Cost/Money Matter
The idea of volunteering is now getting more popular as many people are taking part in it. It is a lifelong experience to meet new people, learn their culture and help them with their need. But such sort of rewarding experience does not come for free. You must pay fee for all volunteer organization to participate in volunteer abroad projects to arrange your volunteer program, food, accommodation and other program overheads. In addition, volunteer abroad program also incur other cost such as airfare, travel, visa, medication and vaccination, insurance and pocket money. This article will help to figure out the cost incurred during volunteer overseas. Volunteer abroad costs are explained in more detail in questions below:
How much does it cost to volunteer abroad?
The cost for volunteer abroad depends upon various factor such as organization you are selecting, country you are going, program you are interested in, length of time you are staying for and many other. For example, volunteering in a developing or poorer country like Nepal is a bit cheaper than volunteering in country like Argentina. Volunteering in a school as teacher can be cheaper than medical programs since, it incurs additional charges for supplies, etc. the volunteer abroad cost can range from $200 to $3000 for 2-week program depending upon country and program you are selecting. It is important to be careful and compare different cost available.
What does the fee cover?
Depending on the organization and program, the fee covers the administration cost of the organization including advertisement, utilities, rent, employee salaries and other business expenses. Your program fee also covers in-country expenses such as meal and accommodation, office expenses and a project donation. Research thoroughly and check to see if the organization provides allocation of fees in a transparent manner or not.
What are other costs should I be aware of?
The fee you pay for a volunteer program will not cover everything you need for volunteer abroad program. You need to allocate extra money for additional expenses like airfare, vaccination and medication, visa and travel insurance, etc. Moreover, if you are applying for a medical or health project you need more money for additional expenditures like supplies. You may also require paying extra cost for orientation and training program depending upon the program you are applying for.
Where does the money go?
This is the mostly asked question when it comes to volunteer abroad. But as discussed earlier the cost you pay will be divided in certain portion as per the organization's consideration. Some of it will go to host family for your meals and accommodation. some of it go as project donation.
Some portion of your money will also go to your organization's need like salaries to employees, advertisement and other promotional material which keeps organization up and running.
Does my host family get money? How much?
Obviously, you host family and local volunteer project will get money as a part of your fee. It depends upon the country and program you are volunteering for. According to our research, host family receives $50-$200 per month depending upon the country to accommodate you.
Will there be any grant, discount or deals from volunteer organization?
Most of the volunteer organizations are non-governmental and do not get government funding. These organization entirely depend upon the volunteer fees. So, they may provide you any discount or offer any grant. However, it is possible to negotiate for discount on program fee.
Is there any way to reduce the cost?
You can make online researches to find Cost reducing Tips. Please refer to section 26 on ways to reduce the cost of volunteering abroad.
Is there a deadline to pay fees?
Deadline to pay fees varies according to the organization. You need to check their website or contact them for more information.
What happen if I cancelled?
Different organization have their own refund policy. So, please check with respective organization to find out what happens when you cancel the program.
Can I raise fund? How?
Often time people think of raising fund as they cannot cover all part of the cost for their trip. For this, you can visit some crowdsourcing website like GoFundMe . You can also ask fund by approaching local business in your area to sponsor you. Ask you friend and family, start a crowdfunding campaign, or host a fundraising party. To get more idea on raising fund you are read following articles:
- 40 Fundraising Ideas for Study Abroad
- Ideas on how to fund raise for volunteer trip
- Volunteer Fundraising Tips
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