You found the place, have contacted the people, and are ever so close to booking your highly expensive plane ticket. There is only one minor thing getting in your way: Money. You may have all the best intentions and plans but there is always that issue of finding a way to fund your volunteer abroad trip. Fear not. If your motivation is clear and your goals set, there are many options to fund your volunteering experience.
At its core, volunteerism is based in the prowess of giving. You as a volunteer are hoping to give your thoughts and energy to another place and people. For such positive intentions, you will in turn find great rewards. Try not to let the number in your bank account deter you too much, and understand that funding your volunteer abroad trip is totally possible.
Many would love to have that rich relative to donate money to the cause of world travel, but it’s not the reality for most. Instead, try considering yourself and your community as part of a global family. Your home community is the best place to start for funding your volunteer abroad trip.
Start the process of funding your trip by getting the word out that you’re planning to volunteer in the near future. Let as many people know as you can. Sending this exciting news can get people interested in your journey. When you have the plans in place, use social media and other such devices to spread the awareness.
Once people know you want to experience a time of volunteering abroad, many are going to want to share this experience. Sure, they won’t be going with you, but they can experience it in other ways. Go to a local community center, church, or anywhere that you find has a healthy community of people. Let them know your plans and how you could use some help. Share with them the fact that as you go to the far sides of the world, you are also playing as a representative to your home community. Try making a plan that will allow them to see the road-map of your travels. Tell them you want to document everything and share it with them when you return. More than likely they would love to donate to your cause, if you return and offer them a small presentation of the people and places you saw.
There are many ways for funding your volunteer abroad trip. The key ingredient is building awareness and participation. Do your research and share it with your community. Create events, fundraisers, or online campaigns that let people know your goals. If nobody knows about your future endeavor, it’s going to be more difficult to get funding. Spread the word and create community ownership in this journey.
When your intentions are to help others, you may find that others also wish to help you. Good karma is all around. As you travel to a foreign place, allow others to travel with you. Even if they don’t join you on the plane, they will still appreciate taking part in your journey. Don’t hesitate to ask for help in funding your volunteer abroad trip. Just make it a point of discovering how you can “bring others with you” along the way.
Resources:
- Programs Overview
- USA Today‘s article on Budget volunteer vacations
Blake Sherman is a freelance writer and volunteer specialist. He currently resides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To see other writings by Mr. Sherman visit his blog
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