12 Ways to Get Involved in Global Volunteer Community Service
Getting involved with global volunteer community service is an affordable and rewarding opportunity to travel the world and give back at the same time. With COVID restrictions easing in most countries, there are many types of volunteer work you can do and in many places all over the world. Here are some of the best and most affordable international volunteer programs offered by different organisations and charities.
1. Plan My Gap Year
Plan My Gap Year offers a variety of unique, interesting and inexpensive volunteer programs. Everything from teaching English, working on mental health projects to helping animals in wildlife conservations. All programs offer travelers a place to meet other like-minded people and explore new and exciting foreign places.
Volunteers can head to Sri Lanka, Bail, Ghana, Vietnam or India for cheap program fees and an unforgettable experience. Plan My Gap Year is a great opportunity for those looking to give back to communities in need and make friends for life.
2. Global Volunteer Solutions
Global Volunteer Solutions is an amazing humanitarian volunteer abroad program with a mission to bring people together to foster cultural understanding and bring awareness to global issues. On a volunteer trip people can work in orphanages, day cares, teach local children and much more.
With over 100 volunteer service programs to choose from, spread across 30 countries, Global Volunteer Solutions is one the best and most popular volunteer programs in the United States.
3. Habitat for Humanity
Habitat encourages people to really commit to volunteer work and live in another country long term, usually between three to 12 months or even more if they want.
Volunteers can help the local community by contributing their own skills in education, business or construction and engage in challenging but rewarding work. Habitat has no designated countries for volunteer abroad opportunities, participants can head anywhere from Costa Rica to Africa and help strengthen the communities in need there.
With an emphasis on providing affordable and safe housing for all, Habitat for Humanity is a great organization to volunteer for.
4. Projects Abroad
Projects Abroad is a social enterprise which works with local people and organizations to ensure that the work being done by their volunteers solves real life problems and needs.
Targeted towards adolescents, this organization is a supportive and safe way for young volunteers to discover different parts of the world and make a meaningful and positive change in it.
Projects Abroad lets volunteers choose their destination and offers amazing programs like saving sea turtles in Mexico or working at the Birds, Butterflies and Bats Conservation in Costa Rica. All programs are a great way to volunteer worldwide and help communities or the environment or both!
5. Global Volunteers
Global Volunteers offers volunteer abroad projects which promise the experience of a lifetime. With the programs centered around children, the organization works with international volunteers to help improve health and eradicate hunger in countries like Tanzania, Ecuador and St. Lucia.
For as little as one or two weeks, volunteers can work with, educate and learn from local people to help improve struggling communities. Their volunteer abroad programs are great for people who are strapped for time but want to do their part to help children and travel in the process.
6. Global Vision International
Global Vision International is one of the best volunteer organizations around. They have helped over 25,000 people volunteer abroad in places in Africa, Asia, Latin America and many more. Volunteers can work on wildlife research in South Africa, volunteer with elephants in Thailand or go on a marine conservation expedition in Fiji.
A great option for first time international travelers and young adults, Global Vision International programs effectively mix community service with global awareness continuously inspiring volunteers to keep up the good work and getting new people to join their great cause.
7. Agape Volunteers
Agape Volunteers is a United Kingdom charitable organization that offers people a low-cost travel experience in different parts of Africa.
With a focus on humanitarian efforts and environmental conservation, Agape Volunteer programs range from medical volunteering to volunteering with wildlife. All air transfers, accommodation and food are included in the program fee making it one of the lowest-cost volunteer opportunities in Africa.
8. Fronteering
This organization promises the adventure of a lifetime by taking people to unique and exotic locations to do fulfilling volunteer work.
Fronteering volunteers go to remote places in the world to help preserve the environment, work with wildlife and interact with indigenous people. Some of the most popular program choices include volunteering on a Husky Ranch in Canada and doing a predator research internship in the Amazon!
9. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
‘World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms’ links people with organic farmers all over the world to promote an understanding of sustainable farming and gardening practices.
Volunteers work on farms and in exchange for this, board and lodging are provided. With over 53 countries to choose from and programs running from one week to years, there is an opportunity for everyone. A really unique experience to meet new people, learn more about the environment and travel the world.
10. Maximo Nivel
Maximo Nivel has got amazing reviews as one of the most affordable and high-quality volunteer abroad programs available.
They allow anyone to participate, including high school students, graduates and adults. Volunteers can travel to Costa Rica, Guatemala or Peru for one-week or even a full year. Maximo Nivel offers a great way to experience Latin America, learn about the culture, and gain invaluable skills.
11. Love Volunteers
Love Volunteers was founded by a brother-sister team who wanted to find a more affordable way to volunteer.
They provide transparent and affordable volunteer opportunities all over the world. Volunteers can get involved in community-based programs in areas such as healthcare, environmental protection, education, social services and many more. Love Volunteers is a great way to work directly on grass-root community projects and support real people in need.
12. Via Volunteers
Based in South Africa, Via Volunteers offers meaningful and unique volunteer experiences in the country.
They focus on ethical volunteering with long-term projects centered around childcare, wildlife and conservation. People can work in the Kruger National Park, help feed the homeless in Cape Town or volunteer to help with monkey rehabilitation. With suitable and affordable programs for everyone, Via Volunteers is a great way to explore Cape Town and help the local community.
As an international volunteer there are so many adventures you can embark on, all the while helping struggling communities in need. With a whole bunch of volunteer programs to choose from, you can pretty much go anywhere in the world for one week or one year and make an incredible difference.
What About Trying the Nomos App To Join a Time Banking Community?
Download the Nomos app to get involved in a time banking community near you and discover amazing places to volunteer abroad with like-minded people. Any ideas you have can help get people together to join on a mission to help struggling people and communities. You can also form a close-knit community on the app by swapping time credits to help each other out.
If you get enough donations, you can also allow people to log time for charity work if they really feel the need to. However, charity and community work can also mean giving your time away for free instead of donating money. Quite often time as a currency for being charitable is better than donating money!
Check out the Nomos app here for more information.
Sources:
https://www.planmygapyear.com/
https://www.globalvolunteersolutions.org/
https://www.habitat.org/volunteer/long-term-opportunities/international
https://www.projects-abroad.org/
https://globalvolunteers.org/
https://www.gviusa.com/
http://www.fronteering.com/
https://wwoof.net/
https://maximonivel.com/
https://www.lovevolunteers.org/
https://www.viavolunteers.com/