Long-term volunteering opportunities sound like the dream—working on interesting projects, meeting new people, and making a difference at the same time. The best part? Since you’re there long term, you get to see the project develop from the beginning until the end. You also build more meaningful connections with your colleagues and locals and have more time to fine-tune your skills.
But unlike shorter projects, long-term volunteering requires a bigger commitment. This means higher costs, more time away from friends and family, and time off from work or school.
So are these projects worth it? The short answer is yes when you have everything sorted!
Is long-term volunteering right for me?
Long term volunteering requires a big commitment, but it’s worth it!
If you’re considering long-term volunteering, you’ve probably already volunteered short-term, be it in your home country or abroad. Long-term volunteering may seem similar, as you’ll do volunteering tasks in both cases. While this is true, there are some big differences you should take into account.
When you’re volunteering long-term, you’ll probably be gone for several months to a year. Make sure you’re ready to be away from home, work, or school.
Plus, keep in mind that most long-term volunteer opportunities aren’t free—you’ll need to pay a program fee covering your accommodation, food, and training costs. Before you jump in, consider your budget and personal commitments.
Once you have it all figured out, the benefits of volunteering long term outweigh the drawbacks. You get to see how a project develops from the idea stage all the way to implementation. This means a bigger impact, deeper connections with your colleagues, and more advanced skills!
5 Tips for Long-Term Volunteering
Short term volunteering programs give you a gist of the destination, while longer ones make it possible to truly get to know a country, learn the culture, and improve your new skills. Here are five tips to make sure you have a great experience:
1. Think about why you want to volunteer abroad.
Whether you’re drawn to helping people or animals, knowing the type of volunteer project you want will go a long way.
What skills do you have to offer? Why do you want to volunteer abroad? How will a longer duration help your future goals?
Answering these questions will help you understand what projects might be a fit and whether you’re considering long term volunteering for the right reasons. For example, if you’re an environmental science graduate who enjoys working on research projects, it may be interesting to volunteer long term on environmental projects that allow you to observe seasonal changes, get more meaningful research results, and make more connections.
2. Educate yourself on how to find the best volunteer organizations.
You don’t want to find yourself dealing with a volunteer abroad scam, or get stuck in an unethical project long term! Find out about where to find the best volunteering programs—GoAbroad’s volunteer abroad database is a good start!
3. Understand the commitment.
Long term volunteering means a significant investment—both financially and personally. Make sure you understand how much it will cost, how long you’ll be away, and how intense the work will be.
Then you’ll need to plan your personal life and budget around the experience. This will most likely include saving money, researching scholarships, getting vaccinations, or giving notice at your job.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before, during, and after the program.
Asking the right questions will help set you up for a fulfilling volunteer experience.
If you have a bad experience with a short term volunteer program, at least you know that it will be over in a couple of weeks. Long term volunteer opportunities, however, usually last a couple of months or a year.
So it’s even more important to ask questions throughout the program. This way, you’ll learn more about your tasks, the living conditions, and the support available.
5. Make checklists.
You’ll need to do lots of admin tasks before you leave. So why not consider making a pre-departure checklist?
In your checklist, note getting necessary vaccinations, applying for visas on time, signing up for travel insurance, and finding out about the emergency contact information of your host country.
Consider making a separate packing list to have all essentials, including appropriate clothing for the climate, any required work gear, and personal items to make your experience comfortable.
5 Best Projects for Long-Term Volunteering
Need some inspiration on what you can do as a long-term volunteer? Here are the top five causes that pique volunteers’ interests:
1. Wildlife
Where? South Africa, Kenya, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and more!
Volunteer with elephants in Africa, work in rainforests in Costa Rica, or research sea turtles in the Maldives—wildlife volunteering mixes once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the great outdoors.
Not to mention that you’ll contribute to a great cause! When you work as a volunteer in wildlife, you learn a lot about animals, the environment, and research.
Recommended program: Big Cat & Elephant Research in Kenya - Maasai Mara Reserve
2. Environment
You’ll find opportunities for environmental volunteering all over the world.
Where? Costa Rica, Peru, Zambia, Ecuador, Uganda, and more!
Every region experiences different environmental challenges—pollution, loss of biodiversity, and overpopulation, to name a few. From reducing plastic waste in Zambia to protecting Peruvian rainforests, there’s a lot you can do, depending on your interests.
These projects are awesome long term volunteering opportunities as you’ll be there long enough to see the fruits of your work.
Recommended program: Costa Rica - Sustainable Organic Coffee Farming
3. Community Development
Where? India, Kenya, Argentina, Ireland, Costa Rica, and more!
In community development projects, you work closely with local people, often addressing issues such as poverty, education, health care, and infrastructure.
Your role may include facilitating workshops, providing training, and supporting initiatives that empower locals. Think teaching English to increase the job opportunities of locals, working in NGOs, building houses, and raising awareness of social issues.
Recommended program: Community Volunteering in Cordoba, Argentina
4. Medicine
Where? Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, Costa Rica, Spain, and more!
Especially if you’ve studied medicine or gotten a health-related degree, long term medical volunteering is a great plus for your career. You’ll work closely with local professionals to learn about the health care system of the country, shadow doctors, and promote preventive care practices.
Since you’ll be there for a longer period, it will be easier to gain the patients’ trust and be more confident in your work.
Recommended program: Medical Volunteers Needed—Work in Costa Rica!
5. Education
Getting involved in education for the long haul can translate to making a huge difference in people’s lives!
Where? India, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Zanzibar, and more!
Education is a very broad topic—you might be teaching English as a foreign language, tutoring students, or providing community support for education NGOs. No matter what area of education you explore, you’ll be making a difference and potentially changing someone’s life!
Before applying for education volunteering programs, make sure you’re qualified. For example, if you want to teach English abroad, getting TEFL certified would be a smart idea.
Recommended program: Teaching & Community Support in Zanzibar
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3 Long-Term Volunteer Programs to Consider
Feeling inspired to volunteer long term? We hand-picked three long term volunteer opportunities abroad to take you around the world, all for amazing causes!
1. Internships and Volunteer Programs in Africa
Why it’s great: African Impact lets you choose between a wide range of volunteering opportunities in six African countries. You’ll work on meaningful projects that help local communities, whether that’s teaching children sports games, helping with health care aid in rural areas, or protecting Africa’s famous Big 5!
Where? Multiple locations in Africa
2. Reforestation and Conservation Internship in Portugal
Why it’s great: In this project, you’ll contribute to the reforestation of a 27-hectare area while collecting data about trees, plants, and animals. This data will be used in the organization’s TV show, so your work will not only help Portugal’s environment, but also help raise awareness among locals. Besides its impact, the program is a great opportunity to find out about Portugal’s native flora and fauna while learning Portuguese.
Where? Santarém, Portugal
3. Working with Kids—Volunteer in Guatemala!
Why it’s great: Make a difference in children's lives with this volunteer program in one of Guatemala’s most beautiful cities, Antigua. This program includes placements in various organizations, centering around providing shelter, food, and education to local children. You also get to take Spanish classes, earn school credit, and learn more about the culture.
Where? Antigua, Guatemala
Explore ALL Long Term Volunteer Programs!
Is long-term volunteering in the cards for you?
Long term volunteer opportunities abroad help you build new skills, develop cultural sensitivity, and contribute to a greater cause. With the skills you’ll acquire, connections you’ll make, and experience you’ll get, long term volunteering can open many doors!
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