Volunteering abroad is typically defined not so much by pay or lack of it, but by a motivation for community engagement. Volunteers usually work with local citizens in areas such as education, health, environment, and small business development. Some study abroad programs (for academic credit) offer volunteer experiences as an integral part of the curriculum. This is often called “service-learning.”
Volunteering can also be excellent career preparation for those interested in certain fields (such as education and public health) or careers with non-governmental organizations. Given this, depending on your field of study and future career plans, a volunteer opportunity could be considered an internship in some cases.
Considerations
- Skills required: This runs the gamut from unskilled through professional. Positions are often available in areas such as teaching (English, math, science), business, health sciences, environment and natural resources, engineering, etc.
- Time commitment: From a few weeks to two years.
- Pay or cost: Many volunteer positions provide room and board, but not transportation or personal expenses. Some require the volunteers to cover their own expenses. Others charge a fee if they provide training, onsite support or academic credit. These programs are usually less expensive (for a given location & duration) than study-only programs. There are a few programs that offer all expenses paid, but they are long term programs (two or more years).
- Volunteer Abroad Placement Programs: These types of programs provide the easiest and best method to volunteer abroad without professional skills. Volunteer abroad programs provide placements and on-site support, charging fees to support these services as well as covering the living expenses of the volunteer.
- Your Intentions for Volunteering Abroad: Before traveling abroad, consider your intentions for doing so. Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience, but it is important to go into the experience with an attitude that will not cause your host community harm. We recommend learning about respectful community engagement, including the White Savior Complex, prior to traveling. There are numerous articles on the topic, but we recommend “How to Avoid a White Savior Complex” by the travel journalist Sojourner White. For more in-depth preparation, we recommend the Michigan Online virtual course, “Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change.” This is a not-for-credit, asynchronous course that can be taken at any time. It is available for free to members of the U-M community.
How to Find Volunteer Opportunities Abroad
Volunteer abroad placement programs can be found through databases such as GoAbroad. We recommend that U-M students contact our office to find out about programs that would be a good fit for them.
If you are interested in a longer-term volunteer experience, consider the Peace Corps, which offers 27-month volunteer placements in 60+ countries around the world. To learn more about the Peace Corps, connect with a recruiter in the U-M Peace Corps Office (located in the International Center).
Undergraduates who are considering participating in the Peace Corps (or something similar) after graduation should consider completing a Peace Corps Prep Certificate to prepare for the experience.