Best Volunteer Programs Abroad for First Time Volunteering Worldwide
For first-time volunteers, the programs in this guide offer a range of placements that do not require extensive previous experience. Options include teaching, childcare, conservation, community development and other projects across Africa and Asia.
If you’ve never volunteered abroad before, I wouldn’t start by asking, “What’s the best country?”
I’d start with: What kind of work do I actually want to do?
Teaching? Childcare? Conservation? Community projects? Medical work? Animal care?
Once you know that, the destination becomes much easier to choose.
That’s why we put together this guide with options across Africa and Asia, from turtle conservation in Cape Verde and Sri Lanka to teaching in Nepal and South Korea.
Your first volunteer trip doesn’t need to be complicated. Start with the work that feels right for you, then find the destination that fits.
Where would you go for your first volunteering experience?
Best volunteer programs abroad for first time volunteering in Africa
- Cape Verde: Turtle conservation, childcare, teaching, sports and construction in Tarrafal, Santiago Island.
- Kenya: Medical, teaching and community development.
- Zanzibar: Medical placement, teaching and ocean conservation.
Africa
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a good starting point for first-time volunteers who want several types of projects to choose from. Placements in Tarrafal, Santiago Island include turtle conservation, childcare, teaching, sports and construction.
Kenya
Kenya offers first-time volunteers options in medical placements, teaching and community development. It can suit volunteers who want their first experience to focus on working directly with local communities.
Zanzibar
In Zanzibar, first-time volunteers can choose between medical placement, teaching and ocean conservation projects. The range makes it possible to choose a placement based on the type of work you want to do abroad.
Best volunteer programs abroad for first time volunteering in Asia
- Bali: Turtle conservation, kindergarten and environmental projects.
- Cambodia: Teaching, childcare and community projects.
- Nepal: Teaching, childcare and Himalayan trekking placements.
- Philippines: Mangrove restoration, teaching and El Nido kindergarten.
- Sri Lanka: Turtle conservation, teaching and elephant care.
- Thailand: Teaching, kindergarten, elephant care and beach conservation.
- Vietnam: Medical placement, teaching and community work.
- South Korea: English teaching and Seoul soup kitchen program.
Asia
Bali
Bali offers first-time volunteers a choice of turtle conservation, kindergarten and environmental projects. It is a useful option if you want your first volunteering experience to combine community work with environmental projects.
Cambodia
Cambodia has teaching, childcare and community projects for volunteers. These placements can suit first-time volunteers interested in working with children or supporting community projects.
Nepal
Nepal offers teaching and childcare placements, as well as Himalayan trekking placements. This gives first-time volunteers several ways to combine volunteering with time in the country.
Philippines
Volunteer programs in the Philippines include mangrove restoration, teaching and an El Nido kindergarten placement. The projects cover both environmental and community-focused work.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka offers turtle conservation, teaching and elephant care placements. First-time volunteers can therefore choose between conservation, education and animal-focused projects.
Thailand
Thailand has teaching, kindergarten, elephant care and beach conservation programs. The range of placements makes it possible to choose a project based on the type of volunteering you want to try.
Vietnam
Vietnam offers medical placements, teaching and community work. These programs provide different options depending on whether you want your first volunteering experience to focus on healthcare, education or community projects.
South Korea
South Korea offers English teaching and a soup kitchen program in Seoul. These placements provide two distinct options for first-time volunteers interested in education or community support.
Start planning your first volunteer trip
Choose a first volunteer placement based on the type of project you want to do and the destination you want to visit. The options above include teaching, childcare, conservation, community work, medical placements and animal care across Africa and Asia.
Visit the individual destination pages to compare the available projects and choose where to volunteer.