…and let your index finger use it as an Ouija board, telling you where to volunteer. But then your first spin takes you to the middle of the Atlantic. So I guess that means you have to spin again, right?
This is actually what I did a few times in college, when I knew I wanted to get more international volunteering experience under my belt so that it could help me discern whether or not a future in development would be right for me. But I had ZERO idea where to start and nobody to go with. I was already well traveled, but that doesn’t change the amount of caution a 21-year-old woman should exercise – especially on her first volunteer trip.
Several volunteer stints later and with retrospective eyes, I can say that too many of us start completely too broad (myself included). We do a simple Google search first – maybe “volunteering abroad.” The first several hits bring up the ‘voluntourism’ type companies that take a profit on volunteers. In their defense, they provide an extraordinary level of infrastructure on the ground – especially helpful for first time or single volunteers! But nevertheless, these first few links can really put a damper on a potential volunteer who is both an idealist AND penniless.
Then you come across Idealist.org – where I found my first volunteer opportunity. You discover the gem of knowledge Idealist.org provides and begin perusing the different countries, but then you feel overwhelmed again, not drawn to one specific place.
That is why we must start thinking backwards. I would argue that it is much easier to find the right organization if you pick a country first. For all intent and purposes, let’s say Peru is your choice – you’ve heard great things. Then, you should ask yourself how long of a commitment you are willing to make, and think about what kind of place you want to live in. Do you want to live in a rural area, with a trickle of cold water for a shower? Or would you rather volunteer in a city large enough to have a supermarket and big hospitals?
I think the giving heart of volunteers often makes them put the recipient (meaning the organization where they are to volunteer at) first. Thus, we primarily seek out the organization, but so many deserving organizations lack the infrastructure to advertise online or have a website of their own. Sooner or later, you feel bewildered and a little discouraged that you can’t find anything that works.
That’s why I argue that volunteers should put their needs first, and allow that to lead them to a city where they can research local organizations on the ground. You can go right to the city or town of your choosing on Idealist.org and sort through the entries. And when you Google “volunteer in Huancayo, Peru” or “volunteer in Cochabamba, Bolivia,” you are going to find several awesome organizations working locally on the ground. You might not be able to email them, but usually you can finagle a phone number. The easiest way to do this is to switch to the Google of your country-of-choice (for Bolivia, it’s www.google.com.bo). This reduces the hits from your search to just in-country ones. Next, show your commitment to volunteering by giving the organization a call. If you don’t speak the language, see if you can find a Spanish-speaking friend to make the call for you.
Sometimes the way our mind works prevents us from getting where we are trying to go – and its times like that you have to stop and completely re-work your strategy of attack. Be creative, be confident, and start with research. Giving a portion of your life to volunteering is worth that extra research time and creative thought!
Latest posts by suzypm
- Redemption for Our Hearts, for Haiti - January 28th, 2010
- 33 Tips from Kiva Fellows in Latin America - December 2nd, 2009
- The Biggest Mistake Volunteers Make - October 30th, 2009
- Amazon Burning: Blog Action Day 2009 - October 15th, 2009
- When Boredom Attacks - September 25th, 2009
- Ignorance is Bliss - September 18th, 2009
- The Harder Days - August 28th, 2009
- For the Best Fruit, You Gotta Go Out on a Limb - August 14th, 2009
- Where We Pull Apart, We Bind Together - August 3rd, 2009
really great advice!