Q. Do I have to be Australian to be eligible to participate in your program?
A. No, there is no restriction as to nationality, and most of our volunteers are not Australian. Anyone can volunteer as long as they are able to gain visas for the countries they wish to visit. We are unable to provide assistance in obtaining visas and do not write letters in support of visa applications. Also note that you must volunteer outside your home country to take part in IV placements.
Q. Are there any age restrictions for participants?
A. No. While many volunteers have just finished high school or university, people of all ages are valued. We have had volunteers as young as16, however written parental consent (such as a letter) is required if under 18. Most importantly, a volunteer needs to be self sufficient, independent, and be able to travel alone in a foreign country. Certain placements have a lower limit of 21, and this is specified where applicable.
To date, our oldest volunteer was 75; we are happy to accept mature individuals for our programs.
Q. Do I have to go to Australia before going on to a placement in another country?
A. No. Volunteers are not required to travel to Australia if they are not undertaking placements there. Many volunteers arrange their program by correpondence and do not need to visit our office.
For travelers who do volunteer in Australia, we can meet you at Melbourne airport and provide the first night's accommodation at our house at no extra cost. This gives you the opportunity to meet IVI staff and discuss your program with us in person. If you arrive in another city we are unable to meet you.
Q. How long do the programs last?
A. We have two schemes: A "Single Placement Program" involves doing a single placement of 2-12 weeks. A "Multiple Placement Program" can incorporate any number of placements (in one or more countries) over 1 year.
You might decide to volunteer for anything between 2 - 52 weeks; our programs are flexible enough to fit with the time you have available. Volunteers on longer Multiple Placement Programs will usually have some "non-volunteering" time in their program to allow travel and sightseeing.
Q. Can I volunteer in more than one country?
A. Yes. You may volunteer in as many countries as you wish (where we have placements) within the time limit of your IV Multiple Placement Program (up to 1 year), and provided your budget can meet the expenses involved.
Q. Can I stay at one placement for more than 12 weeks? Do you have long term placements?
A. In most cases, placements are only short term. This is partly due to high unemployment rates in many countries, where long term volunteers might be seen to take the place of paid employment that could otherwise be filled by the local population.
There are some placements where volunteers are able to stay for a longer period, eg. 12 weeks or even 6 months; these placements are usually located in developing countries.
Q. How far in advance do I need to apply for a program?
A. The more time we have to work with the better. For each placement we need to post CVs to hosts and receive a reply, then make all the placements fit together to form your program of International Networked Volunteering. Factor in late changes, third world postal services and unforeseen circumstances and you will see that it can take some time. You can register with only a short amount of time to work with, but just remember that as time grows shorter, options narrow and you are less likely to get your first preferences. If you only give a couple of weeks notice we can still find something, but do not be too demanding of specific placements.
Q. Will I have support while volunteering?
A. Yes. Our main office is situated in Port Melbourne, Australia and we can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We also have associates in Argentina, Australia, Ecuador, England, Fiji, Germany, New Zealand, and South Africa who are able to provide support to volunteers.
The Host Organisation of each placement is able to assist if you have a problem while at a placement. However, volunteers should be able to travel independently and not expect to be guided all the time.
Q. Can I choose which placements I go to?
A. Yes. When you send your registration details, you can outline specific placements that interest you in your covering letter and we will attempt to incorporate them into your program. If the placement is available at the time of year suitable to you, you meet the requirements of the placement, have some degree of flexibility and don't apply at the last minute, then we are usually able to include the placements requested.
Q. Can I go with my friends, partner or spouse?
A. Yes. You can specify that you want a program devised for more than one person. Each person volunteering on the same Program will get a AU$50 discount on their Program Fees. Some placements will not be available for more than one person, so options will narrow slightly.
Q. If I am volunteering my time and effort, why should I have to pay for anything?
A. Fees are required in return for the service of developing placements and creating and coordinating an individual program. IVI is a not-for-profit organisation, but because IVI is not just specifically related to education or the natural environment; and as the volunteer activities are not all of specific benefit to either disadvantaged people or endangered species, IVI is not able to be registered as a charity. Therefore the funding of all IVI activities is covered by a contribution received from the participating volunteer. In most cases food and accommodation are provided in return for the volunteers' work. When you consider this detail, I think that you will find that we offer a valuable and affordable volunteering experience.
If you do not want to pay any money to be a volunteer, that is understandable. You can always organise things by yourself from home and as you travel. Of course, it is difficult to find trustworthy contacts in a foreign country when you have limited time and money. Most people will find it a more cost effective and fulfilling experience to have a program arranged by IVI before they depart, rather than to "hope for the best" as they go.
Q. Is Involvement Volunteers registered as a legitimate organisation?
A. Yes. Involvement Volunteers is a Government Registered, Not-For-Profit, Non-Governmental Organisation. This can be verified by contacting the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) in Australia. Outside Australia, contact an Australian embassy or consulate. Quote our A.B.N. (Australian Business Number): 61 226 364 141.
Q. Can I have more information and a registration form?
A. Yes! Visit the How to apply page
