Free and Paid Volunteer Opportunities The World Over
Image source: En.wikipedia.org
As we have discussed here before, volunteering abroad can be an expensive prospect. Even when you’re working with programs that provide food and housing, you’re still responsible for airfare and other travel-related expenses, and in this difficult economic climate that can really add up. It’s a bit ironic: economies all over the world are suffering, and that means communities everywhere are in need of help, yet volunteers are financially pressed too. I wonder how many people decide not to volunteer because of financial concerns. My guess is, a lot. While I was doing research for my cousin—she wants to volunteer in Asia but has no savings to pay for airfare—I stumbled across some excellent volunteer programs that cover all expenses. Some even offer a stipend! The only catch is that most of these programs are looking for people with specific types of experience. However, the needs are broad and many people will qualify. For example, my cousin is great with computers so I recommended Geekcorps.