To begin with a popular saying – “In matters of healing the body or the mind, vacation is a true genius!” – and we couldn’t agree more with this.
Stuck in the regular chores of life, we all seek a break away from the monotony, in order to experience something out of the box. Whether you are a high school student or a recent graduate or stuck between your 9-to-5, you can’t really deny the longing that you feel for a vacation.
Just imagine how wonderful it’ll be if you can turn your vacation into a meaningful journey! In today’s date, we understand the value of time and money, and we know that if you are spending over something, you would want to have the best experiences worth cherishing for a lifetime. What if we say that along with memories of a lifetime, we’d also give you a chance of touching several lives to make a difference to society?
Yes, dear friend – you read that right – we are talking about life-changing voluntours (volunteer travel experiences) wherein you can explore the country in the best possible manner while contributing something towards the host communities.
Volunteering Solutions has designed a range of short-term volunteering programs in a way that participants can get to work at their chosen project 5 days a week and spend the weekends traveling across the most popular places of the country, relishing the amazing delicacies of the land and knowing the culture and customs.
In this article, we shall share with you all the information that you need to know about the Short Term Volunteer Programs, ‘1 Week Special Programs’ & ‘2 Weeks Special Voluntours’ before deciding which one you’d like to go for!
1. Make an impact in less time – It doesn’t really take much to touch someone else’s life with utmost love. Even in a span of 1 to 2 weeks, if you can bond with kids at a childcare center, or teach the young adults a few new English words or treat the animals who need care. No matter how small your steps appear to be, you can definitely make a lasting impact.
2. Meet some like-minded people from other parts of the world – During your journey, you’ll be working with a group of like-minded volunteer travelers from different parts of the world. You’ll get to know more about their countries and culture while living with them. Apart from that, you can also gain new skills from your peers, and widen your social network.
3. Gain first-hand international work experience and enhance your CV/Resume – Being a part of the short-term projects, you will be working in a completely different setup and end up gaining immense international work experience. You’ll learn how things work in certain developing parts of the world. Once you complete the project with Volunteering Solutions, you’ll be provided with a Certificate of Program Completion, which will immensely benefit you in your career ahead.
4. Change your way to look at life – To say the least, being a part of this journey will surely change your way to look at life and make you more grateful for the things you have. You’ll be touched by the generosity and warmth of the people you’ll work with. In a world where most of the people are focusing on themselves, your efforts of doing something for the underprivileged will definitely be acknowledged in the most beautiful manner. You’ll eventually become more compassionate and humble.
At Volunteering Solutions, we believe that anybody can be a volunteer if he/she has the zeal to make a difference and the confidence to step out of the comfort zone. However, the following are some of the basic requirements that need to be followed in order to join any of the programs:
For those who have been a little skeptical, thinking that there would probably be fewer options when it comes to short-term volunteering – let’s clear all your doubts! Volunteering Solutions has a plethora of incredible Short Term Volunteer Opportunities ranging from Teaching, Child Care, Conservation Programs, Women Empowerment, Community Development, Disabled Care, and much more. Although your contribution might seem little to you, you surely can make a huge difference in the lives of the people you’ll work with.
We have more than 50 amazing & affordable short term volunteer programs in store for those who have limited time in hand, but here’s the list of the most popular ones!
As a volunteer for the Street Children Program, you’ll get to work with the little ones who been seen scavenging the rubbish heap for a meal, sleeping between the tracks, often beaten and sexually abused, falling prey to drug peddlers and child traffickers, etc. These underprivileged children are provided with shelter, food, and basic education at the homes, where you’ll get to volunteer and shower them with the utmost love and care that they deserve. Your time with these little ones will help them to learn something new, engage them in happy & fun-filled activities, and encourage them to dream bigger!
Duration & Cost: This is one of the most affordable programs, starting at $250 for 1 week, and $390 for 2 weeks.
If you wish to spend some time on the beaches of Sri Lanka and soak in the sun while doing something meaningful – then this is it! Get your hands dirty as you volunteer for the sea turtle conservation program, in order to protect the turtle eggs as well as the baby turtles, and subsequently increase their population. Your main role would involve protecting the eggs from predators and poachers, providing a safe haven for hatchings to occur, caring for the baby, sick, and injured turtles, feeding them daily, and releasing the healthy ones into the ocean when ready.
Duration & Cost: The program fee for 1 Week is $650 and for 2 weeks, it’s $785.
Located in the picturesque Himalayan nation of Nepal, this program would be perfect for those who wish to cuddle the toddlers and play around with them, sprinkling some happiness in their lives. You’ll be working at childcare centers in Kathmandu, where the number of caregivers is relatively low compared to the number of children. As a volunteer, you’ll have to manage with limited resources at the centers, take good care of the kids, teach them basic lessons about health & sanitation, take them for short excursions, etc. You can also help in any sort of administrative work that might crop up from time to time.
Duration & Cost: Known to be ‘The Most Budget-Friendly Destination in the World’, our short term volunteering program in Nepal is the most affordable one! It starts at $200 for a week and $360 for 2 weeks!
Travelers have loved this program time and again! With a chance to spend some quaint time in rural Thailand, cuddling the gentle giants and helping the mahouts with taking care of the elephants. Learn how to interact with your new friends, take them out for a walk, bathe them & feed them – it’ll be a wonderful experience, needless to say! You’ll also get to binge on local Thai food, and try your hands at cooking some authentic delicacies. As they say, Thailand can never be a bad idea – so enjoy to the fullest while you are there!
Duration & Cost: For 1 week, the program fee is $750 and for 2 weeks, it’s $1000.
If you wish to make good use of your short break, then you can opt to volunteer as a teacher in Arusha and gain first-hand international work experience, while spreading the light of education among the little ones. You’ll get to work at different primary and secondary schools, and make a long-lasting impact on the lives of the children and the communities you’ll work with. Since Tanzania’s economy is dependent a lot on tourism, speaking fluent English will play a significant role in getting good jobs in this sector. Thus, your main role would be to help the children improve their language skills, and help them with English communication and vocabulary.
Duration & Cost: This is yet another pocket-friendly volunteering program, starting at $290 for one week and $390 for 2 weeks.
If you wish to explore an offbeat African nation and get involved in something as meaningful as volunteering for the underprivileged communities, then what can be better than spending a couple of weeks in Ghana? Being a volunteer for this program, you’ll have to work with the locals, helping them in the renovation of the village schools, teach the girls and promote women’s education, spread awareness about health and sanitation, etc. You might also have to assist villagers with issues surrounding their water supply, including how to treat drinking water properly.
Duration & Cost: If you wish to volunteer for a week, the program fee would be $270 and for 2 weeks, it’ll be $380.
For those who love to be with animals and wish to contribute effectively towards their well being, can join this amazing program! Being a volunteer, you’ll get to live amidst the wilderness of a wildlife reserve area, which is a huge 6000 hectares of land, located around 45 minutes outside mainland Port Elizabeth. You’ll be working with professional conservationists, and your main tasks would involve – removal of alien vegetation in and around the reserve, tracking and monitoring the wildlife, spreading anti-poaching awareness, etc.
Duration & Cost: For a week, the program fee is $395 and for 2 weeks, it’s $765.
A trip to Morocco is something that’s there on every traveler’s bucket list – and if you choose to experience a meaningful vacation, then be a part of the NGO Support Program, focusing on many areas of work including human rights, child issues, women rights, education, skilled learning, strengthening the government accountability etc. Being a part of this program, you will be providing significant input in restructuring the weaker community section in Rabat. No matter what skills you possess, each and every resource counts and would help create a difference.
Duration & Cost: For 1 week, the program fee is $410 and for 2 weeks, you’ll have to pay $620.
Planning to travel to Peru and explore the ruins of the Inca civilization? Gear up to spend some quality time with the little ones and spread some happiness among them! Being a volunteer at the Day Care Center Program. you will get an opportunity to help, guide, and play with children aged between 6 months to 4 years old, and take care of them with utmost love as 25% of the children have single mothers, and 95% of them come from very difficult backgrounds. It’ll surely be a joyful experience to work with them and explore the city of Cusco, during your free time.
Duration & Cost: The program fee for 1 week is $375 and for 2 weeks, it’s $495.
Other than these, there are some specially curated 2 Weeks’ programs which include a fantastic travel itinerary along with a volunteer work schedule. Check them out, now!
No matter whether you wish to travel to Thailand and spend time with the adorable elephants, or explore the Inca Trails apart from teaching little kids in Peru – we have the best of the lot for you! Now it’s on you to decide which one would suit you the best.
Cost – $775 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $800 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $500 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $550 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $675 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $650 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $900 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
Cost – $1250 for 2 weeks, which includes the following:
The programs mentioned above are specially designed for those who have a time crunch yet looking forward to having an enriching experience. Here are a few tips which will help in managing time more effectively:
You can also join our Facebook Group to connect with other volunteers and know about the experiences of past volunteers.
In case you need more information regarding the Short Term Volunteer Programs, you can get in touch with our Program Advisors by writing a mail to us at [email protected] 🙂
Riyanka is a traveler who is keen on exploring different parts of the world. She’s a travel blogger who’s equally passionate about photography. Her quest is to turn all her journeys into beautiful stories. Being a die-hard ‘mountain-aholic‘, her favorite destinations are all around the Himalayas! She can spend days gazing at the snow-capped mountains, binge on Maggi and lemon-honey-ginger tea, and reading Ruskin Bond books.
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