Why should I pay to volunteer?

Short term volunteers cost money

Most gap year volunteers will only be wanting to join projects for a short term (less than 3 months). This means they are not staying in the community long enough to learn of their problems, culture and language. As a result, guidance is required by specialised companies who can host and support volunteers coming from abroad. These specialised companies form long term working relationships with local communities and causes, allowing them to get to the heart of problems and possible solutions. They can also work with existing projects and provide support in the form of self-funded volunteers, who bring financial support as well as muscles and brains to the project.

Providing volunteers with what they need whilst overseas costs money. The infrastructure required to provide a safe environment all has to be paid for - 24-hour emergency contacts, travel & health insurance, accommodation, food, training, tools and equipment to complete their roles.

In addition to this, a company needs money to advertise itself and attract more volunteers – marketing, website promotion, advertising, administration costs. There are also costs involved in hiring staff to organise and arrange projects, provide pre-departure information, train and support volunteers and communicate with local communities.

Volunteering abroad is totally different from volunteering locally. If you have a valuable skill to offer (such as pilots, doctors, mechanics, teachers, IT specialists, engineers and lawyers), you may be able to participate without paying much. You may think that donating your time & muscle power to a project will always be welcome, but bear in mind that after considering all the costs of bringing in volunteers from abroad (flights, insurance, accommodation, orientation, support etc) it would be much cheaper to hire local labour and would even stimulate the local economy.

How is your money spent?

Ask gap year companies how they spend the money you give them – break it down into percentages. This will help you to make a better informed decision about which company to choose. If you are concerned that your fee is contributing to the company’s profit rather than the community you want to help, search for a gap year company that shares your money out in a better way, or alternatively go with a non-profit organisation.

Whether to pay to participate in a gap year volunteering project is a choice that you need to make. By working as a self-funded volunteer who covers their own costs of participation, you are ensuring that the economically poor communities that you will be working with are not having to subsidise you in any way. You should view your financial contribution as your required donation to the project. If you are organised and fully committed to fundraising you could raise most or all of the money you need through fundraising activities and donations.

The cost of volunteer projects

The cost of volunteering projects varies considerably between companies. Some companies receive the majority of their funding from the government or NGO’s, grants or financial support from public or private organisations, with only a small percentage of funding coming from self-funded volunteers - and are therefore able to offer cheaper placements.

The more popular projects will obviously cost more - spaces may be limited so competition to get on these projects will be high and comes at a price. Cheaper projects may lack the ‘glamorous’ appeal of working with exciting animals or exotic locations, or may require a much longer time commitment. There could also be differences in the standard of accommodation offered.

Why not volunteer independently?

If you choose to source a project independently you won’t have the benefit of a gap year company’s long-standing relationships, language skills, cultural orientation or emergency support. You may have issues dealing with foreign governments or sorting out accommodation & transportation; this is where local contacts can prove essential. In addition, you might not benefit from the friendship and support of fellow volunteers whom you will be able to contact before your trip. You are more likely to have a better experience working with a well established company – so long as you research them properly.