Volunteer Programs in Austria

I am motivated, responsible, and eager to learn from every experience. I am open to feedback and always ready to improve my skills. I value teamwork, communication, and adaptability, and I aim to contribute positively to any project or organization I join while continuing to grow both personally and professionally.

Traveling half way around the world to volunteer effort, time and energy on marine conservation takes trust. GoEco delivered, far exceeding any preconceived expectations and hopes we had before arriving on Naifaru. The entire team provided thorough support, training and guidance so that we could participate, contribute and perform to our utmost potential. We left with a tremendous sense of achievement, accomplishment and countless unforgettable memories.

Hi guys here the feedback I sent to AOA:<br><br>Jule and Gércia are doing an outstanding job! The program was very well organized, and all questions were always addressed – whether directly related to the tasks or more general matters. I felt well supported at all times.<br><br>I especially want to highlight how valuable it is to have a local Mozambican staff member like Gércia on the team. She not only brings maritime knowledge but also shares important insights about local customs and culture – a huge asset!<br>When Jule was away for a few days with another group, Gércia took over the leadership of our group, smoothly managed any changes to the plan, and handled everything very professionally. You truly have a fantastic team, and that deserves to be appreciated!<br><br>Food & Meals<br>The food was consistently delicious – thank you, Brodie and the Tilak Lodge team!<br>However, after two weeks, I noticed that some meals repeated quite often. It would be great if AOA could give Brodie a bit more flexibility and resources to offer more variety in the menu. I'm sure with more freedom, Brodie could surprise us with even more creative and diverse meals!<br><br>Scuba Diving<br>The guides at Tofo Scuba were excellent – professional, experienced, and always supportive. Whether it was the Advanced Open Water course, ocean safaris, or fun dives, I always felt safe and in very good hands. They made every dive a great experience, and I appreciated their clear briefings, calm presence, and strong awareness of safety and the environment.<br><br>Suggestions for Improvement – Equipment<br>There is definitely room for improvement when it comes to technical equipment:<br>There are clearly not enough GoPros/underwater cameras for the volunteers.<br>The printer is currently unusable due to empty ink cartridges – and no replacements were available.<br>Coming from a technical/IT background myself, I was honestly surprised at how outdated and overused some of the devices are. One or two new laptops or computers would make a real difference and improve the workflow on site.<br><br>Final Words of Appreciation<br>I usually don’t give such detailed feedback – but Jule, Gércia, Brodie and the Tilak Lodge team, as well as Ross and the Tofo Scuba crew, all deserve a big compliment. Thank you for this valuable and enriching experience!

I was a little uncertain about booking a volunteer trip with an organization I didn't have personal experience with, but wow! I'm thrilled I took a chance on GoEco. Their staff were incredibly communicative, helpful and supportive throughout the process - they patiently answered all my questions, guided me to a location that suited me and made sure I had all information I needed to ensure a wonderful trip. The Giant Tortoise Breeding Center volunteer experience in the Galapagos Islands was more than I could ever have imagined... filled with ideal balance of hard work, interesting learning, plenty of free time for diving/snorkeling/relaxation, connection with the local community and endless opportunities for Spanish practice. I felt supported by both GoEco and the IOI program. I'm already looking forward to my next GoEco travel opportunity.

I had such a wonderful time with ECC, from a fantastic experience teaching and running the camps, which was challenging but also fun. To seeing some amazing places and immersing myself in the beautiful local cultures, to socially meeting so many amazing people and having so much fun with them both in camp and outside of camp, couldnt recommended the experience enough.

The local connections the volunteer house provides for us is amazing. I can basically go to buy clothes, having surfing class, and getting a massage with discount from those connections. It feels like we’re embraced by the local community, and it feels absolutely wonderful!

The most memorable experience for me was to have a beautiful encounter with an enormous manta ray. It circled us for more than 20 minutes on our dive and it was absolutely incredible! But that was only one out of so many amazing, memorable experiences with animals as well as people!

I have to say swimming with the whale sharks was one of the most amazing things I’ve done in my entire life! Everyone in the boat with the same enthusiastic energy celebrating every time we would find a whale shark and jump with them, it was a trip I’ll remember forever!

I taught abroad in Austria from July 2024- September 2024 and I had an amazing experience. I was fully immersed into Austrian culture and welcomed in by two host families. They were extremely kind and showed me around and even helped me with teaching one of the classes- the eldest daughter also helped out at the camp and attended it with her sister. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and was glad I was able to get more teaching experience.

My most memorable experience was looking forward to feeding the beautiful elephants each day and seeing their excitement when we would arrive. In even those little interactions, you got to know a little more about the elephant’s personality each time.

Individual experiences are not what make a trip of this sorts memorable. It’s all the people you meet. From this trip, so many individuals of varying backgrounds have touched my heart and greatly impacted my life.

Working with the elephants was amazing hand and experience of a lifetime but it's not for the faint hearted it is hard work especially in the heat and humidity but so worthwhile. The Thai people are lovely and the staff that worked there are two it is a very well run organisation

I worked as a Tutor for the ECC in July 2023, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. The program started with a week-long orientation in Assisi, Italy, where you get to meet all the other tutors from around the world. During the orientation, you're trained to lesson plan and carry out camp activities, so the ECC staff makes sure you're ready for the actual camps! My 2 camps were in towns in Emilia-Romagna, Italy and Carinthia, Austria, and both times I lived with a local host family. This was my favorite part of the entire experience, as you get to become a part of these families and truly get immersed into the local culture and their everyday lives. The families brought me to places like waterparks, the beach, hiking, and the ECC also hosted cultural activities in each camp such as canoeing and wine tastings! During the actual camps, you typically work with a class of about 8-10 kids, who are all really eager to learn English. You have lots of support from the ECC staff, your camp director, and other tutors during the entire process, so there's no pressure at all. The ECC not only wants to teach English, but they want to make English fun, so you'll enjoy your lessons as much as the kids. Working with the ECC allowed me to meet amazing people, explore Italy and Austria, and reminded me how much I love teaching. I am currently completing my TEFL Certification to be able to teach English abroad, and plan on visiting both my host families again!

The most memorable experience for me was meeting the other volunteers who were there for the same 2 weeks as me. The girls had such amazing hearts and energy, such a pleasure to volunteer alongside such enthusiasm and dedication!

The rice terraces were by far the most beautiful views during this trip. The Sichuan Opera and dressing up in the costumes was an unforgettable experience. I enjoyed the food (I don't eat spicy food) but the coordinators always took care of me!

Being all together, the volunteers and the coordinator. The coordinators put a lot of effort into the daily life and try their best to help us at all time. I love how the taught us the Fijian dance, that was a lot of fun.

The entire experience was way above our expectations. Everyone is Bali so nice. Having a private room in a home with a local family gave us a true insight into Balineese culture etc. The adventure service combo was very special. s a fantastic organization to work with. All of the directors of the program were terrific. Dian was a great person to have for orientation week. Super enthusiastic, informative , and fun.

So grateful I had the opportunity to visit Tel Aviv and experience it’s magic, beauty and most delicious cuisine. I had so much fun at the bakery and the staff is so warm and friendly. I immediately felt like we were a family.

The entire experience was way above our expectations. Everyone is Bali so nice. Having a private room in a home with a local family gave us a true insight into Balineese culture etc. The adventure service combo was very special. Loved getting out. All of the directors of the program were terrific. Dian was a great person to have for orientation week. Super enthusiastic, informative , and fun. Airport pick up very nice.

During my time with GoEco in Thailand, it felt as though there could have been more of a focus on volunteering but overall had such an incredible experience and would definitely do a trip like this again!