Volunteer Abroad

Volunteering while abroad allows students to become directly involved with the people and issues of a foreign country. The personal contribution that volunteers make not only helps to improve a part of the world, but also often develops into a project or career interest for BSC students. It is possible to volunteer as a part of your study abroad experience or for an Interim project for academic credit, or otherwise individually. Below is information on both options, and our service-learning page presents opportunities in addition to these. The Office of International Programs supports students in all aspects of their experiences abroad; come visit us and browse many other volunteer opportunities on our resource shelves.

Volunteer as part of your study abroad experience:

IFSA-Butler

Study abroad students enrolled in IFSA-Butler programs can participate involunteer opportunities at the universities below. More info is available at www.ifsa-butler.org.

1) Argentina :

Argentine Universities Program

Working with Argentina’s premier English-language daily newspaper
Working with the commercial section of the U.S. Embassy
Working with NGO’s

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

Working with not-for-profits (i.e. marketing agency)
Working with service agencies (i.e. Redes Nueva Frontera, an HIV/ADIS assistance and counseling center; Cuento Contigo, an organization working with troubled youth)

2) Chile :

Chilean Universities Program

Working with organizations that provide a variety of volunteer services (i.e. to the elderly and providing housing for the disadvantaged)

Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso

Working with organizations that provide a variety of volunteer services (i.e. agencies serving children/adolescents; shelters)

3) Cuba :

Universidad de La Habana

Through the University, students are placed in volunteer positions in university libraries and research organizations and with the Office of the City Historian.

International Studies Abroad (ISA)

The Experiential Learning Abroad Programs (ELAP) through ISAoffers volunteer and intern programs in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Argentina. Placement areas include social work, education, ecology/conservation, healthcare, policy and legislation, and agriculture. Programs range from six weeks to four months, and all programs require some proficiency in Spanish. Spanish instruction is also offered, and academic credit can be attained for interns. Participants must be at least twenty years old and have a GPA of at least 2.5. Learn more at www.studiesabroad.com/programs/document/elap.

University of Cape Town , South Africa

SHAWCO & Community Service: The opportunity to offer service to the disadvantaged communities of Cape Town is a highlight of many students’ study abroad experience. South Africa has inherited a fractured, complex social and political system, where resources are not adequate to meet the needs of the people. The legacy of apartheid is still with them, and through community service, they attempt to redress some of the injustices of the past, by contributing to the future of communities in need. The International Academic Program Office has offered study abroad students the opportunity to volunteer for community service through SHAWCO for several years. During the orientation program, students are taken to the various community service sites, welcomed by the communities who benefit from the work done there, and given the first-hand knowledge of the difference their contribution could make. Volunteers are enlisted at the end of the day. A student may choose to volunteer for as many, or as few, hours per week as fit well with the academic program selected. A certificate of participation is issued at the end of the semester, if a minimum of 35 hours of service has been completed. Learn more at http://web.uct.ac.za/misc/iapo/ssa13.htm.

Volunteer independently:

Cross-Cultural Solutions: Cross-Cultural Solutions is a not-for-profit international volunteer organization that operates volunteer programs in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Russia, Tanzania, and Thailand. Their programs offer the opportunity to work side-by-side with local people, on locally designed and driven projects, and are designed to facilitate hands-on service and cultural exchange in the aim of fostering cultural understanding. For more information, visit the Web site at www.crossculturalsolutions.org.
International Volunteer Programs Association: IVPA is an alliance of non-profit, non-governmental organizations that are involved in international volunteer and internship exchanges. IVPA encourages excellence and responsibility in the field of international volunteerism and promotes public awareness of and greater access to international volunteer programs. For more information, visit the Web site at www.volunteerinternational.org.
WorldTeach is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based at the Center for International Development at Harvard University which provides opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful contribution to international education by living and working as volunteer teachers in developing countries. For more information, check the Web site at www.worldteach.org.
CIEE: The Council on International Educational Exchange’s International Volunteer Projects enable you to work on short term, team oriented projects overseas. Choose from over 800 projects in 32 countries, and work with volunteers from all over the world. For more information, check the CIEE Web site at http://www.ciee.org/volunteerproj.cfm?subnav=Volunteer%20Projects.
Peace Corps: Work for the Peace Corps in countries all over the world! Peace Corps Volunteers usually work for two years in the following areas: education, youth outreach, and community development; health and HIV/AIDS; agriculture and environment; business development; and information technology. Find out more information at www.peacecorps.gov.
Transitions Abroad: This organization provides information for a many endeavors abroad and includes helpful resources, articles, and program listings. For more information on international volunteer work, visit their Web site at http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/volunteer/index.shtml.