So you know you want to explore the world and make a difference, but how do you decide where to go and what to do?
IVHQ offers 300+ projects across more than 50 destinations worldwide, and every single one of our projects need volunteers year-round. So regardless of your age or qualifications, these projects really value your contribution.
However, if you have specific skills, experience, or causes that you are passionate about, there are certain projects where your personal input can really make a world of difference. For example, volunteers with classroom experience can bring huge value to our Teaching projects, and our Special Needs Care projects could really benefit from physical therapists or those who have worked with disabled populations before.
But you don’t need to have any specialist skills to get involved! IVHQ offers plenty of projects where volunteers are needed to support communities that are still rebuilding from the pandemic or recent natural disasters. All you need is the desire to give back and a genuine interest in the local culture and community.
Read on to find out where you can add the most value as a volunteer based on your skills and interests!
- Teaching English & School Support in Jamaica
- Special Education in Jamaica
- Medical Outreach in Peru - Lima
- Teaching English in Laos
- Sports & Arts With Refugees in Greece
- Community Outreach in Argentina - Cordoba
- Teaching in Argentina - Buenos Aires
- Elderly Care in Zambia
- Teaching in Sri Lanka
- Women’s Empowerment in India - Kerala
- Volunteering in Puerto Rico
- Volunteering in Nepal - Kathmandu & Pokhara
“It is important to feel that you are making a contribution as a volunteer, and I absolutely did. I always felt I was needed and capable of providing positive assistance. The staff at my placement were incredible, and the aged whom I was taking care of became very near and dear to me. My experience was amazing. Volunteers are really needed on this project because they provide companionship for the aged residents, which prevents them from being lonely or isolated.” Briar, Elderly Care volunteer in Zambia
Where are volunteers needed in the world right now?
Teaching English & School Support Volunteering in Jamaica
Jamaica has one of the world’s highest rates of brain-drain with many of the local teachers leaving the country for higher paid opportunities abroad. As a result, many of the local teachers are inexperienced and unqualified and there is a big demand for experienced volunteer teachers who are fluent English speakers! If that’s you, you could make a really positive long-term impact by helping guide the local teachers, giving them feedback on what they are doing and teaching them new techniques.
Special Education Volunteering in Jamaica
IVHQ’s Jamaica program also has a Special Education project which is looking for experienced volunteers. Many of the students have learning disabilities or have been severely impacted by remote learning over the Covid period. If you have experience working with disabled people or teaching those with learning disabilities, your support would be really valued here!
Medical Outreach Volunteering in Peru - Lima
If you’re at any level of your medical or nursing studies (or qualified!) and have an intermediate level of Spanish language — this is the project for you! You’ll gain hands-on medical experience while learning about healthcare systems in Peru. Volunteers make a big impact by helping provide vital services to locals who would otherwise struggle to access quality care, including tasks like taking blood pressure and testing glucose levels.
Teaching English Volunteering in Laos
Schools in Laos are finally reopening after the pandemic, but they need more support in the classroom. As one of the lesser-known destinations to visit in Southeast Asia, they don’t get as many fluent English speaking volunteers as countries like Thailand and Vietnam. But the teachers and students can really benefit from having a native English speaker to help them learn and improve their English language skills. This is an awesome opportunity to go off the beaten tourist trail in Asia and make a difference to the local community!
Sports & Arts Volunteering With Refugees in Greece
Got a passion for sports or arts that you could share to boost the wellbeing of young refugees? Athens has welcomed many refugees over the last few years due to the disruption of peace in neighboring countries. Many families have been separated during their movement and stay at host centers until they are reunited. The Sports & Arts with Refugees project is based at a local host center, where you’ll use sports and arts as a means for young refugees to express themselves, to connect with each other and with you, and to spend their free time in a meaningful way.
Community Outreach Volunteering in Argentina - Cordoba
There is a serious economic crisis happening in Argentina, which impacts the most vulnerable. All organizations are understaffed, especially NGOs and social impact organizations. Volunteers can make a real difference on the Community Outreach project in Cordoba to help grow the basic services offered to members of the local community who might not otherwise have access. With more volunteers, this project will be able to maintain and add new permanent initiatives, such as teaching English and others that help keep adolescents and children off the streets.
Volunteer Teaching in Argentina - Buenos Aires
If you’re a Spanish speaker, enjoy working with children, and want to help the community through education at a grass-roots level - then this is the project for you! On the Teaching project in Buenos Aires, the students are local children from a disadvantaged part of the city. The majority of them don’t speak English, so having Spanish speaking volunteers makes it easier to communicate and teach the kids, setting them up for better paying jobs so they can support themselves in the future.
Elderly Care Volunteering in Zambia
Want to provide companionship and care to elderly people in need? Our Elderly Care project in Zambia needs more volunteers to assist in care facilities for seniors who have nobody else to look after them. You’ll gain hands-on experience caring for the elderly while making a real difference in the lives of older people who are likely to be homeless, ill or have disabilities. This is a popular project among our older and more experienced volunteers, although you don’t need to have prior experience to make a big impact here!
Teaching Volunteering in Sri Lanka
With Sri Lanka facing an economic crisis, there has never been a greater need for support — particularly on the Teaching project. Many students missed out on learning during the pandemic because they don’t have access to smartphones or laptops to participate in online lessons. Although schools are now open, many students are unable to get the books and stationary needed for their studies due to the current crisis. English-speaking volunteers can help students catch up and improve their reading, writing and communication skills, as well as provide opportunities for socializing and learning about different cultures.
Women’s Empowerment Volunteering in India - Kerala
Want to support women in India by helping them receive an education and become more financially independent? Volunteers to teach free classes for local women in Kerala, giving English lessons and helping them learn about modern social issues. The local women who attend love having international volunteers there to learn from, so if you’re an English speaker and want to help motivate these women - this is an awesome project for you!
Volunteering in Puerto Rico
Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico in September 2022, flooding towns, collapsing bridges, destroying crops and leaving the 3.3 million residents of the island short on water, food, power, medicine, and basic necessities. This makes it a great time to offer a helping hand by volunteering on one of our community-driven projects in San Juan, where you can help with clean up and recovery efforts and connect with locals at a time where they really value your support.
Volunteering in Nepal - Kathmandu & Pokhara
If you’ve watched Aftershock on Netflix, you’ll know that Nepal suffered a devastating earthquake in 2015. It wiped out entire villages, destroying communities, homes and buildings. The country is still recovering today. IVHQ offers a range of projects in Kathmandu and Pokhara, where volunteers can help support local communities that have been affected by the natural disaster and are still rebuilding in many ways. While we can’t guarantee that volunteer work will be directly related to rebuilding from the earthquake, you can be sure that you’ll be supporting a community that really values your contribution.
