Author: Dr. Barbara Edwards | Princeton, NJ

There are countless resources online to help you find the right program to get you out into the world and helping those in need. You should consider your budget, your cause, and the location you’d like to serve. There are programs that may claim to be free, but you should be wary of programs that sound too good to be true. There are, however, ways to reduce the amount of money you invest in an abroad volunteer trip if cost is what’s holding you back.

The Truth About “Free” Programs

Though some volunteer programs may claim to be free, they are likely referring to a waived participation fee. It’s common that you’ll still find yourself paying for transportation, housing, and food. However, you may still find programs that’ll utilize grant money that covers everything but transportation. These programs are typically more long term.

How to Reduce Expenses

• Buy Cheap Airfare: look for tickets as far away from the departure date as possible for a good deal. Many believe that Tuesday late afternoon is the perfect time to find an inexpensive flight. Comparing prices in a private browser can also help. Avoid purchasing flights that depart on Fridays and Sundays.
• Crowdsource: Subsidizing your trip with donations from friends and family can be a great help. Include a compelling letter outlining why you’ll be volunteering and how a donation could help the mission.
• Apply for scholarships: there are several scholarship programs for those who want to teach English internationally. Getting certified to teach English in a foreign country can cost a few hundred dollars, but it could equate to thousands of dollars in grants or scholarships.
• Explore options: Compare programs and compile a list of possible expenses that may pop up while you’re volunteering. Different geographic locations may also be more expensive than others.

Online Resources

• Freevolunteering.net – A great starting point to find programs with no participation fee
• Helpstay.com – Hosts list their volunteer opportunities and the housing arrangement included in exchange for your work.
• Wwoof.net – find a location to work and live as an organic farmer
• Movingworlds.org – sign up for access to their volunteer database and Global Fellowship application.

Finding a place to volunteer abroad is a decision that should be made with a lot of research. Take your time when considering the location and amount of time you’d like to dedicate to the cause. Working with a vetted organization that is experienced in guiding volunteers can help put your mind at ease.

Read more about Dr. Edwards Princeton

Before you embark on a new volunteer opportunity, you’ll want to make sure the mission is something you’ll feel strongly about. More specifically, you’ll want to be sure your skillset will enable you to fit in and help in a meaningful way. Simply showing up and being of service to someone might not afford you an immersive experience that can be mutually beneficial to you and the organization. You’ll want to identify your own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can impact the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission.

Here are five types of volunteers and the organizations that line up with those skillsets:

1.  Local Thinker You’re the type of person who feels like the problems you see in your community are solvable with a little elbow grease. You love the idea of civic engagement, like to vote in local elections, and listen to your neighbors when they come to you with problems they see in the community. You’ll do great at an organization whose sole mission is to impact the place where you live. International or national organizations may have goals that are too lofty for your to wrap your head around, and you should look for opportunities with local youth groups, animal shelters, environmental groups, or even joining a local politician’s election campaign.
2. Global Actor You watch the news and feel a deep sense of connection with someone who lives thousands of miles away, but you still feel a drive to help them. You feel that technology has created a more level playing field for people to interact from across the globe and that it’s a beautiful thing. You’ll feel a sense of purpose at a multinational nonprofit like those through the United Nations, the Peace Corps, well digging charities, or a religious international missionary group.
3. Organizer You put action into your own hands: you’re independent and have the spirit of a social entrepreneur. No problem is too big or too small and you’re great at delegating and managing the big picture. You should start an initiative of your own under the umbrella of another nonprofit, or even think about establishing one of your own, given your financial and time constraints. Often, large organizations are looking to open new chapters in cities, or local organizations need self-starters to manage smaller programs. Find a cause you feel passionately about and get started.
4. Creative You live outside the box. You’ve taken a non-traditional approach to life and think of innovative ways to solve issues. You’re optimistic and artistic and are able to be compassionate in the way you teach a craft to others. You should look for ways to give back through art therapy, directing a choir, teaching underprivileged youth an instrument, or even doing nature tours with meditation. The world is your oyster!
5. Technical Problem Solver You like numbers and data and are timid about interacting with a population you’re unfamiliar with, but nonetheless would like to help. Your profession is all about being behind the scenes and you can come up with creative solutions that your coworkers hadn’t thought of before. You should look for volunteer opportunities as office help or tech support. You can help prep for an event like chopping vegetables at a soup kitchen or creating a social media campaign for an organization.

Whatever type of volunteer you are, you can be a catalyst for change in your community. Explore https://www.volunteermatch.org/ to find an opportunity that is right for you.

Dr. Barbara Edwards Princeton is an internist with a passion for volunteering and living your healthiest life.

In recent years, businesses are becoming more dependent on technology, and as a result their workforce inherently needs a higher level set of skills. Educated millennials that are seeking employment today are looking for companies which help them find a sense of purpose. They generally want to be challenged and are optimistic and autonomous. In order to entice high caliber employees from this younger generation, organizations are learning that corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are granting them a fantastic return on investment.

Workplace giving programs have become less about how much money an organization can donate, but rather the quality of the time they’re donating. Workplace supported volunteer programs are a benefit to employees looking to find a higher purpose in their work.

Here are 5 reasons companies should adopt Workplace Giving Programs that support volunteerism:

1. Recruiting Better Employees
Recruiting young, fresh talent can be easier said than done with so many graduates entering the workforce with degrees but no concrete experience. Hiring is an expensive, time consuming process, and if the wrong candidate is chosen, there can be serious implications for the company. The numbers don’t lie; according to a study, 86% of millennial employees would consider leaving if their employer’s CSR program failed to meet their expectations, and 88% gravitated toward companies with pronounced CSR programs. The best CSR programs entail getting employees out of their seats and on their feet helping others.

2. Professional Development
Hands-on experience is the best way to learn a new skill, and becoming involved with an organization can enable employees to gather skills for their personal development. More well-rounded employees foster a better company culture. By giving them time to experience this level of learning, employees can feel less pressured to find those opportunities outside of work, which can make them less productive.

3. Engage the Local Community
With so much time spent at work on a given week, it can be difficult to fully emerge yourself into all that your community has to offer. Getting out there and meeting the faces of your neighbors not only creates an opportunity to raise awareness about your company, but it also can help employees feel a more connected sense of purpose.

4. Enhanced Morale
People feel better when they are being motivated by the idea that what they’re doing is helping to serve a purpose that’s bigger than themselves. By interweaving the company’s mission with a broader goal to help the global or local community, employees can feel that they are contributing to that mission while volunteering. This also gives employees a time and place to interact outside of work and can double as productive team building. Studies also show that volunteering decreases stress levels.

5. Impactful Investing
Your company’s CSR plan is in place to ensure that your profits are being realized in a sustainable, positive way without negative externalities. When implemented correctly, businesses see how their practices influence their employees to be more engaged, and thus work more efficiently. This plan is a win-win as it helps all stakeholders involved. When companies are engaged locally, it is not uncommon that news outlets cover the events, which can be a source of free publicity to entice new clients and customers.

Dr. Barbara Edwards Princeton is an internist with a passion for volunteering and living your healthiest life.