The Projects we work with
Volunteering is adventure travel at its best and we work with hundreds of projects around the globe. We're bursting with pride that all the projects we work with are worthwhile and have been organically developed by the local community, for the local community. We're pretty passionate about our projects and the ways in which you are fully introduced and supported overseas. You can learn more about how it all works here.
Assessment of our projects
Once we’ve identified a potential project we have to assess it to find out if it has everything that our volunteers expect from an i-to-i volunteering experience.
Worthwhile and Legitimate
Our volunteers want to make a difference so it’s important that the projects they’re working at are worthwhile and legitimate. We only work with established projects that have been set up by the community, for the community. This means that they’ve been developed for a purpose and that our volunteers will be working toward this. Our in-country teams will assess the projects before we decide whether to work with them. Having worked in the business for years they’re in the perfect position to assess projects to ensure that they’re worthwhile.
Safe
The safety of our volunteers is our highest priority and we simply won’t work with any project where their safety is compromised. We use Venturesafe an external risk assessment system, to determine whether a project is safe enough for our volunteers and to identify any areas that present a high threat. On top of that, we won’t send volunteers to countries or districts which are particularly dangerous or volatile, nor will we send them to areas which we consider to be too remote.
Fun
Our volunteers want to make a difference and they want to have an amazing time doing it. For that reason we look for projects that have interesting and varied activities, busy schedules and are based in appealing locations. Projects don’t have to meet all these criteria but it’s important that they do offer our volunteers a really memorable experience and a chance to get to the heart of the host country.
Affordable
We have to ensure that the projects we work with are going to appeal to our volunteers. If a project is too expensive then it isn’t going to attract any volunteers. We wouldn’t only be failing our volunteers by working with such a project, we would be failing the project itself.
A Suitable Time Frame
The majority of our volunteers are looking for projects that are 1-12 weeks in length. Though we’re more than willing to offer our volunteers longer stays at projects, we will not be able to fulfil our commitment to a project if they cannot allow a flexible or short timeframe. For that reason we ask that all projects (with the exception of teaching placements or working holidays) offer a minimum stay of 8 weeks.
Accommodation and meals
Having somewhere safe and comfortable to rest your head is essential when you’re in another country (according to local standards!). Unlike some travel companies who redirect profits back to themselves, all of the accommodation we provide is locally owned and locally run, ensuring funds are distributed directly back to communities abroad.
We’re very proud to offer real places to stay for real travellers. We’re not for a minute suggesting that you’ll be staying in a luxury five-star hotel in the well-trodden tourist hotspots, but you’ll live life like a local and gain an authentic immersion into a new culture that will change your life forever. When you stay in our local accommodation, whether it’s a homestay, volunteer houseor hotel and guesthouse, you’ll experience a new culture from the inside and meet friends from around the globe!
We offer local accommodation with all our projects and here are the five different types, which vary according to each destination and project:
Homestay
When you stay in a homestay you’ll be living with a local family in a home full of local traditions and specialities. You’ll enjoy home-cooked meals, social interaction with the host family and a welcoming atmosphere which will prevent you from feeling too homesick! Homestays are a brilliant way to experience the real local culture and community from the inside – literally!
Volunteer House
You’ll meet and share stories (and maybe even throw a few parties!) with fellow volunteers when you stay in one of our volunteer houses, which are, guess what, full of volunteers! Our volunteer houses are privately managed and some are run by our local coordinators specifically for i-to-i volunteers, so friendly faces and support are always on hand.
Hotels and Guesthouses
Hotels and guesthouses are another great place to meet fellow volunteers and other travellers, as well as offering a safe and soothing retreat to lay your head. They are usually basic but comfortable.
Tented and Jungle Camps
If you’re into the great outdoors and interested in getting in touch with nature in a unique way, you’ll love our tented and jungle camps! You will wake up in the wild and really experience nature at its best. Naturally basic in its offering, this accommodation is an ideal way to sample outdoor life in a truly stunning location.
Accommodation Upgrade
If you’re looking for a comfortable and relaxing place to stay, we can upgrade your accommodation at many of our projects, which guarantees a private room - the ideal solution after a hectic day out and about! You’ll be staying with locals and will meet fellow volunteers and travellers, while experiencing a delightful location off-the-beaten-track. Our upgrade accommodation usually offers a few creature comforts including cable TV, en-suite bathrooms and air-conditioning… not that we’re encouraging you to stay in and ignore the stunning country at your feet!
In-country Coordinators
We have in-country coordinators in every single country we operate in. They’re there to make sure you're getting the most out of your travel experience by introducing you to the country, answering your questions and dealing with any problems that might arise while you're away. They’re on hand 24 hours a day so, in the unlikely event of an emergency, you know there will always be someone beside you to help you through.
So how will you benefit from our overseas teams?
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Face-to-face support
Our in-country coordinators are your first port of call if you have a problem. As well as sorting out the little things, they're available 24/7 to help you through any emergencies that you might encounter while abroad. They'll be right there by your side to provide a friendly face and a reassuring word when you need it the most.
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Airport pick-up
Our in-country coordinators will pick you up from the airport and make sure you get to your project without any problems.
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Orientation
Your in-country coordinators will give you a full cultural orientation on arrival. This will cover everything from health and safety to where you can get an emergency bar of chocolate.
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Local
All of our in-country coordinators are local people with a wealth of information about the land and its customs. They'll be able to advise you on where to go, how to get there and what to do while you're there.
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Friendly
Arriving in a new country can be a daunting experience but our friendly in-country coordinators will be there to settle you in and calm your fears.
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English speaking
Language barriers can be a huge problem when travelling abroad, but not when you travel with i-to-i. All our in-country coordinators speak English so you won't have any trouble communicating with them.
International conferences
From time-to-time, we hold international conferences designed to encourage global understanding within the i-to-i team and improvement from our in-country coordinators, to ensure our travellers receive the best possible support and service while on a project with us.
The conferences are attended by our in-country leaders, who pass on the knowledge they have learned to their in-country teams. Our global conferences are the perfect opportunity for training and offer quality training sessions on topics including extensive customer service skills, to help raise the level of service across the global i-to-i network.
Our international conferences are vitally important because they allow our in-country coordinators and global staff to share their experience and help to build on our success in answering and fulfilling the changing needs of our volunteers.
Safety and Security - i-to-i Venturesafe
When you travel on a trip with i-to-i you will be experiencing life and culture the way the locals do. This could mean taking a multi-people taxi to work, helping out at the project or taking a trip to a local attraction at the weekend. When volunteering to far flung destinations the levels of health and safety may not always match the ones we are used to at home. For example, on building sites protective clothing may not always be worn, transportation can be old and rickety and the local communities may have different attitudes than you are used to.
We want you to have an incredible experience that you’ll remember for the rest of life but we also want to ensure that you’re safe and secure.
So what are we doing to make sure you're safe on your trip?
Well firstly we fully research and assess all the projects we work with so you can rest assured that it has been checked and meets local standards.
Secondly, we provide travel advice and support before you go. This will help you to understand the risks that you might face while abroad, so that you’re prepared for your trip.
And finally, we offer 24 hour support from the moment you leave to the moment you return. This means someone will always be available to help you through an emergency no matter what it is or when it happens. Our in-country coordinators will be on hand to help, while our UK team will work around the clock to resolve the problem.
How do we assess and monitor our projects and suppliers?
i-to-i Venturesafe is a new initiative in collaboration with our crisis response advisor Docleaf. It’s been designed to set an industry standard for overseas travellers and other travel companies to refer to.
We’re the first volunteer travel company to develop an external monitoring system to assess risk levels. These assessments enable us to make an informed decision about whether a project is secure enough for our customers. This means you can book your travel experience with confidence knowing that it’s been deemed safe by our experts.
How we'll do this:
- Our in-country coordinators will assess all projects and suppliers to ensure they comply with our safety standards.
Examples of key criteria include:
- Project safety
- Accommodation safety
- Food hygiene
- Transport safety
- Fire safety
- General safety
We'll regularly audit projects and suppliers to ensure that they continue to meet these standards.
We'll keep a detailed database to track and record all accidents/incidents overseas.
How do we prepare for a crisis?
We work with crisis management specialists and they’ve been helping us to implement a company-wide Crisis Response Plan, so in the unlikely event of an emergency you’ll receive immediate and efficient emergency care.
And we’re not the only ones that think so...
"Project organisations have invested the necessary time, patience, and resources needed to build trust and ensure safe and appropriate projects for volunteers." Le Ann Joy Adam, Overseas Resource Coordinator at Stanford University
Watch our 'i-to-i support network' video for more information
Crisis Response Plan
With the help of crisis management specialists, we have developed a comprehensive crisis response plan to prepare for and guide us through any emergency. We operate a 24/7 emergency support service so that this plan can be put into action immediately no matter what time of the day! Our crisis response plan covers:
Our crisis response plan covers:
- Emergency support
All travelers are issued with the UK based emergency support number in pre-departure literature.
Duty officers
The duty officer is the first point of contact. They deal with any incoming calls and initiate the appropriate response to the crisis. In more serious cases the duty officer will then call a senior officer (a member of i-to-i management) for advice, assistance and support. Should the situation require it, they will activate the full global response team.
- In-country coordinators
We regularly bring our in-country coordinators to the UK for crisis response training, so you can rest assured that your in-country coordinators are well versed in our emergency protocol and will know exactly how to react in the unlikely event of an emergency.
- Crisis response teams
All UK staff have been pre-assigned specific roles which they must take up in the event of a major crisis. Should their services be required these staff will be called into the i-to-i office to take up their role in the crisis response team. The team will co-ordinate the emergency response, advise in-country coordinators, contact insurance providers and organize assistance.
- Emergency travel teams
Should the situation require it, we will mobilize an emergency travel team to assist in-country.
- Global communication
We’ve create a 'triangle of confidence' between the UK response team, the in-country coordinators and the traveller.
- Crisis training
We carry out regular training sessions to ensure all staff are fully informed about our crisis response procedures.
- Docleaf training
Every year i-to-i Staff are fully briefed and simulation trained by DocLeaf.
- Monitoring systems
All i-to-i staff are fully informed of any changes to our crisis response procedures through the company intranet.
Note: i-to-i closely follows global travel advice when it comes to deciding the safety of our travelers abroad. We monitor government communications from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the US State Department and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, to ensure that we can make informed decisions about the risks posed to our customers.
Watch our video
For more information, watch our 'i-to-i support network' video.
Long Term Impact of i-to-i Volunteers
If you only have a short amount of time to volunteer abroad, it can sometimes be difficult to realise whether your contribution is worthwhile and sustainable. That’s where we come in. As long as we continue to send our overseas projects a steady stream of supported and prepared volunteers throughout the year, we will continue to help communities abroad to achieve their long-term goals. Your volunteering presence will really make a vital difference, however long you volunteer for, as it helps to continue our sustainable community programs.
Why should I volunteer with i-to-i and not on my own?
Of course it’s possible to volunteer on your own, but the chances are you would be left feeling that the few weeks or months you’ve been able to help out were really just a drop in the ocean. This can be potentially damaging for the long-term sustainability of the project as there is no-one to carry on your good work when you leave. By travelling with i-to-i, you are part of a much bigger picture and can be assured that your work will be continued by future i-to-i volunteers as we ensure all our volunteer projects are sustainable and worthwhile.
