Why we do this

Well meant is not yet well done

Every year, many people travel abroad to volunteer or do an internship. Almost always with the best intentions. Yet things can go wrong: for local people, for children, for animals and for the volunteer. Volunteer Aware wants to change that. Not by condemning organisations, but by showing honestly how they work and helping them improve.

What can go wrong

Volunteering abroad can do a lot of good. But there are downsides too, and volunteers often only find out once they have arrived.

Children

Orphanage tourism

Many children in children’s homes still have parents or family. Where volunteers and donations go, more homes sometimes appear. And a constant stream of new volunteers is harmful for children who need stable attachment.

Animals

Wild animals as an attraction

Bathing elephants, petting cubs or a photo with a monkey. What looks fun often keeps an industry going in which animals are taken from the wild or tamed.

Care

Work without the right training

If you are not allowed to give injections or treat patients at home, you should not do it abroad either. Local people deserve the same standard of care as we do.

Money and honesty

Unclear where your money goes

Volunteers often pay considerable amounts, but rarely see where that money ends up. And not every organisation is honest about what you can really achieve in a few weeks.

What we want to achieve

For volunteers

Choosing consciously

Every volunteer should be able to see in advance how an organisation works. That is why our reviews are public, with an explanation per criterion and a quote from the organisation’s own website. So you choose based on what really matters, not on nice photos.

For organisations

Raising awareness and improving

We want to make organisations aware of the possible downsides of their work, and help them improve. That is about two things: how transparent they are on their website, and how good their projects themselves are for the local community.

How we help organisations improve

A review is not a final verdict. It is a mirror: you see exactly where you are strong and what could be better. That applies to two sides of your work.

Transparency

The website

Is it clear who you are, what a volunteer pays and where that money goes? Can a volunteer easily reach you, talk to former volunteers and read honest experiences? This can often be improved quickly, and it helps volunteers choose with confidence.

Quality

The projects themselves

Does a project run at the request of a local partner and under local supervision? Are children and animals protected, and do volunteers only do work they are trained for? This is where the real impact lies. It is also where the knock-outs are, such as work in a children’s home.

From review to improvement

Public criteria

All 40 criteria are on this site. Every organisation can see in advance what we look at.

Explanation per point

Each score comes with the reason and a quote. So an organisation knows exactly what is missing.

Making changes

The organisation adapts its website or way of working. Often the information already exists, but is not yet shared.

A new review

After making changes, an organisation can request a new review. If things improve, the score shows it.

What we stand for

Independent

Every organisation is assessed with the same criteria, including the organisations that helped set up Volunteer Aware.

Constructive

We do not write anyone off. A low score is not a final verdict, but a starting point for improvement.

Open

Our criteria, scores and explanations are visible to everyone. If something is not right, we would like to hear it.

Get involved

Planning to volunteer or do an internship abroad? See how organisations score. Working for an organisation? Request a review or let us know what you have improved.