Why Join Ecoteer?

If you're considering volunteering as part of your gap-year, sabbatical, retirement or during a long break from your normal life or looking for volunteer work, volunteer jobs or just volunteer opportunities abroad then you will have lots of questions.

"Where do I start? Where should I go? What should I do?" These are common questions that most volunteers ask themselves.

How Ecoteer is different

The only way to find volunteer work in the conservation and cultural sector is to join a volunteer organisation. Even though you work, you are normally asked to pay substantial amounts of money to join many of the volunteer opportunities.

Ecoteer believes that cost is the biggest single reason why so many people decide not to volunteer abroad.

This is why our approach is very different.

What we offer

Through Ecoteer you contact the volunteer project direct eliminating the middleman from the cost equation thus reducing the fees you pay to volunteer abroad. On some projects you may only pay your airfares, personal insurance, transport to your location and, for some placements, accommodation.

This small but substantial difference brings a few major differences.

Firstly, you will be expected to get to the volunteer project largely on your own but you may be offered transportation from the nearest major settlement. There is no need to worry about navigating the tributaries of the Amazon by yourself! Just be prepared to travel on your own for a while, as if you where backpacking. This aspect of an Ecoteer placement is very different to the higher cost volunteer opportunities and is more like traditional backpacking. Travelling on your own always sounds far worse than it actually is - it can be extremely rewarding and will be a real eye opener!

Secondly, the projects and eco lodges are run by local people. You may be the only person on that volunteer opportunity at that particular time. Instead of making friends with other volunteers, you will make friends with the locals. These friendships are different to what you would get on other volunteering excursions. By volunteering with Ecoteer you will benefit so much more as an individual. The most important thing being the broadening of your mind, not to mention your CV!

Thirdly, these types of volunteer opportunities combines the best aspects of volunteering and backpacking.

You will become a more independent person and although it is a cliché, you may very well "find yourself". You will gain extra work experience that other volunteer work and volunteer jobs do not offer and much more than just normal backpacking.

We would like to emphasize that you will become more aware of other people and a different way of living, which will further your horizons.

Benefits of becoming an Ecoteer member

Ecoteer has been working hard to give our members great deals on products volunteers need most when volunteering abroad.

Keeping in contact with your family is very important when volunteering for your safety when abroad. However calling from your mobile is usually very expensive and often you are charged for incoming calls as well which means a huge phone bill when you get back home. This is why Ecoteer has partnered with Go-Sim a world renowned international sim-card company.

With GO-SIM, you can save up to 85% when calling from overseas in 175 countries. That's up to six times more chat than using your usual service while travelling. You also get FREE incoming calls in over 75 countries, and as your global SIM card is a pay as you go, there's no monthly bill and great call rates are guaranteed.

As an Ecoteer member you can receive a discount of 10% - you will receive your promotional code once you become an Ecoteer member.

Travel insurance is the most important thing to buy when volunteering independantly. This is why Ecoteer has partnered with World Nomads the leader in Travel insurance who are offering Ecoteer members a discount of 10%. You receive your 10% discount when you buy their insurance through your Ecoteer control panel.

You can buy, extend and claim online even after you've left home. Recommended by Lonely Planet, World Nomads travel insurance is available to people from over 150 countries and is designed for adventurous travellers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and activities such as skiing and snowboarding.

The Ecoteer/World Nomads partnership is further strengthen through language guides which are free to download onto your ipod for Ecoteer members. You can download the guides through your Ecoteer members control panel. If you know some of the language you will enjoy your time away so much more and be much safer

Being an Ecoteer member also allows gives you access to our volunteering forums. The forums are a great way to talk to other volunteers for tips and advice plus you can advertise yourself to volunteer projects and talk to the project leaders.

Click below if you want to find out how to join a volunteer work or volunteer job opportunity with Ecoteer.

I want to find a volunteer work or volunteer job with Ecoteer

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