Volunteering Abroad Financial Means Question

[swaffles]

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I've been reading this forum a lot and many of you guys have done volunteering abroad, all of which sounds great. I was wondering if those of you who have had experience with this could offer some advice as to how and WHERE to apply for grants to subsidize such trips? Did you fund raise on top of applying for scholarships?

I've searched online and most of these programs want you to pay them on top of paying for airfare, and I can only afford to pay for one of the two by this summer.

I found a few scholarship links but these days they want you to make videos and have people vote on them =\

 

[Awapi]

Well, my experience won't really help if you are looking just for something to do for the summer before school, but if you wanted to do something later then...

If you are thinking about volunteering abroad after or with school you could consider the Peace Corps (which I did and am doing again with grad school!!). Several schools of Public Health like Tulane, Emory, BU, UAB, Johns Hopkins, GW, SUNY, and a few others participate in a program called Masters International. The programs vary at each school, but, in general, you complete all or part of your coursework on campus and then serve in the Peace Corps which counts as a semester of classes, your hours of practicum, or some other trade off. Examples: At Tulane you do three semesters on campus and then join Peace Corps, you submit certain reports and your service counts as you last credits and you graduate while in the Peace Corps. At UPitt you go 2 semesters, serve in the Peace Corps, and then come back to campus to complete your last two semesters (so you can see how it varies).

Peace Corps is a 27 month commitment, but it's a super unique opportunity to learn a new language, integrate into a community, and make a sustainable difference to a group of people. In Peace Corps EVERYTHING is covered while you are in country (your airfare there and back, a stipend for living, medical expenses, etc) and you get a stipend of about $6,800 (after taxes) when you return (there was a recent "raise" for Peace Corps Volunteers, I received about $5,600 when I closed of service 2 months ago). You accrue $250 a month for it while you are serving, so if something happens and you can't complete your 27 months you still get the portion you have earned.

Also with Peace Corps your loans can be deferred, and if you have Perkins Loans they will forgive 15% of your debt for every full year of Peace Corps service you complete (so 30% for your 27 months - however, I think Perkins usually only lends about 1,500 or 2K to students, but still!). You don't have to do it with your school if you choose a place that doesn't do masters international, your loans can still be deferred and with all the health job sectors Peace Corps has it would be great experience.

Peace Corps application process is no joke though, it takes about 12 months (sometimes shorter, sometimes longer, but right now it's taking a while because of potential budget cuts). There's intensive medical reviews, etc, and the waiting can be frustrating, but in the end it is totally worth it (in my opinion). Plus, if you're in grad school you just start the application process about a year before you are available to leave and the wait will be easier since you have a reason to be in the states.

Anyhoo, Peace Corps isn't for everyone, but it's a good option for people willing and excited to make the commitment! I loved my first service and can't wait to do it again with Masters International at Emory!

 

[swaffles]

Thank you for the info, Awapi! It definitely sounds like a fun and comprehensive program, albeit the processing time it takes.

I have looked into the Peace Corps early on, before I started applying for Public Health, and as great as the program sounds, 27 months is a huge time investment and I'm as much the opposite of a gambler as can be possible. I want to start out with something like a summer or semester program to see if it's something I can handle, medically and mentally. The only time I've lived abroad during my adult life was for a study abroad program in Australia, and that was as cushy as it can get, so it's no real testament, haha.

Congratulations on getting the Emory Masters International program! You managed to combine two great programs into one degree =)

 

[swaffles]

Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm open to ALL help.

Thanks!

 

[cornflakegirl]

I've looked into this in the past but I'm having trouble finding my notes at the moment...

Maybe this website will be helpful; it has information both about fundraising and scholarships/grants - http://www.idealist.org/info/IntlVolunteer/Cost

Good luck!

 

[E24Gose]

Hey lady! I have never volunteered abroad, but I can tell you that volunteering here at home is just as rewarding. I spent a lot of time on reservations in Montana helping plant community gardens and such. Did you know an almost-rotten pepper on one of the reservations costs almost $4? My SOPs were all about my time spent here in the states, which is a lot easier and cheaper than going abroad. I focused quite a bit on how much people in the US need help. I know there are a ton of opportunities to go to rural or urban-ghetto locations to help within the country. Don't think I'm a stalker but I noticed you're from NJ. I know there are a lot of opportunities in communities in that state to help out.

Schools are looking for abroad experience, but it never hurts reminding them how many people here in the US still need help. Unless you're specifically looking for international experience, I would look into places closer to you. It'll be more cost-effective and you'll be helping people.

 

[confused13]

network and see if anyone you know has a friend who is doing public health work abroad. if you can do it through a local organization wherever you want to go rather than through a large volunteer organization you would probably at most pay for your ticket, your food and a place to stay.

 

[splashnchaos23]

This is something I've spent quite a bit of time researching myself, so thanks for putting it out there. I haven't been very successful in finding programs or grants, but I can share a couple of methods that I'll be using to cut costs.

Option 1: Au Pair / Teach English
If you have some experience with childcare, you might consider becoming a part-time au pair. There are tons of families worldwide that would love to have a native English speaker taking care of their children. If you're not into childcare, you can seek out families interested in hosting a student that is willing to teach the whole family English. I'd suggest seeking out an expat family living near a volunteer site.

I'm planning to live with a French family in Kenya for 3 months, working in the evenings and volunteering at a local HIV/AIDS orphanage during the day. The family lives in a a very safe neighborhood and will be able to offer plenty of insight into expat life in Kenya. The position is paid, and the only expenses will be airfare (which they're helping with) and maybe extra travel cash.

Option 2: Free Volunteer Programs
There are volunteer programs that charge fees for placement, housing, room & board, and so on... but there are a few that are affordable or free. I'm planning to head to Thailand to volunteer at a place with free housing; the only expenses are food & airfare. Check out the programs on vaops.com.

 

[swaffles]

Schools are looking for abroad experience, but it never hurts reminding them how many people here in the US still need help. Unless you're specifically looking for international experience, I would look into places closer to you. It'll be more cost-effective and you'll be helping people.

I actually JUST started looking at US opportunities right before I checked your message, hah. And yeah, a lot of the programs here definitely cut down on the airfare cost and have better services for the volunteer. Thanks for the awesome advice! It's definitely something I'm going to have to consider now.

I've looked into this in the past but I'm having trouble finding my notes at the moment...

Maybe this website will be helpful; it has information both about fundraising and scholarships/grants - http://www.idealist.org/info/IntlVolunteer/Cost

Good luck!

I completely forgot about idealist! I didn't really see what I wanted to for international service but I definitely bookmarked a few great internship opportunities on there. It's some sweet stuff - thanks so much!

network and see if anyone you know has a friend who is doing public health work abroad. if you can do it through a local organization wherever you want to go rather than through a large volunteer organization you would probably at most pay for your ticket, your food and a place to stay.

I actually had an acquaintance who said she went through an organization called Eye 2 (sic?) Eye, which partially funded her trip. It's definitely not an NGO for vision services but that's all Google could find =\ I'm gonna keep looking though!

I'm planning to live with a French family in Kenya for 3 months, working in the evenings and volunteering at a local HIV/AIDS orphanage during the day. The family lives in a a very safe neighborhood and will be able to offer plenty of insight into expat life in Kenya. The position is paid, and the only expenses will be airfare (which they're helping with) and maybe extra travel cash.

Option 2: Free Volunteer Programs
There are volunteer programs that charge fees for placement, housing, room & board, and so on... but there are a few that are affordable or free. I'm planning to head to Thailand to volunteer at a place with free housing; the only expenses are food & airfare. Check out the programs on vaops.com.

That's such a great symbiotic approach there! Would you mind if I asked for more information as to how to approach this au pair/volunteering setup?

All of your advice has been great! Thanks everyone =)