Frequently asked questions – Voluntouring.org
What is Voluntouring.org?
Its name is composed by the terms volunteer + tour and it means exactly what it sounds: to tour and volunteer around the world, wherever is needed.
Our interpretation of “Voluntouring” can be resumed by this sentence:
You travel, you help the locals and you get food and accommodation in exchange!
Definition of volunteering
- undertaken on its own initiative and involves a commitment of time and energy to carry out actions in favour of others and of society as a whole,
- unpaid (although reimbursement of expenses directly related to the activity is foreseen),
- for a non-profit-making cause and is mainly carried out within a non-governmental organization and is therefore not motivated by the material or financial benefits,
- not used to replace a paid job.
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How can I become a volunteer?
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What is a HOST LIST?
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Where is the host list?
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Where is the search bar?
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Do I get paid for volunteering?
- some hosts offer pocket money (click to see the relative page);
- some hosts might offer a regular employment contract;
- most hosts can provide food and accommodation for free (click to see the relative page);
- in developing areas of the world, volunteers may be asked to contribute with a daily or monthly fee.
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What about Visa and invitation letters? Can hosts provide it?
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Is it free, for real?
- hosts don’t pay volunteers!
- Some hosts/organizations may offer pocket money;
- Only a few hosts may offer regular employment contract;
- Most hosts provide food and accommodation for free; some don’t.
- in certain developing areas of the world, volunteers may be asked to contribute to food and accommodation by paying a daily or monthly fee.
So yes, our database of volunteering opportunities around the world is FREE to browse, and always will be. If you appreciate this service, please spread the word, or consider the possibility to cheer us with a small donation. You could even help us by writing posts/announcements. This helps to expand our database. Under certain conditions, we can provide payment for every new host announcement listed or article-story written. Feel free to learn more about it, visit this section, or write us an e-mail.
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Insurance
Is it included in the experience?
Is it obligatory?
No, except in a few cases. For this specific information, it is better to ask the host/organization you are in contact with.
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How do you ethically filter abusive hosts/business owners?
If it is a host family or a farm, we ask for as many references as possible (Facebook, Website, LinkedIn, Instagram, youtube videos, and others).
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Why isn’t there a reference system?
Relying solely on references to determine trustworthiness can be problematic as reference systems are often susceptible to abuse. They can create conflicts and retaliation between hosts and volunteers. Additionally, experiences are subjective, meaning what may be a positive experience for one person might not be the same for another. However, we have implemented a comment section at the end of each volunteer announcement where volunteers can share their experiences. Note that we do not publish offensive, aggressive, or denigratory comments. Furthermore, we take every report of abuse or negative experiences seriously and conduct thorough investigations. As a result, we have already removed certain announcements following reports of abuse by travel volunteers.
In order to prevent abuse and ensure positive experiences, we strive to provide the following:
- Full disclosure of the host profile and information.
- Transparency and a clear agreement outlining expectations.
Most importantly, it is crucial that volunteers have a phone call or Skype conversation with the hosts or organizations before visiting them. This allows for alignment of values between both parties. We highly value your feedback and suggestions regarding this matter. If you come across any host descriptions that appear suspicious or abusive, please notify us immediately. Your cooperation is essential in maintaining a safe and positive environment.
For more info read our DISCLAIMER
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How many hours of help (and how many days per week)?
If a host asks for more than 25 hours we will make further investigations; we do not tolerate the exploitation of volunteers and we will ban misbehaving hosts from our list.
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What about misbehaving volunteers?
We recommend host families and host organizations to have a Skype call with the volunteers that they are going to accommodate; we advise them to accumulate as much info as possible about the volunteer philosophy, skills, lifestyles and expectations. If you are a volunteer when you write a letter to the host try to provide as much information as possible. Read the article โhow to write an introduction letter to the hostsโ.
Hosts are responsible for the people they receive at home. This is the same as any other host list.
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What kind of volunteering opportunities can I find?
The spectrum of different volunteering activities around the world is big.
It goes from farming to teaching English, from housesitting to eco-building, from gardening to event managing, from website design to fundraising, from fundraising to animal rescue and pet sitting.
- organic farms,
- non-organic farms,
- farm stays,
- homestays,
- ranches,
- castles
- lodges,
- camping
- B&Bs,
- backpackers hostels
- eco-villages, intentional communities,
- and even sailing boats
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I don’t like this website. Do I have other options?
Of course, there are several valid alternatives to Voluntouring.org
Our favourite is the independent WWOOF organization (wwoof.org) a network of worldwide opportunities on organic farms.
Another awesome website for general volunteering abroad is Workaway.info.ย Both of these platforms/organizations require an annual paid subscription of about 30 euros.
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How can I contact the organizations or families (the hosts)?
It’s very simple. At the end of each announcement look for the “CONTACT DETAILS” section. Use the contact information in that section to write the hosts.
Do not use the comment section (unless you want to comment). The hosts usually don’t read the comment section.
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I have read that some organizations charge volunteers a fee. How come?
Hosts in developing countries cannot always afford to keep you, and therefore they sometimes request a small donation towards food and accommodation.
If this is not acceptable to you, search for other volunteering opportunities.ย For example, go to the free volunteering opportunity section.
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Why do you run Ads through your website?
We run ads so that we can make Voluntouring “free”. Currently, we don’t receive any economic support from any institutions, and the ads are barely enough for the cost of the server and other yearly expenses. We use the extra income, coming from donations, to improve our platform, our online services, and fundraising selected NGOs. We encourage you to donate, not necessarily to us, but to the humanitarian organizations that are listed on our database (by contacting them privately). By helping them you are also helping us!
Thank you.
- If you have other questions don’t hesitate to write to us: voluntouring.freelist@gmail.com
