The Underground Guide to International Volunteering: For experiences that go beyond beaches and the backpacker trail.

I've been a travel addict for a long time but eventually grew tired of sightseeing and longed to connect with the communities I was visiting on a deeper level, rather than just whizzing through on the way to my next destination. I volunteered for the first time in Bangladesh in 2008 and it changed the way I travel and changed my life for the better.

Is volunteering for you? Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you sick of passing though places feeling like you're only skimming the surface?


• Do you want to really get more involved in local communities as you travel?


• Do you want to get stuck into rewarding and challenging work that helps people?


• Are you hoping to build lasting friendships with people from all walks of life from all over the world?


• Do you want to learn new skills and do work you might never have had a chance to do at home?


• Do you want to go beyond beaches and the backpacker trail and really get to know the country you are visiting?

If you've answered 'yes' to any of these questions then you need to find a way to incorporate volunteering into your next trip. Volunteering abroad is a truly wonderful experience that is likely to add an exciting element into your travels, enrich your life, and have a positive impact on the lives of others all at the same time. Win win win!

But finding a volunteering opportunities overseas can be an exercise in frustration with countless websites to sift through, many costing thousands of dollars for short placements. How do you find an placement that's a good fit? Where do you even start your search? Should you pay to volunteer? How do you know which organizations and causes are reputable?

The Underground Guide to International Volunteering answers these questions and more! It will:

• Help you in deciding whether international volunteering is a good fit for you and advice on choosing a suitable volunteering experience.


• Give information on different types of volunteering from conservation to development to disaster relief.


• Present 12 interviews with experienced international volunteers sharing their experiences, giving advice and offering inspiration.


• Give you the tools to find your own free and cheap independent volunteering opportunities, including a list of 12 online databases to start your search, each packed with hundreds of opportunities.


• Provide a list of 80 trustworthy organizations offering free or low-cost volunteering opportunities worldwide.


• Take a deep look into the paid volunteering industry, explaining the costs and comparing them with free and cheap options.


• Provide insight and first-hand stories and advice from an experienced international volunteer.


• Save you time by consolidating online resources, practical advice, personal tips, and stories all in one place.


• Examine the ethics of volunteering and look at whether accepting volunteers can actually be harmful.


• Explain the practicalities of volunteering overseas to help you prepare yourself for your placement.


• Equip you with the confidence to pack your bags and go!

Based on years of research, my guide is comprehensive and packed with personal experience, photos, interviews, and dozens of resources. Volunteering overseas doesn't have to be about paying big bucks and spending hours sifting through shady operations. There are countless wonderful organisations in need of an extra set of hands and it's my job to connect you with them.

I am certain that, after reading my guide, you'll be armed with the information and confidence you need to turn a typical trip abroad into the experience of a lifetime through volunteering!