Now that you have considered your motivations for volunteering and looked at the possible alternatives, it’s a good idea to start thinking about the type of organisation that is most suited to you. There are a large number of organisations that arrange volunteer placements, and the variety can be slightly overwhelming for someone who is just beginning to consider the options.
We have divided volunteer placement organisations into five categories: short-term/intercultural; long-term development; conservation/environment; recruitment/placement; and relief/emergency. All the organisations in the directory have been classified according to these headings.
Depending on the type of work in which you are interested, these categories aim to help you narrow down your choices within the directory. There can be advantages and disadvantages to all the different types of work, and it may be helpful for you to make a list of what you think these could be before making any final decision. You can use the box below to get you started:
| Organisation |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|
Short-term
/intercultural
|
Chance to experience a country and work with local people
|
May be ‘gap filling’ if there is no long-term plan
|
|
Long-term
development
|
Usually working very closely with local people, on long-term issues
|
Can take a long time to see the results of the programme
|
|
Conservation
/environmental
|
Projects are often results-orientated
|
May experience tensions between the destruction of environmental resources and the need for economic development
|
|
Recruitment
/placement
|
Can help to find the best theoretical match between your skills and the jobs available
|
Do not run programmes directly, so may not have strong connections with projects
|
|
Relief
/ emergency
|
Results of work are very visible
|
Can be very stressful on a personal level
|
The Volunteer Charter sets out seven principles that aim to encourage responsible, responsive international volunteering. It contains lists of questions to help you to make sure that you have thought about the issues raised, and that you know they are important. By signing it you can show that you support the principles it sets out.
The focus of this work is on empowering local people. It often involves some kind of skills transfer, and will require specific educational or professional qualifications. Read more...
Primarily concerned with conservation/environmental work. Read more...
This category is used to cover organisations that match volunteers with placements or programmes, but that are not themselves involved in organising or running volunteer programmes. Read more...
The focus of this work is on emergency situations, which could arise as a result of conflicts or natural disasters. Read more...