Youth Volunteer Opportunities Overseas and At Home

A summer job in a fast food restaurant has become a rite of passage for teenagers, but ditching the McJob in favor of volunteer work can give young people a sense of importance and experience that far exceeds the minimum wage paycheck. "We want to inspire people to get involved in their own communities and in the world," says Russ Finkelstein, Associate Director of Action Without Borders, the organization which runs the non-profit database site idealist.org. "Overseas volunteering is very valuable for people who are in any way considering working abroad in the future," says Finkelstein,"if you're looking to have a genuine experience in a big city or to connect with people while living in a foreign country, volunteering is the way to do it."

Susheela Nirmalan-Nathan, the online community program manager for TakingITGlobal, an online community in partnership with the Global Youth Action Network, says that volunteering overseas, "can provide some amazing international work experience, which can open up many doors when it comes to future job opportunities. It's also a chance to have a meaningful travel experience and see the world while potentially having your basic costs covered." Indeed, while overseas summer work probably won't turn a profit, there are opportunities available which will provide room and board or a stipend, and possibly even help with travel expenses. However, if you prefer to go with a volunteer sending organization rather than set up the job yourself, a fee will be involved.

So where do you find these opportunities? First, any contacts you have locally; churches or community centers may have connections to overseas programs. Alternatively, consulting a volunteer directory can get you started. "Volunteer directories are wonderful because it's a quick way to look at a wide range of programs and choose the one that's best for you." Says Nirmalan-Nathan. TakingITGlobal.org and idealist.org have extensive volunteer databases, see below for others.

Once you've found an organization you'd like to work for, it's important to make sure it's legitimate and the right choice for you. "Do your research!" Says Nirmalan-Nathan, "Request information, visit the organization's offices if you can, and try to contact someone who has gone through the program and get their feedback on it." Most organizations should easily be able to put you in touch with a young person who's worked with them before. However, if you're volunteering for a smaller, local or new organization, this may not be an option. "It's a risk," says Finkelstein, "but in that case, you may have a great opportunity to create something, and it may be worth it."