Volunteering. While the fields of work are varied, the end result is the same – helping other people. And with so many volunteering opportunities all over the world, you’re bound to find something for you… as long as you know where to look, what questions to ask, and how to stay away from those scams. This is where Kirsty Henderson’s The Underground Guide to International Volunteering: For experiences that go beyond beaches and the backpacker trail comes in. An eBook that was created out of a passion for volunteerism, a desire to share, and an incentive to raise US$10,000 for a good cause (namely the disaster relief organization Hands on Disaster Response).
Kirsty has lived abroad since 2001, worked in London, Australia, New Zealand, and Beijing, backpacked through Asia, Europe, Central America and the Middle East, volunteered in Madrid, taught English in China, and done disaster relief work in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Haiti. Like fellow devoted volunteers know, there are other ways to see the world, connect with locals, and give your experiences abroad a greater meaning than following the tourist trail. Where you can offer your time instead of your money.
Divided into ninr parts, the eBook is based on Kirsty’s own volunteering experiences and blends personal stories with information, advice, interviews, and insights.
The chapters include:
1. Introduction to the Ebook - The who, the why, and the cause.
2. Introduction to International Volunteering – The basics: what it is, why to volunteer, and how volunteers contribute.
3. Is Volunteering Right for You? - Traits of a good volunteer, your motivations, who volunteers, and answer to common worries and concerns.
4. Types of Volunteering – Skilled versus unskilled volunteering, development volunteering, conservation and wildlife volunteering plus emergency and disaster relief volunteering.
5. Choosing a Volunteering Experience – Including questions to better help you select the right project and organization, requirements, and finding a worthwhile placement.
6. Paying to Volunteer – Fee-based volunteering, paying for meals and lodging, where your fee goes, whether you should pay plus opposing views from two former volunteers, a list of international fee-based volunteering companies, and a comparison of programs.
7. Finding Volunteering Opportunities – Where to find fee-based, cheap or free volunteer placements.
8 Practical Stuff – Visas, travel insurance, preparations, packing, health and hygiene, living conditions, expectations, and communication.
9. Free and Cheap Volunteering Opportunities – The last chapter includes a list of volunteering companies and organizations.
At only $14, this eBook is a real bargain for anyone interested in volunteering – regardless of previous experience. For more information or to purchase your own copy, visit nerdynomad.com/volunteering
As a founder of Nerdy Nomad and a bunch of other travel sites, Kirsty Henderson still travels the world and volunteers with projects in need of a helping hand. You can connect with Kirsty via Twitter at travoholic.