Make a Difference
If you want to go beyond donating money and actually give your own time to make a difference. Check out the many opportunities that exist for doing this around the world. Whether you're interested in volunteering in an Asian orphanage, saving the Belize Underwater Coral from erosion or the African monkey from extinction – there's food for thought here...
I am interested in...
- Conserving the environment
- Fighting poverty
- Heath and medical volunteering
- Helping the Third World
- Working with animals
- Working with children
- I'm not sure, I just want to make a difference
Conserving the Environment
- BTCV is a summer program that requires volunteers for environmental cleanups.
- African Conservation Experience is a placement program that places volunteers in Game and Nature Reserves. Volunteer placements are from 1-3 months and you can combine two or more projects in one trip. Age range is from 17 up and retirees are also welcome.
- Coral Cay Conservation Expeditions is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that trains volunteers from all nationalities to collect scientific data to aid conservation. Expeditions have no maximum duration but are for a minimum of 2 weeks.
- Global Vision International provides volunteering abroad, marine conservation projects and endangered wildlife projects.
Fighting Poverty
- ActionAid UK is an organization that helps communities in the poorest parts of the world fight poverty.
- VSO is an international development agency that promotes volunteering to fight global poverty, by supporting people to share skills, creativity and learning with communities around the world.
- VSO is an international placement company that places volunteers around the world for at least 2 year placements. Not just for gap year students they have lots of people aged 38 and over.
Health and Medical Volunteering
- Camphill is a community of people that live, work and learn together, the co-workers and people with special needs live together in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
- Mercy Ships is a charitable organization that operates hospital
ships that go all over the world
bringing medical aid to anyone in need. - Medecins Sans Frontiers is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 70 countries.
Helping the Third World
- PEPY is a non-profit organization working to improve educational opportunities in rural Cambodia and offering unique adventures for those looking to give-back while they travel.
- Aid Camps International is a registered charity offering short term placements overseas for aid work run by local non-governmental organizations in the Third World.
- Karen Hilltribes Trust is a charity organization that is focused on improving the health, supporting education and providing a sustainable income for the Thai Karen.
- MondoChallenge sends volunteers to help with development programs in Africa, Asia and South America. All volunteers live and work alongside the locals.
Working With Animals
- The Dolphin Connection is an organization that helps volunteers with programs that protects the marine environment thru working with marine mammals
- Orangutan Foundation is a charitable organization that supports orangutans and preserving their environments.
Working With Children
- International China Concern organizes volunteer opportunities for those wishing to work in orphanages in China and also offers sponsorship opportunities for orphans.
- Cry Street Children Project is a Christian group fighting poverty.
- Room to Read provides opportunities to get involved in adopting projects to build schools, libraries, computer labs in countries around the world including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Africa, Laos, Cambodia, India, as well as opportunities to sponsor scholarships.
- Task Brazil is a charity organization that helps the street kids of Brazil.
I'm Not Sure, I Just Want to Make a Difference
- Christian Aid is a Christian volunteer group that provides international aid.
- Do-it.org is a website dedicated to helping you find any type of volunteer work from 1 day events to longer periods of work.
- Idealist.org presents thousands of volunteer opportunities in your community and around the world, and a list of organizations that can help you volunteer abroad.
- Global Volunteer Network offers volunteer opportunities in communities throughout the world working with people.
- International Voluntary Service is a peaceful organization that does volunteer work promoting peace and sustainability for local and global communities.
- Outreach International is a placement charity that places volunteers in programs overseas.
- Volunteer Canada's website is dedicated for helping people volunteer in Canada.
