Short-Term Volunteering
The FSD Short-Term Volunteer Program offers professionals, students, and retirees an opportunity to observe and support an international organization while staying within a strict time schedule. Many volunteers simply want to use their vacation time immersing themselves in a foreign culture and helping to empower underserved communities, instead of traveling and experiencing the culture from a distance. Whatever your reason for going abroad, FSD will provide you with safe and supported access into the heart of communities throughout the world, exposing you to hands-on, grassroots development.
Click here to download the FSD Volunteer brochure!
FSD works with over 160 international organizations, which provide a range of volunteer possibilities in micro-enterprise/microfinance, health, environment, human rights, women’s empowerment, and community development. Your knowledge and interests will be matched with the organization that provides the best opportunity for you to make a contribution. Once placed with an organization, your work will aim to support their current projects and initiatives, while learning about local development issues and solutions.
FSD provides an in-country support structure that allows you to conduct your community-based work without worrying about logistics. All your needs will be provided for you, so you may focus securely on helping an organization make use of your time and knowledge. The FSD site team will be available to you throughout, assisting you with every aspect of your time abroad.
Short-Term Volunteering ranges from 1-8 weeks. 1-3 week volunteers can expect to predominantly observe and assist project work, while 4-8 week volunteers can be substantially involved in the development of a project. The program consists of several components that prepare you for working in the local community. The following elements are offered to insure that your time is used effectively and that the experience makes a lasting impact on you:
Orientation (one week) – You’ll begin your volunteering with a group of 3-8 other participants who will range in age and skill levels. However, one and two week volunteers will begin working at their host organization right away and may participate in orientation when possible. Along with the FSD Site Team, you will get you acclimated to your new surroundings and be given essential information to ensure a safe and comfortable entry. A variety of activities and educational sessions will comprise the orientation phase, preparing you for the work ahead. 10-15 hours of basic language training is provided during orientation (Africa and India only). Private language tutoring is also available in all regions for a nominal fee.
Accommodation – Short-Term Volunteers typically live individually with host families. These accommodations insure full immersion into the local language and culture, while providing a chance to form relationships with an extended family and community.
Host Organization Introduction – Upon completion of the orientation, the FSD Site Team will introduce you to your direct supervisor at the host organization. You will immediately begin familiarizing yourself with the organization and its staff, interviewing them and gaining a full understanding of the resources, people, and projects currently in progress. Typically, you will be the only FSD participant placed with the organization to ensure your immersion into the community and the work.
Development Training – Throughout your stay, FSD will offer development tools to enhance your understanding. Initially, educational sessions will feature the most pressing health, economic, environmental, educational, and rights-related development issues and initiatives in the local area. The total amount of training you receive will depend on the length of your stay. Volunteers staying 1 to 4 weeks can expect an introductory level of training, while longer stays will allow for more exposure to the FSD speakers, readings, and resource materials on the following:
• Critically observe your surroundings
• Perform an effective needs assessment
• Build partnerships and assemble key community members (community mapping)
• Design and manage a coherent work plan that reflects realistic and sustainable objectives
• Prepare a persuasive grant proposal
• Implement sustainable project work
• Complete a sustainable plan that synopsizes your accomplishments and prepares the organization and future interns on how to continue your work
Seed Grant – Once you and your organization have decided on what the bulk of your work will be, a $200 seed grant from FSD will be used to support the work. You and the organization will decide the best use of the funds.
FSD Site Team – Each program site features a locally born Program Director and at least one Program Coordinator from the U.S. Together, they will develop a working relationship with you, integrating you into the community and ensuring that you have the tools to be successful in your work. They will support each step of your work and help you with any problems that arise throughout your stay.
These elements make up the bulk of your volunteer work with FSD. Upon completion, you will have generously shared your time and resources to an underserved, international community, while gaining experiential insight into the root causes of global poverty. Volunteers come away from the experience feeling like they received more than they could have ever given.
Click here to return to the International Opportunities Page.
Click here to download the FSD Volunteer brochure! FSD works with over 160 international organizations, which provide a range of volunteer possibilities in micro-enterprise/microfinance, health, environment, human rights, women’s empowerment, and community development. Your knowledge and interests will be matched with the organization that provides the best opportunity for you to make a contribution. Once placed with an organization, your work will aim to support their current projects and initiatives, while learning about local development issues and solutions.
FSD provides an in-country support structure that allows you to conduct your community-based work without worrying about logistics. All your needs will be provided for you, so you may focus securely on helping an organization make use of your time and knowledge. The FSD site team will be available to you throughout, assisting you with every aspect of your time abroad.
Short-Term Volunteering ranges from 1-8 weeks. 1-3 week volunteers can expect to predominantly observe and assist project work, while 4-8 week volunteers can be substantially involved in the development of a project. The program consists of several components that prepare you for working in the local community. The following elements are offered to insure that your time is used effectively and that the experience makes a lasting impact on you:
Orientation (one week) – You’ll begin your volunteering with a group of 3-8 other participants who will range in age and skill levels. However, one and two week volunteers will begin working at their host organization right away and may participate in orientation when possible. Along with the FSD Site Team, you will get you acclimated to your new surroundings and be given essential information to ensure a safe and comfortable entry. A variety of activities and educational sessions will comprise the orientation phase, preparing you for the work ahead. 10-15 hours of basic language training is provided during orientation (Africa and India only). Private language tutoring is also available in all regions for a nominal fee.
Accommodation – Short-Term Volunteers typically live individually with host families. These accommodations insure full immersion into the local language and culture, while providing a chance to form relationships with an extended family and community.
Host Organization Introduction – Upon completion of the orientation, the FSD Site Team will introduce you to your direct supervisor at the host organization. You will immediately begin familiarizing yourself with the organization and its staff, interviewing them and gaining a full understanding of the resources, people, and projects currently in progress. Typically, you will be the only FSD participant placed with the organization to ensure your immersion into the community and the work.
Development Training – Throughout your stay, FSD will offer development tools to enhance your understanding. Initially, educational sessions will feature the most pressing health, economic, environmental, educational, and rights-related development issues and initiatives in the local area. The total amount of training you receive will depend on the length of your stay. Volunteers staying 1 to 4 weeks can expect an introductory level of training, while longer stays will allow for more exposure to the FSD speakers, readings, and resource materials on the following:
• Critically observe your surroundings
• Perform an effective needs assessment
• Build partnerships and assemble key community members (community mapping)
• Design and manage a coherent work plan that reflects realistic and sustainable objectives
• Prepare a persuasive grant proposal
• Implement sustainable project work
• Complete a sustainable plan that synopsizes your accomplishments and prepares the organization and future interns on how to continue your work
Seed Grant – Once you and your organization have decided on what the bulk of your work will be, a $200 seed grant from FSD will be used to support the work. You and the organization will decide the best use of the funds.
FSD Site Team – Each program site features a locally born Program Director and at least one Program Coordinator from the U.S. Together, they will develop a working relationship with you, integrating you into the community and ensuring that you have the tools to be successful in your work. They will support each step of your work and help you with any problems that arise throughout your stay.
These elements make up the bulk of your volunteer work with FSD. Upon completion, you will have generously shared your time and resources to an underserved, international community, while gaining experiential insight into the root causes of global poverty. Volunteers come away from the experience feeling like they received more than they could have ever given.
Click here to return to the International Opportunities Page.