Volunteering programmes/travel - inside or outside the UK?

Question

I have friends who have done work abroad for charities and so on. They've gone away for a month or more, taught English or done some kind of volunteer work and then returned.

Where is the best place to get information on this?

Answer 1

VSO, based in your country, recently did a scathing report on these kinds of programs, because they feel that they actually do NOT do anything worthwhile for the people in developing countries and often put the volunteers in great danger.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6945370.st...

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/

For any organization, I suggest using the evaluation criteria I've detailed here:

Vetting Organizations in Other Countries

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

It provides a list of questions you should ask any organization saying that you don't have to be skilled or receive any training in order to go overseas and teach English, for instance.

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations like VSO that do NOT charge volunteers, and how you can gain that experience locally, wherever you are right *now*, no matter your age:

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

Answer 2

Definitely VSO but Jane says read more books has filled you in.  Good Luck!