To anyone who has forgone purchasing a plane ticket due to anticipated accommodation and food expenses, I have a secret for you: there is a way to travel that only involves buying a plane ticket. If you can offer services to someone who is willing to give you housing and food in exchange, then all you need is airfare. This kind of volunteering simplifies traveling and has many other benefits aside from lowering travel costs. All you need to know is where to look!

Volunteering Resources

WWOOF

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an international organization that connects volunteers to organic farms across the globe. The organization aims to promote a sustainable global community through the cultural and educational exchanges of host farms and volunteers.

The link between willing volunteers and host farms is made possible through country-specific websites associated with WWOOF. There are currently 60 WWOOF nations around the world as well as 455 independent hosts in 63 other countries. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up to become a member of their choice country, and for a small fee, gain access to every organic farm certified with WWOOF that is looking for volunteers.

Once you find the potential host, simply send them a message indicating your interest. If the host has availability then you will likely be accepted. More often than not, hosts are looking for any able-bodied person to help on their farms, so farming experience is usually not necessary. However, hosts are not limited to just organic produce farms. There are also horse ranch farms, flower farms, and herb farms, but they may prioritise volunteers with prior experience. Most hosts, however, advertise for volunteers that are willing to learn and do not require experience. Either way, the diversity of available farms allows volunteers to chose a host that caters to their interests. Volunteering with WWOOF is a gateway to gaining specific knowledge and skills for people who want to learn more about farming.

Workaway

Workaway utilizes the same exchange system as WWOOF (accommodation and food for work) but the hosts and jobs available involve many more industries besides farming. The site has hosts from over 155 countries looking for volunteer work in boarding schools, hostels, diving centers, ecological centers, and various other unique sites. To access the list of all available hosts, you must become a member for a small fee. From this one time payment, you can then view any country and all available jobs.   

The process of searching for hosts through Workaway is similar to WWOOF.  Volunteers can seek out a specific country and key terms related to the location or job they want and then message any hosts of interest. Since many hosts offer work that requires specific skills, they tend to prioritise people with prior experience more than WWOOF, but there are still plenty of hosts looking for people willing to learn new skills.  Additionally, some hosts will offer a stipend for volunteers and sometimes hourly wages, but getting paid for work in another country may require getting a visa.

Volunteering Terms and Safety

There are two EXTREMELY important things to look for when searching for potential hosts: the specifics of volunteer work, such as work hours and days off, and the type of accommodation you will be receiving. If these items are not listed on a host’s page then ask for specifics after they have replied to your initial email. The conditions and accommodations surrounding your volunteer work should be exactly as described once you arrive.

In very rare cases, hosts have mislead volunteers, such as promising a room in a house and then providing no accommodation upon arrival, or mistreating workers during their stays. WWOOF has extensive safety systems in place to prevent volunteer mistreatment in each country where they work.  At any time during your stay with a host, you can leave a comment on their page pertaining to your experience. One negative comment will warrant a call to the host from safety management personnel and if the negativity continues, the hosts can be removed from the organization, depending on the situation. A similar system is in place with Workaway, specifically with comments and satisfaction ratings.

Keep in mind that almost all of the hosts available through both sites are dependent on volunteers for their businesses or farms, and getting kicked out of WWOOF or Workaway could severely jeopardize their livelihood.  So, it is in their best interests to treat volunteers well or they risk losing their business.

Volunteering Benefits

Resume Builder: For students, any kind of volunteering listed on a resume is beneficial. Volunteering abroad, especially in a field that is related to your ultimate job or major goals will definitely make you stand out to future employers.

Cheap Travel Alternative: All that is necessary for volunteer opportunities through WWOOF and Workaway is enough money to cover transportation to and from your host’s location. In very rare cases, some hosts have even offered to pay for your travel costs on top of everything else they provide. Because the volunteer experience is supposed to be a cultural exchange, many hosts are more than happy to show volunteers around town or take them to specific points of interest during their stay.  Usually, they will also provide enough time off for individual exploring, as well.

Intro to Solo Travel Option: If you have never travelled alone, but need something as a transition into travelling solo, volunteering is a good option. You can arrive at your location alone, but upon arrival you will be introduced to other volunteers with the same host who will likely love to have a companion for excursions during their free time. Even if you are your host’s only volunteer, more often than not they will likely know of other hosts in the area that have volunteers, so you can befriend people nearby with similar interests.

Travelling through volunteer work will leave you with an incredibly unique cultural experience that hopefully will not leave you in debt. There are so many incredible volunteer opportunities available world-wide that you are certain to find one specific to your interests and budget. I urge you to take advantage of these opportunities; they are not only a benefit to you, but they are a benefit to countless global communities.

[accordion_tab title=”Collegiate Correspondent: Jennifer Nieves” default]

Jennifer is a collegiate correspondent with Voy. [/accordion_tab]