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Does Volunteering Have to Cost a Fortune?

30.07.2007 -17 °C

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Ever dreamed of volunteering in Costa Rica? Can you afford it? Photo by shinenyc.

Several years ago, I researched doing a volunteer trip and was disheartened when most volunteer programs I found were well beyond my budget. I became sceptical. If these people want me to volunteer for them, why are they charging me so much money to do so?

In fact, it wasn’t the local organisations that were threatening to bleed me dry financially. It was the multinational companies acting as the middle man between them and potential volunteers such as myself. Their exorbitant fees were what turned me off volunteering overseas.

I was startled to read just how much going through an international “voluntourism company“ adds to the price. Rob Meyer, on his blog GoBudgetTravel, showed that a volunteer program costing a mere $450 if arranged directly with the organisation, costs $2245 if you go through a multinational company.

Where’s all that extra cash going?

Scott Pralinsky, the executive director for Tropical Adventures (a “so-called voluntourism company” which operates in Costa Rica), replied to Rob’s post from his own blog, explaining that the extra money helps pay for quite a bit. Besides setting you up with an appropriate local organisation, these companies provide valuable support for volunteers. They also research and decide which areas of Costa Rica most need support. And of course there are administrative costs, advertising, and salaries to pay.

I agree that companies like Tropical Adventures have their place. They are great for travellers who might not be willing (or able) to plan a volunteer trip themselves.

Unfortunately, voluntourism companies also tend to be the most prominent. How many travellers grow discouraged and give up after they find they cannot afford to volunteer - without ever realising that they can organise it on their own?

Should voluntourism companies take greater care to inform potential volunteers that there are cheaper ways to volunteer - even if that means some people don't volunteer through them?

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For those interested in organising their own volunteer trip, here are a few great articles worth checking out:

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Posted by dr.pepper 20:01 Archived in Volunteer

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Comments

A margin of 20 to 30% is quite common on top of just the program side of things, but anything more becomes really expensive. This margin covers things like marketing (I don't think volunteering would be even half as popular as it is today without this marketing as most volunteer organizations just don't know where to start and how - consider the 'cost' of losing that 50% of worldwide volunteers...), salaries, print costs, postage etc.

The peace of mind for parents, a local phone number to call etc are also huge value adds for a lot of volunteers.

Especially in the US I've seen the disparity between cost price and charged price exceeding above amount quite a lot, but in Europe, where travelling outside of country borders is a way of life, a company just couldn't get away with it. Plus there's a few EU initiatives that are free :)

31.07.2007 by Sam I Am

Interesting point regarding the importance of marketing to the popularity of volunteering. 20-30% hardly seems outrageous considering the fact that it takes a lot of pressure off the volunteer's shoulders. But when it's more than that, you get a distinct sense that this is primarily a business - rather than a humanitarian endeavour. And I think that that would trouble a lot of volunteers: are they there to help, or are they there as tourists?

31.07.2007 by dr.pepper

I work for a volunteer organisation, one that does not make huge profits, but rather ensures monies are directed to the right causes.

One must consider, it is not just marketing costs to cover. The process of preparing, training, transporting, housing, feeding and supervising volunteers is not cheap. Additional services such as healthcare, funding of overseas projects, volunteer re-entry assistance and alumni networks all add to the expense of a program

Volunteer contributions are in many instances the only money supporting a project. Local organisations and projects with which you volunteer have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidise your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture.

Yes it is possible to find projects independently without an organisation such as ours, however, some people would prefer joining a project with in-country support and thorough training, and one which has been research thoroughly for safety and viability, knowing the funds will be spent on the things most needed.

13.12.2007 by EKL

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