If you can only get a few weeks off work, don't want to be away from home for too long, or want an alternative to the usual package holiday, then try a volunteer holiday! Explore and learn about new cultures on a more intimate level than the average tourist with one of our volunteer holidays.
How do volunteer holidays differ to a normal holiday?
Volunteer holidays are completely different to the normal kind of holiday that most people are used to. Rather than lying on a beach and doing a spot of sight seeing, you will be fully immersed in the culture and community of the place that you choose to visit. Volunteer holidays take you beyond the usual tourist experiences; you'll have direct interaction with the community and you'll be giving something back to the area that you visit. Volunteer holidays can be hard work but most people find it a life changing experience!
Another great benefit of volunteer holidays is that you will meet like-minded people. Through team work and shared living, you'll forge bonds with your fellow volunteers very quickly, many of whom will become life-long friends - brilliant if you are travelling alone!
What types of volunteer holidays are there?
Choose from many volunteer holidays throughout the world.
Take a look through our full list of short trip volunteer holidays below.
129 trips have been found based on your filter/sort
Blighted by poverty and social immobility, the Tanzanian community of Dar es Salaam is in need of help and support. By volunteering at this project, you will help provide children, youths and adults with the educational and life skills needed to avoid falling into the poverty trap.
Give an impoverished family the keys to a house you’ve just built for them. You’ll be working to build safe, solid houses to replace their cardboard shelters. An extremely rewarding project - no building experience needed.
Set up and run sports and teaching sessions for children with virtually nothing. Introduce them to sports they don’t know, like rugby, netball and cricket, or help them improve at football. Use your initiative and you’ll be well rewarded.
Join like-minded volunteers doing their best to save the tortoise. Feed the baby and adult tortoises, care for the unhatched eggs, tag the hatchlings and collect data on them. Take time to explore the beautiful scenery, too!
Care for orphaned, injured and rescued animals. You’ll play a vital role in the rehabilitation of big cats, primates, bears and other animals. Help with feeding and cleaning their cases, building new enclosures, fundraising and other tasks.
This distinctive programme offers the opportunity to help the cheetah by clearing the sickle bush, allowing them to exist and hunt in their natural habitat. You will also track and monitor both cheetahs and leopards as well as enjoy being in close proximity to these incredible creatures.
Schools in Malawi are seriously under funded with little resources and a lack of trained teachers to educate classes of sometimes up to 200 children. Volunteer help is desperately needed.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live the life of a real-life cowboy? Then you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic western experience.
Make a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and adolescents who have grown up in some of Cusco's poorest areas, working in daycare centres, boys' homes, schools and orphanages.
Volunteer in Moldova and you can make a positive contribution to communities within this unexplored and undeveloped country. In this rewarding programme volunteers are needed to assist teaching English or French to primary and secondary Moldovan school children.
As a volunteer on the rewarding project, you will help to provide the many orphaned and disadvantaged children of the rural Arusha region in northern Tanzania, with a better start in life as well as hope for the future.
Not only is this a hugely worthwhile programme, it also gives you the chance to experience at first hand these amazing creatures. The nearby beach also offers fantastic surfing and you will get the chance to learn the sport or hone your skills as part of the project.
Uganda has one of the highest orphan populations in the world. Volunteers are desperately needed to help improve the lives of vulnerable and orphaned children in this area.
Assist in a giant panda sanctuary and help to save this incredible species from extinction. You will be involved in feeding and observing the pandas, as well as helping with important research projects.
Assist in the running of an animal rescue centre set in the Amazon. Your new furry and feathered friends could include monkeys, parrots, ocelots, pumas and lions.
This conservation project in the Namib desert is about getting out into the field and really making a difference at the forefront of elephant conservation. This is your chance to get involved in vital elephant conservation in Namibia.
Play a vital role in rehabilitating wild animals that have been maltreated. Get involved in their daily care, feed them, monitor their behaviour and make sure their enclosures are clean.
Children in rural Sri Lanka are eager for education. Volunteers will be teaching English to children aged between 1 and 13 years old. There are also opportunities to organise extra-curricular activities in the afternoon such as music, drama, arts and sports.
Spend two weeks in the remote Namibian bush in a unique, remote medical clinic. You can also spend some time getting to know and caring for Namibia’s native wildlife in a rehabilitation centre based on the plains where a great number of creatures also roam free.
Make a valuable, long lasting contribution to a village in Guatemala. Give the children some basic lessons in English, maths, computing or crafts, build classrooms and recreational facilities or help with healthcare.
A unique opportunity to interact with the only great ape outside of Africa, the orang-utan. Take part in volunteer work in Borneo to help protect this highly endangered species from extinction.
Volunteering on this programme gives you an exciting and rare opportunity to work with and care for the animals of Africa on a daily basis. You will look after numerous species, ranging from baboons and meerkats to lions and cheetahs, helping to feed, care and clean them, while also maintaining the centre’s enclosures and grounds.
Sample the best of Fiji with a varied project on a beautiful island. Learn to scuba dive, or improve your skills, live with a Fijian family and take part in a conservation programme.
Sample Ghana’s fascinating and largely undeveloped culture. Take part in projects that provide medical care and tackle the AIDS epidemic, improve education and leisure activities in orphanages and schools and build new facilities for the community.
Work with some unusual but very friendly creatures at a wildlife society. It’s a hands-on experience, which allows you to feed and exercise baby sloths, monitor eating habits, help with specialist care and more.
Make a difference to the lives of underprivileged communities in Nepal. This volunteer project gives you the chance to work as a volunteer in Nepal in schools, monasteries and orphanages giving children opportunities they may not have had before, or, work alongside local builders on vital construction projects.
Get involved with all aspects of orphanages and homes. Teach English and other lessons, run arts and sports activities and help the staff feed, bathe and take care of the children. Most importantly, make them smile.
Work as a zookeeper and experience hands-on interaction with animals. This is a rewarding programme where you will be taking care of the animals and their daily maintenance in a choice of zoo either just outside of Kuala Lumpur or Taiping.
Volunteers are greatly needed on this satisfying orphanage volunteer project in Sri Lanka. You can make a substantial contribution to the lives of disadvantaged children, generating more opportunities for them by helping to improve their maths and English skills.
A fantastic opportunity to work on a pioneering lion breeding and rehabilitation programme supported by some of the world’s leading ecologists. Walk and work alongside lion cubs and take part in research activities, facilitating the lions’ safe release back into the wild.
Every year thousands of dolphins are hunted and killed illegally along the Peruvian coastline. Volunteer help is urgently required on this pioneering programme to protect the dolphins. You will form an integral part of the research team, collecting important information on the dolphin’s distribution areas, their behaviour and interactions.
Help brighten up the lives of underprivileged children in Rio. Whether you teach them English, play games with them or run arts and crafts sessions, you’ll improve their self-confidence and social skills.
Be a role model to children who were born into poverty. Draw up lesson plans, teach English, crafts and health education and help maintain the classrooms. Your presence and encouragement will help them towards brighter futures.
This rewarding and worthwhile youth outreach project gives you the opportunity as a volunteer to play the role of mentor and teacher to children and young people in Buenos Aires.
Work as a classroom-teaching assistant, or as a sports coach in Zambia. The aim for both of these projects is to take children from the streets, improve their educational and social skills to give them more opportunities for the future.
Carry out research work in one of the world’s most beautiful ‘laboratories’. Help survey coral, dolphins, reef fish, whale sharks and lobster in the reefs off Honduras, or do some land-based research.
Make life a little brighter for vulnerable children in Bolivia. Organise dancing, music, painting and sports classes, help cook and feed them – but most of all, give them the love and attention many miss out on.
Channel your creative energy into community centres and make a huge difference to their users. Whether you make puppets, play Simon Says or organise a sports day, you’ll make a valuable contribution.
Make a small but meaningful difference to people in Nairobi. Work in a hospital or orphanage, reaching out to people who live in poverty. You can teach and care for the children, help repair infrastructure and learn Swahili too.
You will have a unique chance on this project to work closely with the beautiful black-faced Vervet monkeys, along with other African wildlife, caring for their welfare, and rehabilitating them before allowing them to be released back into their natural habitat.
Provide much needed voluntary assistance to African communities, in exchange for a culturally enriching experience. This programme is located close to Victoria Falls, with many opportunities for travel to Zimbabwe, Zambezi National Park and many other African highlights.
Work with children from the local Pavão – Pavãozinho community in the South Zone of Rio. The education centre cares for 353 children from ages 3 months to 18 years. The centre aims to deliver education and medical care, to children and their families who are living in social risk situations.
Put your DIY experience to good use – or learn as you go. Help build and repair homes and other facilities, get involved with painting projects and generally give underprivileged children a safer, more secure environment.
Zimbabwe is a well-established country for voluntary work in conservation, especially for working with wildlife in Africa. At this project, volunteers actively participate in lion conservation practices, working closely with the lions and wildlife re-introduction programmes.
Brighten up the lives of children who are largely left to fend for themselves. Organise activities, encourage them to keep healthy and show them someone cares. You’ll also be supporting children who attend school.
Help meet the need for teachers on a spectacular island. Teach English and music, crafts, sports or foreign languages – whatever you feel comfortable with. A great way to contribute while learning about a new culture.
This is a unique opportunity to make a difference to the lives of young people in one of Venezuela’s most under-resourced areas. These are charming and friendly people, living in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, but they really need the help and support of volunteers.
Search for archaeological treasures in a land full of history. Work as part of an official team, digging, sifting soil and recording what you uncover. Professors will offer expert tuition on your finds.
Help develop rugby in Ghana, a sport that is in its early stages of growth. Help to raise its profile as a genuine national sport by coaching at grass roots level. If you have experience and coaching qualifications, it is even possible for you to help coach the National sides.
Make a vital contribution to a beautiful but impoverished country. Help set up sports training sessions and competitions. A little time will make a lasting difference.
Carry out valuable conservation work on the Pacific Coast. Patrol the beaches, collect and take eggs to the hatchery and record data – your efforts will help protect a fascinating species from extinction.
Pass on the basic skills many people take for granted, and make a difference to young lives. Give lessons to children and help local staff develop their leadership skills so they can benefit future generations.
On this volunteer programme, you have the opportunity to work with African children and contribute to the under-privileged communities in a positive way. You can really make a difference by sharing your skills through sports or computer literacy training, it is a fulfilling programme particularly for any first time traveller or for those wishing to gain teaching experience.
This project in Swaziland not only gives you great hands on experience in care and social development, but you can help make sure that the children get a future that is dramatically better than their first years of life.
This is a rewarding project that gives you the opportunity to care for orphaned and abandoned children in Santiago, and provide them with the love and care they so desperately crave.
Our Mozambique community development project offers you the opportunity to contribute to important community support and sports programmes, working with children in rural African villages. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to explore Mozambique whilst you’re here.
Live and work on a safari ranch, helping with efforts to protect black rhino, elephants, buffalo and more. Assist with anti-poaching measures, look after rhino, help with training elephants and get a feel for the real Africa.
The Whale Shark is the world’s largest living fish, and the idea of seeing them up close is either scary or exhilarating, depending on whom you talk to. Volunteers on this project will be able to learn about and observe the behaviours of the whale sharks off the coast of Mozambique, during many scuba diving sessions.
For a nation recognised as one of drought and famine, the inspiring natural beauty of Ethiopia will surprise any visitor. Volunteers are needed in the northern city of Gonder to assist with education and community initiatives.
Watch the wonderful effects of this invaluable therapy as you work with disabled children, helping them to build up their confidence and to get fitter and healthier. This project is ideal for lovers of horses and children and is especially valuable in a country like Venezuela due to the limited resources that disabled children have access to.
This project offers a terrific opportunity for an enthusiastic volunteer to make a real difference to the future of a group of Venezuelan children. Teaching English in the local school, you will have the chance to experience the rich culture of the region and improve your own communication skills at the same time.
Schools in Swaziland are in desperate need of your support, where you will get out as much as you put in. Challenging teaching projects make fun, rewarding and totally worthwhile experiences. Most importantly they give a lot of disadvantaged children a much better chance of a better future.
Work on one of several projects and help a country ravished by AIDS. Get involved in teaching English to children and adults, building facilities, assisting in an orphanage, improving health education or raising awareness of HIV.
Experience the wonders of the African savannah and a five day Kruger safari, help to conserve it and gain an intimate understanding of the ecology. Your work will take you to a variety of areas including a nature reserve, a National Park, a Community Reserve and a Private Reserve.
Get up close to jaguars, parrots and other wildlife. The creatures have been held captive, but will hopefully be returned to the wild. Help nurse them back to health and educate the public about the centre’s work.
Ideal for anyone fond of wildlife and the outdoors, as you will be helping sanctuary keepers to care for animals such as koalas, kangaroo and other native Australian species.
This is a chance to learn about the ecosystem of a remote but beautiful island. Perfect for anyone interested in ecology or gardening – you’ll be identifying plants, removing weeds and clearing trails, while hiking through lush forests.
This conservation project in New Zealand is a great way to see the sights of New Zealand whilst giving something back by protecting the stunning environments of this fantastic destination.
Offer vital support to young children in Tanzania – AIDS victims, and those who have been neglected or abused. Teach them the skills and show them the affection they’ll need to lead happier lives as adults.
Put your skills to good use on a whole range of projects. Conserve the local environment and wildlife, work on therapeutic sailing or horse riding programmes, help as a classroom assistant, in an art gallery or on a project suggested by you.
Orphans in Kimilili get very little love and attention because there simply isn’t enough staff. This is where you come in. You’ll divide your time between teaching and caring for the children – both equally worthwhile tasks.
Walk with lions and work with rhinos on a programme that gives you an unforgettable taste of Africa. You’ll get an incredible insight into their lives, and you’ll take part in vital conservation work to save them from extinction. Learning bush survival skills, paddling down the mighty Zambezi River and seeing the even mightier Victoria Falls make for some wonderful memories, not to mention glorious photos! This is a rewarding programme that benefits an amazing country.
Help children in Ecuador acquire the skills and knowledge they need to secure a job. Work with other volunteers to develop lesson plans, then give your own lessons in English, sports or the arts.
Put your medical skills to use in area with many sick children. Help out at a clinic, or, if you’re not medically qualified, get involved with education, building or community projects.
This unique project based in the Kruger National Park looks at the role of the game ranger in managing a game farm or wildlife reserve. It is ideal for those interested in wildlife, African conservation and people who want to learn something during their grown up gap year.
Your skills and enthusiasm can make a valuable difference to the lives of the children of Jaipur and enable them the chance of a brighter future on this rewarding programme.
Enjoy the great outdoors in a land down under. Help preserve Australia's most precious resource - it's beautiful environment which helps attract so many visitors each year.
This is an opportunity for volunteers to help educate, play and entertain these children using your creative skills. Volunteers are needed to simply provide the love and attention that these children crave.
This family run farm dedicates its time to establishing the most suitable and secure home possible for neglected or orphaned wild animals in the African Savannah. Volunteers are trained to care for the injured or orphaned animals.
The South African town of St. Lucia and the surrounding area has a population deeply affected by HIV/AIDS. This project is about making a difference to the communities living in the area through the tools of education, caring for those suffering and for the many children made orphans by the virus.
Give an isolated community their dignity back. Get involved in teaching English, improving school facilities, setting up health camps, running teaching workshops, planting trees and forging links with local schools.
As an English teacher in Buenos Aires, you have the unique opportunity to really make an impact on the lives of disadvantaged children of the city. They will look to you not only as a teacher, but also as a mentor, making this an extremely important and rewarding volunteer role.
This could be your chance to explore some of the region’s legendary national parks and enjoy some fantastic scenery, whilst helping conserve the natural environment. You’ll be working on conservation projects during the day, and camping out under the huge starry skies at night.
Help families break the poverty circle by teaching English, mentoring children, organising leisure activities and helping with the running of the day care centre. Your efforts will help them towards employment in the future.
Feed your love of animals by looking after gibbons in South California. Help out at the only centre dedicated to their care by feeding them and cleaning their enclosures, observing their behaviour, fundraising and more.
Based in a truly stunning part of this fascinating country, volunteers choosing this project have the unique opportunity to develop their knowledge about native Australian wildlife.
If you are looking to learn more about the diversity of Africa's animals and eco-systems during a career break, this programme will provide you with a special experience. The project takes you to the forefront of numerous species re-introductions and conservation work.
This volunteer programme provides an excellent opportunity to work with Mongolian children and adults and contribute to the local communities in a positive way. Volunteering and traveling in Mongolia will provide you with a truly eye-opening journey as you experience one of the few authentic places left to travel.
The project is in need of volunteers with a love of books and children! This teaching initiative takes children away from the over-crowded classroom environment for one-on-one tuition sessions. See the pupils reading and writing improve, providing them with a vital life skill.
Get involved in several projects, based around two schools. Run craft and sports sessions, work with orphans, pass on vital skills and generally help lift the area out of poverty. A varied and rewarding programme.
Work as a counsellor and watch as your charges develop and grow. Stay at one of three bases, leading workshops, supervising your group of children and sharing their adventures. All three camps are in fantastic locations!
Help take care of India’s unloved animals – donkeys, cats, dogs, monkeys, camels and elephants. Take part in rescue missions, man the hotline, promote the campaign and assist with vaccinations. A chance for animal lovers to make a difference.
Work as a PE teacher in a village school. Help out with lessons and take your own, organise competitions and give advice on keeping healthy. Football, volleyball and basketball are all popular with the children.
Join our Swaziland Community Sports Project and help to coach sports and support community projects, whilst experiencing the enriching and unique culture of this mysterious and enigmatic African kingdom.
Work with rescued gibbons, a primate native to Thailand, as they are rehabilitated to be introduced back into the wild. You’ll get to witness this work as you monitor the gibbons adapting to their new environment as well as being involved in the day-to-day activities of the centre. A really great experience!
Get involved in hands-on work with wildlife. Feed kangaroos, wallabies and birds, monitor koalas and help with tree planting and presentations to the public. A challenging but extremely rewarding project.
Give vulnerable children a better quality of life by teaching English, football and other subjects. You’ll assist with homework, build up their confidence and help them to a brighter future.
Give some much-craved attention to girls from a township. Help them with their schoolwork, teach them vital computer skills or direct them in a play or dance show. They have few possessions but lots of enthusiasm.
This is a chance to bring your enthusiasm for environmental conservation to the ‘Great Savannah’ area of Venezuala. You can live and work with the local population and other volunteers actually inside La Gran Sabana National Park, making a real difference to the long-term prospects of this important habitat.
Volunteer in a wildlife sanctaury in tropical north Queensland, Australia. You will make new feathered and furry friends as you assist with the care of the animals as well as the general upkeep and running of the park.
Explore the true heart of Rio whilst making a real difference to the city’s underprivileged communities. Get involved in a broad range of projects from educational support and health programmes to working with handicapped teenagers from low-income communities.
Get involved with efforts to help blind people lead normal lives. Accompany residents on daily errands and leisure activities, type up materials and promote the project work. A challenging but very rewarding programme.
This programme offers a unique opportunity to live amongst the indigenous people of south-east Venezuela, helping with the conservation of rare and endangered animal species. You will also be helping to preserve the Pemon people’s tradition and culture in an isolated community in a beautiful part of the world.
If you have an adventurous streak and love the outdoor lifestyle then this could be the perfect programme for you. You will have the most amazing once in a lifetime experience, as you get up close and personal with these notorious creatures!
This programme deals with the rehabilitation and care of abused horses in the Wild Coast area of South Africa, and is a must for anyone who really loves horses. You will ride on trails through the dramatic scenery of the Wild Coast, passing through beach lagoons and lush green game reserves.
Put your love of tennis to a worthwhile cause and coach underprivileged children. Help out with sessions, organise your own classes and competitions, umpire in the community – you’ll be amazed by what sport can do.
Teach English, take part in vocational and health workshops, organise leisure activities and help with fundraising. You’ll give people of all ages the chance of a better education and a better life.
Help with the day-to-day running of a wildlife centre. Feed and handle the animals, show them to the public, take part in guided night walks and get involved with ongoing conservation projects. Perfect for animal lovers.
Spend your time encountering and photographing a large variety of animals and birds, the project also involves you spending time amongst the local communities, communicating to them the areas conservational needs.
If you are interested in African reptiles and hands on conservation, then you should consider joining this unique voluntary project. Working directly with reptile experts, your days will be varied and full of adventure.
Put your passion for football to good use and coach disadvantaged children – enthusiasm is more important than expertise. Give them vital English lessons, and show them much-needed care and attention.
If you’ve ever played or coached Netball and would like to use your skills and knowledge to help improve and develop young talent whilst experiencing an amazing country then this is the programme for you! You will have the opportunity to organise training and matches whilst playing the sport yourself and meeting some fantastic people in this stunning country.
The rare opportunity to work closely with some of Australia’s most endearing wildlife. In addition to feeding and maintenance duties, you will assist staff during wildlife handling tours with the public, including breakfast with the koalas!
Located in the Borneo jungle, volunteers live and work alongside native communities, playing an integral part in aiding the development of the area whilst retaining traditional ways of life. Time will be spent working in village schools both teaching, and helping with refurbishments.
Match your skills to one of several worthwhile projects. Get involved in teaching, orphan care, HIV projects and health care, construction, community development, ecotourism and more. Whatever you do will be much appreciated.
This India volunteer programme allows you to experience the essence of India. Our Goa volunteer project offers the opportunity to make a contribution to socially deprived areas whilst exploring the Indian mainland in a diverse range of activities.
Give some valuable assistance in a day care centre or school in Himachal Pradesh. Teach English or other subjects, lead creative activities or help decorate the buildings – whatever you do will be greatly appreciated.
Immerse yourself in Kenyan life and become part of a three-year plan to improve life in a rural village. Live and work with the community, helping with tasks such as construction, teaching, landscaping and painting.
An exciting exploration across four continents. Volunteer with children, learn a new language, trek the Inca trail, discover Australia’s red centre. USA – Guatemala – Peru - New Zealand – Australia - India.
Take a behind-the-scenes look at Thailand with one of three tours. Learn about the country’s language and culture, work with elephants and assist the local mahouts or help out in an orphanage or school.
This project offers you the opportunity to help children in a Thai Orphanage by improving facilities at the orphanage and teaching the children informally, giving hope and direction to young people .
Discover stunning Zambia on this unique programme as you assist with lion walks, gather research and teach conservation, all of which will help to achieve the ultimate aim of the project; to release wild borne offspring from captive bred lions into appropriate national parks for their survival.
