unknowingly fuel, like the corrupt orphanages in Cambodia. We use a number of “tests” to check for ethical opportunities, but the most obvious ones are:

  • The project is driven locally – meaning a local organization has identified the need/ project
  • It doesn’t erode a local jobs – meaning someone locally isn’t in a position to do it (often times why construction projects don’t pass our test, but challenging architecture or engineering projects are OK)
  • It is focused on sustainability and skills – meaning there is a clear demonstration as to how your project will create a social and/or environmental impact

We were actually recently published four recently published for our stance on this position in the article: 8 Factors to consider in every match.

Tips For International Volunteers

Who should a volunteer placement benefit?

Every project should benefit the volunteer AND the hosting organization. There is a common misconception where people think projects should only benefit the hosting organization, but this actually creates unhealthy power dynamics where the “volunteer” is privileged and the hosting organizations is “needy”; and that’s not accurate.

The truth is, both have so much to gain in the experience and it’s important that both talk about it. We provide a training to our Experteers, as well as a guided planning process to help the Experteer and hosting organization plan an effective partnership. Serve-Smart.com also has a great training.

What kind of organizations do you connect people with?

We support startups, social enterprises, nonprofits, schools, community groups, and even some governmental organizations that are locally led, have the greatest potential to create jobs, and are working to solve last-mile challenges.  There is a breakdown of the percentage of these on our 2014 impact report.

We find that the matching to startups and social enterprises (for-profit businesses that exist for a social reason) make for really great hosts as they are growth-minded, have clear needs for skills, and are eager to find the right professional – meaning they’ll provide free accommodations to skilled volunteers and invest in creating a great experience.

Should volunteers be assigned to projects based on their skills, or do you believe volunteering is a great way to learn new skills?

Work conference RF career

We find that the best experiences come when there is a balance of both of these things. As an example, maybe an accounting professional who is great with Excel and setting up financial controls is partnered with a hosting organization to help setup a new accounting system. But, instead of just doing accounting, the person should focus on teaching someone in the organization the proper concepts and processes to grow without outside help in the future.

So the accountant is working in a familiar area, but is working on new skills like training and on implementation in a new industry.

Should volunteers speak the local language of the country they are working in?

It’s always helpful, but not necessary. We placed on Experteer in Brazil who didn’t speak any Portuguese, but the Experteers was working to help the startup expand to areas outside of Brazil, so her English and Spanish was actually more useful than her knowing Portuguese.

Why should volunteer placements be free?

It’s a good litmus test. If you’re paying to volunteer, the organization is after your money, not your skills. Sometimes, that is OK. Like nonprofit environmental organizations who can’t really make any money from protecting gorillas or turtles against poachers. So instead of working on a real project, they create a unique and immersive field experience.

However, other pay-to-volunteer projects, like paying to teach kids in an orphanage, build a home, or dig a well is a pretty good sign that a project is being invented to procure your money, not to make an impact.

If there is a cost involved, what is the average price you would consider ethical for a volunteer project to charge?

Money RF

This is really tough, but my guidance is that cost is not a sign of ethical or unethical behavior… I know of one organization that conducts bicycle trips to Myanmar. They charge over $10,000 for the trip, but all of that goes as a donation to specific organizations that the donors get to meet themselves, have been pre-screened, and are led-locally.

I’ve seen other organizations charge $10 / day, but they essentially kidnap kids from remote villages to fill their “orphanages”. So as a traveler, searching for a “budget” volunteer project might actually be more unethical than an expensive program.

What is the problem with companies and organizations who charge extortionate fees for volunteer placements?

As mentioned above, it’s not the size of the fee, but it’s where the fee goes. If you are paying, you should get full insight into:

  1. Where does the money go to, and what is the breakdown?
  2. What is the legal status of the organization?
  3. Is the organization led locally, or is it based in another country?

Specifically, be on the lookout for:

  • High fees for room & board. If you’re paying a lot to live, then that diverts resources from the actual mission.
  • Organizations that are not based in the country you are traveling too who are capturing most of the fee. In some cases, 80% of volunteer placement fees are going to middleman and travel, not the actual organization on the ground.
  • The majority of money NOT going to the mission (i.e. if you’re going on an environmental conservation project, if most of the money is going to a tour guide and your room & board, the organization might not be a good steward of dollars).

So why do organizations like MovingWorlds have a membership fee?

Ultimately, it’s so that we can source ethical projects that don’t charge you to volunteer. Groups like HelpX and WOOOF also have similar models. While sometimes a membership fee is a barrier up front, it can actually save thousands of dollars in the process as you get connected to places where you live for free.

In our case, it allows us to find specific projects based on your profile and preferences, and sustain a global support team to provide person support, to keep improving our resources, and to grow our global network of ethical, skills-based projects.

What is generally included in a free placement – ie meals, accommodation, local tours?

At MovingWorlds, all our projects provide unique benefits in exchange for your time. One of the things I think is really unique is that we support all kinds of social impact organizations, from 1 person to thousands of people.

The smaller the organization, the less they can provide, but the more authentic and impactful the experience. The larger the organization, the more resources, and the more benefits they can provide.

As an example, a 2 person startup might provide a room in a shared house and some cooking lessons, whereas a larger organization can often provide a private room and even help cover travel costs or send you on a local tour.

What kind of different projects are available through MovingWorlds?

From one week to one year, we have a really diverse set of projects. Some are related to training, like helping startups learn marketing and sales best practices. Some are for specific projects, like setting up an accounting system, building a website, or creating a video for a grant application.

Others are longer term consulting projects around specific challenges, like lowering operational costs, improving supply chains, expanding into new markets, or developing new products.

What is the most unique volunteer placement you have heard of through MovingWorlds?

We had a project for a chef to help a research team eat healthy, sustainable food while doing oceanic research in Central America.

I think it exemplifies that no matter what skills you have, you can use them to support world-positive ventures.

You actually offer some placements which pay volunteers, correct? Is this still volunteering, or does the inclusion of a per diem then make a placement something else?

Correct, but it’s typically for the purpose of offsetting living and/or travel expenses. As an example, one of our partners in Brazil wasn’t able to provide a place to live, so they provided a small living stipend to help the Experteer cover her costs.

These per diems aren’t that common, but if an organization is in real need of expertise, you’ll see them provide a small stipend to attract an Experteer as soon as possible.

You guarantee to find people a placement – how do you make this kind of a commitment?

We find that about 1/3 of our matches come through projects that are never listed. These matches occur when our global support team gets to know you, then works to source new projects that are the best fit for you.

As an example, if you want to go to Djibouti for exactly 3 weeks to work on marketing for startups starting on June 1st, there is a really small chance that your dream project was posted and is just waiting for you. As such, we work with a partnership network of over 2,500 organizations around the world to find which partner could most benefit from your skills, passion, and availability.

Which countries are in the greatest need for volunteers?

I think every country needs volunteers equally, and this includes the USA. You might see a volunteer make a bigger impact in specific countries that are notoriously resource strapped, but there are needs everywhere.

A recent report from ANDE shared that in some countries, like Brazil and India, the biggest barrier to progress is a lack of access to talent, so we tend to see more requests from countries that have already had big cash investments for the purpose of development – think countries that have had big donations from major foundations (i.e. Gates Foundation) and large investments from impact investors (i.e. Acumen).

Another thing to highlight is that every country can produce volunteers, too. We’ve had Experteers from every continent.

Any other tips for first time prospective volunteers?

We’re full of tips, and have open-sourced some of our content about finding and planning an engagement. But here are a few highlights:

  • Be selfish in planning your volunteer experience. The only way you’ll really make an impact is if you’re motivated to do your best work. As such, you have to be totally bought in to the mission, feel that you’re needed and respected, and know that the organization is co-invested in you and the project.
  • Be humble and open. Just because you have skills does not mean that you know the best way to lead a project, especially when you cross cultural and contextual boundaries. We recommend everyone “shut up and listen” before doing any actual work to ensure that the right solution is being delivered.
  • Create a partnership. The best way to have an immersive experience is to become partners with your hosting organization. Our free training on Udemy does a great job of highlighting the importance of this, and how to go about it.
  • Remember that success happens after you leave. In our planning process, we ask our Experteers and the hosting organization to work in partnership in defining a goal that happens one year after engagement ends. This makes both parties think more about working on sustainable projects that are locally led, and transferring skills to the right people to ensure that the organization can continue to prosper after the Experteer has left.

Why should people volunteer?

In short, It’s good for you, and it’s good for the world. We recently published an article on Forbes, 5 Surprising Benefits of Volunteering with some really compelling research about how much people gain from volunteering, especially if its skills-based volunteering (aka Experteering).

In summary, your most valuable assets are your time, heart, and brain, and today, the biggest challenges facing the world need those 3 things, even more so than money, in order to create a healthier, more equitable planet.

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Mark is co-founder and CEO of MovingWorlds.org, a global platform that connects people who want to travel and volunteer their expertise with social impact organizations around the globe.

Since its launch in 2011, MovingWorlds.org has already helped unleash over 1 million dollars worth of professional skills to social enterprises around the world.

Photo credits: Pinterest images by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Next two galleries by DFAT. Startups and social enterprises by Moving Worlds.  All other photos by DFAT.

    26 Comments

  1. I’ve never volunteered abroad, but thought about it for a long time. I hate that so many of the agencies are so corrupt when people are just trying to do something positive for the world. These are some great tips on how to avoid causing more harm than good. Thanks for sharing.

    • Glad you enjoyed the information Mags – and I hope you have the chance to get into some volunteering soon; it really is one of the most amazing experiences, just needs a little bit of research into finding the right program, and an ethical one :)

      Let us know if you have any follow up Q’s if you do choose to volunteer in the future :)

  2. Very interesting. When I first heard about organizations like this I thought it was odd. Paying to volunteer. Then I thought about you have to stay some where and eat. I have never volunteered abroad.

    • Absolutely Holly, most of the time the cost goes to subsiding your actual living expenses, so it’s always a good thing to keep in mind. And I think that’s the importance of finding out where the money is going to before you invest in a volunteer project – in this instance you would be happy to hand over a fee if it was for accommodation and food, which you would be likely paying for out of pocket anyway. It’s when that money starts going towards paying tour guides and the like that you know the organization is mainly just after a profit.

      Hope you have the opportunity to volunteer soon :)

  3. We’ve only ever volunteered once, and have generally shied away from the whole concept because it really is a minefield out there knowing which volunteer schemes are ethical and which aren’t. I had no idea that a budget experience could actually be more harmful and less ethical than the more expensive ones, makes you think!! Some great information here!

    • It really just comes down to finding out what exactly your money is going to – as soon as you start asking these kind of questions it’s generally a lot easier to navigate through the minefield :D!

      Glad you found the post helpful Heather – let us know if you have any follow up questions as you go to volunteer!

  4. Wow, I am so happy you wrote about this. As seniors, Bill and I have been thinking about how to marry our desire to travel and the urge to pay back. We have looked at the Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, etc. We will now look at Moving Worlds! Thanks.

    • Glad we could help out Carol – definitely check out Moving Worlds, there are a lot of fantastic opportunities out there, and organizations like this are making it much easier to access and invest in ethical placements.

      Happy travels!

  5. I’ve always wanted to do some kind of volunteering abroad, especially working with wildlife or the environment. But the thought of paying to volunteer my time doesn’t jive well with me. Then there’s the task of finding the legit, ethical organization that is worthwhile. Lots to think about and consider. You’ve done an excellent job of outlining and over-viewing it all, great tips!

    • Thanks James! Definitely a lot to think about and consider – I’ve found as soon as you start asking the questions about where your money is actually going it starts to become a lot easier to narrow down to a placement which you’re happy with. Feel free to reach out if you have any follow up Q’s in the future when going to choose a placement.

      Happy travels!

  6. This is a really great and interesting post. I’m always been very wary of those volunteer opportunities that seem to charge large sums of money to volunteer. I’ve definitely felt dubious to donating to help a friend volunteer when I know they have had to pay large sums of money to volunteer. I personally would rather volunteer for free and donate equipment that I personally see is needed.

    • Glad you enjoyed it Sophie – and absolutely, the primary focus should be on the sustainability of a project, and often if you’re required to downpay large sums of money then really the main benefit is going to the organization and not the host community. Which is why it’s so important to start asking these questions with finding an ethical and sustainable project in mind.

      Feel free to forward on this link to your friend – let’s spread the word about volunteering responsibly :)

  7. What a neat, informative post. I feel like volontourism is one of the most important topics travel bloggers should be writing about nowadays. There is so many programmes and so many scams out there that it’s close to impossible for a newbie to choose one and to choose responsibly. Thank you for this great guide. I love how you emphasize sustainability and local focus.

    • Glad you found the guide helpful and informative Zof – it really is a minefield for a newbie and it’s so difficult to know where to start when you have no idea. It’s such a shame that large organizations are preying on vulnerable volunteers who haven’t had much of an introduction into the world of international volunteerism, though hopefully if we continue to write about it and raise awareness as to the harm unethical placements can cause, there may just be hope for the industry yet!

  8. I’ve never volunteered abroad before so this has been a very interesting and informative post for me. I’m glad you talked about prices, I once saw a volunteer project which I thought was super expensive and I wondered what was up with that.

    • Generally a lot of it will most likely be profit for the organization – sadly. Definitely make sure you can identify where your money is going before you commit to a volunteer project – sustainability and local focus are key!

      Glad you enjoyed the post Vlad – let us know if you have any follow up questions if you do go to pursue volunteering.

  9. I’ve never volunteered before but it was definitely something Id like to do. I had NO idea that it could be as corrupt as that, and has definitely made me think twice about how to go about finding the best option (for me). Thanks for the insight and the tips, but most of all thanks for sharing the passion that is clearly emanated from Mark. Great piece.

    • Glad we could make you take a second to stop and assess the industry before making a decision Rachel – I really hope you do get the opportunity to volunteer, because it’s such an amazing way to give back and experience the world. Though yes, sadly, it is something which needs to be approached with proper research to ensure that your efforts are not just for show.

      Feel free to reach out if you have any follow up Q’s when you do decide to start looking for a placement :) Happy travels!

  10. As someone who works in international development professionally and who has also done a lot of volunteering (mainly experteering), I agree with a lot of things Mark says. I don’t necessarily agree on the aspect of volunteer placements having to benefit both, the volunteer and the partner organisation, though. Isn’t the whole point about volunteering to give up your time with the altruistic aim to serve a cause without expecting anything in return? If volunteers want to get something out of volunteering professionally, learn skills etc, then they should probably do an internship rather than a volunteer placement. For me volunteering shouldn’t be done out of selfishness. You either have it in your heart to do something good or you don’t.

    • Thanks for your feedback Tammy – the “who should benefit from volunteering” debate is an interesting one, because I actually agree on this one that both the volunteer and the host can and should benefit. I think that there is such an opportunity for the volunteer to grow and develop just as much over the course of a project, and I don’t necessarily think that volunteering with the aim to both give back and develop yourself at the same time is a selfish endeavor. Really a lot of the time the host organization has just as much to offer volunteers from the Western World as we have to offer them in terms of opportunities to develop their leadership, experience other cultures and gain a more well rounded view of life in general. So why should it not be an equally as beneficial opportunity if it can be?

      I think that projects are often more successful if the volunteer goes over with an open mind and is open and willing to learn and grow as opposed to going over with the mindset that they’re just there to help, save or rescue.

      Really when it comes down to it (just to play devils advocate), is volunteering with an altruistic aim to serve a cause without expecting anything in return not also selfish in the sense that it rewards you with happiness and joy knowing that you’ve helped or made a difference in the world? My point in saying that is that I don’t think there has to be a right or wrong reason to volunteer, and if you’re willing to donate your time and efforts in exchange for learning new skills or growing as a person, as long as the project you’re working on is an ethical and sustainable one, all the more power to you.

      My thoughts anyway :)

  11. What a comprehensive interview! I haven’t done any voluntourism but it’s not something I’d rule out, so this will definitely be helpful. Skepticism has held me back, not knowing where my money would go.

    • Thanks Francesca, glad you enjoyed it! And sorry to hear that skepticism has held you back from volunteering in the past, hopefully you now feel a little bit easier and more confident about navigating through the minefield that is international volunteering to find a sustainable project :)

      Let us know if you have any follow up questions if you do decide to pursue a volunteer project – always happy to help point you in the right direction :)

  12. Nice tips and interview. The tips for ensuring an ethical volunteer practice, like choosing local organizations with a goal for environmental and social sustainability are so important. And good idea to be “selfish” and “humble and open” when volunteering – a good attitude will accomplish the most work.

    • Thanks Mary – and I agree with you, it comes down to the attitude of the volunteer a lot of the time, and a good attitude can often move mountains. So glad you enjoyed the interview.

  13. Good

    • Glad you enjoyed the post.

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