Volunteer TravelTips + Resources

Teresa Au

General tips for volunteering● Don’t be fooled by flashy websites● Look for locally-based NGOs● Ask them where your money goes – don’t be afraid to

ask them for a breakdown of where your monetary contribution goes

● Think about what skills you actually have to contribute. If you want to teach English somewhere but have never done this before, consider taking a TEFL course, like the one offered by Boston Language Institute.

● Plan on volunteering for a longer duration, if possible● Talk to or email former volunteers!

General tips on volunteering (cont'd)

Beware of corrupt non-profit organizations (NGOs). Many of these will invest a lot of money into their websites to attract foreign volunteers, so they look very legit but aren’t.

Sadly, corruption in NGOs is rampant in many parts of the world. In India, if you are a local and you tell people that you work for an NGO, many people will respond by saying, “Oh, so does that mean you’re rich?” because NGOs have the reputation for just profiting a few people at the top of the pyramid. Do some research and talk to people.

Volunteer teaching resources

www.TeachingTraveling.com is set up to show the zillions of different ways to teach and travel, including volunteering. People use the search box in the upper right and the tags in the lower right to hone in on people with experiences they'd like to have, then start discussions in the comment section of specific articles, many of which have links. For a great blog about a huge number of travel topics, including volunteer teaching, go to Lillie Marshall’s blog at www.AroundTheWorldL.com. Feel free to ask further questions at @WorldLillie on Twitter.

Language-learning resources

http://www.guayasaminschool.com/Luis Mena owns this Spanish language school and is one of the kindest people I met in Quito (and I met lots of great people!). He gives private lessons at his school, and he is by far the best language teacher I've ever had. He really made learning so much fun! He’s a very effective teacher and explains concepts clearly. He knows enough English to be able to explain words and concepts efficiently, but he really pushes you to speak Spanish and get the whole immersion experience. He also provides his students with opportunities to go with his family to watch local football games, take salsa dancing lessons, and cook Ecuadorian cuisine.

Language-learning resources (cont'd)

Boston Language InstituteConveniently located right next to the T station at Kenmore Square in Boston. They offer a large variety of foreign language classes, as well as TEFL courses to train students in teaching English in the United States or abroad.

Volunteering in the rainforestPanama:· ITEC – Offers field studies courses and low-cost volunteering opportunities. http://www.itec-edu.org/Ecuador· Jatun Sacha – approx $15/day incl food & lodging . Several different sites, including the Galapagos Islands, the Ecuadorean Amazon in an indigenous community, and high-elevation montagne-forest. http://www.jatunsacha.org/ingles· Los Cedros – $15/day. A cloudforest reserve in one of the most biodiverse forests of the world. http://reservaloscedros.org/volunteering· Santa Lucia – approx $15/day. Also a cloudforest reserve in the same area as Los Cedros.

Questions to ask volunteer sites1. “Would it be possible for me to contact (via email) any

current or former volunteers? I would be interested in hearing about some of their personal experiences as volunteers.”

2. “How far in advance do I need to apply for any of the volunteer positions?”

3. “Are there many opportunities for interacting with people from the local community?”

4. “Is malaria prophylaxis necessary?”5. "Please tell me more about the current projects at your

site. As a volunteer, what kind of work would I be doing on a daily basis?"

(cont'd)

Questions to ask volunteer sites (cont'd)6. "What proportion of your site’s activities are geared towards ecotourism, as opposed to research and conservation? Are the volunteers expected to help out with the site’s ecotourism projects?"7. "Approximately what proportion of a volunteer's time is spent on tasks around the station ( e.g. community projects, working in the botanical garden, helping with facilities maintenance) versus work in the forest?"8. "How does this region of the Amazon differ from other regions of the Amazon?"

Sample questions to ask volunteers1. What did you think about the volunteer program in general? What kind of work did you do? What would you say were the best and worst things about your experience?2. Could you tell me a little bit more about the kind of work you did at ___ and the projects you were involved in? Approx what proportion of your time was spent working on different tasks?3. How structured is the volunteer program? What did you think of this level of structure? Would my work be driving towards a greater goal, or doing scattered activities?4. Are there many opportunities to help out with more structured field research?

(cont'd)

Sample questions to ask volunteers (cont'd)5. How much of the volunteering work is self-initiated vs. directed by others? That is, do I have to figure out myself what to do each morning, or will there be others to say, "Look, we need your help doing X, and Y, and Z today." Or something in between?6. Is any kind of training provided to volunteers? (e.g. bushwhacking, plant/animal identification, bird call identification, mist netting, fishing, medicinal plant use, first aid skills). Do they just toss you in the forest and leave you to figure it out, or are there people to teach you about the different plants, teach you how to navigate your way through the forest without getting hopelessly lost, or teach you how to wield a machete without chopping off your leg?(cont'd)

Sample questions to ask volunteers (cont'd)7. What proportion of the station's activities are geared towards ecotourism, as opposed to research and conservation? Are the volunteers expected to help out with the station's ecotourism projects (e.g. guide visitors)?8. Is there a malaria risk at ____? Would you advise taking malaria prophylaxis?9. Is proficiency in Spanish necessary? If I want to practice my Spanish, will there be many opportunities, or will I mostly be interacting with other English-speaking volunteers?