Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Size and status have little bearing on competence. A charity can be more efficient than a
commercial company. Conversely a commercial company can show more sensitivity than
a charity.
There are few general rules - talk to someone who's been with the organisation you're in-
terested in. Organisations vary as to how much back up they offer volunteers, from virtu-
ally holding your hand throughout your stay and even after you come back, to the 'sink or
swim' method.
You need to know yourself if you're going to get the most out of your volunteering
gap
.
If you feel patronised at the slightest hint of advice then you might get annoyed with too
much interference from the organisation.
Though do bear in mind that they probably know more than you do about the placement,
what sort of vaccinations you're going to need, what will be useful to take with you, and
how to get the necessary visas and permits. Equally if you're shy or nervous it might be
as well to go with an organisation that sends volunteers in pairs or groups. There's nothing
wrong with either type of placement - it's about choosing what's right for you.
Talk to a few organisations before you decide which one to go with - and, probably even
more useful, talk to some previous volunteers. They'll be able to tell you what it's really
like; don't just ask them if they enjoyed it, get them to describe what they did, what they
liked and why, what they didn't like and what they'd do differently.
Remember, wherever you're sent, you can't count on much. Regardless of the organisation,
you will be going to poor countries where the infrastructure and support services can be
minimal - otherwise why would they need volunteers?
Expect to be adaptable. Regardless of the reputation of the voluntary work organisation you
choose, or the competence of voluntary work coordinators in a particular country, it's about
your skills and human qualities and those of the people you'll be with so there's bound to
be an element of chance as to whether the school you are put in, for example, really values
you or whether you get on with the family you stay with. It's worth checking first what
training is given and what support there is in-country, but be aware that you may not get
what you expect - you need to be adaptable and make the most of whatever situation you
find yourself in.
Safety first
If you're going with a good organisation they shouldn't send you anywhere too dangerous
- but situations change quickly and it's always worth finding out for yourself about where
you're going.
Check out the Foreign Office's travel advice pages on
www.fco.gov.uk
.
The Foreign Office
site also has lots of advice on visas, insurance and other things that need to be sorted out
