Indisputably, volunteers are an essential, renewable world resource. And while volunteering now has a distinctly modern guise, fronted by devoted organisations and charities, as long as man has been around, so has volunteering. At least once in our lifetimes – ideally more – each of us should give our time to help others.
To decide to volunteer is simple. To decide where to do it is more complicated. There are so many causes competing for our time. Enter the words ‘volunteer in –‘ into the Google search bar and you will get lists of countries and cities because now, with regular, cheaper flights and the world beneath our finger tips, anyone can volunteer anywhere across the globe. But why travel to another country to help meet its challenges when there are problems in your home country to which you could make a meaningful contribution?
‘Charity begins at home’ is an old maxim. However, to take the UK as an example, many people are still practicing it; 19.8 million, in fact. That was the number of recorded volunteers in 2010/2011; 39% of the population. Volunteering in your home country is paying back into your community – caring for its people, animals and environment. It is also an opportunity to gain a sense of self and a sense of connection to the place you live. It can even be essential for gaining experience for a chosen career path, especially in areas such as Public healthcare , animal care and the environment conservation. And writing at a time when the UK is being torn by winds and drowned beneath flood water, there are the times when your country simply needs you.
However, the trend for volunteering abroad is growing annually. Reporting 2012 figures, based purely on internet searches, Go Overseas confirmed that 16,800 searches were made per month for volunteer work in India alone. And the searches for all the other countries involved in the analysis ran, in total, to hundreds of thousands. Clearly, the appetite for volunteer work abroad is competing with volunteering at home, but why?
Travel. Volunteering abroad provides the opportunity to give your time but during that time or at the beginning or end of a placement, the volunteer can explore a new country. For many, the decision to travel comes first. So bear in mind, if you are planning to travel, being a volunteer will significantly enhance the travelling experience. Entering a foreign country with a purpose, you have an informed lens through which to appreciate its people, their customs and the territory, and you are a part of something that actually involves you with those people and that land.
Exchange. To volunteer your time abroad brings about the inevitable opportunity for cultural exchange. You might live with a host family, or in a village. You might work with individuals from all over the world. The time that you spend with them is time to share who and what you are, while appreciating and responding to who they are. It is an opportunity to really embrace diversity and dramatically expand your view of the world.
Opportunity. Some of those looking for volunteer abroad are looking for unique opportunities that are not available in their home countries. These will often be people looking to develop their careers. They need to perform research, apply theories that they learnt in the class. This is just not possible in the developed world they live in; it has already been done. But travel to another part of the world where development is not so advanced means they can contribute to environmental studies and development; they can help to create infrastructures; and they can share modern techniques for teaching and learning. They are able to share and apply their knowledge and develop their experience in communities and societies that could really benefit from it.
Home or away, where ever you chose to volunteer, there is the potential for a truly fulfilling experience. But consider two things:
Embrace the experience and be open minded; don’t expect to change the world. Perhaps the world does not need changing in the ways you think it does. It might be you who becomes changed.
Know what you want. Consider what is out there and what will suit you – environmental or political, caring versus academic, long term against short term, career development or a break from the day job. A motivated and proactive volunteer will find the opportunity that is right for them and the organisation and the people it serves will get the most from that volunteer.
So, good luck! And do take a look at the volunteering programs that VIN offers to see if any of them are right for you. You might also find it useful to read some of our other articles: ‘Choosing the Right Volunteer Organisation’ and ‘Volunteering Career Break’
By Joanne Gibson
United Kingdom
VIN Returned Volunteer
Published on: 17 Feb 2014
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