True Travellers’ Society is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to providing information that will help independent travellers get the most out of their experiences abroad. The aim is to build a centralized location where people can share information on immersing oneself - in the local culture, activities and way of life, primarily through volunteering - but the point is to make the information available for free and not to function as a fee-charging placement organization.

The most immediately practical resource on their site is the list of volunteer opportunities, but that’s hardly all. There are forums where registered users can pose questions and share information. It’s also possible to start a blog through True Travellers, and there is a good list of links to relevant sites on volunteering and/or other similar topics.

I’ll leave off with a sample of some of the volunteer opportunities and organizations featured:

Summer Camp Boomerang in Kazakhstan was set up by Peace Corps volunteers – current volunteers are needed to participate in a summer camp “English language in nature” seems to be one focus. You get to stay in a traditional yurt!

Or, you can help out by offering as much time as you have with a British charity working in Uganda which aims to improve education for children. One goal is to refurbish government schools, and volunteers are needed to help the builders and also to host, for example, sports or art workshops for students.

For more opportunities like these, have a look around True Travellers Society.