7-12 Months Community Development Volunteer Abroad Programs

Explore the heart of Central America while giving back through International Volunteer HQ’s trusted Guatemala volunteer program. Based in the colorful city of Antigua and its surrounding rural and coastal areas, this program offers a meaningful way to connect with local communities and contribute to impactful initiatives. With 12 volunteer projects available year-round including Teaching, Medical Assistance, Childcare, and Construction, we cater to a wide range of interests and skill sets. Whether you’re on a gap year, a career break, or looking for a purpose-driven trip, this is an opportunity to make a difference while immersing yourself in Guatemala’s rich culture and landscapes. Your fully hosted experience includes everything you need to feel supported: airport pick-up, an in-depth orientation, accommodation in a homestay or shared volunteer house, two daily meals, and 24/7 local support. You’ll also receive pre-departure guidance from a dedicated IVHQ Program Manager, plus access to training tools that help you feel prepared before you go.

Maximo Nivel is a locally based organization in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Volunteer abroad—get involved, make an impact, and learn to serve by working on local projects: - Working with Kids - Teaching English - Conservation - Construction - Animal Care - Eco-Agriculture - Medical and Healthcare To qualify: - Volunteers must be 18+ years of age or accompanied by a parent or guardian. - We require background checks from our volunteers. - Come with a great attitude and a willingness to pitch in. Since 2003, Maximo Nivel has been a leader in educational travel and study abroad. Our work-study-travel programs host more than 4,000 people per year. We are a professional, ethical, and hard-working organization that is completely dedicated to providing a great experience to every participant, student, traveler, and client! Every day, we strive to set ourselves apart and provide the best volunteer, education, and cultural experiences in Latin America, along with top-notch client service and great home-based facilities. Live it!

Explore Internships and Volunteer Programs in Mexico with Adelante Abroad Mexico is a country renowned for its ancient ruins, vibrant culture, and stunning beaches. With Adelante Abroad, you’ll gain practical experience in your chosen field while fully immersing yourself in Mexican life and culture. Our internship programs in Oaxaca focus on giving back to the community while developing your professional skills. Choose placements in sectors such as Arts, Social Work, Psychology, English Teaching, Culinary, Education, and more. Programs run from 2 to 6 months, and new placements begin the first week of every month, making our volunteer opportunities in Oaxaca flexible and accessible year-round. Housing options vary by location. Interns can live with local families or other international participants, both of which provide excellent opportunities to improve their Spanish skills while experiencing life like a local. Adelante Abroad tailors each placement to your experience, skills, and program availability. Contact us to confirm your internship or volunteer program in Mexico and explore additional opportunities designed to boost your resume and cultural understanding.

GoEco offers a wide variety of social work volunteer opportunities and internships worldwide. These programs provide support to children and adults in need, especially those facing one or more layers of disadvantage in society. Our programs aim to support these children and adults, as well as the local communities overall. A few examples of our social work programs include our Girl Empowerment in Cape Town, South Africa, our Community Aid in Rajasthan program in India and our Social Work Internships program in San Jose, Costa Rica. We also offer programs that help those with special needs, in both Israel and Chile. No matter which program you choose, your social work will make a difference both to these individuals and in these communities.

Volunteering in Africa takes you one step further than the average tourist into the true character of this unique continent. To us, volunteering is a two-way thing. It’s not only about the hands-on help and skills that volunteers bring, but also about what this magnificent continent, its warm people, and fantastic wildlife can give volunteers in return. African Impact is a multi-award-winning volunteer travel organization that runs and manages meaningful and responsible volunteer experiences and internship programs throughout Africa. Founded in 2004 in Zimbabwe, African Impact has grown into a leader in African volunteer tourism, having facilitated over 12,000 volunteers and interns in countries across the African continent. Our internship division is of great importance to us. We firmly believe that ethical internships can play a significant role in helping us achieve our mission of providing exceptional experiences that contribute to worthy causes in a meaningful way. With the nurturing of close partnerships across the continent, we have access to over 120 internship placements—all individually managed to match the applicant.

Step into London, one of the world’s leading business, finance, and cultural capitals, with an international internship designed to accelerate your career. This program blends hands-on professional experience, global networking, and cultural immersion, equipping students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals with the skills and connections to thrive in today’s competitive job market. Internships are available across sectors including business, marketing, finance, PR, technology, entrepreneurship, and NGOs, with placements tailored to your career goals. Through partnerships with 3,000+ leading companies, start-ups, and NGOs, you’ll gain meaningful experience that strengthens your résumé and prepares you for future opportunities. Alongside your internship, you’ll benefit from mentorship, professional development workshops, and networking events. Please note: If you solely hold a UK passport and have lived only in England & Wales for the past five years, you must join a program outside the UK. Whether you’re exploring your path, taking a gap year, or advancing your career, our London program offers an unmatched blend of growth and global experience.

International human rights include the right to work, to an adequate standard of living, to participate in cultural and political life, to education, and to freedom of religion. Even though Tanzania has ratified some human rights conventions, they are far from complying with them all in practice. A human rights center in Arusha run by a small, private NGO aims to provide legal aid and counseling services to poor and disadvantaged women and children in both rural and urban areas. It operates by conducting seminars, workshops, camps, and conferences as well as organizes legal aid, socio-economic support, and human rights education at the center and in the media. The Center strives to help as many people as possible but focuses primarily on women. Depending on your experience, education, and interests, you will be involved in various activities. The longer you stay, the more interesting your tasks will be. This program is open to both volunteers and interns. We welcome participants with a background or experience in law and human rights.

This is an exciting opportunity for any environmentally conscious fashionistas looking to learn more about communications and PR. Join a global network of experts from the fields of water resource management, textiles production, and fashion design to tackle an often overlooked niche of the climate crisis. You’ll join an organization that tackles issues of water waste and pollution in the textile and fashion industries. They operate on a number of levels, funding wash projects for communities affected by water pollution from textile mills and running corporate projects providing fashion brands with innovative solutions to reduce their water footprint. As an intern, you’ll focus on coordinating and executing awareness and fundraising campaigns. You’ll take on a variety of work including tasks in marketing, communications, and PR. You’ll write copy for websites, newsletters, blogs, prepare press releases for events, and develop strategies for online campaigns.

Volunteer or intern with an NGO that strives to end poverty and gain insight into all aspects of management and structure. Be a part of an organization that supports undeserved neighborhoods with emergency housing and other basic services. Mente Argentina creates placements based on expertise and passions. Get a behind-the-scenes understanding of what it takes to run a successful multi-national NGO that provides impoverished communities with vital support services. Potential assignments include administrative assistance, event coordination, online and media marketing, volunteer organization and training, and fundraising and development. Participants will see their Spanish skills improve through day-to-day communication and interaction. If volunteers and interns are interested in gaining additional language experience as well as learning vocabulary that will be of use during their placement, Mente Argentina offers a short-term Spanish course at the start of the program.

This program offers a full 8-week "All In" experience combining adventure and cultural exchange in Costa Rica and Cuba. Spend one month in each country embracing the lifestyle, enjoying the best activities, and making a positive impact by supporting local communities. Start in Costa Rica with Spanish classes, surfing, and yoga in the beach town of Santa Teresa, as well as an overland cloud forest exploration in Monteverde. Then, travel to Cuba to continue improving your language skills, enjoy some salsa dancing, participate in volunteer projects, and travel around the country to learn all about its history and culture. This is an ideal program for those seeking a blend of education, cultural immersion, and unique activities in two of Latin America's most vibrant countries. Plus, you get the chance to stay in a “jungle surf camp,” nestled in a paradise setting surrounded by wildlife. Imagine spotting a howler monkey hanging on a tree branch!

Find out why more and more people are choosing to become a Love Volunteer! Love Volunteers is the most affordable way to volunteer and help local communities in developing countries! Why are we cheaper than other organisations? Firstly, we are just a handful of passionate people working hard to help volunteers and local communities around the world. We don't have huge overheads - no company cars, no downtown office - we're just volunteers who knew we could do a better job. Secondly, we work with local organisations wherever we can to keep administration costs to a minimum and also to feed as much money and skills into the local communities where we operate. All of Love Volunteers partner organisations have been fully vetted to ensure that, not only does a genuine need for assistance exist, but that the environments that we place our volunteers are safe and of high quality. Choose from one or more of our 200+ amazing community-based programs in 37 developing countries around the world. Every program has been personally visited by one of our dedicated staff members and is regularly audited to ensure it meets our high standards in terms of safety, sustainability, and local impact.

Acquire hands-on experience while working alongside fellow interns (or volunteers) and medical staff at a hospital or neighborhood health clinic in the Dominican Republic. Aldeas De Paz offers the Medicine and Healthcare program, which provides you insight into the daily operation and routines of local healthcare facilities. For a minimum of two weeks, you will experience the apparent contrast between the realities of health care in a developing country and Western medical practice. As clinics and hospitals in the country strive to become modernized, they face numerous challenges. You will witness medical conditions that have remained untreated, which in turn have developed to an advanced pathological stage. This project broadens your perspective by giving you real responsibilities. You will gain experience in different departments: maternity (only female volunteers), pediatric, emergency, diabetes, HIV prevention, and nursing. You could be assigned with hospital administration and management as well, wherein your tasks could include assisting with statistics and accountancy.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Looking for an international internship that will set you apart—and give you the skills, experience, and confidence to thrive in your career? Connect-123 designs fully customized programs that match your background and goals, offering hands-on experience in some of the world’s most exciting cities: Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Dublin, and Sydney. Whether you’re a student, recent graduate, or experienced professional, our programs span dozens of fields including business, finance, medicine, public health, journalism, marketing, human rights, law, sustainability, education, and more. You’ll gain meaningful, career-related experience while also exploring life in a new culture. We take care of the details so you can focus on making the most of your time abroad. From the moment you apply, our team helps guide you through the process, secure your placement, and prepare you for your new adventure. With flexible start dates and customizable program lengths, your life-changing internship begins on your schedule.

Volunteering through Road2Argentina allows you to be more than a tourist, enabling you to interact with locals and practice your Spanish while giving back to the community. We offer placements in local organizations in Buenos Aires, where you will handle hands-on assignments that truly help those who need it most. Apart from volunteering activities, you can take intensive Spanish classes further to enhance your immersion in Argentine culture and language. Please become part of our unique community of local and international volunteers, interns, and other students. * Volunteer placements in Buenos Aires that require basic Spanish: - Community soup kitchen - Recreational activities for kids - Childcare - Teaching English to children or adults - Organizing fundraising events - Environmental sustainability * Volunteer placements in Buenos Aires that require intermediate Spanish: - Continuing education for children and adults - Community center communication - HIV-affected children - PR and marketing for an NGO

The Banyan Impact Fellowship (formerly AIF William J. Clinton Fellowship) is a fully funded 10-months program in India. By facilitating exchange and collaboration between young professionals from India and the U.S., the program aims to shape the next generation of leaders committed to positive and sustainable change and creating a lasting US-India relationship. Fellows serve with civil society organizations in various thematic areas including environment protection, climate justice, public health, education, livelihoods, arts, culture, and more. Fellows receive a stipend, health insurance, language training, mentoring, professional development, international networking and career opportunities. Fellows benefit from in person conferences, and they engage in workshops, reflection exercises, and skill building activities. Apply by February 20, 2024.

Spend a semester or academic year in the lively capital of San José with AIFS Abroad! You’ll earn up to 20 credits per semester from Universidad Veritas through various courses and internship opportunities. Courses are taught in English and Spanish. No previous Spanish language study is required for most programs. Universidad Veritas offers an internship program and volunteer opportunities that’ll help you make the most of your semester abroad. Their Spanish Language and Internship Program welcomes students with an advanced level of Spanish and a minimum of 2 years of college-level Spanish. It combines a 4-week Spanish language course with a 12-week internship placement within local companies or NGOs based on your major. You’ll also enjoy cultural and social activities, including: • Costa Rican cooking classes • Visits to local museums and historical sites • A 3-day trip to Arenal Volcano, hot springs, and Monteverde Cloud Forest • A 3-day trip to the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park • Day trip to Poás Volcano, Doka Coffee Estate, and Sarchi artisans Optional excursions include a 2-day trip hiking and rafting in Sarapiquí.

Pulling the best of all our programming, Latitudes is a sequential, growth-oriented experience for students looking to see the landscape before diving deeper. It is an immersive gap year experience combining a group travel semester and an individual volunteer placement. As a Latitudes student, you’ll spend your first semester traveling on one of our group semesters. During your second semester, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your educational experience with an independent Focused Volunteer Placement (FVP). For your second semester, you'll work with our team to identify a specific organization and community that reflects your unique interests and develop meaningful relationships with your host community. Along the way, you’ll develop confidence and independence, and enrich your worldview. Previous placements have included SCUBA certification and protecting coral reefs in Southern Thailand, working with wildlife in Belize, participating in conservation efforts in Guatemala, or doing farm work in Italy. College credit is included, as well as international health and evacuation insurance, and a virtual pre-departure orientation.

Inspire, Educate & Empower Communities Across the World Are you passionate about education and cross-cultural exchange? Do you dream of making a positive impact while traveling the world? With Volunteering Journeys’ English Teaching Programs Abroad, you can inspire young minds, build confidence, and open opportunities for children and adults across Peru, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and the Maldives. Whether you’re a student on a gap year, a certified teacher, or simply a fluent English speaker looking to make a difference, teaching abroad is one of the most rewarding ways to contribute to global education while immersing yourself in fascinating cultures. In many developing regions, English proficiency opens the door to education, employment, and better economic opportunities. However, limited resources and teacher shortages often leave students without access to quality English education. By joining Volunteering Journeys’ teaching programs, you’ll help bridge this gap. You’ll work in local schools, community centers, or after-school programs — improving English literacy, conversational confidence, and cultural awareness.

Experience hands-on field research related to the conservation of savannah ecosystems in the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly called Swaziland). Although savannahs are well-represented in African conservation areas, they are subjected to increasing degradation as a result of human influences, including land use and climate change. Well known for large charismatic game such as elephants, rhinos, and lions, there are a variety of smaller species that are threatened and are arguably more critical to the functioning of savannahs. Depending on priorities and active studies at the time of participation, volunteers may study vegetation, bats, hyenas, small predators (like mongoose, genets, and jackal), rodents, ungulates (such as giraffe and antelope), reptiles, birds, and other plant and animal life in Eswatini’s Lubombo Conservancy. They will examine the interface among commercial agriculture, rural communities, and protected areas in this Southern African region and learn from our experienced conservationists. They will be based at our Savannah Research Centre and camp in the private Mbuluzi Game Reserve, working at the Mlawula Nature Reserve and Hlane Royal National Park located nearby.