Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

UCD Volunteers Overseas -- how much money needed?

  • 30-10-2007 9:54am
    #1
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭


    Hey folks,

    they've got some posters up now looking for people to do some volunteer work this summer.

    I'm just wondering if anyone knows how much money you typically need to raise to go on one of these? Do you have to pay for your own flights, etc., yes?

    The website isn't very helpful.

    Cheers

    http://www.ucdvo.org/


Comments

  • #2
    Chakar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,033 ✭✭✭Chakar


    You would need to raise between two or three thousand euro but then again they help you to raise the money if you're committed to doing it. The office is just up the stairs near 911, if you want to drop by as there's usually someone there.


  • #3
    t_ucd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 80 ✭✭t_ucd


    You pay for your own flights, vaccinations etc (cost this year estimated at around €1650) and help with their fundraising activities, you don't have to raise the money by yourself.


  • #4
    Cait85
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭Cait85


    What's up man, don't know where that bloke got the 2 or 3 thousand euro figure, and the second reply is not entirely accurate either, not to worry though.

    I've been away with them for the past two summers, just decided to throw an application in on the last day way back in 2004, but it turned out to be one of my brighter ideas. Couldn't recommend anything higher, if your the right type of person, which your active interest would suggest you are, travelling with VO gives you an opportunity to have a real and positive impact on the lives of the people you work with.

    The facts are this...

    You have to pay about 1600 yoursmelf...most people fundraise this...its much easier than most people think (a good few people end up raising way more- people are suprisingly sound and generous) and us golden oldies tend not to shuct up about all things VO related so we're only to happy to give tips and what not.
    This covers your flights and accomadation. You need to bring money for your upkeep yourself. The amount you'll need will vary depending on what country you go to. I was in Delhi and 400 will leave you very comfortable for the month there, if you're a girl with a tendancy to go into every bloody clothes shop you use you're powers to sense to be within a five mile radius, you might want to increase this figures a little, the fairer sex go mad for the bags out there. They're lovely. Apparently. just look like bags to me.

    You will also be asked to do the odd bit of collecting as a group for a charity. It's minimal though, amounting to a sunday or two standing outside a church gate with a bucket for an hour or so. Bit of crack too.

    The whole thing is a bit of crack in fact...you meet a group of people who from my experience tend to be quite exceptional...you get first hand experience of what all those dodgy facts and figures about world inequality actually mean...you also get to do something about siad inequality....which is handy...you get to interact with a culture that is (in India's case at least) about as different from you're own as Libro Cop is from that nice lady who works in the Copi-print shop in the arts block (we love him really)...

    A greater summer you will not find.... If you want any info that my ramble of a reply has not addressed just drop into the office...which is in fact beside 911...as I say, we're all mad to waffle (and type it would seem) about all things VO so don't be shy...

    Good luck with you're application man.....


  • #5
    stereoroid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 418 ✭✭stereoroid


    What a concept - paying to work for no pay. You'd think they'd at least cover your costs, if they aren't going to pay you for your time and labour?


  • #6
    Dori Duz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 67 ✭✭Dori Duz


    stereoroid wrote: »
    What a concept - paying to work for no pay. You'd think they'd at least cover your costs, if they aren't going to pay you for your time and labour?


    If the charity paid for the the volunteer's travel expenses and vaccinations, that would be money people donated for the people of these countries not being used for their benefit. I'm sure people who volunteer see the money they spend on these expenses as a donation to the charity.

    Also, the volunteers get a lot of personal benefits from going on these missions anyway.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    stereoroid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 418 ✭✭stereoroid


    Dori Duz wrote: »
    If the charity paid for the the volunteer's travel expenses and vaccinations, that would be money people donated for the people of these countries not being used for their benefit. I'm sure people who volunteer see the money they spend on these expenses as a donation to the charity.

    Also, the volunteers get a lot of personal benefits from going on these missions anyway.
    The money's coming out of someone's pocket regardless - so why add more to the financial burdens faced by students and their parents? IMHO the Catholic Church should pay, since these are, after all, "missions" to work with Catholic charities. (That's how it looks from that website.)


Advertisement