Find community volunteer work worldwide

What is community volunteer work?

A community is a group of people that share values, interests, or some other type of characteristic.

Traditionally speaking, most communities exist in a physical space, so everyone lives together in the same area. These days, with the progression of technology and the ability to communicate with others all over the world, people don't have to be in the same place to be a part of a community (like the Worldpackers community!).

But all over the world, physical communities exist where a bunch of like-minded people either live together or share a common goal. Community volunteer work is when you dedicate your time to temporarily join such communities and help them achieve their goals.

Volunteer work is usually unpaid, but in exchange for your work you get to gain knowledge from the community, learn about their cause and their way of life, and gain valuable life experience. If you volunteer for community projects with Worldpackers, you also get free accommodation as well!

How does volunteer work benefit communities?

Community volunteer work is incredibly beneficial.

First of all, it provides an extra helping hand to anything the community needs. Every community around the world has different lifestyles and issues to solve, so an extra person providing assistance is always welcomed.

Second, volunteer work in a community helps spread awareness about that community. If you are a volunteer, particularly from a different nationality, religion or social class than the community, you are entering their lifestyle like a dry sponge, a person just waiting to soak up all the knowledge about that community.

As a newcomer, the volunteer is a clean slate. Throughout their time volunteering with the community, they learn all about their way of life. 

After the community volunteer work, the volunteer can then share what they learned with their own friends, family, and peers, thus spreading awareness about this community to different areas of the world. 

How to volunteer in a community project

If you are wondering, "How can I volunteer in my community?", the answer is quite simple.

Figure out who is in charge of the community and voice your desires. Some communities may have a council or a volunteer organization that runs all the programs for the area. Some communities may have specific organizations for different types of volunteering, such as volunteering for the homeless, for animals, for minorities, for political or social campaigns, etc.

If there is a specific cause you'd like to volunteer in, figure out who runs that part of society and reach out to them.

Because a volunteer is donating their own time and efforts for no payment in return, it is very rare that a community would turn down a volunteer. 

Community volunteer work is always appreciated and desired, so don't be afraid to reach out and inquire about volunteering!

If you'd like to travel and try community volunteer work abroad, it is very easy to do this nowadays with the internet. The Worldpackers platform has thousands of hosts all over the world that accept volunteers into their communities.

Volunteer work in communities is highly desired all over the world, particularly so they can educate travelers about their life and maybe learn a bit about the volunteer's lifestyle as well.

Community volunteer work is an intercultural exchange, and all you have to do is apply online to get started!

Using Worldpackers, finding community volunteer work is straightforward. Search for "community" volunteer opportunities, find the communities that appeal to you, and send a message to the host.

You can discuss dates, visas, and the duration of your stay with the host directly, then go ahead and book your flights!

Where to volunteer for community projects

Community volunteer work thrives all over the world. Every country has its own special communities, many of which love the idea of having foreign volunteers come and exchange cultural knowledge.

Where to volunteer for community projects depends on the type of experience you are looking for.

For example, if you are looking to volunteer with children, there are loads of communities around Africa that love to have volunteers helping with their youngsters. Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda are three African countries that have communities full of children who could benefit from the help of a volunteer.

If you are looking to volunteer with people your own age and exchange language skills, there are many countries in Southeast Asia that want volunteers to come and help teach English to the locals. The Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia are just three of the countries in Asia that could benefit from an English-speaking volunteer.

So depending on the type of community you are interested in volunteering with, there are opportunities all over the world for you.

Finding community volunteer work is easier than ever with Worldpackers, and you can search for your volunteer experience by country. So if there is somewhere specific you want to travel, check and see if there are any communities there eager to accept volunteers.

Don't forget to check your own community! If you aren't ready to travel the world yet, you can volunteer right from your home. Just reach out to your local peers and see which areas of the community need volunteer help!

What types of community volunteer projects can I do?

Because the world is so full of different types of communities, there are so many different types of projects and work experiences available to volunteers. 

In addition to working with children and teaching English to foreign communities, there are so many different types of projects that communities need help with.

For example, there is a coffee-farming community in Boquete, Panama that needs a helping hand with their coffee harvesting. There is another community in Portobelo, Panama, that has a tourist spot on the water and needs a volunteer to help them run their beachfront bar.

In northern India, there is a community in Tehri Garhwal that is looking for an experienced and certified yoga instructor to contribute their knowledge to the community. In exchange for teaching yoga to their community, they will show you all the beauty of their land and their lifestyle.

You can also volunteer in an eco-community in Portugal, be a volunteer with digital content creation in a community in Malta, collaborate with others in a hostel community in Las Vegas, USA, or volunteer at a mindful therapeutic community in Thailand.

The community volunteer work is varied and abundant all over the world. 

All it takes is a quick browse through Worldpackers to find all the amazing opportunities!