Volunteering Through a Travel Company

Going off intrepidly on your own might have that extra tinge of freedom if you've arranged it all yourself, but going through a company can save you a lot of hassle! With planes flying to the four corners of the Earth in the time it used to take to get to the seaside on the train, world travel sometimes sounds easy! While it's fair to say that it's easier than in the old days (when long-distance travel meant hiring a team of porters and a pack of horses), there are still reasons for caution. Pioneering spirits who want to hop on a plane and find a volunteering project themselves when they arrive, shouldn't underestimate how difficult it can be.

The existence of volunteer travel providers reflects the experience it takes to find and vet genuinely worthwhile, safe volunteer projects. Those who choose to travel independently can limit the danger by taking basic precautions but it's impossible to eradicate all the risks. It's not our job to convince you how to travel; after all, travel is about having the freedom to go wherever you want and do whatever you want. However, this article will point out what you get when you travel through a company so you can make up your own mind.

Safe, worthwhile projects
Volunteer travel providers make sure that when you donate your time and effort you do so on volunteer projects that are well placed to make a lasting difference. Too many projects are either set up to cater for the demands of western travelers rather than the local population, or are well intentioned but badly run. The biggest single advantage of volunteering through a travel company is the guarantees you get about the projects; we only work with projects set up by the local community itself and have made sure that each one is both safe and sustainable.

Real support
Local knowledge is worth more than all the guide books in the world. That's why we make sure that when you travel with us you get direct access to people who live and work in the country. No matter how many volunteers are spoken to, it's hard to know all the short cuts in a city or the best local restaurants to eat in! Companies do, however, offer in-country teams in destinations all over the world to give you the sort of inside knowledge that will make you feel like a local!

No matter how well you plan, sometimes things go wrong, and when you're traveling in unfamiliar places that risk is heightened. When you travel with a company not only is the risk of encountering problems lower but you'll also find a support network ready and able to help if the worst happens. There will be a fully-trained team available 24 hours a day 365 days a year ready to help in the unlikely event that you need emergency assistance. There's nothing they prefer than never hearing the phone ring, and normally it doesn't, but if it does you can be sure they'll dash out to the nearest phone box, put our underpants on over our trousers and sort out your problems quicker than a speeding bullet!

Guaranteed placement
A journey is a lot less stressful if you know where you're going! Arriving on your own in a foreign country is no joke and can be a real challenge. Most good companies work with good projects so you know that after you've been shown around by your in-country support, they will be there waiting for you, ready to give you all the extra help and advice you need to make the most of your trip. Because they will have sent people to the project before we know exactly what awaits you and can advise you what to expect as well as what to bring.

Your placement fee
Your fee guarantees you a more comfortable trip and also enables us to grow and help more people. It normally covers things like food, accommodation, airport transfer and in-country support and in many cases, Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) training. Perhaps most importantly, part of your fee ultimately helps us source further worthwhile projects that can be of real benefit to people around the world. Traveling with a good volunteer travel provider means contributing to a movement that can help more and more people as it grows.

Chris Soames - I to I Gap Year Travel provide life-changing travel experiences with our range of volunteer abroad and gap year travel programs. by Chris Soames