My volunteering from a
practical point of view

Volunteering activities are a way how volunteers support their hosting organizations. You may have been discussing this topic on your selection interview or later in the pre-departure process, but you should already be aware what kind of activities you will be engaged in and with what target group you will be working. The most important things are listed in your volunteering agreement, so make sure that you have your copy and read it whenever you have some practical questions.

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But what is an activity and where to start when organizing it?

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An activity is a specific action, function, or sphere of action; work that involves direct experience by the participants.

A volunteering activity can be organized by the host organization, in which case the volunteers have some specific tasks and are supporting the organization by helping the implementation. Or your host organization can entrust you to think about and develop the activities for the local community. In this case you have your work cut out for you, but here are some helpful steps to guide you and a list of common mistakes to avoid.