The prospect of helping others can easily get you carried away, and once you start reading about the opportunities available to you abroad you may find yourself wanting to help those in extreme conditions who need it the most. Unfortunately, some countries are not as safe as others and volunteering in them may pose a risk to the volunteer. That said, they do need volunteers and anyone who does go will make a huge difference to the life of the locals whom they are helping, however, it is important that you are aware of the risks you will be facing as this will let you prepare for them before you go.

Generally, if you are a first time volunteer, it is recommended that you go to a safer country as this will give you a taste of what the volunteering itself is like. There are several ways to find out how safe, or unsafe, a country is for volunteers/foreignors. One source that has a lot of information is the FCO, a branch of the UK government that keeps track of international situations and safety. All of their information is available through their website:

FCO main page

FCO Travel Advice by Country

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites