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Voluntary work can be an adventure in itself and can provide a stepping stone to further adventures. Volunteering is open to all nationalities and avoids you having to apply for work permits, it also gives you the opportunity to live and work in remote communities, allowing you to gain experience of the customs of the society in which you are volunteering. Volunteering can come in all forms, but travellers who find themselves in the vicinity of a major disaster think that their assistance will be welcomed. But with no practical skills, they often become a burden to professional aid workers. Although it may be hard to do so, if you find yourself in a disaster zone the best thing you can do to help others is to move on and leave the aid relief to the professionals. pros and cons Voluntary work can be tough as well as disillusioning and can leave you out-of-pocket. Organizations tend to charge volunteers to cover the cost of recruitment, interviews, insurance, pre-departure orientation as well as travel, food and lodging and could leave you feeling that you are paying well in excess of the essential running costs. Check the organization out thoroughly before you hand any money over and make sure you understand what is asked of you, in terms of the work you will be doing, as misunderstandings can arise. workcamps Voluntary work in developed countries often takes the form of work camps which accepts short term unskilled labour. They allow the volunteer to live cheaply for two to four weeks in a foreign country and lets you get involved in useful work for the community, meeting other people from different backgrounds, which can increase your awareness of other cultures. The majority of camps take place in the summer months, and details are normally published in March/April. With the majority of placements being made between mid April to May. There is a registration fee to join a workcamp, which includes board and lodging but not travel costs and in some developing countries there may be an extra charge to help finance future projects. To apply for a placement on a workcamp you should apply to the Service Civil International. which is the largest workcamp organization with branches in over 27 countries. Camps can be heavily over-subscribed so you should be prepared to be interviewed before being placed. The majority of projects are environmental, with the working week being 30 hours although it can stretch to 40 hours, spread over five to six days.The living conditions can vary greatly from camp to camp. Although english is the language of many international camps, some may require you to have a knowledge of a foreign language. developing countries Commitment, no matter how enthusiastic is not enough to work in an aid project in a developing country. You must be able to offer some kind of useful training or skill and organizations often require a commitment of at least two years. In return you will receive a modest local wage, national insurance, accommodation, return flights and various grants and you should be aged between 20 - 70, qualified and experienced and have no dependent children.