Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't FSD pay me to work?
How does the FSD Intern Abroad program work?
How does the FSD Volunteer Abroad program work?
Are citizens from other countries eligible to participate?
Are FSD programs in safe locations?
Am I insured during my time abroad?
I already have my own insurance. Can I waive the travel-medical insurance offered through the FSD internship program?
Is there a language requirement?
Where will I be living?
Who can I contact that has already participated in the program?
When is the deadline to apply?
Why doesn't FSD pay me to work?
Successfully channeling resources from Western nations to the developing world, while co-creating sustainable development solutions is one of the greatest challenges we face today. The world's largest and most sophisticated developmental institutions have repeatedly stumbled in their attempts to reduce extreme poverty and the devastation it creates.There are many models being implemented to make positive change. FSD's method for supporting sustainable development is to partner with small NGOs that predominantly do not receive funding from CARE, USAID, or other major sources. These NGOs are doing great work, but are working so deeply in the trenches that they do not have outreach and fundraising branches. We support these organizations directly by sending volunteers and interns who donate their passion, time, and financial resources. The organizations could never afford to pay for this support, so the cost must be absorbed by someone else.
FSD raises money of its own to fund project work in the international communities we support. 100 percent of these funds go directly to projects implemented by volunteers and interns. Instead of using this money to defray program fees, we give it where it is needed most. Therefore, the cost of facilitating our programs must be carried by the volunteers and interns that utilize our services. In essence, the program fee is a contribution to the community you are working to support. We believe this is a practical model for effectively channeling the most resources possible to needy communities, while guaranteeing that the resources are being used ethically and efficiently.
The fees paid to FSD go directly to funding a participant's expenses:
- Room and Board
- In-Country Support and Administration
- Program Maintenance
- Health Insurance
- Legal and Logistical Costs
Below is an excerpt from a book on international volunteering that helps to explain the necessity of a fee.
from HOW TO LIVE YOUR DREAM OF VOLUNTEERING OVERSEAS[back to top]
by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher
published by Penguin Putnam, Inc., 2002
Prospective volunteers are surprised to learn that many programs charge their volunteers a fee to participate. At first, this can seem ridiculous - Why should you pay money to work for free? Aren't you already forgoing income you could be making? Here are a few things to keep in mind while trying to understand why the vast majority of programs charge international volunteers a fee:
The local organizations and projects with which you volunteer overseas have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidize your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. (These costs include housing, feeding and transporting you, among numerous other things.) If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer, it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture and is likely to stick around.
Identifying appropriate host organizations overseas and working with them is time-consuming, takes resources, and requires an experienced and professional staff. The process of preparing, training, transporting, housing, feeding, and supervising volunteers is not cheap. Additional services such as health care, re-entry assistance, travel medical insurance, and more, all add to the expenses of a program. The costs of recruiting volunteers, producing literature, answering the phones, sending mailings, developing a website, and interviewing potential volunteers are significant.
How does the FSD Intern Abroad program work?
Internships are offered year-round for 9 to 52 weeks, depending on your schedule and the breadth of experience you wish to attain. Our structured program consists of several components that provide you with the support and guidance needed to facilitate successful projects in a sustainable manner, thus ensuring that the work makes a lasting impact on you and the community you serve.
Program Structure
Orientation (one week) – You will begin your internship with a group of 3 to 8 other participants. The FSD Site Team will help you acclimate to your new surroundings and deliver a variety of activities and educational sessions to prepare you for the work ahead. Throughout your internship, the Site Team will be there to support you and ensure your safety.
Accommodation – You will live individually with host families for at least the first 9 weeks of the internship. These accommodations allow full immersion into the local language and culture, while providing a chance to form relationships with an extended family and community.
Host Organization – Your work setting will be a locally managed FSD host organization that fits your skills and interests. The first step will be to familiarize yourself with the staff to gain a full understanding of the resources, people, and projects currently in progress. Typically, you will be the only FSD intern placed with the organization to ensure immersion during your work. From here you will shape and initiate specific project work in collaboration with your organization and the FSD Site Team.
Program Highlights
Development Training – Throughout the internship, FSD supports you with a series of tools to maximize your project work and your understanding of sustainable development principles. Initially, you will learn the most pressing issues and initiatives in the region. Regular group sessions and a midterm retreat will offer you the chance to process the internship and share insight to cross-cultural issues:
- Critically observe your surroundings
- Perform an effective needs assessment
- Build partnerships and assemble key community members (community mapping)
- Design and manage a cohesive work plan that reflects realistic and sustainable objectives
- Prepare a persuasive grant proposal
- Facilitate sustainable project work
- Complete a sustainability plan that synopsizes your accomplishments and guides the organization and future interns on how to continue your work
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How does the FSD Volunteer Abroad program work?
FSD's Volunteer Abroad program is for professionals with seasoned, relevant experience that can be applied in the field. Pro Corps volunteers work in the field with FSD for 4-52 weeks.
Program Structure for ProCorps Volunteering
Accommodation – Typically, you will live individually with a host family to enhance immersion into the local language and culture, while providing a chance to form meaningful relationships.
Orientation and Support – The FSD Site Team will get you acclimated to your new surroundings and deliver a variety of activities and educational sessions to prepare you for the work ahead. Throughout your time abroad, the Site Team will provide in-country support that allows you to focus on helping your organization.
Host Organization – After orientation, the Site Team will introduce you to the host organization where you will get familiar with the staff and their work. From here you will collaboratively develop your work plan with the organization and our Site Team.
Development Training – FSD supports you with a series of trainings that enhance your understanding of sustainable development as it relates to the local culture. They include: learning the most pressing development issues, processing cross-cultural differences with other volunteers during group sessions, and attending workshops that help you to:
- Critically observe your surroundings
- Perform an effective needs assessment
- Build partnerships and gather key community members (community mapping)
- Design and manage a cohesive work plan that reflects realistic and sustainable objectives
- Prepare a persuasive grant proposal for project funding
- Facilitate sustainable project work
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Are citizens from other countries eligible to participate?
Yes. Although FSD is a U.S.-based organization, we have had interns from many different countries from around the world.
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Are FSD programs in safe locations?
Participants' safety is our number one priority and we take every measure to ensure your safety abroad. Our partner organizations and programs are run by FSD staff and trusted colleagues who live locally and often have years of experience with FSD interns and volunteers. As far as the political climate of each location--that depends on when and where you go. But rest assured, we would never place you in a highly dangerous region.
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Am I insured during my time abroad?
Medical insurance is provided for all internship participants (summer and individual) and is included in the program fee. Click here for a complete list of benefits. For all other programs, you must provide your own insurance.
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I already have my own insurance. Can I waive the travel-medical insurance offered through the FSD internship program?
Internship program participants may not waive the travel-medical insurance coverage included in the program. Many health carriers do not cover you while you are abroad nor do they cover emergency evacuations. The supplemental insurance offered through the FSD Internship Program covers both of these things. It is very important that everyone has reliable coverage in country and that is why FSD has standardized coverage across program participants.
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Is there a language requirement?
FSD encourages all participants to take a language class before the start of their program. In some cases, language training is included as part of the program; in other cases, it is possible to set up language classes or private tutors on a per individual basis. See below for specifics:
Latin America: Proficiency in Spanish is required. Interns and volunteers are expected to be able to converse comfortably in a work environment. Orientation and workshops are conducted in Spanish, and in select locations, the local field staff do not speak English. It is therefore important that participants have a conversational level of Spanish before the start of the program. If you have never taken Spanish, please consider our East Africa and India programs. If you have a basic level of Spanish language ability, we suggest you consider intensive language training before participating in the FSD internship program. Contact FSD for a list of recommended language schools in our program countries.[back to top]
East Africa and India: Internships and volunteering in East Africa and India include one week of intensive language training and ongoing weekly refresher courses as part of the program.
Where will I be living?
Interns and volunteers typically live with host families in the communities where they are working. Families are usually middle class by their country standards, but accommodations are often very basic and privacy is limited. Participants usually take all of their meals with their families, and often develop close relationships with family members that last a lifetime.
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Who can I contact that has already participated in the program?
If you are interested in participating in an FSD program, you can write, call, or email for a list of past participants to contact. They are your best resource for understanding what an experience like this really entails. They can tell you what to expect, how to plan, what to bring, the most difficult experiences they had, and the most rewarding experiences they had.
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When is the deadline to apply?
Applications for all start dates are accepted up until the posted application deadline. All applications for a given session will be reviewed immediately following the application deadline. Early applications are accepted but selection will not take place until after all applications for the session have been received. Applicants will be selected to best meet the needs of our partner organization, connecting participants with organizations that most closely align their skills, interests, and objectives. Please contact our office if you are applying within 3 months of the program start date to check whether there is availability.
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