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Either way, there’s more to life than the nine to five grind (increasingly the 8 – 7 grind).

Kind of an update to “sources of funding”… I just got an ongoing job in today that should pay well enough for me to continue to live and volunteer here in Nicaragua. There is never anything to stop you volunteering on a part time, self funded basis. You can then, hopefully find paid work to cover your volunteering costs.

Just save enough money to see you through the first couple of months and then work as hard as you can when you get there to find some commercial opportunities.

Remember, however, if you don’t have an exportable skill or professional experience then you’re unlikely to find work that a local person can do more cheaply.

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and doug, likewise. i’m sure readers will enjoy checking out the site mentioned.

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I had been a little sceptical about the idea of paying to volunteer programs like this but I see the impact his group is having both on the communities and travelers and while some of us can travel for months at a time and do the legwork and find our opportunities on the road, this is a way for the 2-3 weeks at a time traveler to really engage in a place in a short time.

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Also ask yourself, if you’re paying a high price to go and do non-skilled work – are you actually undercutting a local person who might only want one or two dollars a day.

My thoughts are these – if you are traveling and want to volunteer for a short while then find out places from travel books/Google etc and contact them direct. Tell them you’re heading that way, what skills you have and how you’d like to help. Tell them you will pay your own way etc. The worse thing they can say is no. But be aware volunteers can be more trouble than they are worth so really sell yourself and promise that you’ll be low maintenance.

If you want to do long term volunteer work then I suggest you contact someone like VSO http://www.vso.org.uk and see if they have a position to suit. They actually pay your costs and a living allowance.

Although it is the equivalent of the American Peace Corps, unlike PC you can be from any country. They actually have recruiter stations in Holland, Canada, Kenya, Philippines, UK and Ireland (I think). You will have to travel for interviews (again, I think) if you are not from these places.

Expect a long term commitment. It always used to be two years but now shorter one year placements are becoming available.

A lot will depend on what skills you have. Do you have a job where you can use your skills to help others in a developing country? My own background is marketing but others can be medical, teaching, engineering even hospitality. You’d be suprised.

If you have a skill then maybe there is a volunteer organisation out there that will actually fund you. Did you know that UN “volunteers” actually get a living allowance of over $1000 a month?

If you do have to settle for paid for “voluntourism” ask them where the money goes and how much goes to the project itself and how much is eaten up by admin.

Another option is to go overseas and find paid work doing something like teaching English and then use your spare time to volunteer work. You can get a Teaching English qualifications relatively easily (night classes and, I think, on line)

Good luck.

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Can you just rock up at some place for say a week or two and not have these extra expenses, whatever they are. I don’t really think volunteering should cost you more than you would otherwise pay to stay in an area.

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When I was in Laos last year, I listened as our tour guide explained how as a child, his family hid for 2 weeks in a pitch black cave to avoid the US bombing campaign – often referred to as the secret war during the Vietnam era.

Words like “collateral damage” and “proxy war” mean little when contemplating the injustice.

I admire your article Steve, for it shows that citizens of these countries can try to make up for their government’s past (and current) foreign policy follies.

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