Top 10 Volunteering Tips for a Responsible Volunteer | [Guide]

Are you a hardworking student who wants to volunteer abroad at some NGO or a business? We have listed down some essential tips for you to prepare yourself for the perfect destination.

1. Decide which organization is best for you

When considering the organization to which to apply, think first of the skills you have to offer and the corresponding needs of the organization. Do they match? Can the organization benefit from your skills? Are those skills related to the projects and objectives of the organization?

2. Check the legitimacy of the organization

Do a little research and use judgment in the evaluation of organizations. Things to keep in mind and questions to ask when reviewing organizations: How sustainable are the long-term projects of the organization? Do volunteers do work for members of the local community? Can you talk to previous volunteers? What kind of screening process does the organization have to reach its volunteers? If the organization works with vulnerable children, ask about policies for the protection of children, for example, do they require police background checks on volunteers?

3. Do your homework

The success of your volunteer trip will depend largely on pre-departure preparation. Do your homework. Learn everything you can about the place you are going to visit; culture, history, geography, and the political environment. Also, learn as much as possible about the real volunteer work you are going to do and make use of resources that will prepare you better; For example, if you are going to teach in a school, ask if there are teaching plans that you can prepare in advance.

Volunteering abroad can be a rollercoaster ride but doing your homework properly can save a lot of your time. For better or for worse, we are usually accustomed to a fast-paced life, but this does not always happen when communicating and working with local organizations in other parts of the world. Due to the problems of Internet connectivity, busy daily life and other cultural differences, responses and communications with organizations may seem overly protracted; This does not mean that the organization is not interested in your contribution or that it is misdirected! It simply means that things may have a different rhythm than what you are used to.

5. Be reliable

Because organizations in most cases have low budgets and few staff, many organizations rely heavily on volunteers to perform numerous tasks. When an organization expects a volunteer to arrive, it is often to meet an important need in the organization and therefore desist from traveling with little or no notice can be very damaging to the organization. Of course, the plans change and the unexpected events happen, but we strongly recommend making a commitment to go and volunteer like any other work commitment.

6. Think about the impact and sustainability

Discuss openly with the organization about the best ways to apply your knowledge and make it impactful and sustainable once you leave. This is especially important when you travel for a short period of time; for example, a person who goes to a school for a week would probably have more impact teaching a specific professional course to an appropriate audience (for example, basic accounting skills to students in the last grades or a specific teacher training course for teachers) in opposition to the teaching of the typical English language.

7. Think about what you NEED MORE and not what you most want to DO

Find out exactly what kind of assistance the organization needs. It could be that you like to offer a certain level of knowledge, but the organization really needs something more - be understanding and flexible. Remember the reason why you went: to help in the organization in the best way possible; This means that THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION always come first.

8. Be respectful

Entering a new organization and culture is like entering someone's home; You must be polite, respectful and grateful. Try to retain personal judgment, keeping in mind that things can work differently than what you are used to and not everything that works in one place is necessarily appropriate in a different culture. Be culturally sensitive and remember that you are there to contribute, you are there to learn.

9. Be independent

Try to be as independent as possible, both during the preparation and the research phase, as well as in the field. For the most part, organizations are very busy with day-to-day work and operate with extremely tight budgets. If the organization is not in a position to provide you with accommodation or food, try to find solutions for yourself (in most cases the organizations will at least be able to guide you in the relevant possibilities). In any case, an independent and self-sufficient approach will always go a long way.

10. Wait for the unexpected

Things do not always turn out as you expected. Even with the best preparation and research, things can actually be very different from what you had planned before you arrived. Most of the time this has to do with changing circumstances and has nothing to do with you. In such situations, an open and flexible attitude will be very useful. Try to see everything as part of a learning experience and make the most of every situation and opportunity.