| How long can I volunteer for? | Do I need special skills? |
| Volunteer opportunities can vary between two week to two years. Also, many organizations allow volunteers to continue even after they were scheduled to leave. | Most volunteer organizations only require a strong spirit and enthusiasm. However, some more specialized organizations require certain skills, whether clerical, medical or technical. |
| What should I bring? | Can I bring my pet? |
| We cannot answer this until you decide where to go! | Rarely are pets allowed on a volunteer trip. Especially since most pets have to be quarantined for a certain period of time before they are allowed entrance in a country. |
| Can I sign up with my spouse? | Do I have to learn the language? |
| Most organizations allow you to sign up as a husband and wife team. | If you are required to learn the language, the organization will teach it to you, either before or after you arrive. Generally shorter volunteer programs do not require fluency in the local language. However, we always recommend that volunteers should learn at least a small amount of the language before they go. Communication is the key to volunteer work. |
| What will my accommodations look like? | Does it really help people? |
| Again, this is a question for your specific volunteer organization. Some volunteers stay in the homes of locals, some in work camps, and some in churches. This varies greatly between the agencies | Of course! Many of these organizations have had long term relationships with the locals in the area and have cooperated on many projects! We have never heard of a volunteer returning without a story about helping someone. |
| What do I get out of this? | I am 60, am I too old to volunteer? |
| A life changing experience, a new perspective on the world, lifelong friends, confidence, creativity, and this is only the tip of the ice-berg. | Definitely not! Many volunteer organizations focus on youth but there are as many who attract volunteers from across the age range. The maturity, experience and skills of older volunteers are noticed by organizations |
| Do I get any training when I am there? | Why does it cost money? |
| Most organizations provide you with at least a minimal amount of training. | Not all organizations require a payment from volunteers. Many of the larger organizations are funded by governments and NGOs. Most organizations that require payments are small in size and therefore do not have the funding necessary to pay their staff, train new volunteers, and fund the programs they are involved with. The funding brought in from volunteers allows the organizations to continue their work. Furthermore, most volunteer trip are tax deductable. |
| Do I have to book my plane tickets myself? | Can I get financial aid? |
| Some organizations require volunteers to purchase transportation. Most of the time this involves airfare. | You can do your own fundraising! |
| Do I need health insurance? | What vaccinations do I need? |
| Absolutely! Volunteer organizations rarely provide health insurance. Even if you currently have insurance, it most likely does not cover travel outside your homeland’s borders. Luckily, short and long term travel insurance is available and very affordable. | This is a question for your volunteer organization |