ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Essential Eligibility Criteria

Volunteering Journeys internship and volunteering programs are multi-week travel programs that are designed to enable people to make a meaningful contribution to communities in developing countries. Our programs are meant to be challenging (emotionally, mentally and physically) – and purposeful.

These are different from a regular tourist travel experiences in the degree of intense cross-cultural immersion and interpersonal demands that participants may face. The expectations and challenges of these programs may not be appropriate for some individuals.

These EEC’s are intended to help potential participants understand what to expect and what will be expected of them if they are accepted into a Volunteering Journeys program.

  1. General
    All participants must: –
    a. Be aged above 18 when they start their program. If you are below 18 years of age you have to send us your guardians signed written permissions and a letter of intent. 
    b. Be able to speak, read and write English – but they may come from any country: although Volunteering Journeys is based in the UK we have had participants from 30+ countries.
    c. Be able to fund their time with Volunteering Journeys being the program cost and all ancillary costs such as flights, visas, insurance etc.
    d. Treat with respect all members of the group, local contacts and others they encounter whilst on the Volunteering Journeys program.
    e. Take responsibility for and manage their health and well being independently, including but not limited to: hydration, general nutrition, mobility and administration of any prescription medication.
    f. Listen to and respond quickly to instructions given by local staff of partner organisations Volunteering Journeys works with in each country.
    g. Cope with the stresses brought upon by living and travelling with others in countries that are drastically different from the participants’ home.
  1. Physical
    All participants must: –
    a. Be prepared to live in basic accommodation.
    b. Be prepared to share living and sleeping space with others, often in very close proximity (unless you have upgraded to a private room)
    c. Be prepared to help clean, tidy up etc in such accommodation.
    d. Be able to carry all of their own gear.
    e. Discuss any medical issues (pre-existing, chronic or ones that arise during the program) with local staff.
  2. Emotional
    All participants must:
    a. Be able to communicate openly, honestly and respectfully on any subject with their peers, local people and Volunteering Journeys staff.
    b. Commit to creating a safe environment for all group members and not, in any circumstance, threaten others physically or verbally.
  1. Adaptability

All participants must:

  1. Handle scheduling and location changes with short notice
  2. Tolerate significant levels of ambiguity and ambivalence that naturally occur while traveling, such as: changes in diet, extremely basic lodgings, unfamiliar surroundings, homesickness, long days, and unfamiliar routines.

c.Demonstrate patience, understanding, and maturity in the face of changing circumstances.

 

  1. Safety and Risks

All participants must:

  1. Navigate and travel independently to and from program start and end destination(s);
  2. Recognize the hazards and risks of travel as presented in program materials and verbally throughout the program and comply with recommended measures and directions for risk reduction from program staff.

c.Exercise sound judgment in the absence of direct supervision and alert others of potential hazards observed.

d.Abide by the entirety of the Volunteering Journeys, program expectations, guidance of field staff, and all local, national and international laws while on the program.