How to Volunteer Abroad On the Cheap

Too often, volunteering abroad seems to come with a big price tag. If you’ve looked into international volunteering programs, you’ve probably noticed that most of them expect you to pay through the nose just to volunteer your free time and effort. These programs have their merits. However, if you’re living or traveling abroad and willing to go out on a limb, you can find great international volunteer opportunities without the cost.

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Step 1: Look first, then leap.

If you want to really make a difference, know how to separate what really needs doing from what you think should be done. You can try asking locals what the big issues are and lend a hand in tackling one of them. Or, spend enough time in an area to gain an appreciation of the local environmental or social issues and see where you can help as a foreigner.

Don’t assume that what worked at home will work abroad. For instance, Jared Diomand writes in Collapse about a well-meaning European traveler in New Guinea who tried to “help” the natives there by teaching them European farming techniques. The result was an entire field washed down the side of the mountain in New Guinea’s much wetter climate. What was needed in one place was not good for another.

Step 2: Invite the neighbors.

Unless you’re “going it alone,” you’ll want to invite other people. If you’ve taken step one, then you may have already met some people living in the area who know about the local issues. Chances are, then, you can either help an existing local effort or ask them to participate in a project if you get the ball rolling.

• Getting kids involved. Volunteering with kids is fun! If you can involve some local kids in an issue that’s important to the area, they’ll feel great. You may even inspire a streak of volunteering in them that will last a lifetime. At first, it can be tricky convincing kids to spend their non-school time doing work, but once you can get them involved they’ll love it.

How do you get children involved in a volunteer project in a foreign country? If you’re a foreign teacher living abroad or if you know others who are, tapping your school or academy is the easiest way to find kids eager to help. Work with your school’s director, manager, or principal. If you teach English abroad, a great way to package the event is a “FREE English Day Camp + [insert your volunteer activity].” Parents will love it, the school will get publicity, and the kids will have fun.

If you don’t know any teachers, try hitting up Dave’s ESL Cafe, one of the biggest online watering holes for teachers working abroad.

• Meeting peers. If you’ve done a bit of traveling, you probably have your fair share of travel friends whom you’ve picked up in bars and hostels. That’s great. However, it makes a much better travel story to spend a day or more getting to know people as you restore a local ecosystem, shear llamas, or plan whatever volunteer activity works in the area you’re staying. Not sure where to meet other activism-minded folks?
  • If you’re living abroad with roommates, hit them up with your ideas. Living in Italy, I was able to bring along my very sporting English roommate for a morning trash pickup along the river.
  • If you are traveling, get a bed and a volunteer partner at CouchSurfing.com. You’ll find a place to stay and someone familiar with the local scene.
  • Or, you can still enjoy the local bar scene in 35 countries while simultaneously meeting other activism-oriented folks at GreenDrinks.org.

• Going it alone. As is often true with traveling, the easiest and cheapest path in volunteering abroad is “the road less traveled.” Just find out what the local issues are and lend a hand where you can. This is perfect when there’s already an organized local effort. If you’re planning your own project, then the “go it alone” method is best suited for smaller, everyday activism, like gathering litter, righting a fallen bicycle path sign, or helping someone who needs a hand.

Step 3: Gathering the materials.

If you’re planning your own project, you have some questions to ask yourself. What do you need to make your project work? Rubber boots and gloves for a creek cleanup with well-to-do Taiwanese children? Llama shears for your micro-investing project in the Andes? Whatever.

Getting the equipment assembled beforehand will make things go a lot smoother as you carry out the project. If you’re planning the project, make sure to also have a good outline of the day’s events. Arriving organized ensures that everyone’s time will be well spent.

Step 4: All together now.

If you’re joining an existing project, you may stick out as a foreigner. However, once you’ve broken the ice a little, people will appreciate that you care so much about their area. Try explaining that you think their country/city/region is beautiful and you want to learn more about it. Letting them know how long you’ve been in the area and how long you’re staying will also give them a better idea of how involved you can become in the initiative. If all else fails and you speak completely different languages, smile and try to do what everyone else is doing.

If you’re planning your own project, open the event by reminding everyone why they are there. Tell participants about the background of the issue you’re working on. When I organized a creek cleanup with elementary school children in South Korea, I started the activity by talking about the animals in the surrounding rice paddies and explaining that it was so important to clean up the litter because this creek flowed straight to the nearby ocean, where nobody can pick up the litter.

As the event unfolds, keep an eye on the participants to make sure that everyone is happy and has something to do. If your project involves younger children, you may have to do a bit of herding.

International Volunteering Extras and Goodies

1. WWOOF

Yeah, it’s a confusing acronym, but it’s also a perfect (very cheap) volunteer opportunity. WWOOF lets you volunteer on an organic farm in a wide array of countries around the world. The only cost is registering as a WWOOFer in the country of your choice. Generally, it’s under $40 USD. After that, you’re on your way with a list of farms willing to take you in, offer you a free bed, feed you free organic food, and introduce you to the local lifestyle.

2. Translation or editing

Are you living in a country that speaks another language? If you’re living abroad and you can speak the language of the country where you live (in addition to your native language), then do a web search for issues of interest in that country. You’ll find that there are probably already organizations working on issues that matter to you. Contact one of them and offer to translate materials on their website into your native language. If you’re an English-speaker in a non-English country, often it’s enough to offer to edit the English language of these organizations. You can also offer to help with other documents that are important to the organization’s work.

3. VolunteerAbroad.com

Generally, Volunteer Abroad opportunities listed here come with a hefty price tag. However, the site offers a valuable way to learn about issues in other countries and connect you with organizations doing work that might interest you.

Image credit: Dave Bezaire & Susi Havens-Bezaire via Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

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