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Volunteering
Thank you for your interest in volunteering. The ability of international
nonprofit organizations to touch so many lives in so many places, depends
on the commitment of people like you, who have decided to take action
to make a difference. The following is a guide to the different ways
you can help in times of disaster and in the lives of the poor. It is
provided to help make sure your volunteered time and energy are as beneficial
as possible.
Immediately after a disaster or crisis, cash is best.
In the aftermath of humanitarian crises, it is critical that the response
of the international community is immediate and well-coordinated in order
to save as many lives as possible. For this reason, volunteers in these
situations usually have previous disaster or international experience,
technical skills (for example, medicine, communications, logistics, water/sanitation,
engineering, etc.), and are usually from neighboring communities not
affected by the disaster.
Well-intentioned foreigners, lacking technical skills, disaster experience,
and familiarity with the local culture and language, can seriously complicate
relief efforts. For this reason, the best way for most people to help
in the immediate aftermath of the disaster is by giving a cash donation.
See InterAction's guide
to appropriate giving for more
information on why this is the case.
Those with technical skills or international experience who would like
to volunteer, can register with The
Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI).
Please contact them only if you meet these criteria.
Volunteers are critical to improving the lives of the poor
in the long-run.
Volunteers do play an important role in enabling the poor and victims
of disaster to improve their lives in the long-term.
First, the ability of countries to develop depends on international
policies that we, as citizens of democracies, have a unique ability to
affect. Some of the most important of these policies regard increasing international
aid levels, reducing the debt burden of poor countries, and
promoting fair trade.
If you would like to learn more about these issues and join us in our
fight against poverty, sign up for one or more of InterAction's E-lists. You'll receive occasional emails about the key actions
you can take to help those in need. It's free and allows you to make
difference in the lives of millions of people.
Second, we also encourage you to visit our member organizations' web
sites to learn about their campaigns and the myriad of ways you can get
involved in their work to improve the lives of those in need.
 Finally, many agencies seek volunteers to work in non-emergency situations
in the developing world. A publication entitled Global
Work,
available from InterAction, lists volunteer, internship, and fellowship
opportunities around the world. A geographic and program index helps
guide readers with specific interests. For more information, contact InterAction's
Publications Office, or visit the InterAction
Publications page.
We hope this information helps you get started in helping the world’s
poor and needy build a better life for themselves. As Margaret Mead said, "Never
doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"
Return
to Guide to Appropriate Giving
Appropriate
Ways to Make Material Donations
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