Volunteer Abroad Program Spotlight: uVolunteer

To help you get to know uVolunteer, we will be giving you a snapshot into uVolunteer’s background and mission, a good look into the locations and projects that uVolunteer supports, what makes them stand out, and of course, what returned volunteers have to say about working with the organization. If you still have a few unanswered questions about uVolunteer after you’re finished reading, don’t hesitate to reach out to their knowledgeable staff. uVolunteer prides itself on good volunteer service and they’ll be happy to chat and answer any questions you might have.

uVolunteer’s Mission and Purpose

uVolunteer began with their founder, Nathaniel Amponsah-Manu’s personal belief in the power of combining service and travel. When Nathaniel sought to first volunteer abroad in 2006, he wanted to be able to use his expertise (web design and IT) to the benefit of people whose lives could be transformed by more sophisticated computer education. However, he found that the world of international volunteerism wasn’t as developed as he had hoped and it was often difficult to communicate clearly with small, local projects in remote locations. He also felt that there was sometimes a lack of transparency that made it difficult for him to be able to totally be able to account for every aspect of his trip. Still, Nathaniel decided to make the leap and spent his first volunteer abroad trip teaching an improvised course on computer science in Thailand. He later began donating his time with the project , Travel to Teach, until he decided to do his part for the volunteerism world by leveraging his global volunteer connections to found uVolunteer. uVolunteer operates based on principles that Nathaniel, through his work in the volunteer abroad space, had found to be most important for volunteers and projects alike. uVolunteer adheres strictly to the following principles:

• Close, local connections with a direct uVolunteer office at every work site that provide in-country support
• Affordability and value to the volunteer
• Experienced staff who are comfortable working with volunteers and locals alike
• A good balance of productive work and meaningful cultural immersion

uVolunteer is dedicated to providing a cohesive, safe, and productive experience to the volunteer while also making real change in the communities that need volunteers the most. In each of its locations across the globe, uVolunteer maintains an office with year-round, experienced staff who work one-on-one with volunteers in order to help the volunteers make maximum impact given their goals and skill sets.

Where uVolunteer Works

uVolunteer conducts volunteer abroad projects in three countries: Thailand, Ghana, and Costa Rica.

Each country and worksite has been carefully selected based on its need for volunteers and for the relationships that uVolunteer has been able to foster within the communities. As uVolunteer aims to place volunteers where they are needed the most, some of its project locations may be a bit off of the beaten tourist path. However, returned volunteers have remarked that the remoteness of some of the projects only added to the overall meaningfulness of their work and the closeness that they felt with the community around them. As one volunteer puts it, “they found a community that could use the help rather than focusing only on a place the volunteers would want to stay. And because of this, you really get an idea of how everyday Thai culture works and how locals live.”

Although uVolunteer’s projects vary based on location and community need, uVolunteer generally offers projects of the following specialties: English education, sports education, animal conservation, health and medical projects, environmental awareness, construction, and teaching computer and IT skills. A full listing of uVolunteer’s projects can be found on their website or their program brochure. As uVolunteer is committed to making sure that every volunteer abroad experience is as specialized as possible, uVolunteer also encourages prospective volunteers to communicate other skills so that they may be able to custom-build a project that fits uniquely to the volunteer’s skills and abilities.

Volunteer Abroad with uVolunteer in Thailand

uVolunteer’s efforts in Thailand are based out of the small city of Trat. Although Trat may not be internationally renowned for its tourism appeal, volunteers state again and again in their reviews that Trat was the perfect place for them to feel like a local and do work that matters. Located in the Southeast corner of Thailand, Trat is flush with beaches, temples, and is only a few hours away from the border of Cambodia and a short boat ride away from pristine Southeast Asian islands. Because of its out-of-the-way location, Trat is ideal for travelers wanting to become more fully immersed into the laid-back Thai culture.

Types of volunteer projects offered in Thailand include teaching English, teaching sports education, and teaching computer science and IT. All projects take place at locally accredited schools, with the majority of the roles having volunteers serve as teaching assistants to overworked Thai teachers. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own passions into their teaching, especially since the value of true cross-cultural communication cannot be underrated the education field. Some projects may have volunteers conducting educational camps for local, underserved students. Volunteers need not have ESL certification to apply.

Volunteer Abroad with uVolunteer in Ghana

The country of Ghana is the African location for uVolunteer’s efforts. Because of its incredible diversity, Ghana is often said to have “all of Africa” in one country. With pristine beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, and nature reserves, volunteers are sure to fall in love with this peaceful country and its equally beautiful people. With the exception of its special National Parks and Reserves projects, all of uVolunteer’s work in Ghana is based out of the city of Koforidua, which is about a 45 minute drive from Ghana’s capital city of Accra. Koforidua (also known as K-dua) is the home to about 130,000 people and is well known internationally for its waterfalls, bead markets, and frequent festivals.

Types of volunteer projects offered by uVolunteer in Ghana include medical and healthcare projects, teaching English and other subjects, child care, teaching physical education, and a special project in which volunteers work for the National Parks and Reserves of Ghana, helping to maintain and increase tourism at Ghana’s incredible wildlife conservation facilities. Ghana may also be a great destination for medical professionals seeking to make an (even bigger) difference doing what they love, as uVolunteer supports a variety of medical projects within the country.

Volunteer Abroad with uVolunteer in Costa Rica

Although beautiful Costa Rica is one of the most popular volunteer abroad destinations in the world, uVolunteer’s unique presence in the country is well-regarded by volunteers and locals alike.

While many of uVolunteer’s Costa Rica based projects help protect Costa Rica’s famed natural beauty, there are many projects that serve the Costa Ricans themselves. In Costa Rica, uVolunteer supports a variety of local projects in San Ramon including animal conservation, teaching English as a second language, community education, Spanish immersion, sports education, construction, environmental conservation, and teaching special education. Almost all of the projects are based out of the San Ramon area, which offers a stunning array of activities for volunteers such as hiking and exciting local nightlife.

The only projects not located in San Ramon are the animal conservation projects, which are based out of turtle camps on the beaches near the Costa Rican towns of Buena Vista and Matapaulo. While working for sea turtle conservation, volunteers have the opportunity to work hands-on with some of Costa Rica’s most precious animal life. Another project worth special note is uVolunteer’s Spanish immersion program, which allows volunteers to take intensive Spanish classes that are taught by trained professionals and are coupled with unique cultural experiences. Like all of uVolunteer’s volunteer placements, all volunteers work closely with local subsidiaries of uVolunteer for the entire duration of their trip.

What Makes uVolunteer Stand Out

uVolunteer strives to be completely transparent with all of its volunteers and provide support that few volunteer abroad agencies are able to accomplish. All volunteers live within the same neighborhood or building as one of uVolunteer’s in-country offices in order to ensure that volunteers are never “shipped-off” to a project and so that they can stay in constant communication with the people who plan every aspect of their volunteer abroad experience. All three sites have the benefit of working directly with either uVolunteer’s founder or co-founder and all volunteer team leaders have years of expertise working with the local volunteer abroad infrastructure and with the projects themselves. This last point is especially lauded by many of the volunteers who have left reviews on Volunteer Forever, who felt constantly supported from the airport until the end of their trip.

uVolunteer also believes in giving its volunteers ample time to explore the local culture. All volunteer placements have a 4-day work week with a maximum of 6 working hours per day, with volunteers being free every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The purpose of these free days is to allow volunteers time fully immerse themselves in the local culture and do a bit of local exploring. uVolunteer also maintains local dorm sites that allow volunteers to socialize with other volunteers while also living in a location convenient to local amenities and their work sites. Since finding housing can be extremely stressful when you are in a new country where you do not speak the language, the clean, relaxed dorms are listed as a plus by many of our volunteers who enjoyed having a comfortable place to crash after a hard day.

Volunteers also felt that they were more prepared than they would have been with another project. All volunteers are required to undergo an orientation that includes an introduction to local customs, their work site, and how to live in town. This orientation takes place over the volunteer’s first arrival weekend, as all uVolunteer trips begin on Fridays.

Finally, many volunteers commented that uVolunteer’s strong presence in local communities made making an impact so much easier. Although uVolunteer is careful to remind volunteers that results from volunteering are not always seen over night, it is apparent to many volunteers that the projects run by uVolunteer are met with gratitude and approval in the local communities.

Overall, it’s uVolunteer’s strong support staff, open communication, and dedication to positive change that make it a hit for interested volunteers from around the world. Throughout their reviews, uVolunteer alums praise the organization’s strong sense of unity and purpose and their ability to work with volunteers of varying ages and skill levels to make sure that their community’s needs are being met.

Know Before You Go

Although uVolunteer plays a strong role in supporting volunteers abroad, they do remind prospective volunteers that volunteer abroad projects can sometimes be less structured than something we might do at home. However, they encourage their volunteers to take initiative in these situations to make real change in communities that need them. Volunteering is not always immediately gratifying, but uVolunteer promises that its projects are built to last and benefit communities for the long run.

Fees and Logistics

Like many other volunteer abroad organizations, the minimum age for most of uVolunteer’s projects is 18. However, uVolunteer does accept participants who are 17 with parental authorization and participants ages 10-16 if accompanied by a legal guardian or another authorized person over 21. Other than that, uVolunteer encourages volunteers of all ages and walks of life to participate. uVolunteer has experience arranging trips for individuals, families, and groups of all sizes. uVolunteer also offers a special “travel and tour” option for groups who want to spend time volunteering and traveling with reputable local guides and tours.

Prices for volunteer abroad trips vary from about 400-700 USD per week, with a much cheaper flat rate for any week-long extensions after the initial one or two week trip. Prices include accommodations, two daily meals (breakfast and dinner), travel insurance, airport pick-up service, orientation fees, internet access, social activities, program management, 24/7 in-country support, and a pretty nice t-shirt. The only parts of your trip not included are personal expenses, your flight to the local airport, transportation, visa costs, and your return trip to the airport. uVolunteer does offer group discounts for groups of three people or more and a flat rate discount of 10% for all groups with over six people.

Although uVolunteer offers short-term projects, they recommend a 12-week stay in order to maximize your experience and get a deeper understanding of the local culture and traditions. Due to the intensive nature of some projects, there may be minimum duration requirements (usually two weeks), so be sure to read up on your specific project before you make your decision.

Conclusion

When it comes to finding great volunteer abroad opportunities, we at Volunteer Forever trust our volunteers and when it comes to uVolunteer, they have spoken. uVolunteer currently has the most positive reviews out of all of the organizations on our site and it is clear that they are definitely doing something right. So, do your research, but if you happen to be a strong, purpose-driven, adventurous volunteer like the ones who use Volunteer Forever, you might want to give uVolunteer a chance.