Peace corps and other volunteer opportunities?

Question

ive been looking into opportunities with the peace corps recently, however, from what i can tell, you must serve a two year term. does anyone know of any organizations like the peace corps where there is only a one year service term? or does anyone know of any other good volunteer opportunities? im at a point right now, where i just don't feel like school is the right option for me right and need to go out and try something that will be meaningful to me. thanks for the help! it's much appreciated!

Answer 1

The Peace Corps requires 26-27 months of service, depending on the country you are placed in. There is 2-3 months of training in which you learn the countries language, culture, get trained in your work area, live with a host family, get trained in safety, how to do certain things, etc. Then there are 24 months (2 years) of volunteering "on site" (you get places in a village, town, city) where you live and work in the community. You have to apply for this in which you submit an online application/2 essays/3 recommendations...then you complete their legal kit they send to you...then you interview and get a nomination (a "we may send you here to do this, but it could change")....then you complete the medical kit they send you....then you wait to be dentally and medically cleared...once you are you get an invitation to serve with the PC. I know, it sounds like a lot. That much work just to be able to volunteer, and then you have to be gone for 27 months.

But look at it this way--they have you go through that strict application process because they want to make sure you are serious about volunteering and they need to know every detail about your health so they can best take care of you overseas.

And look at the 27 month commitment this way: other volunteer organizations just put you in and take you out....you do something, but how can you truly make an impact on a community in a week to a few months? The PC has such a long term bc they want their volunteers to be fully immersed in their community--language, culture, work, living--so they they become a member of that community and can better serve them, get more done, and help the community find a way to be able to keep up the work after the volunteer leaves. You make friends and gain "family" in the community, you speak their language, sing their songs, participate in their rituals, go to their weddings and funerals, eat their food, live in the same housing.

however, the PC isn't for everyone, not by any means. It is a HUGE commitment and some people don't have the time for it or can't sacrifice 2 years. And we all understand that. Its a huge thing. So if you want something more short term, by all means do it! A couple weeks, a month, a few months, 6 months, or even a year. even if you start out at a month you could always extend it, or may find later that it inspires you to do the PC.

A domestic volunteer program is americorps: http://www.americorps.org/

A work and volunteer program abroad is BRUNAC: http://www.bunac.org/

I've never seen this before, just never looked into it: http://www.culturalextremes.com/

Global Volunteers: http://www.globalvolunteers.org

I hear a lot about Cross-Cultural Solutions: http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org

This seems Great too: http://www.globalcrossroad.com/

JET Program is teaching English in Japan: http://www.jetprogramme.org/

Paid Teaching in China:

http://www.globalcrossroad.com/teach_in_...

Teaching English Abroad Programs:

http://www.worldteach.org/

http://www.englishfirst.com/index.html

Internship in Australia/NZ:; http://www.australearn.org/Programs/Inte...

I totally vote PC because I'm applying :) But any of those programs above would be great! Good luck in whatever you do!

Answer 2

If you use YA's advanced search option for the words "Peace Corps" you'll get some sponsored links. Many will expect you (or your friends  and neighbors) to bear some or all of the cost.

The Peace Corps gives you three months of training. You'll learn  your host country's language, history, religion(s) and culture, plus get some vocational training. (I learned Malay, Iban and Hokkien, then practice taught for six weeks, under the supervision of a master teacher, for instance.) They provide dental and medical care, a living allowance and some after-service placement counsling. They pay for your air fare over and back. It would not be cost-effective to do all that for someone who stayed on the job for a couple of weeks.

If you want to pay your own way, provide your own medical / dental insurance and already speak the language, there are a number of organizations that will place you for as little as a week. Some people take two-week "working" vacations as volunteers and have a ball. Some don't even require you to speak the language. (Not a problem if you volunteer inside the USA).

Here are two:

http://www.vso.org.uk/

(Based in the UK, takes volunteers from anywhere, has a six-month "programme" for people 18 - 25) I knew VSO volunteers when I was in the Peace Corps 30 years ago. They are a solid, well-known organization.

Student Conservation Association

http://www.thesca.org/

My daughter spent a summer with them. You pay for your food and air fare, they loan you a tent. You spend 4-6 weeks doing manual labor in a national park in the USA with a great bunch of other kids. They will take volunteers as young as 16.

Here are some others have mentioned. I know nothing else about them:

http://www.globalvolunteers.org

http://www.earthwatch.org

http://www.unitedplanet.org

http://www.volunteerabroad.com

This is the a long but comprhensive page about volunteering.

It has a list of reputable organizations, but you should read

the advice, too:

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

You didn't ask, but those 27 months in the Peace Corps may be the high point of your life. You'll certainly be seeing the world in a new light, smelling new smells, eating new foods, meeting new people. They fly by. At 22, looking forward, they seem like a long time. At 60, looking back, they don't.