How to Leave Feedback for Hosts and Helpers
Majority of hosts will provide you with free housing and food, but some will give you extra information on that, like how much money you need to bring to cover your costs, visa requirements, etc. For me, Worldpackers is better thanks to the extra support they offer, and their Worldpackers Programs which means you can actually earn money as you travel. As it is the only completely free work exchange website, then if you have literally no money to spend then VolunteersBase could be a great way to travel for free. However, be mindful of the lack of screening and support should something go wrong, and good luck sifting through the placements to find what you’re looking for. As a solo female traveller, I would rather pay the $39 membership fee for Worldpackers and have that extra peace of mind. Worldpackers is very focused on safety and security, verifying each host before they are accepted on the platform.
My Experience Volunteering For Free Accommodation
I did a few different volunteering projects over the years to keep me on the road. Some of them were for a few days and some others were for a few weeks. Going to a foreign country can be scary for some people, so you might want to check out to reassure yourself that it’s safe to travel the world. WWOOF exists for a very long time, but also has amazing farming opportunities.
Trusted Housesitters can be a great option for flexible travellers who have experience looking after animals or for more mature travellers and digital nomads who want free accommodation while they explore the world. Most countries have their own WWOOF network, and you have to pay for registration for each country network which tends to be $20 – $30. If there isn’t a WWOOF organisation in the country you’re looking for, there are also WWOOF Independents which are clubbed together on their own website. WWOOF or World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms has been around for a whopping 50 years. It is the original work exchange site, and works in a similar way to the above sites but solely for placements on organic farms where you do farm work in exchange for room and board.
how is helpstay different from other sites ?
You can sign up on most platforms for free to browse opportunities. Contributing a thoughtful review after your stay helps helpstay reviews future volunteers and hosts. Highlight both the positives and areas for improvement to provide a balanced perspective.
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For a free volunteering website I suppose you can’t expect as much functionality as the paid options, but I found VolunteersBase quite hard to use. There are no search filters to narrow down what you are looking for, just by country or a search bar, and there is no way to filter hosts who have reviews. Worldpackers offer 24/7 support to volunteers and hosts, and there is a phone number and email address on the website to get in touch, as well as through their app. They also offer their “WP Safeguard” which covers the cost of a hostel for 3 nights if you need to leave your placement due to problems with the host. Similar to Workaway, Worldpackers is free to join so you can browse for potential placements before you sign up to become a paid member.
- However, as with any free site, there is more of an element of risk involved as there is no screening process, and if something goes wrong there isn’t a support team to help you.
- In exchange for your help, hosts typically provide free accommodation and, in some cases, meals.
- After you become a member, you can bookmark the projects and read the feedback other people left on certain projects.
- Highlight both the positives and areas for improvement to provide a balanced perspective.
He would “go out with the girls” and leave the guys at the house. He was drunk every night and he was always pretty confused about our schedule which resulted in us (we were 4 volunteers) not having to work. When the host picked me up at the train station, he was drunk and almost ran over a dog on the way to the farm.
- HelpStay can provide you with amazing volunteer opportunities abroad for a cheap price.
- Then, it’s up to the host to decide if it’s a great fit or not.
- They’ve got a special personality, which can be quite a bit challenging sometimes.
- Although, if you’re not a fan of farming, or if you wish to switch things up, then, it might not be a good fit for you.
Most of the website still states that the platform is completely free to use, and the payment notification only comes up when you try to send a message to a host. You can’t really advertise your site as a free platform if doing the most essential thing on it isn’t free. I have no problem with paying the fee – it’s still very cheap compared to many other sites! Hosts advertising on the platform go through an approval process, and if anything should go awry, their “WP Insurance” promises to pay for three nights in a hostel dorm if you need to get outta dodge quickly. “Broke but Backpacking” is a WhatsApp community full of passionate travellers who love to exchange tips, stories and inspiration. Connect with like-minded backpackers and be the first to hear about exclusive deals and giveaways designed just for the community.
Are you looking to have an authentic local experience living in a community with local people, eating their traditional food, talking their language and learning about the culture? HelpStay can provide you with amazing volunteer opportunities abroad for a cheap price. Once you stumble upon an interesting project, you can check all the information through the platform without outreaching the host and lose time. Every host needs to describe the project in tiny details, so you’ll be able to see the information on availability, your tasks, roles, costs of living and contact information.
Types Of Projects Available On HelpX
To become a member, you need to sign in to the platform and pay a yearly membership that costs $25. After you become a member, you can bookmark the projects and read the feedback other people left on certain projects. How to find a work exchange job, though, that’s the pickle. Many sites have popped up to help connect you, the traveller, to a work host (and maybe your future BFF). While this platform might be the most popular site, there are tons of other Workaway alternatives that are just as great – but don’t get quite as much air time. Most of the hosts don’t have reviews, which could mean that there aren’t many volunteers on the site, or if someone has volunteered with that host then they haven’t bothered to leave a review.
Sometimes, they also ask for a minimum length of stay, so keep that in mind. If you’re taking a remote position, you might have to keep in mind that the connectivity could be limited. I had experiences where I was working 6 days a week, others where I had to work every day and some others where I barely had to work. Depending on your project, you could be working more or less. Normally, the hosts are able to give you a clear idea of the work beforehand.
Final Thoughts On Volunteering For Free Accommodation
Even in the End of Times, these organisations persist and keep the flame of voluntourism lit. Your money goes to pay the employees of the company and keep the site running. Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that’s what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more.
HelpStay provides a highly-vetted and trustworthy online community where helpers can connect with hosts to find a safe stay that suits their skills and interests for giving back. HelpStay is a skills-based volunteering platform that connects travellers with hosts of great projects around the world. Our platform makes travelling meaningful and affordable by allowing helpers to exchange work for accommodation. We distinguish ourselves from other players by gearing ourselves more as a volunteering abroad platform. We create a means for travellers to combine travel with giving back.
Work exchanges translate into extremely unique travel stories. It’s cool that you’ve seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat or climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower, but the stuff that’s going to earn you a real Cool Cat badge is a volunteering experience. Did you muster cattle on horseback or learn how to shear sheep?