Volunteer Travel

What is volunteer travel and is it the same as voluntourisim? 

Volunteer Travel can be described in a simplistic way, as travellers who volunteer to help a charity, community group or other ‘good cause’. Offering services to the country or community you visit with a focus on making a difference to that community or group, such as helping in times of need or working to make an environmental difference. 

Voluntourism by contrast could be seen as being a tiny bit selfish, in that the travel is focused more on the experience for the traveller, finding out about good causes or trying first hand the unpaid chores that many great volunteers undertake.
There are a vast array of companies who offer packages touring say, Africa, going from village to village offering a hands on experience distributing aid or water cleaning solutions.

Volunteer Travel and Voluntourisim are both very noble and admirable reasons to travel, and while you can certainly give much and make a huge difference to others’ lives, there can also be wonderful rewards for you too. Just the chance to be in at a grass roots level and learn about a different culture while providing meaningful help, gaining experience from the University of Life, or helping with flora or fauna conservation or community clean ups can be far more rewarding than any monetary recompense.

What’s the difference between a working holiday and volunteering holidays?

The rewards can be very similar; but a working holiday differs in that you work to pay your way while your labour is offered for free when volunteering.

(Hopefully) A working holiday can at least supplement your travel, by providing board, lodgings or cash in exchange for your valuable time for things such as service work in cafes or bars or following the fruit picking harvest times; providing your short term help at high intensity labour requirement times on farms, ski resorts, holiday camps etc – a sort of labour surge solution if you like. The mutual benefits are often that you get cheap or free accommodation or cash for part time hours from employers who need a helping hand on a short term basis that wouldn’t warrant a full-time employee, enabling you to travel further and for longer on a tighter budget.

I need three volunteers. You, you and you!

While you take the time to help others, we’ve got your back, domestically or internationally, with our great range of policies and there is nothing more you need to do when taking out cover, volunteering is covered automatically in all our policies.

Remember that some people can offer criticism or view Voluntourism and volunteering as a ‘resume’ packer by filling your next job application with unique experiences to help you stand out or providing an alibi for blocks of time where you had a gap year, so be sure your heart is in the right place and that your time and efforts are well placed and well intentioned.

We know your heart is in the right place and we applaud your efforts. We love that you care enough to try to make a difference, and we know that you CAN make a difference, so come on, who’s gonna get out there and change a life, or even change the world?