Mika from Bootsnall recently gave me the heads up on a couple of relevant online articles on volunteering, and thanks to those links, I also came across a slightly older but no less valuable post by vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts at World Hum. It’s on the topic of I want to volunteer abroad, are there any programs without high fees?

I though Rolf made some good points which deserve a mention here, such as:

• Try to look for informal opportunities on the road. Aside from the fact that even when local organizations do happen to be online, they are frequently strapped for time and may not have the staff to correspond in advance, volunteering when you turn up allows you to check out the circumstances before making a commitment.
• Rolf is a former teacher, and has volunteered to teach a few English classes while on the road, he recommends doing likewise with whatever skill you have, rather than counting only on your able-bodiness (is that a word?). He does, however, mention the example of the Asian tsunami, where the willingness of travelers to lend a hand wherever needed often made a positive impact.
• He also conducted an interview with an editor at Transitions Abroad (another great travel and volunteer resource). Greg Hubbs explains that few international volunteers are ready to hit the ground running – which is a partial explanation for the fees built into many package volunteer vacations. He also shares some good resources for low-cost volunteer opportunities.