Volunteer Vs Internship Programs

To read out the summary of our volunteer and internship program. Click here

So, what are you? Volunteer or Intern?

You have decided to work abroad. You begin to search for opportunities and notice that the words ‘volunteer’ or ‘intern’ are often used. One opportunity catches your eye and it’s a ‘volunteer placement’, another one that attracts your attention is an ‘internship’. But other than the change in title, you really can’t tell the difference.

A good place to start is an adage found in many tourist areas of Asia; ‘same same, but different.’ While you could have exactly the same placement for either a volunteer or intern, under the surface there are some crucial differences.

Same Same?

Both can work unpaid and both will yield benefits to the areas in which they work. They can even work side by side on the same project.

But Different:

Who are they? Broadly, the volunteer can be anyone over the age of 18, simply someone who has the desire to give up their time. The intern is a more specific group. The intern will be either a student looking to gain experience in or to explore a potential career path or a professional with a similar aim.

What do they do? Well the volunteer can do just about anything; work with animals, children, other marginalized groups, it is really up to them where they want to spend their time. However, for the intern there are restrictions defined by their intended career and academic institution. Overall, what is important in an internship is that the placement is a practical learning experience on the path to their chosen profession.

Why do they do it? The volunteer usually has the desire to give something back. And while the intern will be giving something to the community or organization they work with, their principle motivation is their own career development.

When do they do it? A person can volunteer at any point in their life and it will usually be at a time suitable for them, when they can take extended time from work, have holidays from university or even after retirement. The intern is time bound; they may have to carry out an internship as part of their university program or they may need the experience before they are able to move to the next stage of their education or profession.

How do they do it? Once trained and involved in a placement, the volunteer is likely to need a limited amount of support. They will simply continue their work along agreed guidelines and for an agreed period of time. The internship is more rigid and structured. In many cases an intern will work under the supervision of a mentor knowledgeable in their chosen field. This mentor and/or other members of an organisation will be responsible for the continued support and evaluation of the intern to evidence their work to either their university or a professional body.

And you won’t be surprised that the results for those involved are different too. The volunteer has the satisfaction of knowing that they have given their time to help others and the enriching experience of becoming immersed in another culture. And while the intern has the benefit of these things, they have a more tangible benefit; the knowledge, the time served, the evidence, the lines on their CV, all of which will help them develop into the professional that they set out to be.

At VIN, the majority of our programs can be run as either a volunteer placement or internship. It really depends on your needs. Have a look at our quick guide to help you make a decision and feel free to contact us to discuss the matter further.

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Volunteer vs Internship Programs

Disaster Risk Reduction
Nepal is prone and exposed to various types of natural disasters due to her rugged and fragile geophysical structure, very high peaks, and high angle of slopes, complex geology, variable climatic conditions and active tectonic processes. Hence every year the country has to bear the brunt of most common natural disaster claiming many human lives and huge economic loss.
Teaching Program
Embark upon an adventure of a lifetime, accomplishsomething remarkable, immerse in a new culture, and discover what volunteering has to offer! Sounds like a dream? Perhaps, but this is what our volunteers and interns have told us of their experience while volunteering in Nepal with Volunteers Initiative Nepal (VIN). Why should I volunteer with VIN’s teaching program?Just Select a Project and Click Apply Now to Begin Your AdventureTeaching Projects:Explore Buddhist Culture by Teaching English at a Buddhist MonasteryExperience the unique opportunity to gain insight into Buddhist culture and practice. And no, you don’t have to be a Buddhist. Just come with a smile, your desire to teach and learn, and you’ll feel right at home. Volunteering as an English teacher to children in a Buddhist monastery is a deeply rewarding and unforgettable opportunity to give back.Read MoreMake Dreams Come True by Teaching English at a Community SchoolDiscover what it’s like firsthand to teach English in at community / public schools in Nepal as a volunteer or intern. When you volunteer to teach English you’ll be given an active role in the classroom. You’ll put your valuable skills to use by supporting dreams of students eager to learn English from teachers like you.
Post Disaster Relief: Reconstruction & Sustainability
The volunteers will be involved in the projects that VIN implements in the working sites like Okhaldhunga, Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Volunteers with special skills to suit the professional skills are encouraged to apply.
Women's Empowerment Program
Introduction: VIN offers four major projects within the Women Empowerment Program: Education, Rights and Life Skills, Microcredit Cooperative Support, Income Generation & Marketing, and Women’s Trafficking Prevention. Nepali women are born into a patriarchal society. In all cases women’s rights are subordinate to those of men. Married early, with little or no education, no land rights or independent income, women are a voiceless section of society, dependent on men for their welfare and bearing the continued weight of cultural and social discrimination and violence against them. If a woman does not feel safe within a society then she cannot be empowered within it. The threat of violence towards women is a pervasive and unmanaged threat in Nepali society. Women face domestic violence, often unreported, or violence through organized trafficking of young girls sold for sex across Asia. If a woman does not feel safe within a society then she cannot be empowered within it.Women’s empowerment is central to the empowerment and prosperity of a community. While the Nepali Government, the United Nations (UN) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have made some impact in relation to women’s needs, there are still significant problems that need to be overcome.Health- According to the United Nations, Nepalese women remain at the lower end of the scale of the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Gender Inequality Index (GII) in South Asia. The general immunisation, health, and nutrition situation of women in Nepal remains very poor, particularly in rural areas. Statistics show that one out of every 24 Nepali women will die during pregnancy or child birth, making reproductive health care a major focus of intervention.
Public Health Program
Experience a new culture through an adventure of a lifetime while developing and building a healthier, more sustainable, future for the world!You can, through any of Volunteer’s Initiative Nepal’s exciting Public Health Programs. Are you a health professional, student, animal lover, or a world-conscious and willing volunteer looking to get experience through hands-on opportunities? Then you’ve come to the right place. Why should I volunteer with VIN’s Public Health Program?Choose a Public Health Project AndClick Apply Now to Begin Your Adventure Public Health Projects:Empower Communities through Health, Sanitation & Hygiene EducationCreate awareness in local communities in Nepal while experiencing what it’s like to teach and educate in rural communities abroad. Through VIN’s Health, Sanitation, & Hygiene Education project, you have the opportunity to be a part of removing barriers to improved health, by providing basic sanitation and hygiene education. During your time as a volunteer you will experience local life in Nepal as you live with in a home stay with a Nepali family.Read More
Environment and Conservation Program
Collaborate with the Local Rural Community, Conduct Major Research, Promote Sustainable, Profitable Practices to Meet Environmental Challenges While Experiencing Nepal’s Colorful Culture! As a volunteer through Volunteers Initiative Nepal’s challenging, yet rewarding Environment & Conservation projects you will work first-hand with the locals, on the field, conduct research, learn, and teach, while experience Nepali culture. You will bring lasting change to Nepal regardless of your skill level. Why should I volunteer with VIN’s Environment & Conservation Program?Choose a Project and Click Apply Now to Get StartedEnvironment & Conservation Projects:Improve Nepal’s Water Resources by Conducting Water ResearchDo you like the adventure of working with the challenges of the unexpected? Do you also possess the relevant experience in water and sanitation research? As a volunteer in VIN’s Water Research project you will conduct major research on water resources and sanitation, while collaborating with and creating awareness in the local community. One day you might be at the water source taking samples, another day you might be in the lab analyzing samples, another day you could be in the office creating data analysis reports of your findings. No matter what, you be busy learning, doing, and having a lot of fun!
Youth Empowerment Program
We need volunteers and interns to join VIN’s Youth Empowerment Program to inspire and encourage Nepal’s youth. Engage them in community development or give them vital social and professional skills; you will help to bring positive change to their lives and to that of their community by participating in youth volunteer program.VIN launches Youth Club and Life Skills, English and Career Development, and Youth Entrepreneurship projects under Youth Empowerment program with an objective of developing skillful youth manpower in our community sites by the help of our local and international volunteers and encourage them to participate in socio-economic activities of the society.The youth of Nepal face significant challenges as they emerge into adulthood. Many leave school without their School Leaving Certificate (SLC); the national pass rate for 2013 being a miserable 41.57 percent, 6 percent lower than the previous year. Pass or fail, politically and economically unstable Nepal holds few prospects. Skilled and unskilled, many leave for foreign countries, casting a black shadow across the future of Nepal.VIN’s overriding objective is the empowerment of marginalised communities, focusing on women and children. We have been working with Jitpurphedi Village Development Committee (VDC) since 2007 and have begun to initiate work in Okhaldhunga district, in the Everest region. We believe that youth empowerment of community is essential for the empowerment of the entire community. They are the immediate future, full of potential to support community programs, such as Children’s Development and Women’s Empowerment and to develop themselves, given training and skills.VIN seeks volunteers and interns to support on our youth volunteer programs and help to develop the social and professional skills of community youth, helping to build their confidence to deal with problematic situations and ensuring that they become active in the community, promoting change and empowerment.
Public Interest Program
VIN seeks committed volunteers or interns to join our diverse Public Interest Program. Whether your talents are in manual labour, planning, motivating or research, you can help VIN to make significant changes in Nepal’s challenging public landscape.VIN operates Traffic Management, Research Initiative, Construction and Manual Work, Emergency Relief & Disaster Management, Civil Society Initiative, Volunteering and Hospitality Management, and Animal Care projects under Public Interest Program to bring public awareness in Nepalese society from voluntary works.Nepal has been a Federal Democratic Republic since 2008, having emerged from 10 years of civil war and abolished its monarchy. Yet, four coalition governments have consistently failed to write a meaningful constitution and much of the country remains in a state of flux. The issues of health, welfare, lack of infrastructure and susceptibility to natural disaster still overshadow the country, demonstrating the overwhelming distance that developing Nepal has yet to travel.VIN’s overriding objective is the empowerment of marginalised communities, with the focus on women and children development. Within our integrated community development approach, we work on four main areas; education, health, the provision of tools for economic well-being and the provision of a basic infrastructure. We have been piloting this approach with Jitpurphedi Village Development Committee (VDC) since 2007 and now look forward to working with Okhaldhunga district, in the Everest region. Our aim is to bring about a sustainable increase in the quality of life of those living in marginalised communities, ultimately leading to independence.VIN seeks willing and positive volunteers or interns to assist with a wide range of Public Interest Program, operating in and outside of our focused communities. Help the Kathmandu Police in traffic management, work with local people to build vital village structures, such as schools and toilets, or pass on your skills and help develop a culture of caring for the elderly in Nepal.
Management and Administration Program
At VIN we recognize that some people want to travel, experience new cultures and give something back using the skills they have developed through their professional lives. We also recognize that there is a huge wealth of expertise and skill, not available in Nepal, that can be gathered from these people and in response have set up our Management and Administration Program to facilitate this exchange of culture and skills.VIN runs Volunteer Coordinator, Editor Writer, Marketing Advisor, Fundraising and Grant Writing, Website & SEO Professional, and Human Resource Advisor projects under Management and Administration Programs to boost management and administrative knowledge in Nepalese community with the help of expert and specialized international volunteers.Here at VIN, our overriding objective is the empowerment of marginalized communities, with a focus on those most marginalized; women and children. We have been working with Jitpurphedi Village Development Committee (VDC) since 2007 and have recently begun work with Okhaldhunga district, Everest region. Our community work is based on the foundations of health, education, the acquisition of economic tools and the provision of basic infrastructure. On these foundations we believe we can build empowered, independent communities.Since our beginnings in 2007 VIN has continued to increase in size and complexity. We now have over 20 staffs and host hundreds of volunteers annually. However, to ensure the consistency of our projects, the job security of our staff and the provision of life enhancing volunteer placements we must continue to develop the ways in which we manage VIN. We must raise awareness of our work through our websites and social media for continued support. Our website is crucial to our visibility and we must continue to innovate and to safe guard it for the future. And, as a volunteer organization, we rely most heavily on people and must develop contemporary ways to care for this precious resource.
Journalism Program
If you are planning a career in journalism – audio-visual, photographic or print – then VIN’s Journalism Program can help you develop your experience and your resume. This is a perfect opportunity for those planning a gap year or career break and contemplating or already following a career in journalism or print media.VIN’s Journalism Program enables interns or volunteers to develop a portfolio of work in an international context. The program is conducted in Nepal in partnership with national daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly publications. You can work in Photo Journalism, Print Journalism, and Film and Documentary Making projects under Journalism program. If you are already a practicing journalist, Journalism volunteering will broaden your experience and show you a different way of working in journalism against the backdrop of a dramatic country faced with political and social challenges.The opportunity not only allows you to produce professional work for a large publication but to gain an insight into how the publication is run. Whether you wish to work in print or celluloid you will gain invaluable experience as you traverse your career path.VIN is a non-commercial, charitable organisation whose overriding mission is the empowerment of marginalised, rural communities in Nepal, with a particular focus on women and children. Since early 2007, we have been implementing our integrated community development plan in rural communities of outskirt of Kathmandu valley and have begun implementation in Okhaldhunga, the Everest region. By taking part in our Journalism Program you will be supporting our efforts in these communities, helping to promote our relationships with partner organisations and raising our visibility.During your placement you will live with a Nepali host family, either in the working community or Kathmandu, dependent on your placement. Where ever you live you will become immersed in Nepali culture and language, which will enrich your experience and indirectly inform your work.
Adventure and Volunteer Program
Economically, Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and yet one of the richest in landscape, wildlife and culture. Nepal has been one of the top 10 destinations for the adventurers. Year upon year volunteers and trekkers come here to give their time and to experience all that Nepal has to offer. At VIN, we recognise that your time is precious and while you want to give it to help developing Nepal, you also do not want to miss the chance to explore. In response, we have designed the Adventure and Volunteer Programs, allowing you to volunteer and explore and trek safe in the knowledge that the staff at VIN have carefully arranged the details.VIN Adventure and Volunteer Program allow you to participate in natural based activities which has the power to enhance lives in unique and positive ways. You get chance to engage in Volunteer Trekking, and Volunteer Travel Tour under this program. It helps you in healthy character development and self-discovery through challenge and adventure. So you will be giving back to the community in need while exploring the natural beauty of the country.Nepal is home to eight of the ten highest mountains in the world. Since Nepal’s borders were opened in 1949, this small, landlocked country has become the ultimate destination for trekking and volunteering to the adventurous global population. But the mountains are only one of the draws: explore the temples and stupas, for Nepal hosts some of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world; explore the great rivers by kayak or raft; fly above Everest and the Annapurnas; Paragliding in Pokhara or take a safari in the jungle landscape of Chitwan or enjoy the Himalaya from Nagorkot.