The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. - Oscar Wilde

People who are considering volunteering overseas sometimes express surprise at being asked to pay a participation fee. However, it needs to be remembered that volunteering can be an expensive undertaking, with possible costs including transport, accommodation, food, administration, training, on-the-ground support, and potentially, medical and other insurance. Most organisations cannot cover these costs unless your volunteering will make a significant contribution to their work or they receiving substantial financial support.

The Difference Between Non-Profit and For-Profit

Not-for-profit organizations, as the name suggests, do not seek commercial profit from the fees they charge volunteers. They are, however, interested in their own financial survival in order to continue funding volunteer projects abroad. Their principal objective is usually to achieve certain social aims or fulfil certain social needs without financial gain. These objectives are normally set out in organizations’ mission statements.

For-profit organizations do exist, many of which are primarily concerned with placing volunteers in projects rather than the projects themselves. If this bothers you, be sure to ask an organization whether it is for-profit or not, and at the very least how your fee money will be spent.

Where Does Your Fee Go?

Participation fees can vary a lot. It is often the case that organizations that require specific educational or professional skills will not charge fees, and will cover accommodation and food costs while you are abroad. Some will even provide a small living allowance. Other organizations will not charge a placement fee, but will require that volunteers cover all their own travel and living costs. Those that do charge a program fee will often put that money toward covering costs to match volunteers to programs, in-country transport, accommodation and food. Finally, there are programs that will charge a flat onetime fee that will cover everything from flights and visas to food and accommodation.

Get detailed information! Before making a final decision about which organization you would like to volunteer with, ask for a breakdown of how the fee will be spent. This will help you to get a more detailed picture of how the organisation is structured. If you are planning to fundraise to cover the costs of your placement, it will also provide you with information to pass on to potential donors.