Question 1

Do you provide any training before I arrive?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After you register, we will provide you with a welcome pack that covers lots of important information about preparing for your trip. If you're registered for a teaching placement, we have a comprehensive Teaching Tips Manual. For our internships, we have a Learning Reflection Document and we have several aids for those of you that are participating in a healthcare volunteering or internship placement. If you're heading to a destination where they speak a different language, we'll assess your language level skills and suggest tips about how to prepare for your placement. Our knowledgeable staff are also readily available to answer your questions, either over the phone or by email, to help prepare you for your trip.

Question 2

Will you help me with my visas?

Accepted Answer

One you have signed up for a Kaya project, we will send you an informative Welcome Pack that has information and guidelines about the specific visa that UK and U.S volunteers will need to apply for. If we know the requirements for other nationalities, we also include those but as there are different visas for different nationalities, we ask that you check with your consulate for other country's requirements. You can use the information in the Welcome Pack to help you and ensure that you obtain the right visa for your placement. In some destinations the visa rules frequently change but we do keep track of travel updates to ensure that these are up to date. The onus is on the individual volunteer to check the visa requirements with the relevant embassy to clarify their visa application process applicable to them.

Question 3

I can’t choose between 2 or 3 projects. Is there someone I can talk to?

Accepted Answer

Of course!  We have recruitment offices in the UK, the USA and in Asia so are available on the phones most hours of the day to give you advice on which project would be best for you and to help you in your decision. You are also welcome to email us with any questions that you might have and for advice on what project is the right fit for you. Every member of Kaya staff has worked, travelled, studied or volunteered abroad, and most have visited and volunteered on our own projects, so have first-hand experience of the countries and nature of the programme placements. Their knowledge of international travel and volunteering is invaluable, and they can give you good advice and tips to make the most of your placement.

Question 4

I know what project I want to work on. What happens now?

Accepted Answer

Great! It is a simple procedure. If you are happy with the project that you have chosen and feel ready to secure your space on the project then we ask you to fill in our short application form on our website by clicking the Book Now button for the corresponding project. We then ask for a £75 or USD $95 application fee which will reserve your space on that program. If for any reason you are not accepted this will be fully refunded to you. If you are accepted then this deposit becomes non-refundable and will secure your spot on the project.  You will then just be required to submit the remainder of your project fee 6 weeks before the start date of your program. If you are signing up within the 6 week marker, we ask for you to submit your payment in full when you apply.

Question 5

Are there any medical or physical requirements?

Accepted Answer

Being in good health is a requirement as placements are often in warmer climes than many volunteers are used to and international travel can be hard on system. Pollution in some cities is an issue so please take this into account. Having good mental health is also important to be prepared for changes in culture. On conservation projects you will need to be fit as there is typically some physical work involved. On certain projects, we may need a note from your doctor to confirm that you are fit to travel and volunteer. To help clarify this information, you will be asked to fill in a medical form after registering. In the past, we have worked with disabled volunteers, identifying locatiosn that can accomodate for their particular needs,, so if you have any concerns about whether you can be eligible to participate, please inquire with one of our advisors and we will be happy to guide you.

Question 6

Can I use my volunteering experience towards my studies or for credit?

Accepted Answer

Any volunteering or internship experience is always a great addition to any CV/Resume! It will put into practice what you learn in the classroom and give you some field experience to support your studies. If you would like to obtain course credit in affiliation with your university, contact a Kaya Advisor and we can assess your requirements against the project's needs. A small fee of £35/$61 administration fee applies to precess any paperwork yo may require for this. Some projects will request an additional fee if additional supervision needs or materials are neeeded to fulfil those requirements. We can also organise group programs for credit and we are happy to work with univerities to put together a placement that matches your goals. If you don't initially see a project that matches your needs please get in touch as we are often able to work with our projects and identify a suitable placement for you.

Question 7

I don't really have any skills, so can I still volunteer?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! If you don't have any particular skills but are enthusiastic and willing to help where needed we have plenty of volunteering placements for you. Many of our projects don't require any skills - just the energy and determination to work hard, and to learn from the training they provide! If you're looking to gain particular experience for your CV/resume or are looking to gain certain skills, this is a perfect opportunity! Let us know what you're hoping to achieve and we will look into the best options for you. Don't underestimate what you can bring to a volunteer placement!

Question 8

Where does my money go?

Accepted Answer

This is one of the most common questions we are asked, and the answer is that it always depends on your placement, your destination and how long you stay! We work in 25 different countries, so living costs vary considerably. Providing quality accommodation, airport transfers, meals (in most cases) orientations, and a project donation to support your host organization must all be paid for. Getting the word out about our projects also requires resources, and a portion of your fees will go toward administrative costs such as volunteer and staff recruitment, advertising, and website maintenance.

Project monitoring and evaluation is also vital to ensure that the projects we offer are genuine, safe, and well-run. We have reviewed our project to generate a chart that gives the average breakdown across our destinations.

We try to keep project costs down while ensuring we are providing sufficient support for our projects and our participants. This approach ensures a sustainable situation for those we want to help and allows us to offer you a safe, supported placement on a project that we have thoroughly vetted.

Question 9

How do I know I will be safe on my placement?

Accepted Answer

At Kaya, your safety is always our key priority. We offer full support before and during placements, and have sets of emergency procedures in place to cover every eventuality. We only work with vetted projects and partners, which we review and conduct risk assessments with regularly, as we believe this is essential in keeping people safe. We keep updated on safety by monitoring the FCO (British Foreign Office), US Department of State and other national safety advisory organisations as well as global news broadcasts. In terms of the safety of the project staff and community members we request police checks for our participants.

You'll receive pre-departure training and a thorough orientation on site that helps you minimize risks associated with traveling abroad. Our local staff are knowledgeable about local customs and will help you to be culturally aware during your stay. They carry an emergency phone 24/7 and they are well trained in how to deal with any situations. Through Kaya, you can travel with some peace of mind knowing we have your safety in mind!

Responsible Travel

A WORLD OF CHOICE

PICK OF THE MONTH

Volunteer Teaching in Ghana

PICK OF THE MONTH

Photography Internship in South Africa

Welcome to Kaya Responsible Travel

Join us to see the world and make a difference

Award Winning

Intern abroad

Health and Medical programs abroad

Welcome to Kaya Responsible Travel.

Volunteer Abroad, Intern Abroad, Gap Year & Responsible Travel

A WORLD OF CHOICE!

Need help getting started?

Volunteer Abroad, Intern Abroad, Gap Year & Responsible Travel

VOLUNTEER ABROAD

INTERN ABROAD

ONLINE PROGRAMS

CUSTOMIZED GROUPS

GAP YEAR ABROAD

STUDY & SERVICE ABROAD

RECENT AWARDS

Why choose Kaya?

HAVE A QUESTION?

Featured Volunteer Projects and Internships

Add your favourite projects to your Wishlist!

Featured Videos

Recent Kaya Blog posts

ABOUT KAYA

CONTACT US

DESTINATIONS

AMERICAS

AFRICA

ASIA-PACIFIC

PROJECT TYPES

ACADEMIC AREA

VOLUNTEER TYPE

OTHER

RESOURCES