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Global PeaceWorks | |
peace among religions is the key to world peace |
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About International Volunteering
IntroductionInternational volunteering is exciting and rewarding. However, volunteering in a developing nation is not for the timid. Conditions are often rough. Many times there will be no hot water nor electricity. The water that does flow is often not safe to drink. The food will be unfamiliar and a reliable communication system may be hours away. Despite the challenges (or perhaps because of the challenges!) international volunteering is an exiting endeavor which many of us long to experience again and again. In many cases, the effect of international volunteering on the volunteer herself, is more profound than on the people she has served.
Browse the IVPA or the Volunteer Abroad website to learn more general information on international volunteering. The information we provide here gives an additional perspective to the information you may find elsewhere. Socially-Oriented and Faith-Based OrganizationsThere are many good organizations to volunteer with. Generally speaking, the organizations can be divided between socially-oriented and faith-based. Both provide similar types of service. Many socially-oriented programs are "value-neutral," that is, they attempt to not impose one culture's values over another culture's values (a common concern is not to promote Western, Industrialized, Judeo-Christian Values over the values of indigenous peoples). Faith-based organizations are more likely to seek to promote their own faith's values. This 'sharing of values' ranges from direct proselytizing (attempts to convert local peoples) to more universalistic approaches of sharing values of love and service. Faith-based organizations provide an excellent experience for people wanting to be with others who believe as they believe. Most (but not all!) faith-based programs have matured through decades of experience where it is now common to offer a deep respect for local cultures - however there remain programs where a core belief is that the local people need to be converted from their current religion. Global PeaceWorks is unique in that we encourage spirituality and religious expression, but we welcome ALL expressions of faith. We encourage all people to act based on the sacred wisdom teachings of their own culture. We advocate cultural sensitivity and encourage others to consider our principles of leadership which, we believe, provide a framework for building peace in any culture. These principles are rooted in many faith traditions. Global PeaceWorks encourages people of faith and people with no particular faith who have a respect for spirituality to enroll in our program. However our programs are not places for proselytizing. We put people together of dramatically different world-views and traditions and encourage each person to learn about each other's tradition. We beleive this is the richest experience possible. Structured and Unstructured ProgramsMost international volunteering programs offer a loosely structured or unstructured program in which volunteers work 15-20 hours per week and spend their leisure time as they please. The advantage of this type of program is that it offers the volunteer much independence and numerous opportunities for independent sight-seeing and cultural exploration. Global PeaceWorks offers a structured program in which there are group events including team-building exercises and learning programs through much of the schedule. While most Global PeaceWorks programs include visits to sights of interest - especially to sacred sites, extensive tourist-type sight-seeing is done outside of the program time. In addition, Global PeaceWorks promotes spiritual discipline and pure living in its programs. During the project, volunteers abstain from alcohol, illicit drugs and exclusive relationships. If you want this type of experience, Global PeaceWorks is a great place to volunteer, if you want to partake in alcohol, illicit drugs are seek a romantic partner while overseas, Global PeaceWorks is not for you. Multi-National and Bi-NationalMost programs offer a bi-national experience where volunteers come primarily from one country (like the USA) to serve another country. This is a wonderful concept which works well. Global PeaceWorks (and some international work camps) offers a multinational experience with volunteers coming from diverse backgrounds. Global PeaceWorks takes pride in having volunteers from the local region joining each program. Our interfaith programs are designed to have at least three faith traditions represented and usually have many more. Number of VolunteersThe number of volunteers in many international programs is under six. Global PeaceWorks programs bring a larger group together, usually twenty to forty people to learn about each other and work on a project. This creates a more intense international experience for the volunteers. Our project are events. They attract a lot of interest in the communities we serve. Additionally, Global PeaceWorks volunteers come from several countries - we are not exclusively Americans who are working in a South Asian community. We are American and Indian volunteers and have included volunteers from Japan, Taiwan, Kenya, Korea, Iran, Iraq, Germany, UK, Sri Lanka, Nepal and other countries. Typical CostsMost international training programs charge about $2,000 for a few weeks of volunteering. Here are some alternative programs which you might consider. Each is somewhat less structured and involves fewer volunteers than Global PeaceWorks. These are usually value-neutral programs which offer multiple programs throughout the year (Global PeaceWorks project occur ONCE per year in any region).
*Note that our prices are intentionally low during our early development phase. We expect that our future programs will have a similar cost as other opportunity providers.
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