Are there other international outreach programs like the Peace Corp? What are some of them?

Question

Are there other international outreach programs like the Peace Corp? What are some of them?

Answer 1

While not exactly like the Peace Corps, Care offers aide all over the world.  Care employees actually get paid a reasonable salary for their efforts.

Answer 2

If you mean other volunteer-sending programs -- yes. Many rich countries like the USA (Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, etc.) have programs for skilled volunteers to go to developing countries to work on a project from six months to two years.

There's also programs for unskilled volunteers -- people who can't work in a language other than English, don't have an area of expertise in high demand in the developing world (like urban water sanitation, organic farming, co-op development, medical, etc.) and can't commit longer than just a few weeks or months. In these programs, volunteers pay their own way (flights, in-country transportation, health insurance, accommodation, food, security, translators, training, staff to supervise and support them in their service, liaisons with the police and local officials, etc.). The reason is because it's much better for a local community to hire local people for jobs (allowing them to provide for their families) rather than spend money to house and feed an unskilled outsider -- by charging the volunteer, the organization doesn't take away from local people.

There is a listing of the more-than-30 member organizations of the International Volunteers Program Association (IVPA) that is a good place to find reputable volunteer-for-a-fee programs.

http://www.volunteerinternational.org/

You can also try United For Sight. The goal of Unite For Sight and its partner eye clinics and communities is to create eye disease-free communities. "While helping the community, volunteers are in a position to witness and draw their own conclusions about the failures and inequities of global health systems. It broadens their view of what works, and what role they can have to insure a health system that works for everyone..." This program was featured on CNN International. Volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, are 18 years and older, and there is no upper age limit. It is obligatory for accepted volunteers to purchase insurance coverage through Unite for Sight's recommended provider, and volunteers are responsible for all travel arrangements, visa vaccine requirements, lodging, airfare, food, and any additional expenses. http://www.uniteforsight.org/intl_volunt...

Another overseas volunteer-sending organization based in the USA that will send unskilled volunteers for short-term assignments (six months or less) that seems reasonably-priced is SCI - Service Civil International (http://www.sci-ivs.org/). I know *nothing* about them other than what's on their web site, so please don't consider the listing of this organization in my answer as an endorsement.

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, and how you can gain that experience locally, wherever you are right *now*, no matter your age. You are never too young nor too old to start engaging in activities and training that will make you a viable candidate for long-term volunteer placement agencies:

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volu...