If you’re looking for a volunteer program abroad in various study abroad locations, there are numerous avenues you can take.
You can:
- Volunteer with a government-sponsored organization like the Peace Corps, which provides international volunteer work opportunities.
- Find a private non-profit organization - one that is affiliated with a religious organization.
Your options are nearly limitless when you look for volunteer work overseas.
Evaluating International Volunteer Work
It’s very important that you compare and contrast the different volunteer programs abroad to each other before signing up for anything. Read the fine print and search for news articles online about the ones in your consideration set.
In many cases you can expect to pay for your own travel, and sometimes even your living expenses. But you should not have to pay to volunteer - ever!
The following is a short list of organizations that have volunteer work overseas available:
- The Peace Corps is run by the U.S. government and has many different opportunities for volunteer work overseas. A great fringe benefit is that some Peace Corps volunteers enjoy federal student loan forgiveness after a specific term of service.
- The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) was created by the United Nations in 1970 and is active in over 140 countries. Their “activities support achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and reducing human poverty; fostering democratic governance; promoting energy and environmental policies; strengthening resources to prevent and respond to crises; and fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS.
- Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. This non-profit organization is religiously affiliated and has opportunities around the world for those who seek a volunteer program abroad.
- Cross Cultural Solutions is a non-profit that offers volunteer programs abroad in twelve countries. Their mission is to operate volunteer programs around the world in partnership with sustainable community initiatives, bringing people together to work side-by-side while sharing perspectives and fostering cultural understanding.
- Unite for Sight is a non-profit organization that empowers communities worldwide to improve eye health and help eliminate preventable blindness. Chapters have been established at universities around the world in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Village Volunteers is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with rural village and capacity-building programs to support the development of sustainable solutions for community survival, education, and growth and has volunteer opportunities in Africa and India.
If you’re a high school graduate considering gap year international volunteer work before you go to college, check out the Council on International Educational Exchange’s Gap Year Program where you can travel to China, Japan, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France or Spain.
Please note that Study Abroad Domain is not specifically recommending any volunteer organization and is not responsible for volunteer experiences.
