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International Volunteer Opportunities
“You live in the most privileged nation on Earth. You are the most privileged citizens of that nation; for you have been given the opportunity to lead…You can use your enormous influence and seek purely private pleasure and gain. But history will judge you, and as the years pass, you will ultimately judge yourself…In YOUR HAND lies the future of YOUR WORLD and the fulfillment of the best qualities of your own spirit.”
–Robert F. Kennedy
Volunteering in your community provides benefits of vast proportions: networking opportunities, personal satisfaction, emotional, and intellectual growth. Now take a moment to imagine the development accomplished from volunteering abroad! The late President Kennedy’s revolutionary creation, Peace Corps, boasts, “It’s the toughest job you'll ever love.” So how about doing what you've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to. Volunteer Abroad!
Helpful Resources
Cross-Cultural Solutions: This organization hosts volunteer programs in Costa Rica, China, Ghana, India, Peru, or Russia. You can serve anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months. Great for the service-minded summer vacationer or for a semester-long learning experience.
Idealist.org: Idealist.org is a search engine that connects you to the plethora of volunteer opportunities worldwide. But it doesn't stop there! You can also look for internships, cultural events, or research global issues that interest you.
VolunteerAbroad.Com: Click on the arrow, enter the country, and (poof!) adventure awaits you. You can volunteer anywhere from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe with the help of this volunteer search engine.
United Nations Volunteers: Help the United Nations create a more harmonious Earth by assisting struggling nations in economic and technological advancement or aid in humanitarian efforts. Pick from 150 participating countries.
Transitions Abroad: Volunteer in the Himalayas or in the grandeur of Belize. This web magazine highlights volunteer programs internationally and domestically. Immerse yourself in culture and service for a week, or two, or three, or more!
The Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations: Ever think of volunteering in Bellarouse? Do you even know where it is? Well, now’s your chance to find out. This website will give you the contact information for service groups around the world.
Catholic Network of Volunteer Service: This organization hosts information of various international service opportunities. FYI: To volunteer with this program one must be Christian and follow a given set of guidelines.
Peace Brigades International-Canada: Attention all Peacemakers and practitioners of non-violence! Here’s your chance to practice your skills in the conflict-ridden fields of Latin America or Indonesia. This organization is looking for highly skilled volunteers, equipped with language proficiency, maturity, cultural sensitivity, and experience.
SCI International Voluntary Service: Volunteer in Europe and beyond!!! This organization offers short-term work-camp opportunities, as well as long-term volunteer work with allowance. What could be better than assisting non-profits in exotic Greece and baking away in the sun for the remainder of the time?!
AidCamps International, Short Term Volunteer Work Overseas on Third World Development Aid Projects: In collaboration with volunteers from the UK and Australia, you have an opportunity to make a profound difference for a 23 day period. Qualifications: 18+, good health, enthusiasm, and cultural sensitivity. Bonus: Cost for this program is one of the best we researched. Be sure to look into this one!
Peace Corps: This federally funded volunteer program seeks skilled citizens in several different areas to assist developing nations in various projects. The specific areas of service include Education, Business, Agriculture, Environment, Health, or Community Development. The commitment is a fixed 2 years and 3 additional months of training, but in the end volunteers receive a stipend for service and the recognition of being a Peace Corps survivor.
Volunteer in Asia! Wanted: Volunteers with genuine interest in cross-cultural exchange. Must be dedicated to furthering communication and understanding between the peoples of the United States and Asia. Must be willing to face tough challenges and encounter unexpected surprises.
World Teach: Immerse yourself in a rich developing nation and teach English to children in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, for anywhere from a semester to a year!!! Bachelor’s Degree and English fluency required.
Global Volunteers, Partners in Development: To help establish a foundation for peace through mutual international understanding. With this organization, you will have opportunities to work for one to two weeks in the USA or overseas. Be one of those people who “change the face of the planet.”
SpanishSchool.org: Learn Spanish and give back. This Spanish Language program provides a four-week language training session proceeded by four weeks of service in Peru.
VOLU, Voluntary Work Camps Association of Ghana: Voluntary work camps are community-building projects in which a group of both Ghanaian and International volunteers come together to build a school, organize an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, or help replenish the local rainforest. Help stop the spread of AIDS!
Visions in Action: Volunteering has never been so meaningful or challenging. This organization depends on volunteers to continue their services in developing countries. Volunteers can serve during their summer break, for a 6-month period, or a year.
