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How old do I have to be?
You need to be at least 18 years old to take part in our volunteer programme. If you are this age, ideally you would be a mature 18 year old with some travel and/or language experience, and the ability to cope with the demands of working in a foreign country. Above this, we get volunteers of all ages - many in their 30s wanting a career break or life change, and some who are retired and looking to do something different. There is something for everyone!
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Can you guarantee a specific placement?
No, we unfortunately cannot guarantee a specific placement. What we can do is guarantee a field of work, eg. Social, Environmental, Healthcare, etc. We will of course do our utmost to place you in the placement(s) of your choice, but should this not be possible we will look for the next best and most similar placement within your requested field of work. For this reason we ask volunteer applicants to be flexible in their requested location and field of work. We have not yet been unable to place anyone in their requested field of work, and more often than not have succeeded in finding the requested placement or something similar.
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Do I get my money back if you can't place me in my requested field of work?
As outlined above, we have not yet been unable to place a volunteer in their requested field of work (eg. Social, Environmental, Healthcare). However, in the unlikely event that we are unable to place you, due to a lack of availability or other reason, we will refund your £200 placement fee. NB. Unfortunately we are unable to refund your £50 application fee as this is something charged to us by the school and volunteer organisations to process your application and search for the the most suitable placement for you.
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| How can I choose the best location for me? Choosing a country/location in which you feel comfortable is one of the most important elements for a successful overseas work experience. Before choosing a location, do some research. Guide books are a great start. Learn about local customs, beliefs, history, food, climate and geography of the country/region. Seek opportunities to see movies, both documentaries and feature films, about the country/region; read novels from and about where you're planning to go; guidebooks; local newspapers (available in many bookstores and online); call the tourist board and request information and explore local organisations that support expatriates of that community. Also, try to seek out past volunteers with whom you can talk.
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How much supervision is provided once I am there?
The level of supervision varies with each placement. Here are some basic rules of thumb:
- Placements with non-profit organisations usually do not provide a lot of training or supervision. These types of organisations have scant resources and therefore cannot devote too much time to a volunteer. However, they are also the places that need the most help.
- Placements which provide group housing or which charge an extra placement fee normally provide more supervision, structure and training.
- Placements at a language school (Student Service Coordinator or ESL placements) will vary in terms of structure and supervision. One clue to determine the level of structure is in the description of work outlined. If specific work schedule and other details are outlined, it is indicative of a well organized and supervised position. Placement descriptions with less detail indicate a job where the volunteer/intern will have to show a lot of initiative to organise his/her own projects.
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