What organizations will let a 13 year old go to a different country to volunteer?

Question

Im thirteen and would really like to go to a different country such as Africa or China and help less fortunate then me. I have been trying to research but all of the organizations i have found require you to be at least 16 or 18 years old. Does anyone have any advice?

Answer 1

That is FANTASTIC that you want to do this!

Probably for insurance or liability purposes, the organizations have an age limit, so you may not be able to find a program that will let you travel overseas at 13.

Have you tried looking in your community for programs where you can volunteer that would help the elderly, people in hospitals, etc.?

Answer 2

I am not trying to belittle you because of your age, but 16-18 is better. We all think we know better at 13, I did.

I understand that you want to help people, and you can for the time being by volunteering at shelters or food banks. There are also many organizations that help people from other countries that you can look into.

Answer 3

At 13, no international program is going to take you unless maybe your parents go to.

A better is idea is to engage in activities that will make you a better candidate for volunteering internationally when you are older, like working in HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns, learning another language well enough to work in, joining FFA, working with immigrants, etc.

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by volunteer placement agencies, and how you can engage in activities now to make you an attractive candidate some day:

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

Even when you turn 18, you are going to be too young to volunteer for groups that send skilled volunteers to the developing world and *don't* charge the volunteers for the experience. Therefore, start saving money now, as you will have to pay a few thousand dollars for flights, in-country transportation, health insurance, accommodation, food, security, translators, training, staff to supervise and support you in your 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 -- but placements require you to be 18:

http://www.volunteerinternational.org/

Answer 4

I think it's great that you want to volunteer at another country but you should definitely wait. Depending on what you help with in that country, it could be scarring. Try UNICEF. You can help them here but they help people around the world.

Answer 5

Hi  please do check out this site http://kchanneluap.blogspot.com it's really really good and please feel free to comment. If you like what you see, you can help us more by linking our site to your blogs or posting it in your social network accounts (friendster, multiply, facebook). Please help us spread the word. Thanks! :)

Answer 6

Very good idea. Wait for a couple or two years. This is time for you to do it locally to be groomed up for a greater interrnational role