Faites du bénévolat auprès des éléphants en Thaïlande – Chiang Mai

Depending on your project, VolSol volunteers are required to put around 5-6 hours of volunteer work for 5 days a week. Evenings and Weekends are free for you to roam around and indulge in your personal work or activity.We encourage our volunteers to travel. There are lot of places to see in Chiang Mai during free time. Volunteers also head out to other cities such as Pai, Lampang or Chiang Rai on the weekends.

Yes, for all volunteers it is mandatory to have a travel medical insurance. To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider.

As we have limited spots available in our programs and we serve on first come first basis, it is recommended that potential volunteers book their programs well in advance to get confirmed placements. You can book your slot by filling the application form online and pay the application fee.You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments. However, the complete payment should be made 45 days prior to the starting date of the program. If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form.

After you complete your application, your personalized ‘My Account’ will be activated.You will need to upload your CV/Resume along with your photo in the same. Our backend team and the placement site takes around 10-12 days to review your application. After we review your CV and documents,your booking is confirmed and booking confirmation is updated in your ‘My Account’. Approval of your application depends on your qualification,eligibility criteria for each project as well as availability in the program.

Volunteers are provided with the airport pick up from the Chiang Mai International Airport by the coordinator or representative. Volunteers already in Chiang Mai will be met by the staff at a designated meeting point decided beforehand. Please note that volunteers are provided with the airport pickup from the airport between 8 AM and 8 PM only. Volunteers are advised to book their flights accordingly.

If you are planning to come for multiple programs in your trip, you will have to pay the application fees just once. Your application fee is valid for a years time (from the date of applying). You will not have to pay the application fees again if you come within the mentioned time frame. For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program.

Medical internships are recommended for pre-meds, nursing and healthcare students. These internships are designed to gain experience and insight into global health and also help you gain a mature understanding of the healthcare field. Interns are placed in the various hospital departments and work under professional doctors and nurses.
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Medical volunteering, on the other hand, is valid for all practicing doctors and healthcare professionals. 3rd and 4th-year medical students are eligible for both the projects, i.e. medical volunteering as well as internships.
This, however, is destination specific and you must consult the program advisor before booking.

As a medical intern, you will be working under a professional doctor. You will be assisting the doctor in various medical practices, observing the processes and would also be allowed to shadow them in critical surgeries or operations. Some pre-meds will be allowed to handle the procedures, depending on your skill set and knowledge level and confidence of the doctor on you.

Some major benefits include:
Working in a live environment and gaining hands-on medical experience
Being able to work with minimum resources available and help out the ones in need
Being able to work with patients of different cultures and understand cultural dynamics of a new city or country
Being able to travel during weekends and in the evenings to explore your destination

Minimum age requirement to participate in any of the programs in Chiang Mai is 18 years and above.
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rnFor medical and healthcare interns:
Age limit is 20 years and above
Statement of motivation is required
Interns have to submit a CV/Resume
Letter of recommendation from medical professional/doctor (you’ve worked with earlier) is also needed
Interns are required to give a list of their preferred departments, where they would like to work in the hospital
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rnFor Journalism Internship program, requirements are as follows:
You need to be 18 years and above
You need to provide a Statement of Motivation
Resume/ CV and photo is needed
Interns are required to submit 2 samples of their writings and published work

For individual volunteers:

You will arrive on the same start date as other volunteers joining at the same time and will be part of a cohort for your program. This means you’ll share the same orientation day, accommodation, and overall experience; a great way to meet new people and make friends from around the world. The best time to join if you want to meet lots of other volunteers is July and August as these are the most popular months.

For groups:
If you already have a group, we also accept applications from university and college groups, high school groups, corporate teams, families, and groups of friends. Your group can fill in our Group Application Form, providing details such as the number of participants, preferred duration, budget, and destination.We take special care in providing your group with a placement that best suits your goals, and we can customise your itinerary to ensure you get exactly the experience you’re looking for. For groups of five or more, we can even design special group programs that combine meaningful volunteer work with cultural immersion and travel opportunities.All our programs, whether individual or group, are designed to be safe, affordable, and rewarding, offering every volunteer a memorable and impactful experience.

Yes, we will provide you with the Certificate after successful completion of your program. The certificate is provided on request.

Most volunteers participating in a short-term volunteer travel experience in Thailand can enter the country on a 30 days tourist Visa which is available to a majority of nationalities on arrival at the airport itself. It is also possible to attain a 60 days tourist Visa prior to the arrival in Thailand.

We can help you attain 90 days Non-Immigrant Visa as well. However, this takes longer time to apply for and requires a lot of paperwork. Please contact us for further information on the same.

Please Note: During your time of volunteering, if you leave Thailand (for example: to spend a weekend in Cambodia and Laos), it will be your responsibility to re-enter Thailand and get the relevant Visa at the border.
Also, note that the maximum duration of Visa at the Surin - Cambodia border is for 15 days.

Although all major carriers fly to Thailand, we recommend the following:
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Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Tigerair flights, Dragonair flights, Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Air China flights, Thai AirAsia, SilkAir.

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in the World and attracts liable travelers all around the year. The locals are friendly and helpful as well; however, it is recommended to consult your in-country coordinators before you step out alone or go to any other locations in Chiang Mai. Also, it is recommended to be with your group whenever you venture out or stay out late in the night. It is strongly recommended to follow the safety rules and regulations provided by the in-country coordinator.

Carry general medicines with you, other than that consult your doctor before flying. We recommend these basic vaccinations for your safety:
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid

Your program coordinator will take you to your program location and introduce you to everyone after giving you a basic orientation about the program/city/culture etc. You will also be told about the local transportation and how to get to your project every day from the accommodation.

Lightweight clothing and rainwear is recommended for the day and warmer items of clothing for the evening (light jacket and/or light sweaters). A pair of walking shoes is highly recommended as well.Sandals or flip flops are comfortable options and will come in handy as well. For those traveling between November and February, please note, that the evenings can get cool, so a sweater/light jacket will come in very handy.
More details regarding clothing will be provided to enrolled participants in their pre-departure booklets.

In Chiang Mai, volunteers are provided accommodation in Volunteer’s house. Located in a convenient area in the middle of Chiang Mai city, our volunteer houses are only minutes apart from each other and can accommodate up to 35 people in air-conditioned bedrooms. Both the volunteer houses have wireless internet, fully equipped kitchens as well as washing machines for volunteers’ convenience. Breakfast is self-made and volunteers are provided with all the resources to cook their own breakfast. Lunch is usually at the project site and for dinner, you can go out with other participants and enjoy the Thai cuisine in one of the many restaurants in the city.

Yes – please do ensure that you inform the local team about your food preference and they can help you to try the best food available. Also, please do mention your specific food preference in the application form as well.

VolSol volunteers usually work for 5 to 6 hours a day depending on their program type. You will have weekends off so you can go for traveling on weekends.

There are ample money exchange counters at the Chiang Mai International Airport. You can change money at any bank or at the airport by showing your passport. There are ATMs located all around the city. You will not face any problems in regards to changing money while in Chiang Mai.

We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to connect with other participants. To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.

Some of the places you can visit include Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai Cabaret show, 3D art Museum, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders, Catmosphere Cat Cafe Chiang Mai, Wattana Art Gallery, Wat Phra Singh and more.
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If you are planning to head out of the city on the weekends, you can go to Pai or Lampang or even head out to Bangkok for a short 2-day trip.
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Yes! On our application form you can detail the name of the friend(s) or partner you are applying with. You will be placed in the same project and accommodation and in the same dorm (subject to restrictions regarding male and female dorms). There is also the option of a private room upgrade in the volunteer house, subject to availability and the relevant upgrade fee. Please enquire with our team regarding prices and availability.

You can book your slot by filling the application form online and pay the application fee. You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments, however, the complete payment should be made 45 days prior the start of the program. If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form. The initial application fee is refunded in the unlikely event that we’re not able to offer you a place on the program, and you have the flexibility to request a change of start date up until the 45 day payment deadline (this is subject to availability for other dates).

We will refund your application fee if the program isn’t available after you have applied.

We can only provide contact details for former volunteers who have consented to having their data shared. However, there is a Facebook group for past and current volunteers which you are welcome to join. There are also hundreds of reviews online from our former volunteers as well as social media posts on Instagram, TikTok and our You Tube Channel.

The best thing to do is join our Facebook group and put up a post detailing your start date, that way you can connect directly with other volunteers joining at the same time as you.

We don’t organise the flights for volunteers, but if you know your arrival date and find other volunteers travelling from the same location, you can book your flights together.