5 Reasons To Volunteer Abroad - Volunteer Vacations

Volunteering abroad is not a regular vacation. It is a chance to spend your time where it matters, live like a local and come home changed. Since 2007, thousands of A Broader View volunteers have joined projects in more than 30 countries. Here are the five reasons they tell us mattered most.

1. Make a real difference

The communities we work with struggle with poverty, disease and a lack of skilled workers. Our programs run all year, so every volunteer adds to work that continues after they leave: teaching children, supporting clinics and hospitals, caring for the elderly, building schools or protecting sea turtles. You do not need special skills for most projects, just commitment and a willingness to help. Browse our programs.

2. Live a culture from the inside

Tourists see a country. Volunteers live it. Most ABV volunteers stay with a local host family, eat home-cooked meals and share daily life with their neighbors. You learn customs, food and traditions that no guidebook can teach, and your hosts learn about your culture in return.

3. Learn or improve a language

There is no faster way to learn a language than to need it every day. Many of our Latin American programs can include Spanish lessons alongside your volunteer work. Read about volunteering with language immersion.

4. Grow your skills and your career

Volunteering abroad builds what employers and universities look for: adaptability, initiative, problem solving and cross-cultural communication. Students interested in healthcare can gain hands-on experience in medical and nursing programs, and future teachers can lead real classrooms. At the end of your program you receive an ABV certificate, a letter verifying your service hours and recognition through the President's Volunteer Service Award.

5. Come home with a broader view

Volunteers often tell us they left to help others and came back having learned the most. You will make friends from around the world, step outside your comfort zone and see your own life from a new angle. Read what past volunteers say in their reviews.

Ready to start?

You choose the country, the project, your start date and how long you stay, from one week to several months. Find out how it works, check the fees in our price calculator or ask our team anything.