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| Volunteer Abroad Programs |
Volunteering abroad is the best option for meaningful work and vacations in developing countries or for social causes anywhere. While some overseas projects cover room and board, and there are some free volunteer programs abroad, most organizations require fees to cover important services and administrative costs, such as health care, housing, food, materials, training, etc. For inexpensive summer work camps or volunteer vacations, generally apply in the Spring. For long-term options, apply well in advance.
The volunteer organizations below are organized by country and region, and include many first-hand participant reports to provide both practical and inspirational perspectives from experienced volunteers in order to help you as you research your important decision. |
| Volunteer Abroad by Region |
Volunteer Abroad by Country |
| Featured Volunteer Abroad Programs |
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Global Vision International
GVI has a huge range of volunteer programs to suit the environmentally conscious traveler who seeks adventure and new experiences around the globe. Be it training as a safari field guide in South Africa, teaching English in Laos, or diving as part of a marine research team in the Indian Ocean, you will find a huge range of exciting opportunities with GVI. Visit our website for further details |
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Cross-Cultural Solutions: Volunteer Abroad for the Experience of a Lifetime!
Experience another culture like never before while making a real difference in people’s lives. You’ll gain perspectives and insights into the local culture and yourself while working side-by-side with local people on community-led initiatives. Placements are available in the areas of social services, education, and health. Choose from 12 countries—Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Morocco, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Thailand. |
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United Planet: Volunteer Worldwide!
United Planet's Quest Volunteer Abroad program offers you or your group a life-changing opportunity to interact with local communities through customized volunteer work, enriching activities, and home stays. Our programs in more than 40 countries run from 1 to 52 weeks and welcome volunteers of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds because we know that everyone has something to offer! Visit our website for more information on specific countries! |
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Projects Abroad Worldwide
Projects Abroad is the world's leading short-term international volunteer organization.
Live and work in 27 exciting countries around the world: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Romania, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, and Vietnam. Volunteer projects start year-round and last from one week to a year. Opportunities exist in teaching, care, conservation, community development, medicine, human rights, journalism, and more! Programs are for ages 16+. |
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Geovisions: Volunteer Worldwide
Gain a new outlook on the world. Experience a unique opportunity to live and volunteer in Argentina while learning about the culture and language of the country. Project areas include community development, health care, education, and childcare. Volunteer in Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Peru, Russia, Spain, Thailand, or Turkey. |
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Volunteer Abroad with Greenheart Travel
Explore fascinating places while you help local people working to improve the quality of life in their communities. Greenheart Travel's volunteer abroad programs offer you the opportunity to expand your personal growth, experience true cultural immersion and impact communities in need. Each of our volunteer programs has been hand-picked to reflect our mission to help build a more sustainable, more diverse and more peaceful world. Volunteer with meaningful, locally managed projects in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. |
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Volunteer Abroad from US$180 with IVHQ
Affordable volunteer opportunities available worldwide. Volunteers can participate in Teaching English, Street Children Work, School Support Program, Summer
and many more projects by country. IVHQ sends over 5000 volunteer travelers worldwide annually — one of the world's most
popular volunteer placement organizations! |
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Volunteer Abroad Programs from InterExchange
InterExchange Working Abroad has a wide variety of volunteer programs to fit any interest. Add to your professional skills, learn a new language and have the adventure of a lifetime while making a difference abroad in one of 20 countries! From environmental conservation programs in Australia and Costa Rica, to social work and community programs in Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Ghana, India and Peru, we will work with you to find the best fit for your time abroad. Volunteer programs include placement, housing and visa assistance. Many also include some meals, project-related transportation, training and social and cultural activities. InterExchange has over 40 years of experience arranging cultural exchange programs. |
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Volunteer Work Teaching Around the World with Wordteach
WorldTeach offers opportunities for volunteers to make a meaningful contribution to international education by living and teaching in developing countries. All programs include: full-time in-country coordinator; intensive in-country orientation including language and TESOL training; room and board with host families/apartments. Requires: native level of English fluency; BA or equivalent for year-long programs. Fee covers program costs, including health insurance, airfare, housing, teaching placement, and in-country support. |
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How will you touch the world? Volunteer with ProWorld in Peru, Belize, Mexico, India, Thailand, Ghana, and Brazil
REAL projects….REAL experience! Work side-by-side with NGOs to find innovative ways to confront development challenges in Peru, Belize, Mexico, India, Thailand, Brazil or Ghana – from education efforts to eradicate illiteracy and promote natural resource conservation to health campaigns to combat malnutrition, anemia, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. |
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Diverbo Pueblo Ingles
Diverbo Pueblo Ingles has been described as an inspiring cultural adventure, an enriching personal journey, and a unique, human experience. Each week twenty Native English speakers are sponsored to stay in a beautiful, picturesque 4-star resort in Spain so they can converse with Spanish professionals who want to improve their English. Accommodation, food and wine are provided in exchange for your conversation. It's a unique and enjoyable experience and the best way to learn about Spain if you don't speak the local lingo. |
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Adventures in Service with Globeaware
Globe Aware coordinates, organizes and leads volunteer vacations, service vacations, working holidays and service trips to locations around the world. Globe Aware develops short-term volunteer programs in international environments that encourage people to immerse themselves in a unique way of giving back.
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Volunteering in Argentina with Road2Argentina
The Road2Argentina volunteering program is designed for people looking for an opportunity to help others in Argentina and improve their Spanish skills in an immersion environment. Road2Argentina places volunteers at local non-profit organizations in Buenos Aires and Junin de los Andes (Patagonia region) where they assist in a variety of ongoing projects. Volunteering placements include: teaching English, working at a community kitchen, community center activities, working at a day care, and home construction. |
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Volunteer in Argentina, China and South Africa with Connect-123
Connect-123 offers meaningful volunteer projects in China (and other locations worldwide), according to your interests and skills, in education, health care, community service and many other fields. Volunteer programs include teaching English at local schools, caring for pediatric patients at local hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working with children with autism or other disabilities, assisting the elderly at retirement homes and caring for infants and toddlers at orphanages. |
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| Articles on Volunteering Abroad |
We are pleased to offer a vast assortment of articles discussing the experience of volunteering abroad as a means of immersing yourself in another culture while helping to bring native people some positive change in their lives.
The following articles cover the subject of volunteering both in the theoretical and in the most practical sense, including:
- Topical articles offering you inside tips and advice by experienced international volunteer professionals in the Volunteer Abroad Advisor section below.
- Many first-hand participant articles may be found with the program listings for regions and countries worldwide. The stories provide you with information and context from those who experienced one or more of the many volunteer work and vacation options available.
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Why Volunteer Overseas?
Zahara Hecksher, co-author of the classic book How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas as well as our Volunteer Abroad editor, goes to the core issues for all ages to consider, from teens to college students to professionals to seniors, for those considering participating in a program. |
How to Evaluate International Volunteer Sending Organizations
Zahara Heckscher provides an overview, inside tips, and resources to help you select from the many available volunteer projects worldwide. |
The Changing Face of International Volunteering
An overview by Volker Poelzl on recents trends in volunteer work abroad and voluntourism. |
Leveraging Your Volunteer Experience To Find Paid Work Abroad
Strategies and tips offered by Zahara Heckscher on how to transform your volunteer experience into paid work overseas, from international aid work to working in the solar panel industry abroad. |
| Learning to Love Voluntourists: Harnessing their Energy and Curiosity for Volunteer Service Vacations by Alison Gardner |
| Volunteer Overseas the Right Way: An Interview with Zahara Heckscher |
| Choosing a Volunteer Placement Organization by Zahara Heckscher |
| How to Choose the "Right" Volunteer Program Abroad by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, Zahara Heckscher |
| Volunteer Vacations to Fit: How to Select the Best-Suited Organization by Doug Cutchins and Anne Geissinger |
| Arranging a Volunteer Experience Abroad by Katie Krueger |
| Ramping Up: IVPA Establishes Standards of Excellence for International Volunteering by Sherry Schwarz |
| From Volunteer Work To a Career: Becoming an International Aid Worker by Matthew Bolton |
| The Ins and Outs of Volunteering: An Interview with Dianne Brause |
| Work as a Volunteer Travel Adviser by Heidi Resetarits |
| Making the Most of Volunteer Service with the Peace Corps by Brianne Goodspeed |
| After the Peace Corps by Mishelle Shepard |
| Learn Language and Do Good: Combine Volunteering with Language Study Abroad by Zahara Heckscher |
| Learn a Language While Volunteering Abroad by Susan Griffith |
| Volunteering Abroad: A Global Movement by Christine Victorino |
| Volunteering Abroad: Selecting the Perfect Opportunity by Christine Victorino |
| The Cost of Volunteering by Daniel Weiss |
| Volunteer Abroad on Your Own by Michael Don |
| Investing Yourself as a Volunteer by Reverend Dr. Henry Bucher, Jr. |
| Why Pay to Volunteer Abroad? by Le Ann Joy Adam |
| Why Volunteer Abroad? by Peter Hodge |
| Volunteer Vacations Gain Popularity by Margaret Jaworski |
| Whirled Transformations: The History and Future of Inter-Cultural Caring by Ann McLaughlin |
| International Volunteering with Your Family by Zahara Heckscher |
| Volunteering Overseas Over 50 by John Dwyer |
| Baby Boomers and International Volunteer Service by Ann McLaughlin |
| Volunteer Vacations: Seniors Have a Different Agenda by Alison Gardner |
| Making the Most of a Volunteer Vacation by Doug Cutchins and Anne Geissinger |
| Volunteer as a Senior and Make Retirement Count by Amy Warren and Winsin Hsieh |
| Volunteer Vacations Can Change Your Life by Dianne Brause. |
| Volunteer Service Programs. This Summer Vacation Make a Difference by Russell Carlock |
| Community Service Abroad: Volunteers Combine Alms and Elbow Grease by Molly Beer |
| Volunteer Placements Abroad: Coping With Potential Problems by Susan Griffith |
| Making a Difference: Volunteering and Education Abroad by Charles Gliozzo |
| International Volunteerism by Rebecca Jewell |
| Volunteer for an NGO as a Photographer by Jim Hall |
| Volunteer Work Abroad on Organic Farms by Caroline Nye |
| Work for Peace as a Volunteer Abroad by April Thompson |
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