Why pay for volunteer work?

• Not everyone always realizes that a contribution is generally requested for volunteer work, local room and board, or supervision.
• As a volunteer, you go to a certain country or choose a certain organization because you want to support the people there.
• Local organizations or projects often struggle to make ends meet. They already have enough problems providing their own employees or the project with the necessary resources.
• They often have no financial means at all to accommodate, transport, and support volunteers.
• They are happy to have volunteers, but often value permanent employees more. This is often more useful to them, because volunteers come and go.
• With your contribution, you support the project so that they can, for example, buy extra beds for a shelter, purchase teaching materials, or simply pay the energy bill.
• Organizations that do not ask for a contribution are more likely to create unfair competition. After all, you are taking the place of a local employee.

Why pay for board and lodging when volunteering abroad?

• When you stay with a host family, they incur much higher costs than usual, such as extra water, gas, and electricity, and three meals a day. Many host families simply cannot afford this without a contribution.
• When the project has a spare bed, they prefer to give it to a permanent local employee or, for example, an extra child who can be taken in.
• When you stay with a host family, you are also supporting a local family, which then receives a little more income and spends money on local shops
• Despite the fee you pay, you are a guest of a family and your host family is not ‘employed’ by you.

What kind of volunteering abroad without personal contribution (free) exist?

• Free volunteer work consists of projects and jobs that do not require a personal contribution, but which include room and board or even a small daily allowance. This type of project is often listed on WorldSupporter in the ‘paid work’ category, because compensation in kind can also be considered a salary.
• In general, these are projects with a more business-like setup, such as helping out at a hostel, language school, travel organization, or farm. Please note that if you do not pay a personal contribution but do have to pay for your own accommodation and food, it may sometimes be more expensive than volunteering where you do have to pay a personal contribution but are allowed to stay on the project site, for example. Ultimately, it is the total costs you incur per day that matter.

What should you keep in mind when deciding whether to pay a daily contribution for volunteer work abroad?

• Do you have sufficient funds? Then choose a reliable project or organization that has proven in the past that it has a long-term vision.
• Ask yourself whether you want to spend a little more money on quality, or whether you prefer a cheaper option that offers slightly lower quality or sustainability.
• If you don't have any money, then work for an organization that charges low fees but is committed to sustainability.
• You often pay a contribution so that a project can continue to exist. A project or organization is often dependent on sponsors and sometimes has difficulty making ends meet. Sometimes there is a minimum sponsorship contribution in addition to the direct costs for your room and board. You can raise this amount through crowdfunding among family and friends to limit the costs for yourself.
• You decide to volunteer in order to contribute to a project and a country. You choose a particular project because it appeals to you or because you would like to support it. It would be a shame if the organization behind that project spent all its funds on your accommodation. It would be even more unfortunate if the project could no longer afford to continue due to insufficient funding. That is why an organization expects volunteers to contribute to the project financially. By doing so, you help ensure the project's survival.
• If you are very independent and want to arrange everything yourself, an intermediary organization may not be the best choice.
• Keep in mind that volunteer work with (wild) animals is often more expensive.