What is the best & most demanding Volunteer experience?

Glacier

I'm planning on travelling for a couple of years but I don't just want to do the Backpacker thing. When I tell people I'm going travelling, I want to say I'm actually doing something worthwhile, not just messing. Are there any really intense volunteering experiences that anyone has done that they could recommend? I don't have qualifications, does that matter?

Neamhshuntasach

I volunteered for 2 months in Guatemala after Hurricane Stan. That was demanding. Long hours and also very demanding mentally as you would find bodies. Some times it was children. But it was a great feeling when you would find a family trapped under debris. I done that with the American Red Cross and i needed to do training. I had also helped with wildfires the previous summer.

I'm sure you can do disaster volunteering without experience or qualifications. You just may not be allowed do actual rescue stuff. Just removing rumble and debris which still is a huge help. A lot of non disaster volunteer courses require some level of comptency in the local langauge. Search on Thorntree or something for free volunteer courses.

dory

Ya you'll have to do a course for most things. I had to do a year course for my placement in India. If you don't have qualifications, would you not try and get some and then volunteer? Even learning another language or doing a tefl course will help. You have to think of something you could do that an unskilled local couldn't. Otherwise you'll have to pay someone like USIT for giving you a chance.

Glacier

Even if you're willing to pay, that's not a problem, what would be the best?

Neamhshuntasach

The best is what you want to do and what suits you. Do you wanna teach, disaster relief, help build houses, do something with animals, etc. Where do you want to do it? You have to narrow things down yourself and then look for an organization.

Also without qualifications you are basically an unskilled worker. They have plenty of people like that in their own country without outside help. So you'd be doing yourself a favor by a least doing some of course. Be it first aid, TEFL, learning a foreign language or whatever.

Glacier

Does anyone know any good international volunteering websites? I tried worldvolunteerweb.org & Idealis.org but they don't really have a forum where I can get answers to questions? Anyone know?

dory

Not sure about forums but I believe Irish Aid has a centre in Dublin. Think it could be O Connell street. I read that they have a drop in centre where people can ask questions but I haven't been in Ireland since it opened so I'm not sure.
There's info on the Irish Aid website.

BuffyBot

Merged.

Glacier, you do not need to start a new thread for every little tangent

Ideo

glacier, id just like to say that there are plenty of organisations out there which could use your help teaching english, helping in an orphanage if you get a medical qual like first aid or something, there are endless possibilities, but i would be weary of signing up to a volunteer experience like i-to-i for example where you have to pay a couple of hundred a week as part of your 'funding'.

kinda off topic, but i-to-i are a profit making organisation so dont be fooled into parting your cash with them!

good luck finding a volunteer experience!