Volunteering is an enriching and transformative experience, offering you the opportunity to make a positive impact on local communities while immersing yourself in a diverse and vibrant culture. However, as with all international volunteering, there are often misconceptions and misunderstandings that can deter you as a potential sports volunteer from taking the plunge into volunteering abroad.
It's dangerous ★ It's expensive ★ It won't make a big difference ★ No need for more volunteers ★ It's just charity ★ It's 'white saviourism'
Volunteering is dangerous
One of the most persistent misconceptions about Africa is that it is an unsafe place to volunteer.
While it is true that there are a number of safety issues in South Africa or Kenya, for example, it is also important to realise that the dangers vary greatly across the country. As in any country, there are areas that are more dangerous than others, cities that are more or less affected, and even within a city there are big differences. As with any trip to an unfamiliar country, it is important to do your research and take the usual precautions. For example, avoid displaying expensive items or walking alone at night.
As a volunteer you will normally live with a host family and become part of the community in which you work. Your connection with your host family, the project and the project staff and the resulting integration will give you a different level of acceptance in the region where you work.
However, you should always listen to the advice of your host family or project staff. They know the local situation best and how you should behave.
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Volunteering is expensive
Many people assume that volunteering abroad is expensive. This includes high programme fees, flights, visa fees and additional living costs.
Yes, there are costs associated with volunteering, but these costs can be kept within “personal” limits with careful planning and research. In addition, the costs for each project vary depending on the country, region, scope of services and specific project standards.
Your project contribution will cover the cost of transport, accommodation and meals in your host family and support the local projects in their activities. This also includes the transparent and fair COACH ABROAD placement fee. Bear in mind that you will also have living costs in your home country, which may be higher than the monthly cost of your volunteer placement.
In return, you will have a unique experience abroad, learn about a new culture and get to know a foreign country. Not as a tourist, but at the heart of the community and in the lives of the locals. Not only will you gain new personal skills, but you will also be making a difference in the lives of those who need your help. You will make many new memories that will last a lifetime!
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Volunteering can't make a big difference
Some potential volunteers believe that their contribution won’t really make a difference to the lives of the people they want to help. This can discourage them and prevent them from taking part in volunteering programmes.
But: Every effort counts.It’s true that as a volunteer you may not be able to solve big social and societal problems on your own, but everyone’s contribution adds up. The work you do, no matter how small, can be a springboard for positive change. Both for the children and young people in the projects and their carers, and for the host family.
An important point to remember is that you can achieve more through skills-based volunteering. Use your unique skills and talents in sport to make a bigger contribution. Whether you play handball, football or another sport, your skills can be invaluable to the local community. Volunteers who work in their preferred field of activity achieve more for the project through their personal involvement, are more engaged and ultimately benefit more for themselves. Volunteers who are just trying to prove themselves, or who have no clear goals in mind, are less productive, less focused and less proactive. Whether it’s animal welfare at a shelter, childcare at an orphanage, or marine and nature conservation, using your skills is always a way to contribute to the project and its goals.
Consider whether you would like to commit to a particular project for a longer period of time. A longer-term commitment allows you to build more trust with the community, develop more personal relationships, and monitor and manage the progress of the project. In this way, you can achieve a more sustainable impact.
And it’s not just for the project, but also for you and your experience. It takes time to settle into a new place and gain confidence. Both for yourself and for the people you work with. This cannot be done in 2 to 4 weeks. So think about how much time you want to spend abroad. Not only will you gain a deeper insight and have a greater impact, but you will also be able to learn and take more for yourself from a different culture and community.
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Volunteering is all about charity
Although volunteering is often associated with charity work, it is important to understand that it is a two-way exchange.
You as a volunteer benefit as much as the projects you work on. You can grow personally, develop a better cultural understanding and gain valuable emotional and social skills.
A cultural exchange offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different, diverse and varied way of life, broadening your own perspective and understanding of the world. Volunteering helps you to develop personally and to improve and sharpen important skills such as adaptability, problem solving and communication. This will benefit both your personal and professional life.
You can also make lifelong friendships with locals or other volunteers, building lasting relationships and a sense of belonging. Your intercultural skills and understanding will be strengthened by volunteering and working in a different cultural environment and especially by living with a host family.
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Africa does not need more volunteers
Some people believe that countries such as South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania do not need more volunteers as there are already many organisations and people working on the specific challenges of the country. Although the number of projects and volunteer organisations has increased in recent years, the need for support in many areas is still immense.
Like many charities around the world, local projects need helpers to carry out their work. The projects often lack material resources (balls, jerseys, sports equipment), money and staff. By volunteering, you can help the organisation to achieve more and carry out planned activities. Also here, the longer you stay with a project, the greater the benefit, not only for the organisation, but also for you. Therefore, more volunteers are always welcome.
The social, environmental and health challenges remain huge and diverse, so there are still countless opportunities to volunteer, help and achieve positive results. In addition, volunteers often only stay in a project for a few months or a year, but the project should and must be continued after their return to their home country in order to achieve sustainable results.
In addition, more and more local projects, initiatives and change-makers are discovering the potential and benefits that external knowledge and expertise can offer them in achieving their goals in their local communities. Aspects such as specialisation, expertise and targeted support are therefore becoming increasingly important.
At COACH ABROAD, we focus on sport because we believe that sport connects people, creates opportunities and develops positive personal attributes.
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Volunteering is "White saviorism“
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