If you are keen on volunteering finding the right opportunity can and should be very tricky and time consuming.

Most volunteering opportunities require a fee to be paid, often as high as a holiday.

Many private travel and gap year companies have jumped on the volunteering "band wagen".  


We find it essential to establish first

• Where will the money that you have paid go?  
    
• Who is benefiting from the volunteer project?
   
• Are you taking away a paid job opportunity from a local person?
  

There are good, reputable and worthwhile volunteering opportunities out there, but there are also opportunities out there, whereby the only one benefiting is the organiser.

Have you got a comment or would like to contribute? Let us have your view?