Volunteering with WWOOF, Workaway, or HelpX

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to picking your host. Some travellers search by location or mission while others focus on profile and personality. Here are our tips to help you find an experience that fits your needs and interests.

Seasonality matters

If you’ve never done farm work, you might not realize that seasonality matters a lot in this industry. Hosts are less likely to post offers during raining and chilly periods, as operations are slower. This isn’t to say you will only find farm hosts during the summer or harvest season, but you may want to adjust your expectations.

During high season, there will be more offers but also more backpackers and WHVers applying. So don’t wait until the last minute before contacting hosts.

Know what to look for and ask

The “spray and pray” method (ie blasting replies to every offer) is not the best way to find the right opportunity, and it also exposes you to scams. You should get enough information from your host to make sure it’s a good match before agreeing to a deal.

The host and you should agree on at least the following:

• The number of hours worked per week
• The type of accommodation provided
• The type of work required
• The number of daily meals provided
• The number of days off
• How to get around if you don’t have a vehicle
• Arrival details (where and when will your host pick you up?)

Don’t accept unsafe work conditions, a full-time work schedule, plenty of overtime, etc. Know where to draw your boundaries. This is intended to be a win-win arrangement, not a chance for hosts to exploit free labour (nor for volunteers to bum around!). Generally speaking, it’s not recommended to accept volunteering for more than 25 hours a week.

Finally, try to get the information in writing. If possible, try to call your host as well. It’s more personal that way and it’s also a good way to assess them.

Check host feedback

Much like with hostels or businesses, reviews are an important source of insight for making an informed decision. Hosts generally don’t get a lot of negative feedback on these platforms because it’s awkward for volunteers to complain after spending a few days or weeks at someone’s place, so the tone tends to lean positive. So be attuned to more subtle comments when reading reviews.

Some hosts won’t have any feedback, which is normal if they are new to the platform. If you have a good feeling after a few exchanges and there are no red flags, you can still give them a chance.

Be ready to adapt to the host’s lifestyle

Volunteering and sharing living spaces with a host isn’t always easy. Keep in mind that:

• You will have to adapt to your host’s diet when meals are provided
• You will also have to adapt to a schedule and routine that may be different from yours
• Sharing living spaces can be a source of tension with your host or other volunteers. For example, everybody has a different definition of clean.

At the end of the day, it is more your responsibility to adapt to the host’s lifestyle rather than the other way around. This so when you’re looking for opportunities, try to find something that corresponds to your personal needs. This is harder to know upfront so you may have to rely on your intuition.

Know when to walk away

Sometimes, the experience is nothing like you expected: you’re working too much, meals aren’t provided, you don’t feel welcome or safe etc.

Only you know when it is time to quit and leave. While perseverance is a virtue, you don’t have any legal obligation to stay until the date agreed upon if your wellbeing is on the line. 

Consider having an exit plan in case things don’t go as planned. Who will you call? Will you have transportation? Will you have enough savings to get by? Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

Safety tips before signing up for a volunteer experience

Remember to always have your safety and well-being in mind:

• Make sure to have valid travel medical insurance policy! Yes, even if it’s not mandatory for tourists. Travel insurance can save you a lot of money and it provides peace of mind.
• You shouldn’t be working more than 4-6 hours a day as a volunteer. Unless you’ve made a mutual agreement (e.g., a full workday for a full day off), it’s considered undeclared labour or volunteer exploitation. That said, some hosts do offer to pay for overtime (ie hours beyond the standard volunteer hours that you agreed upon).
• You can and should refuse to take on any task that looks unsafe or illegal. Raking the leaves is fine, fixing a roof under the rain without any expertise or training isn’t normal.
• The accommodation provided should match what was agreed upon.
• You should be given enough food.
• You should have some free time. If you’re living with your host, you’re not supposed to be a full-time chef, babysitter or housekeeper. Cleaning up after yourself and making a baby smile is normal, cleaning the entire house and feeding the baby throughout the night isn’t.
• Tell family members and friends where you will be staying and provide contact info. You could also share your live location via your smartphone.

Communication really is key. When in doubt, ask your host. This can help you to build trust.

Now go and enjoy your adventure!