Is it safe these days to volunteer abroad, especially when many volunteer project locations are somewhat off the beaten path? How can you find out where it’s safe and where it’s not?

To speak sweepingly, I think people tend to worry more than reality merits.

Certainly there is crime in some areas, and you need to research potential destinations for detailed, current news about them. Guidebooks often give a general perspective, your own county’s government may give specific advice for travelers, and advice from other travelers can be useful for putting things into context or giving you a general idea of what to look out for.

I’m personally of the school of thought that my own government errs on the side of caution, which is probably not all that surprising for a government. Since 2002, I have spent more than 2 years in Bosnia, which has more or less a standing travel warning. The only problems I’ve had have been a couple of instances of attempted pickpocketing, a crime which can and does happen in nearly all large European (and other) cities.

In my opinion, perhaps the most universal “risk factor” is simply being in a place you’re not familiar with.

You may be looking at a map or admiring the view instead of realizing someone is unzipping your backpack on the street. You may seem lost and therefore become a target for some kind of trickster. Or you may not have the innate sense of where and where not to go that you do at home, where understanding people’s behavior or other environmental cues is second nature.

It would of course be silly to generalize because different countries have different circumstances - but I tend to go by a handful of tips which for me have been useful in different context (including at home).