Group Volunteer Programs in 50+ Destinations Worldwide

This program provided me with a chance to deliver some help where it was really needed, in a northern village of Ghana. There we helped children and adults manage their various wounds in an environment where health care is particularly difficult to find, let alone continuous wound management.

Our coordinator Evans was awesome and helped us with navigation, direction, and pretty much everything involved with integrating with the locals and not feeling isolated.

The experience was great and the impact was felt from wound management to education, every role made an improvement. There was also enough down time and freedom to explore the surrounding cities and have a ton of fun while helping out. We were able to check out some historical castles, eat and dance with locals, and even enjoy a beach amongst other things and activities.

I could not have had a better time on my medical campaign in Antigua, Guatemala. The staff before and during the trip was so supportive and helpful, always answering any questions I had. Once in Guatemala the medical clinics we were able to work at were amazing! I learned so much and met so many people from all different backgrounds and with different stories to tell. I could actually see that the work I was doing was making a difference in these people's lives and everyone was grateful and happy to have us there. Not only did we do amazing work, we had ample time to tour the city and surrounding areas! The program made it easy to schedule trips to volcanos, coffee farms, and many hikes to appreciate Guatemala's natural beauty :) I was able to do and see so much, easily the best week of my life!

Absolutely awesome! Love every moment of my trip! Not only did we build an after school care facility for kids but we had so many options to do excursions! I learned so much and would recommend this to anyone! It’s a great way to meet new people and to help out a community! Wonderful people I got to work with! Definitely hard work but so worth it ! They will throw you into anything for construction so keep an open mind, have fun and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Just wish I had more time there!

I went with a group of 10 people to Guatemala to do a Medical Service Campaign with IVHQ. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have had in my life. IVHQ was amazing at coordinating everything and so it took very little preparation on our end. We had clinic days throughout the week where we had the opportunity to work directly with patients to help diagnose and provide medications. I learned so much throughout this experience and was very humbled by all of the wonderful people I was able to meet in Guatemala. IVHQ also helped us to set up incredible excursions, which included hiking 2 volcanoes (one was an overnight camping trip, the other one was a day hike where we roasted marshmallows from the heat of the volcano!), visited a coffee plantation, and went zip-lining. This was such an amazing experience and I would highly recommend doing a trip through IVHQ. I loved the experience so much, I am actually hoping to set up a trip again this summer!

My volunteer experience in Monteverde, Costa Rica was an absolutely life-changing experience! I used my Spanish with locals and was able to translate for my group. I learned so much about ecotourism, organic agriculture, infrastructure in rural areas, preservation of resources/parks, energy produced by renewable resources, Costa Rican culture, and even witnessed directly the effects of erosion and hurricanes. I stayed at the finca, La Bella Tica, with Oldemar and Ersi and appreciated their accommodations so much!
It was such a comprehensive experience in using both my Spanish and Cultural Geography degrees, I could not have asked for a better way to learn and apply my studies! I have gained a new lease on life and am ready to take on new challenges and expand my use of language and knowledge of culture.

I went to HCMC for 10 days to volunteer teaching English to young adults. The entire program was executed with precision and accuracy; from transport from airport to hotel via private bus, to tours, to teaching in an English school.
I was with a group of 12 in total, 10 Tafe students and 2 tutors. We all supported one another and stuck together everywhere we went. The area we stayed in was an hour from the city centre, and being the only obvious looking foreigners, the locals soon got used to talking to us.
This trip was unique because it was full of many 'firsts' - first time to an Asian country, first time teaching, first time traveling with people I did not know.
Ho Chi Minh is extremely humid and hot. However, if you feel the cold like me, bring something to keep you warm when you are in air conditioned buildings or buses. Crossing the road is definitely something you need to prepare for ahead of time, it can be scary otherwise. According to our local coordinator, wearing a backpack on your back or front is safer than wearing an over the shoulder bag. Things to do when you get free time; water puppet show, cu chi tunnels, war museum, mekong river delta, vietnamese cooking class, Back of The Bike Tour, Markets, river cruise. We did not encounter many mosquitos, surprisingly, nor did we get sunburnt, but never underestimate the need for sunblock and repellent. I didn't bother taking an umbrella, because you can get ponchos everywhere. Bottled water is also everywhere, and its cheaper to dine out than cook your own food. You just need millions of VND because A $1 is approximately 17,400 VND, and you will find yourself running out of cash quickly because you will have millions of dong, but it will only amount to about A$100. There are lots of ATM's that give you VND for a small fee. Check out the Vietnamese candy/chocolates in the snack aisles of the supermarket. There are Vietnamese and Western toilets in HCM, but we were encouraged (told) not to put the toilet paper in the toilet, because the sewerage system is not adequate. There are bins for the paper. (Always carry tissues with you).
The entire experience left me feeling like staying a few more days and not being ready to leave when we did. We met so many smiling and kind people, and made many new friends in the students we interacted with. I did get better at crossing the road, even by myself at night. Teaching English took me beyond my comfort zone, but I soon forgot about that and went with the flow of interacting with the students. The biggest impact this has had is that I want to see more of the world and experience more cultural differences. I've learned how to show respect and humble myself, in another culture, yes, but also here in Australia too.
Thank you IVHG for this opportunity <3

I volunteered with IVHQ for three weeks on the medical program in Tanzania. I had an incredible experience! The staff were so friendly and helpful. They answered all of my questions promptly and thoroughly. The accommodations were much more comfortable than I could have imagined, and the excursions were so amazing!! I will absolutely be volunteering with IVHQ again. They are lovely people and I had an excellent experience.

It was a good program. The best part of it is the local people, from the support team to the host family. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. The food was awesome (omelet was the best :) and the living condition was also acceptable. The village we worked in was a very natural village and there were many chickens around. We had a great friendship and I think some of my friends even went back for the next year.