Give your time, receive from others, find new ways of learning, meet the locals, discover new languages and cultures, and get new business insights. These are just a few examples of what international volunteering is about. But behind all these mundane exchanges lie some more complex challenges. What are the benefits of volunteering abroad, and where should you look for opportunities?
Differences between charity and volunteering
The terms can be quite confusing as both have the same objective: serving people. However, charity work involves free participation without any contractual commitment. There are no restrictions concerning age or qualifications, and it relies purely on moral participation. But the charity worker must respect the rules and regulations of the organization they are working with. International volunteering is a commitment between two parties based on a contract with the organization. There is a clear distinction between a volunteer, on the one hand, and an employee or a charity worker, on the other hand. Volunteers can be indemnified, although, strictly speaking, it won't be a salary. They can also be paid in kind (like a free meal).
International volunteering does mean low-cost travel
The prevailing global economic crisis calls for constant readjustments on all sides. People tend to be thriftier on their expenditures, spending only when necessary. They learned to cut costs. International volunteering can thus be a good means to travel at a low cost. Although participants are not paid a salary and have to finance their travel from their pocket, they do, however, benefit from existing infrastructures: be it a youth hostel, a forest, a village, a diving center, a museum, a school, or even the structures of the next Olympic Games, to be held in Paris.
But it's important to ask the right questions. What are you really seeking? If you are only considering the economic benefits, then you are completely missing out on the true objective of international volunteering. If you aim to travel at a low cost, then volunteering is not the best option. However, international volunteering is a great option if you want to meet people, discover new cultures, learn about new ways of doing things, serve others, and become self-aware.
International volunteering: a give-and-take affair
A little more than a year before the next Olympic Games (OG), Paris is looking out for volunteers from all countries. Forty-five thousand volunteers are expected to help in the organization of the OG. The requirements are simple: to be over 18, fluent in French or English (or both), and, if need be, to have a valid visa. Paris 2024 will make way for inclusiveness, with the Games accessible to people with disabilities. Hence, volunteers with disabilities are encouraged to participate in this adventure. Three thousand disabled volunteers are expected. But the organizers have made it clear: if volunteers think they are here to follow sports competitions, they are wrong and better buy their tickets. Because volunteers won't benefit from any ticket to watch sports events, they are here to help in the smooth running of the Games and to help spectators, not to follow the events.
“Our volunteers will be at the center of the greatest sports event of the world and will have a direct impact on its success”, said Tony Estanguet, President of the organizing committee of Paris 2024 and a former high-level athlete. International volunteering is a give-and-take affair: to give of oneself and to receive from others. This equates to a world of discoveries; in this case, the discovery of Paris and its Olympic fever and allowing volunteers to learn more about other French cities like Lille, Nice or Châteauroux, where some Olympic competitions will be held.
Discover a country through its inhabitants
What better way to discover a country than being in close contact with its inhabitants? This is possible through international volunteering. Whether for a short or a long time, the foreign volunteer gets to know the country's pulse. As it is not paid work, there is no pressure because of money or performance. On the contrary, the objective is to enjoy and to share with all the participants, whether they are foreign volunteers, agents, or other contact persons.
Contacts with locals allow the volunteers to challenge themselves and to become more aware of pressing human issues, as well as social and climatic ones. But they should not be exploited. Keep in mind that volunteers are learners too. They are neither tourists nor saviors. They are there to learn, to work (although it is not necessarily a paid activity), and to discover the country. International volunteering often paves the way for people to find a job in a foreign country. Volunteers learn about how an organization or a company works and get to know more about professional human interactions in a not-so-formal environment.
Human commitment before professional engagement
France, for example, has a stern view of CVs with chronological gaps. French school leavers are urged to secure a seat at university even before finishing secondary school. At the university level, the pressure of finding the perfect job is already added. This means that French youth rarely have a break, with sabbaticals still perceived as a waste of time. In contrast, in other countries, youngsters are able to take a break from their studies, which allows them to decompress, go on discovery tours, give of themselves, and become more mature.
Fortunately, things are gradually evolving, and many businesses have understood the benefits of international volunteering. Whether fresh graduates or seasoned employees, those who want to volunteer are increasingly eager to try this new form of travel. It is a way for them to get an insight into a new country and know if they will, later on, be ready to relocate there. Businesses also benefit from the expertise of volunteers, even though it is not the primary mission of international volunteering. Let's say it is an added benefit.
Volunteering in other countries
Other countries are offering voluntary missions, too. For example, the US government proposes AmeriCorps, a volunteering program for urgent health issues and the fight against Covid-19. Canada has Canada service corps, a Web portal for people aged 15 to 30. The European Union offers several volunteering missions for those aged 18 to 30, but also for those who are over 30.
Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also have volunteer missions in place. But how to find the right international volunteering opportunities? You can limit your search to your areas of interest (humanitarian missions, teaching, wildlife conservation, sports, environmental protection, etc.). But it is better to be safe than sorry: thoroughly research the NGO before accepting any mission.
How to avoid scams
Beware of the amalgam of international volunteering and tourism. The other side of the medal is that the success of international volunteering has led to many commercial cases of abuse. Unscrupulous organizations oversell the idea of helping “foreigners” and doing “humanitarian work” to naïve but well-meaning volunteers who are unaware that they are participating in a form of exploitation. Other volunteers are, however, well aware of the abusive situations but choose rather to portray themselves as philanthropists on social media. In both cases, the exposure is detrimental to the local population. Volunteers must remember that they are not in an abusive and superior position; instead, they are there to learn from the people.
Volunteers must also be careful about the phenomenon of disguised employment. Get your information correct before you sign any document, and crosscheck the organization's credentials well.
It is worth noting that international volunteering is not limited to humanitarian actions and that you don't necessarily have to relocate to the other side of the Earth to help in your mission—ecology, sports, teaching and education, protection of the fauna and flora, etc. International volunteering can be in any form.
Adopting the right attitude
The volunteer must be open-minded, curious about everything, generous and humble. International volunteering is not a short-term activity followed by long hours of leisure and relaxation. It is more like a sharing between individuals that stays on during the whole period of the mission. Forget about being on a holiday trip; you are not here as an explorer, discovering new horizons. You are here to give your maximum and some more. The good news is that your mission will allow you to make great discoveries and view things from a different angle, like the volunteers for Paris 2024 who are set to discover France, its people and other cultures in the unique spirit of the Olympic Games.
In conclusion, look at international volunteering as a life-changing experience. It will help you rediscover yourself and learn to become more self-aware. So be yourself and enjoy the mission.
