Could anyone tell me how i can volunteer abroad for 6 months to a year?

Question

I just graduated college and am looking for a good experience.

Answer 1

Check into Projects Abroad. They are a very trusted organization that have volunteer programs around the world.

Back in 2003 I went through AFS to Japan and the cost for the program for a 2 month experience was close to $6,000. Projects abroad is much more affordable they offer same same security, live placement, food, insurance, saftey backup, as AFS except for a better price with more options to either volunteer to teach English, do a Care program with working with kids, or more specialized programs. And you have say when and how long you would like to stay and can customize the experience to what you want it to be, example, if you would like to be in an urban or rural area, stay in mudshacks or small towns, etc.

I highly recommend them.

The two links are the bottom will take you to Projects Abroad, and Projects Abroad UK. The only difference being Projects Abroad UK has an option to go to Pakistan in Lahore.

Answer 2

You could look at Peace Corps if you're American, or VSO (Volunteer Service Overseas). They're both excellent programs.

Answer 3

Nice that you are looking for a good experience... but organizations that don't charge for volunteering overseas are looking for people who have good experience and expertise that is not already to be found among local people.

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, or organizations that don't charge volunteers but require volunteers to be highly-skilled. It also links to organizations that place highly-skilled volunteers but do not charge them for such:

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

The goal of organizations working in poor countries is to give the local people jobs and to keep money local, not to give Westerners a feel-good vacation/experience -- hence why short-term placement agencies (in contrast to the aforementioned) charge unskilled volunteers a fee, or require these volunteers to pay their own way (flights, in-country transportation, health insurance, accommodation, food, security, translators, training, staff to create the service opportunities and then to supervise and support the volunteers in their service, liaisons with the police and local officials, etc.).

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 -- programs where you don't need to have much experience in order to participate, and the placements are just for a few weeks or months:

http://www.volunteerinternational.org/