Volunteering with WWOOF, Workaway, or HelpX

1. You contribute to a cause

Volunteering on a farm is a way to help farmers who can’t yet afford to grow their workforce.

Volunteering in an association or charity is a way to support a cause that means something to you and to make the world a better place.

Volunteering in a family to care of kids and pets, repair things, cultivate a garden… it’s a way to create connections with locals and enjoy a cultural experience.

2. You develop new skills

This is a chance to gain new experiences and perspectives. Volunteering allows you to develop new skills in unfamiliar settings. 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 new passions and hobbies, what you like and don’t like. Along the way, you’ll learn to be adaptable and open-minded, and to question what you once took for granted. This experience is sure to open new horizons.

3. You can save money

On the practical side, it has to be said that saving money is a huge reason to volunteer. And it’s a totally valid reason, considering living expenses can really add up during a working holiday abroad. It can also be a nice break from bouncing from hostel to hostel, couch to couch.

4. You can immerse yourself in local life

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 build deeper bonds.

5. You might make life-long friends

Volunteering as a solo traveller can be a great way to ease the social anxiety of having to meet new people and make new friends all on your own. Once registered, 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. This stability can be comforting.

6. You can improve your language and communication skills

Volunteers don’t face the same pressure as job applications. 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.

7. You’ll go off the beaten track (literally) 

Plenty of hosts live off the beaten 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.