I first came across this volunteer resource while browsing a bookstore some time ago – I don’t currently have a copy with me but it sure has stuck in my mind. Some, but not all, of the info in the book is conveniently available online.

The book is divided into five main sections – Profiles of (over 80) volunteer placement organizations, an cross-listed index of organizations by country, issue, or age requirements, a Peace Corps chapter which outlines some pros and cons of the organization, and no fewer than two bonus sections with listings of over 100 more organizations in one part and another which “details alternatives to volunteering, providing general advice and concrete resources for study abroad, travel, work abroad, and volunteering at home.”

But there’s more: the meat of this book – or so I thought - is the Practical Advice About Volunteering section, which gives advice on selecting an organization, volunteering without a program, being an effective volunteer (“how volunteers can go beyond good intentions and avoid harming the very communities they seek to help.”), alternatives to volunteering, and what to do when you get back.

At the website, you can find a “profile of the month” – this month, Visions In Action – to give you an idea of what’s in the print version - and links to a plethora of online resources.

What sets this book apart from others in my opinion: it’s thoughtful and it provides an analytical look at a huge variety of organizations. If you want to volunteer but don’t know where to start..this is the place. If you’re looking for something that will give you simple one-layer answers and point you in one direction only…this book isn’t it. You still need to do the work and evaluate your own goals and motivation and whatever cause you wish to work for. But this book is a marvelous primer, and the fact that it attempts to provide a balanced view makes me feel that I can trust it. The answer is not “this organization is good and this one is bad” – there’s more to it than that. But start here.