Learn All About Overseas Volunteer Programs Available in Australia

Feel like volunteering? If you find yourself developing a strong motivation and desire to contribute to society, you can participate in countless different programs—a compulsion that can only be satiated by leaving your comfort zone and heading out to volunteer. With the number of volunteer organisations eager to take you under their wings and nurture your heart for volunteerism and conservation, it can be quite overwhelming to select a program that will best suit what you want to accomplish. Depending on your goals, the following categories can help you make an informed decision on the kind of program you should invest your time and yourself in:

• Short-term volunteer programs – Most short-term programs are focused on cultural learning experiences. Some of these are non-profit, while some are for profit. Short-term intercultural placements in fact, make up the majority of today's overseas volunteer programs. Most don't require specific professional or educational qualifications.

• Long-term volunteer programs – Long-term programs focus more on empowering local people or the program beneficiaries. These often involve some form of skills transfer, which means you may be required to have a certain professional or educational degree or qualification.

• Conservation or environmental volunteer programs – These are the types of programs that are mainly concerned with environmental and conservation work out in the field. The motivations and goals of organisations involved in these kinds of causes are wildly varied, but most focus on environmental issues on a local scale. These types of volunteer programs are advisable if you want projects that are results-oriented.

• Relief/emergency volunteer programs – The focus of emergency and relief volunteer programs is on relieving emergency situations that often arise as a result of natural disasters or political/civil conflicts. These programs often run on short notice and are concentrated on basic needs like food, water, medicine, sanitation, shelter, and rescue.