Volunteering abroad is an amazing learning experience and journey that will change your life. However, many volunteers ask us, why should I have to pay to volunteer? The answer is: Because we want you to succeed. That means having in place the support our volunteers need. We don’t just drop you in-country and hope for the best. We provide training before you leave … language exposure … 24/7 in-country support … support from your host family … accommodations, meals and airport transportation … activities and excursions. The whole idea is to make the experience successful and productive for you and the host community, and we have found that these things are crucial. Remember that we are a non-profit, mission-driven organization – we wouldn’t spend money on something that wasn’t important.
The good news is, you can raise funds to pay for your Quest itself, as well as for the airfare – and all donations are tax deductible. We’ve created a guide with many ideas and tips on how to raise money to fund this once-in-a-lifetime experience. By using these tips, United Planet volunteers have been able to raise enough money to pay for their entire volunteer Quest.