An Introductory Guide to Budget Travel Through Volunteering
Volunteering can be an economical way to travel if you’re comfortable contributing a few hours of work every day in exchange for accommodation and meals. This setup not only saves you money but also allows you to mingle with locals and truly experience a place in a way mere tourism can’t offer. Here’s your brief guide to embarking on a journey via volunteer programs.
Programs Connecting Volunteers with Hosts
I’m familiar with three platforms that connect volunteers with hosts needing help:
- WorkAway: Arguably the most popular platform, WorkAway offers volunteer opportunities in over 180 countries. An annual membership costs 42 USD, while a combined membership for a couple or two friends is 52 USD.
- WWOOF: This stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. The organization is present in numerous countries, each with its own administrative structure and fees, ranging from 10 to 35 euros per year. Note that volunteering in multiple countries would require paying separate fees for each, making it costlier than WorkAway.
- HelpX: Registration is free, but upgrading to premier status costs 20 euros and lasts two years. This allows you to directly contact hosts and read or write reviews.
Types of Work Available
The kind of work you’ll do can vary widely, depending on your skills and interests. While WWOOF focuses on agricultural tasks, WorkAway and HelpX offer a broader range of opportunities, including:
- Assisting in hostels or bed and breakfasts with daily operations and upkeep
- Working on farms during busy seasons or helping with maintenance projects
- Providing childcare for families
- Teaching languages or other specialized skills
Top 5 Benefits of Volunteering While Traveling
As a traveling volunteer, you stand to gain:
- Budget-Friendliness: Extend your stay without straining your finances.
- Networking: Meet hosts and possibly other volunteers from around the globe.
- Language Learning: Staying with locals provides a natural setting to pick up the local language.
- Culinary Experience: Enjoy local and home-cooked meals.
- Unique Exploration: Visit areas off the typical tourist routes.
Additional Perk
Participate in activities you might not have the chance to do or would usually have to pay for.
Preparation Tips for Volunteering Abroad
Hosts typically expect volunteers to commit for at least two weeks and work 3-6 hours on 5-6 days per week. Accommodations vary from tents and shared dorms to private rooms. Meals may or may not be provided, so it’s crucial to clarify this beforehand.
Communication Guidelines
When reaching out to potential hosts, explain why you’re a good fit, detailing your skills, availability, and preferred stay duration. Expect varied response times, so it’s advisable to contact multiple hosts. Once a host responds, don’t hesitate to ask about work expectations, lodging, meals, and internet access, as well as any dietary restrictions you have and items you should bring.
Practical Aspects to Consider
Transport: It’s your responsibility to coordinate transport to and from the host location. Always communicate your arrival time when you know it.
Visa Requirements: Make sure to secure the necessary visas for your travel. Typically, a tourist visa should suffice, but some countries offer working holiday visas as an alternative.
Insurance coverage
You must at all times have insurance coverage whenever you journey. Whereas WWOOF has an insurance coverage part for legal responsibility and accidents in some nations, it solely covers the interval if you find yourself really working on the internet hosting farm, and you must have higher protection.
Security and luxury – volunteer journey applications
All of the above organizations have utility varieties and attempt to hold issues 100% protected. Nevertheless, it’s unattainable for them to verify in individual with every potential host, so ALWAYS do your homework earlier than contacting a bunch. In any case, you’ll reside in an unknown individual’s home for a number of weeks.
Examine for evaluations. You will discover out about any issues you might need.
Once more, ask all of the questions: you need to know the work hours, what number of days every week, jobs to be performed, another necessities. Additionally, inquire in regards to the sleeping preparations, meals, or meals supplied.
If not in a metropolis, you must learn how a lot you will get round within the space. Ask the place the closest bus/prepare station is, so you’ll be able to discover the area.
Be prepared to depart. Have a plan B in place, sufficient cash to depart, and keep elsewhere if something goes fallacious.
Enthusiastic about volunteering overseas?
Click on on the hyperlink to examine my volunteering expertise for an olive farm in Puglia, Italy.