Interested in volunteering abroad? Would you like to get to know better life in the country of your volunteering? Go global through Maailmanvaihto!
Volunteer placements are designed to create grassroots connections and understanding between people. You can volunteer abroad with us for 6–12 months. Long-term cooperation offers you and the people in your volunteer placement a shared cross-cultural learning journey.
In our programmes, you’ll get to volunteer in a local common-good organisation. We at Maailmanvaihto will orientate you and be a message or a phone call away to support you through the experience. Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland is a 60+ year-old youth exchange organisation with partner organisations around the world.
As a volunteer, you will bring your input and an international aspect to a common-good organisation. You can volunteer among children or in education or social work. Volunteers are welcomed by environmental and peace movements, women’s rights associations, and cultural projects, for example.
There are two volunteering programs:
You can volunteer in the European Solidarity Corps in different sides of Europe.
“My voluntary work period was a very rewarding and wonderful experience which increased my professional skills as well as my understanding of the world and its cultures.” – Anu Molarius, Bolivia
When you get to know the local daily living and culture as a volunteer, you will gain new experiences and points of view and make new friendships. You can develop your skills in different ways and you will learn to know yourself better.
To support intercultural learning, you will gain training both in Finland and in your destination country. In the trainings, we will explore adjusting to a new cultural environment, the role, rights, and responsibilities of a volunteer, and health and safety matters. In addition, we will explore the ethics and responsibility of international volunteering.
”Besides all other learning and new wonderful experiences, it was rewarding to learn a new language in which sentences were constructed in a very different way than in the languages that I had been previously learning. Thinking matters in a new language opened up a completely new world.” – Alma Smolander, Vietnam
The volunteers are required to have the skill to adjust, flexibility, openness as well as interest in different kinds of cultures and lifestyles. It is beneficiary to know the language used in the destination country already before the departure, but this is not a requirement. No educational or work background is required.
Our volunteering programs can be a good match for you if you are motivated in international volunteering, have adaptability, and are flexible, open, and interested in different kinds of cultures and ways of living. In addition, you will need practical English skills. It is beneficial to know the language of the destination country already before departure, but this is not a requirement.
I don’t need to have any education or working life experience in order to participate in our volunteering programs. On the other hand, if you are a student or a professional in health care, social work, or education, for example, it may be possible for you to volunteer in your field of expertise. Your know-how will be taken into account when planning your work tasks, and you will get support for learning the local language.
You can head for volunteering when you are at least 18 years old. In the European Solidarity Corps, you can start your volunteering year at the latest when you are 30 years old. In the ICYE proram, the upper age limit is flexible in many countries.
If you have a physical or sensory disability, we will be glad to see if we can offer you volunteering possibilities abroad with the kinds of arrangements you need. Please, contact us!
Training. We will train you for volunteering. Also, support and information from former participants are available.
Caring. We will take care of you during your voluntary work period. You will be supported by s contact person both at the receiving organisation as well as at Maailmanvaihto. In the countries of the ICYE program, volunteers are supported by the local ICYE organization.
Support after the return. After your return, you will receive from us support for adjusting to being back in Finland and you are warmly welcome to join in the voluntary activities of our organization here in Finland.
Reciprocity. Our activities are based on the principle of reciprocity. In addition to sending volunteers, we receive volunteers to Finland, so that both volunteers and work communities both from Finland and abroad can gain learning experiences.
Strong experience. Maailmanvaihto is an organization founded in 1958. During the year, we have gained strong experience in organizing international possibilities for young people.
Volunteering in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oseania – ICYE
Volunteering in Europe – European Solidarity Corps
In case you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
