What is Volunteering Abroad?
Volunteering full time with a non-profit can be drastically different from the few hours a week you might be used to from volunteering in your hometown. More and more, international volunteers are fully integrated in their host organizations, providing valuable skills that the organization normally would not be able to afford. Volunteer placements geared towards older, professionals generally have the same skill and experience requirements found on any paid job in the States, and volunteers are expected to submit to the same quantity and quality of work as any employee. Other opportunities abound for younger volunteers who are looking to develop their skills, and organizations provide the training and support (including language classes) to help them either integrate into existing programs, or in many cases to design and implement their own. Because of this, volunteers should be fully prepared for their work, and not enter into any long-term commitment lightly. While there is generally
