Volunteering is one of the best ways to travel cheaply. You can earn food and a place to stay by volunteering a few hours a day. You will also have the chance to interact with locals and see their way of life. This allows you to immerse yourself into a new place. Travel programs that involve volunteering can expand your options. Here’s a guide on how to volunteer while you travel.

Volunteer travel programs

Three volunteer travel programs I am aware of that connect hosts in need with volunteers.

• WorkAway is probably the most popular organization for travel volunteering. It allows you to volunteer in more than 180 countries. For one year, the membership fee is 42 USD. You can also pay 52 USD for a membership of two friends or a couple.
• WWOOF is an acronym for World Wide Opportunity on Organic Farms. WWOOF has many locations, but they all have their own membership and management fees. Fees vary from 10 Euros to 35 Euros/year depending on where you are. Some countries offer a couple’s membership and others don’t. If you wish to volunteer in multiple countries, you’ll need to pay for each country separately to gain access to their host list. This makes it more costly than working away.
• Register for HelpX free, upgrade to Premier status at 20 euros, valid for 2 years. You can find and contact hosts directly and read and post reviews.

Types of Work

You should choose a job that matches your abilities. You can also learn something new. WorkAway, HelpX and WWOOF are both websites that list all types of work.

Most people need help for:

-Hotels or B&Bs and their daily activities, maintenance projects

-farms and their seasonal activities or maintenance projects

Families in need of child care assistance

Teaching languages or other skills

5 benefits of volunteering

You will receive these five amazing benefits when you travel and volunteer abroad:

1. Budget: You can extend your stay and not increase your budget.

2. Meet the people: host and perhaps other volunteers or guests.

3. Learn a new language. You will learn more by living with locals than just a few local words.

4. Local food and home-made meals are best.

5. Explore places that are not on the typical tourist’s path.

Bonus

Enjoy an activity you would not otherwise be able to afford.

Volunteer travel programs – arrangements

Volunteers are usually asked to work 3-6 hours/5-6 times a day for at least 2 weeks.

The host offers a place to stay (which can range from a tent, a bed or a dorm in a shared dormitory to a private bedroom). Some hosts offer three meals per day. Others offer food, kitchen facilities and the option to cook your meals yourself.

Remember that you are making an exchange. You will work the agreed-upon hours in exchange for food and a place to stay.

Communication rules

Send an email to a potential host explaining your suitability for the activity, your abilities, your availability and the length of your stay.

Some hosts will not respond to your email, and others may not even reply at all. So, when you decide on a particular region, you should send an email with your application to several potential hosts that you are interested in.

Ask as many questions you want after the host has replied. Find out about the work and hours expected. Ask about the accommodation, meals, and Internet access. Inform your hosts about any allergies or dietary restrictions you may have. Ask what you should bring. You should ask if you need to bring a sleeping bag, or if you will be using working gloves.

Practical issues in travel volunteer programs

Transport

Always arrange transportation to and from the host. Ask how to get there, and let the host know your estimated arrival time as soon as you can.

Visa

You will need to obtain a visa for the destination country if necessary. It is usually a tourist visa but certain countries have other options for working holidays.

Insurance

Always travel with insurance. Although WWOOF offers insurance for liability and accident in certain countries, this only covers you while you are working on the farm. You should always have travel insurance.

Volunteer travel programs – Safety and comfort

All of the above organizations provide application forms to ensure that everything is 100% secure. It is not possible for them to personally check with every prospective host. Do your research before you contact a host. You will be living in someone else’s home for a couple of weeks.

You can find reviews. Check for reviews.

Ask all questions again: You need to know about the working hours, the number of days per week, the jobs that are to be completed, and any other requirements. Ask about sleeping arrangements and food or meals provided.

Find out how to get around if you are not in a big city. You can use the information to explore the area.

Prepare to leave. Plan B, have enough money to get out, and be prepared to stay elsewhere if things go wrong.