International volunteers come
from all walks of life — students on summer break involved with wild- life preservation in Africa, couples in their 60s on a long-term teaching assignment in Morocco, environ- mental engineers taking a week off from work to help clean up a disas- ter area in Italy, or an active duty servicemember and his family sta- tioned overseas walking dogs at an animal shelter in South Korea. Let’s look at what you need to know be- fore you embark on an overseas vol- unteer trip and how to ensure your experience abroad is everything you hoped it would be.
Roads less traveled If you’ve been stationed overseas or are familiar with traveling interna- tionally and interacting with diff er- ent cultures, it’s not unreasonable to go it alone and make your own travel plans and accommodations for short-term volunteer opportuni- ties. You can hit the ground running and start handing out water bottles or bathing animals soaked in oil as soon as you arrive and be back at your desk in a week. But for many, the experience is
more fulfi lling, less stressful, and safer if booked through an interna- tional volunteer organization. There are many well-regarded groups that off er opportunities ranging from coaching basketball in Kenya to tag- ging sea turtles in Costa Rica (see Helpful Resources, right). With few exceptions, these agen-
cies charge a fee that varies depend- ing on the location and duration of a project. They coordinate all the important details on your behalf and take into account your age (there are special programs for the over-50 crowd), skills, and expertise. They off er well-defi ned programs and itin- eraries and ensure you have support during your experience, whether it’s access to medical care, transporta-
PHOTO: VOLUNTEER FOREVER
Helpful Resources
IDEALIST
www.idealist.org/info/IntlVol unteer The Idealist website offers re- sources — such as a “know before you go” fact sheet; a list of do’s, don’ts, and shouldn’ts; and tips on how to translate your volunteer service to a career — to help you make informed decisions about volun- teering in another country.
INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ASSOCIATION www.volunteerinternat
ional.org The International Volunteer Programs Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association dedicated to promoting aware- ness and access to quality volun- teer programs abroad.
MOVINGWORLDS
www.movingworlds.org/ international-volunteer ing-resources A membership community that links with social impact organiza- tions around the world and pro- vides local benefits in exchange for your skills, MovingWorlds has guides, training, and resources to help you have a meaningful field experience.
PEACE CORPS
www.peacecorps.gov The Peace Corps is a government agency with a mission to “pro- mote world peace and friendship” through helping people and fos- tering a better understanding of Americans, as well as promoting a better understanding of other cul- tures and people to Americans.
A participant with Volunteer Forever in Ghana gives a child a piggyback ride. Service opportuni- ties in Ghana include teaching, child care, and other programs.
UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS
www.unv.org
Based in Bonn, Germany, and active in 130 countries, United Nations Volunteers contrib- utes to peace and development through worldwide volunteerism.
VOLUNTEER FOREVER
http://bit.ly/1hJ5Fmf Volunteer Forever rates and pro- vides information on numerous worldwide volunteer opportunities and helps volunteers raise funds for their trip.
VOLUNTEERING SOLUTIONS www.volunteeringsolutions .com/volunteer-abroad-pro grams This match organization finds the best volunteer work opportu- nity abroad and handles placing you with a volunteer organization and destination of your choice.
MONTH 2005 MILITARY OFFICER 71
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