Volunteering abroad

Re: Volunteering abroad

Celine — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:23:16 GMT

There are a lot of volunteer organisations out there, and, as well as ARCHELON, I have worked for another organisation (one of the very big, well-known ones) as one of their field biologists.

The volunteers paid their own flights and then paid £1200 for NINE DAYS on our project. However, you need to dig a little deeper to discover why this is so.

Anyone can volunteer with this organisation and need not be previously skilled or experienced in this or any field. As such, the fees they pay go towards maintaining a stable team of employees, who are actually capable of doing all the work themselves. This is so that, during the times when there are no or few volunteers, the team can still protect the animals and collect all the data to a high standard, and the project as a whole doesnt suddenly suffer and collapse. Of course, we were careful to impress upon the vols that we were very grateful for their help, etc, but the sad reality is that when a person is only there for such a short time it is impossible to train them to a sufficiently high standard to allow them to do anything much with a critically endangered animal other than helping to hold tape measures, and counting eggs.

With ARCHELON our structure is very different. On the beach sites for example, there is often only one "paid" (about 400 euro/month) leader, and 30 - 40 vols. This is why we have such a small vol fee, but require vols to be there for at least 4 weeks. We need your help desperately but we need you to be there long enough to train you to a high standard so that I trust you enough to go out and put a hole in a nesting turtle's flipper to tag her, or to carefully dig up and relocate her eggs the next morning.

I appreciate this may not be a relevant angle for someone who is offering a skill such as VN to a specific veterinary charity, but do bear in mind that it may be because they are open to unskilled vols and the reasons I outlined above. I agree that if you contact them directly, giving your qualifications and skills, they may well take you on in a different capacity.

Whatever you decide to do, have a wonderful time and please let us know of your adventures!!!

Re: Volunteering abroad

emmadilemma — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 22:17:21 GMT

Dunno why that`s not working....charity is called `vets beyond borders` x

Re: Volunteering abroad

lizabarf — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:27:14 GMT

that link doesnt seem to be working x

Re: Volunteering abroad

Emma Gerrard Dip AVN (SA) DipHe CVN BSc (Hons) CVN RVN KSQP RAM — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:40:03 GMT

Do it! Its great fun and you actually get to use your qualification. I have done a couple of trips with the WVS. I pay £30 a year membership and then choose what trips I want to do. There are all sorts of things depending on what you like/what. You dont always have to pay anything but your food. most of them are usually just flight costs. A lot of charitys offer and accomodation now and/or flight costs somethimes. I think the WVS do expect a £100 donation for equipment and too be honest that is easily fundraised. I really enjoyed my trips and it is well worth it.

Re: Volunteering abroad

emmadilemma — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:59:53 GMT

Absolutely ...you can turn it into a really positive thing for your practice. When i went to Thailand i did raffles and stuff to raise my flight money and also did a big display in reception of the charity that i was going to work for. The clients loved it !!

Re: Volunteering abroad

Katherine Spear — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:15:57 GMT

for asking your bosses for unpaid leave to do it-mention you could get a nice article in the local paper maybe - as an article on 'Vet Nurse from..... Practice goes out to rescue monkeys' ...or whatever..... is good advertising for the practice?!

Re: Volunteering abroad

emmadilemma — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:38:27 GMT

http://www.vetsbeyondborders.org/our-projects/

I volunteered with this charity in north india a few years back and it was a great experience. I got to go to lots of little villages right up in the Himalayas that i probably never would have gone to otherwise. They provided food and accomodation all i had to do was get myself there.

I love volunteering abroad and have no problem with working for nothing or paying for my own flights...but i REFUSE to pay to volunteer as so many organisations seem to demand. We are skilled professionals and i feel that giving our time and experience should be enough payment for any charity.

As far as getting time off work goes, my bosses have always been really supportive of me going to do stuff like this and have given me unpaid leave without any bother

Re: Volunteering abroad

Katherine Spear — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:34:52 GMT

and theres this organisation http://www.globalteer.org/ that just charges for the accomodation food etc rather than making lots of money from you...

Re: Volunteering abroad

Dippy — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 11:47:19 GMT

I've been involved with a charity in Cyprus for the past three years and approached them and arranged it myself. Am now very good friends with all of their volunteers (mainly British ex-pats), manage to fit in lots of socialising with all the new friends I've made over there when I visit and spend the rest of the year fundraising on their behalf. Due to it not being an organised trip as such, I pick and choose when to go, how much work to do/split with holiday and there are no fees involved although I obviously pay for my own accommodation and flights each time. I even have cages named after me from last year's fundraiser!!!

Re: Volunteering abroad

Katherine Spear — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 11:19:06 GMT

heyhey, im going out to lilongwe nex year http://www.lilongwespca.org/clinic.html

or theres http://www.lilongwewildlife.org/#volunteer

or theres http://www.elephantvolunteer.org/ for example,

quite a few who just expect payment for accomodation, food & transport type things while your there instead of the thousands gap year projects ask for. Theres a clinic in thailand http://www.kohtaoanimalclinic.org/ or http://www.surinproject.org/Images/Surin_Volunteer_Info_Pack.pdf or one in ethiopia I cant remember their name though, but there are a good few you can find.

worldwide vet services is really good and have a great list of set trips or charities you can look at direct, and membership is only £3 a month and worth it.xx

Re: Volunteering abroad

PHA86 — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:15:37 GMT

Hi,

I've worked in Sri Lanka and Greece. Try contacting a charity directly rather than going through an agency, it'll be a load cheaper. Do your research and go for an established charity. Be prepared for all eventualities!

Re: Volunteering abroad

Celine — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:45:49 GMT

Go to www.archelon.gr

We are a greek charity concerned with the conservation, protection and rehabilitation of endangered sea turtles. We have a rescue centre in Athens where we have over 25 turtles at present. All the turtle husbandry and treatment is undertaken by volunteers, from regular cleaning and feeding to injections, drips, tubefeeds and wound care.

Our facilities are basic and volunteers are trained in-situ by the rescue centre manager, we have a vet who does "rounds" for a few hours one day per week and then leaves instructions to be carried out. As such we LOVE having VNs join us (I've written a load of protocols in the past which helped consolidate how we do things so everyone is doing everything the same way!)

You'll live on site with other volunteers, the volunteer fee is 200 euro for as long as you wish to stay (min period 28 days) and if one of the turtles is released during your stay you will have the opportunity to be involved in the release too! Great fun!

I've been involved with this organisation for 7 years and have worked for other "volunteer" projects where vols were paying in excess of £1000 for 9 days. ARCHELON is reliant on volunteers for all its work (check out our fieldwork, tagging nesting females after they have laid at night too). Its pretty much my second home Have fun!

Re: Volunteering abroad

Leigh Hinsley RVN NCert(BDev) MBVNA — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:42:46 GMT

I volunteered as a VN for Animals Asia at their Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu, China for 3 months and loved it - amazing charity, inspirational work. The also have a centre in Vietnam that deals with a lot of cubs which I'd like to go and work at too! You don't pay them but you have to pay for your flights, travel insurance and visa - you also have to have a number of vaccinations which are at a cost too. but they provide you with lunch and dinner and accomodation at no charge, although too many meals in the canteen makes you want to spend as much money as possible on western food in Chengdu city centre! The people are really lovely and embrace you as a friend as well as a valued member of the team. Its hard work but very rewarding! Message me if you want anymore details x

Oh and my pratice are very good and let me take unpaid leave and return to my post on my return - I just had to go in the winter when the practice is quietest and the least number of people are on holiday.

Re: Volunteering abroad

Percy — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:14:48 GMT

Have a look at worldwide veterinary service www.wvs.org.uk, I haven't been on a trip with them yet but I'd like to! To properly look at all the the trips planned you have to be a member.