Volunteering with WWOOF, Workaway, or HelpX

Chapter 2 of 7

7 good reasons to volunteer during your Working Holiday permit

Make a personal, meaningful commitment

Volunteering is committing yourself to support a cause that means a lot to you or to help out fellow human beings and make the world a better place.

Volunteering on an organic farm is a way to give a hand to farmers who can’t yet afford the workforce needed to grow their activities. 

Volunteering in an association, like a cultural centre or an animal shelter, is a rewarding way to support what you believe in.

Volunteering with a family, for instance, to care for kids and pets, fix what needs to be fixed or create a vegetable garden, is a way to create meaningful connections with locals and enjoy a cultural experience.

Develop new skills

Most backpackers are looking for new experiences and perspectives—this is your chance! Volunteering is a way to develop new skills in unfamiliar environments. You could be trained to cook a meal for 15 guests, take bookings, fix a henhouse, prepare a garden for winter or do basic woodwork. 

This is also a perfect time to discover what you really like, what you are capable of and what is really not your thing. Along the way, you will adapt to different lifestyles and possibly question your beliefs or what you took for granted. This experience is sure to open new horizons!

Save money during your trip

Let’s face it, most backpackers sign up for volunteer experiences to save money on housing and food while on the road. And it’s a valid reason, considering basic living expenses add up during a one- or two-year Working Holiday adventure.

Besides, settling down for a little while is often tempting after several months of travelling. It’s a relief to stop booking hostels and it’s also a chance to make long-lasting friendships.

However, the financial benefits of volunteering shouldn’t be your only motivation because this kind of experience does require a certain level of commitment and dedication. 

Truly immerse yourself in local culture

Many volunteer experiences will allow you to share living spaces and daily routines with locals. You’ll be part of a family or a team for a little while, sometimes alongside other volunteers from all over the world. Think of it as hostel life with deeper connections, and maybe fascinating discussions over dinner or funny cultural misunderstandings!

If you’re willing to be flexible and open-minded, this is a great way to get insight into the local culture, practise your language and communication skills, and develop many useful soft skills.

Meet new people in a safe environment as a solo traveller

Signing up for a volunteer experience when you’re starting your Working Holiday experience as a solo traveller can be a great way to ease pre-travelling anxiety. You will know where you will be, what you will do and who will host you in this foreign country you have yet to discover!

Improve your language skills

Close your language app and forget about grammar books—you’re about to unlock the secret to fast language learning!

First, volunteers don’t face the same pressure as regular employees. There’s no language test, and fluency expectations are typically lower, especially if your host is used to welcoming travellers from all over the world. Second, you will be forced to use the local language daily, so vocabulary acquisition will be easier—every new word, expression and slang comes with useful context! Finally, you will quickly gain confidence in your communication skills once you realize that people do understand what you’re saying even if you make mistakes.

You can come out of this experience with stronger language skills, which will be very useful if you’re aiming for a paid position in your field later on!

Go off the beaten track (literally) 

Plenty of hosts live off the backpacker trail, so this is a chance to discover new towns and regions that your guidebook didn’t even mention.

Remote areas can be difficult to access as a backpacker because accommodation and transportation options are limited, but both shouldn’t be an issue if you’re volunteering since housing is provided and your host can probably help you get there.