Our Facebook groups are for cultural exchange and meaningful travel.
We care about safety, transparency, and respect, so people can connect without falling into scams, unclear fees, or risky situations.
Use the group search before posting. Then, when you post, include the basics: where, when, tasks, hours, what’s included, and any costs. Posts that are clear get approved faster and receive better replies.
Be extra careful with anything involving children or vulnerable people (including vulnerable women). Do not share identifiable photos, names, or private details. We may remove posts that are vague about safeguarding, supervision, roles, or boundaries.
Safety and responsibility
Our Facebook groups are noticeboards. We connect people, but we are not an agency and we cannot verify every host, project, or traveller.All agreements are made directly between hosts and volunteers. Please research carefully, ask clear questions, and get written confirmation about hours, days off, accommodation, meals, costs, and conditions. If something feels wrong, you can say no, leave, or change plans.
If you experience a serious problem with someone you met through our groups, contact the admins privately with details. We may keep confidential notes of credible reports and may limit or remove access when needed.
Contact the admins privately here:
https://voluntouring.org/contact-page-voluntouring/
Profile requirements
Volunteering is something we take seriously. To protect the community, we do not admit every Facebook profile. We may deny or remove access (without explanation) when a profile does not meet basic standards of trust and authenticity.
Profiles may be rejected or removed when they:
- lack a real, identifiable profile photo (or use only cartoons, logos, or anonymous images);
- contain little or confusing personal information;
- use fake names, fictional characters, or impersonate public figures;
- show content that conflicts with our values (hate speech, racism, misogyny, harassment, or similar);
- appear created for spam, solicitation, scams, or using volunteer exchange as a pretext for immigration.
We know this can feel strict. Past negative experiences made these checks necessary.
Posting basics
Posts get approved faster when they include:
- Location (country + area) and dates (or season)
- Tasks and who supervises the work
- Time commitment (hours per week, days off)
- What’s included (accommodation, meals, transport if any)
- All costs, including any fees and what they cover
- At least one manually uploaded photo that matches the post
Why your post may not be approved
To keep the feed useful and reduce spam, we often decline posts that fall into these patterns:
- Link-only posts (no context, no description, no uploaded photo). They often look like promotion or spam.
- Hidden advertising, copy-paste promos, or “PM me for details” posts.
- Pay-to-volunteer links or platforms that are not transparent about fees.
- Missing fee information. If there is a fee, you must state it clearly and explain what it covers.
- Repeated posts (posting the same announcement again and again). Update your original post instead.
- Bumping (“up”, “still available”, repeated comments only to push the post). This often leads to removal.
- Too broad requests like “Where can I volunteer in Europe?” without dates, skills, or constraints. Please search the group first, then ask a focused question.
If links are allowed, share them only after you write the key details in the post. Also upload the main image manually, instead of relying on a link preview.
Search before you post
Many questions have already been answered in older threads. Using the search bar helps you find real experiences, warnings, and practical tips immediately. It also keeps the feed from filling up with the same destination requests every day.
If you still need help after searching, post a specific question. Mention your dates, skills, availability (hours per week), and budget. If you are trying to avoid fees, ask about costs and what they cover, instead of asking for “free” opportunities.
Fees, visas, and travel costs
Fee transparency is required. If a host or organisation charges any fee, the post must say so clearly and explain what the fee covers. Posts that hide costs behind a link may be declined.
Visa and travel expenses: many hosts receive requests for visa sponsorship or paid flights. Please apply only when you can cover your own visa and travel costs. Volunteering is not a free way to relocate to another country. Posts asking hosts to pay for these expenses may be deleted, and repeated requests can lead to removal.
Reporting negative experiences
You can share difficult experiences, but for legal and privacy reasons you must not publish full names, exact addresses, or other identifying details when making accusations.
If you had an unsafe or very negative experience with someone you met through our groups:
- send details privately to the admins (links, dates, screenshots if relevant, and a short description);
- keep public posts anonymous and focused on general safety advice, not on naming individuals.
Admins are not judges, lawyers, or mediators. We can keep internal notes and may remove posts or block members when we receive serious and credible reports.
Guidelines and posting rules
The basic rules are also listed inside each Facebook group. You can read a summary of the 10 main rules here:
https://voluntouring.org/2018/09/30/facebook-group-rules/
Your post was not accepted in our
Facebook group
or on our
website?
The sections above cover the most common reasons.
Facebook group template examples
Example of good posting
Example of bad posting
Host checklist: what to include in a volunteer opportunity
Dear host, a clear post attracts the right volunteers and reduces misunderstandings. Please include:
- Who you are: farm, family, eco-village, organisation, hostel, ranch, or similar
- Tasks: what volunteers actually do, and what they will not do
- Capacity: how many volunteers you can host at the same time
- Schedule: hours per week, days off, minimum stay
- What’s included: accommodation, meals, and any other support
- Costs: any fees and exactly what they cover
- Accommodation type: home, dorm, tent, apartment, etc.
- Local life: what volunteers can do in their free time
- Practical details: language, internet access, transport, house rules
- Contact: clear way to apply (avoid “PM me only” if possible)
If your opportunity involves children or vulnerable people, explain supervision, boundaries, consent, and privacy rules. Posts that are vague on safeguarding may be declined.
Thank you for helping keep the community organised and transparent.
Why was I not accepted into the group?
Our groups have grown a lot, and moderation is handled by volunteers. Mistakes can happen.
- We do our best, but we are human.
- Approvals can take time, especially during busy periods.
- For safety reasons, we typically do not admit profiles that look anonymous, incomplete, or inconsistent with the group’s purpose.
Before reaching out, please read the group rules carefully. If you believe a mistake was made, contact our moderation team here:
https://voluntouring.org/contact-page-voluntouring/
I am excited about traveling or receiving traveling folks!
I am a Dutch woman, living in Sweden and making a vegetable garden/food forest/permaculture garden. I would like to receive a volunteer (or a couple) in the month of May 2022, who will come and help me for 5 hours a day. The rest of the time can be used for vacations in beautiful Vármland. It is about garden work and some chores on the house (including painting). There is a dog.
[Automatically translated – the original message was:]
Ik ben een Nederlandse vrouw, die in Zweden woont en een moestuin/voedselbos/permacultuur tuin aan het maken is. Ik zou in de maand mei 2022 graag een vrijwilliger (of een stel) ontvangen, die tegen kost en inwoning mij 5 uur per dag komt helpen. De rest van de tijd kan voor vakantie in het mooie Vármland gebruikt worden. Het gaat om tuinwerk en wat kluswerk aan het huis (o.a. schilderen). Er is een hond aanwezig.
Dear Lidy, volunteers might not be able to see your message/comment here. To submit your volunteer request please click here
I have requested to enter the group. Waiting for your approval. Obrigado! Ti.
Hi admin thank you so much for letting me in into your group and I wish the best for you and your team and hi from Lombok , Indonesia