Volunteer: A Traveller’s Guide To Making A Difference Around The World
By: Lonely Planet
Studying and volunteering abroad are valuable experiences for many students, so in February, we will be reading Volunteer: A Traveller’s Guide To Making A Difference Around The World written by Lonely Planet. This book provides students with a resource to learn about volunteer opportunities abroad in a variety of fields such as conservation and emergency relief.
The book has ten sections each focusing on a different stage of the international volunteering experience. They are: (1) International Volunteering an Overview, (2) Choosing Your Volunteer Experience, (3) The Practicalities, (4) Tying Up Loose Ends, (5) Organized Volunteer Opportunities, (6) Structured & Self-Funding Volunteer Programs, (7) Religious Organizations, (8) Do-It-Yourself Volunteer Placements, (9) Coming Home, and (10) Start Your Own Charitable Project. Each of these sections includes further information on the specifics of the logistics of that area.
One main theme in the book is the benefits of volunteering for you personally and in the area that you are working in. Being able to see the impact that you can have firsthand while volunteering abroad is very powerful and volunteering abroad can also open doors for future work abroad.
Going abroad to volunteer can be very feasible if you know where to look. Volunteer includes many organizations including AFS Intercultural Programs, Global Volunteers, and Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) that potential volunteers can connect with to find placement with funded programs as well as ways to find funding for themselves which is a key factor for a successful experience.
If you are looking for summer opportunities including volunteering abroad, come check out the book in the CEC in MVR 1203 as well as our other helpful resources!
