Structured & Self-Funding Volunteer Programmes :Selection & Eligibilitybetween A$1000 and A$1700 a month, depending on the destination. Airfares and travel
insurance are also included. With the AYAD programme a variable establishment allow-
ance is provided to cover visas and settling-in costs (like purchasing a local SIM card, or a
kettle for that matter). A support allowance of A$350 is provided to cover any equipment
costs needed to complete assignment aims or help the volunteer with continuing language
classes. A resettlement allowance of A$600 is a welcome contribution to costs associated
with returning to Australia. Volunteers in this programme are effectively tax exempt for the
duration of their overseas assignment because they are not earning assessable income.
Local Culture
It is widely recognised that cultural exchange is one of the great benefits of international
volunteering. However, living 24/7 in a foreign culture for several months or years has
its challenges. Depending on where you go and what you do, you may encounter racism,
sexism or homophobia. Female volunteers working in male-dominated societies have to
overcome very specific gender issues and it is sometimes hard to be understanding of these
and sensitive in dealing with them.
You may also have to deal with local people reacting to you based upon your govern-
ment’s foreign policies. International volunteers from the United States, for example,
often face unique challenges. In the light of recent world events, the word ‘American’ may
trigger intense reactions in many parts of the world, both positive and negative. Prepare
yourself for this eventuality, and try to keep a low profile in public places. Loud exclama-
tions in your native English while striding through the marketplace, for instance, may
make you a target for pickpockets or cause an unexpected disturbance.
Australian and New Zealand volunteers are generally well received, particularly in the Asia-
Pacific region, as governments from these two nations have made concerted efforts to build
stability and prosperity in the region through their respective aid agencies. However, it’s
important to consider that certain political alliances the Australian Government has forged
in recent years may not have a loyal fan base in parts of the Middle East and Indonesia.
In addition to political concerns, volunteers also have to come to terms with stereotypical
notions local people might have about their nationality or culture. Perceptions about volun-
teers from the United States might be mixed, for instance. As the homeland of Hollywood,
Microsoft and more global cultural icons than you can shake a Kentucky Fried Chicken
drumstick at, many people believe they have a pretty good grasp of what an American is.
On the one hand, folks from the US are generally considered outgoing, optimistic and inde-
pendent; on the other, Americans are frequently thought of as rich, brash and arrogant.
On a more general note, like any traveller in a foreign culture you may be viewed as
something of a novelty and become the focus of a lot of attention. Unlike a traveller how-
ever you can’t just move on should it become overwhelming. This is exactly what Sarah
Turton initially found in Ghana. She confides:
The first weekend in Ghana I spent in the village. I wanted to settle in. It was very strange
as I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. No-one was particularly responsible for me
and I had this sense of apprehension about stepping out on my own. I mean, I stuck out
like a very, very sore thumb. It has confirmed to me that I would HATE to be famous.
I never realised how much I valued fitting in and being ‘one of the crowd’. I didn’t feel
confident going out alone and I got so pestered. I was the only obruni (white person) for
miles around.
To begin with, Jacqueline Hill, who volunteered in Bangladesh also felt a bit lost and
stressed in her new environment:
I did my own shopping in the market, gradually working out what all the strange-looking
vegetables were. I found cooking for myself difficult, as shopping was quite stressful. I
generated a lot of attention, could not recognise much of what was on offer and had to
haggle for everything.
And then, of course, there’s the language barrier. Some sending agencies or local NGOs
insist you speak the language of the country before you are accepted onto a programme.
This is particularly the case in Latin America. If you think about it, this requirement makes
perfect sense: as a volunteer you are ten times more useful if you can communicate with
everyone.
So, part and parcel of choosing where to volunteer is thinking carefully about the culture
and language of the country you wish to live in.Living Conditions
What will the accommodation and food be like? How will you entertain yourself
when you’re not volunteering? These are important questions and it is wise to research
the answers before you go abroad. Many volunteer organisations find accommodation
for you, but if you are a self-funding volunteer it will be up to you to find your
own accommodation.
Helen Tirebuck, Operations Manager at Challenges Worldwide (p139), says:
The country in which you are placed influences where you will stay. But, on the whole, our
volunteers live with local hosts. This might be a young family who is interested in hosting a
foreigner or it might be a colleague from the volunteer’s host organisation who has a spare
room. Living with a local host means there is instant support and local knowledge for the
volunteer on their arrival in country. There is also no better way to integrate into a culture
and learn about a new environment than from the locals themselves.
As Helen explains, homestays are common for international volunteers and have their
advantages. However, not everyone wants to live as part of someone else’s family for a sus-
tained period of time and sometimes privacy can be an issue. Obviously, homestay experi-
ences can also vary enormously, as Ian Flood found out when he volunteered in Bolivia:
I stayed with a large, very well-off family who employed four maids and lived in a big
house. The father was a medical professor at the local university. I had a top-floor room
with a large terrace, my own bathroom and great views over the city. This was an exception
and subsequent families were less well off, but I still had my own room and good meals. I
did not cook or wash up and they also did my laundry once a week.
Living in a shared flat or house with other volunteers is another popular option. Kate
Sturgeon, who volunteered in Zimbabwe with Médecins Sans Frontières (p145), says:
I lived in a house with five other people. We had a big garden and a small swimming pool,
so it was very nice. We had a lady who cooked our dinner during the week and did our
washing and cleaning so we were terribly spoilt.
Sharon Baxter, who volunteered with Rokpa UK Overseas Projects (p183), lived in a
shared flat when she volunteered in Tibet and tells a less luxurious story:
Inside the school compound there was a flat reserved for the English teachers. It had an
indoor ‘long drop’ toilet. There were electric lights but no running water. As the flat was
on the first floor it was hard work getting water, as it had to be carried up the stairs in
aluminium buckets. Due to the altitude, any physical exertion made you breathless. The
cooker in the flat regularly broke down, and I learnt how to purchase and replace the wire
element. I washed my clothes by hand in a basin on the table. Clothes tended to dry very
quickly even when the weather was cold, as the air is extremely dry.
Sharing your accommodation with a few flatmates is one thing, but sharing your kitchen
with a totally different species is another, as Jacqueline Hill discovered when she volun-
teered in Bangladesh:
I had a fridge but it only had a small freezer compartment which needed constant defrost-
ing. The ants got into everything, especially as they were able to chew through plastic. The
smaller cockroaches also managed to get into the fridge. Cooking was difficult, particularly
in the 40-degree heat and 98 per cent humidity of summer, and my diet became mainly02: Choosing Your Volunteer Experience:Arranging a Worthwhile Placement