Is volunteering just for those who can afford it?

Hollie McNish asks if volunteering overseas is only for the well off (and looks at some cheaper alternatives).

Prince Harry spent part of his gap year working in Lesotho.

Volunteering is undoubtedly worthwhile, both in terms of the help individuals give to all sorts of communities, as well as the experience it gives them as a person. But it cannot be denied that, in a number of ways, it is reserved for the those who can afford it.

In the BBC’s piece Is volunteering just for the privileged few?, it describes Prince Harry’s work in Lesotho as a ‘great advert for volunteering’. Yet this article seemed to forget that this work was in fact pretty costly. Prince Harry (or more likely, his dad) paid for the flights, travel insurance, board, and perhaps a little extra to the organisation he went with.

Some say (in fact my school said this) that money can be raised for trips like Harry’s through fundraising activities, and many organisations offer incentives and several group opportunities for this fundraising. Yet, even if the money was raised, it is unlikely someone from a family with little income could justify spending so much on an experience like this.

I am not criticising experiences such as Prince Harry’s. I just think we should admit that this is an expensive way to volunteer, and is about the experience and the place as much as the work itself. But that’s not a bad thing. If you want to go to another country, to see the real culture, interact with real people and give something back to the community rather than the hotel chains and tour makers, then this type of volunteering is a great thing to do. If you can afford to go on holiday, why not pay to go on one where you will truly see the country and give a little back as well? You can’t argue with that.

One thing to watch however, is that there’s no standard for these voluntary work organisations to adhere to. Many people I know have paid out stacks of cash only to arrive back with little in the way of actual voluntary work. And, in the case of the Gap Challenge trip available for my school sixth form, no community or voluntary work whatsoever. So, it’s best to find out the policy of the organisation you’re planning to go with.

After all that, however, there are loads of ways to volunteer cheaply. Walk down your local street and ask in the charity shops if they need you. It’s unpaid, but even an hour a week is a great help, can easily be done alongside another job, and, if you’re thinking ‘show me the money’, it will make you a lot more employable later. Alternatively, phone your local council and find out about any community projects or mentoring schemes in your area. For more permanent work, CSV is an organisation that offers a variety of volunteer positions all around the UK. Unlike many groups, it provides you with all your food and accommodation for the whole time you’re working. Free volunteering!

Even this sort of voluntary work, however, will not to appeal to all. Some will want to do their own thing. For them, there are a huge number of grants set up to help you organise your own community activities. The Big Boost is probably the best one. This fund will dish out up to £2,500 for 11-25 year olds to set up a project they feel will give back to the local community.

And if you still don’t wanna volunteer, then at least have a look at Oxfam’s jobs, www.charityjobs.co.uk or the ethical jobs section on Generation Why. It’s all paid!