The International Voluntary Service (IVS) was begun after World War I, in 1920.  Its first project was rebuilding a village near Verdun, France, that had been destroyed during the war. It wasn't until 28 years later that the IVS evolved into what it is today. The Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) is one of the truly great ideas to blossom after the Second World War. In a world desperate for peace and understanding between nations, the newly formed UNESCO helped establish this organization that promotes international volunteerism. The idea is simple. Organizations in countries around the world work with local communities to find needs. Then with the support of the locals, a short term project is planned, and an appeal to volunteers worldwide is sent out. The result is people from many countries coming together to help the local community achieve the projects goal. This was quite an accomplishment in the Post-War years, and during the Cold War. These projects were not restricted to developing economies. International Workcamps, as they're called, can be found to this day in Europe and the U.S, as well as in developing economies.

We at ELI do not have group volunteerism as our primary mission, so we are only directly involved with one CCIVS program. We partner with the Kenya Voluntary Development Association, an active and exemplary member of CCIVS, representing everything that one could ask of this worldwide movement. There are organizations that specialize in placing volunteers with CCIVS projects. In the US, Volunteers for Peace (www.vfp.org) offers access to the full range of CCIVS projects. Guidelines for Inter-regional Volunteer Exchange can be found here.

Projects vary in length, but are generally 2-3 weeks. Costs are very low. Living conditions are generally communal and quite basic, but the spirit of working together towards a common goal alleviates any issues for most participants. Of course, as with any volunteer activity, the quality of the program depends on the organizational skills of the hosts. A volunteer should not go in with expectations of a high end tour! Be open-minded and remember that the experience is what you make of it.

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What's the difference between an intern and a volunteer?

We are asked this quite often. Basically, an internship is something that you choose to do in order to develop your skills in a profession. Volunteering can also serve this purpose, but the driving force is your desire to help out. So for example, a teaching program can be viewed as an internship by those who wish to develop their teaching skills, or as volunteering for those who are just looking to help out.

For years, the main tool for Americans to experience cultural immersion in another country was through the college “junior year abroad” experience. For all of its benefits, there are also some important negatives to this tradition. First, it provides nothing for the non-student. In today’s world, more and more people of all ages are looking for a more intense international experience. Second, study abroad puts the participant in an academic setting, which is clearly not the most effective way to know a country and its people. And third, most students on study programs tend to spend much of their time with other American students.

In recent years, we have seen the growth of new forms of tourism. In the nineties, eco-tourism was the rage. Here in the 21st century, there is more and more talk about “volunteer tourism” (voluntourism). Even the Today Show has featured this new phenomenon several times. In education, “experiential” programs have begun to gain favor. Internship and volunteer experiences seem to provide an appealing solution to the growing desire for an international cultural immersion experience.

But what, exactly, is the difference between the two? Are they interchangeable terms, or can a clear distinction be made? The answer is “a little of both.”

In general terms, volunteering is simply the act of “voluntarily” giving your time and energy to help a cause. Normally, the volunteer receives no tangible benefits from the work. Of course, there are exceptions. We call Peace Corps workers “volunteer,” but they do in fact receive a salary and benefits. It is certainly, however, not a commitment that is taken on for financial gain. More likely, altruism is the motivating factor behind the choice to become a volunteer, whether paid or unpaid.

On the other hand, an internship is work that we take on in order to learn more about a given profession. We generally work under the tutelage of someone who is knowledgeable in the field, and is qualified to give us guidance. Medical interns are probably the first group to come to mind, and in fact the word comes from the French interne, or “assistant doctor” as well as “a resident within a school.” But in contemporary English usage, the term can be applied to any profession, though the academic element is retained. A non-academic internship would more correctly be called an apprenticeship.

Universities have placed increasing emphasis on the valuable addition that an internship or “practicum” offers to an education. Of course, these tend to be domestic internships rather than international internships. Generally, college credit is available for such programs. Many universities and colleges have a special internship or “coop” (cooperative education) office to administer and monitor interns. In addition, the student will need to have a faculty sponsor who will require a written report at the end of the project.

Although the basic distinctions between volunteering and interning seem quite clear, there are many times when the two overlap. For example, imagine a student who receives internship credit for working as a volunteer in an orphanage in Kenya. There may be no professional aspirations motivating the student, but the credit received is welcome compensation. The college or university has determined (correctly) that this is a learning experience, and a worthy component of the student’s education. Most intense volunteer programs provide a great learning opportunity, especially in a foreign culture.

Just as a volunteer program may also be an internship, traditional internships may also be a volunteer program. In my travels in Guatemala, I visited a free medical clinic in the Mayan town of Santiago on Lake Atitlan. There was an American medical student from Harvard interning there, learning while providing a service to the local community. He was thrilled at the amount of responsibility he was given, but the community was equally excited to have an intern with a world-class education.

In that same clinic, I met several doctors from the U.S. They had years of experience, and would clearly be placed in the volunteer category. But they would be the first to tell you that they were learning from their experience, and that the rewards far outweighed the personal sacrifice. So whether you wish to call your international experience interning or volunteering, you’ll end up with insight into another culture that you could never have achieved as a tourist. What's keeping you?

We naturally expect non-profit organizations and the people who work in them to be above the desire for monetary or political gain, but even at home in developed economies, scandals hit from time to time. A quick reality check is in order before you look at non-profits in developing economies. There aren’t many Mother Theresas in the world, so don’t hold everyone in the non-profit sector to her standard! When you evaluate a Third World NGO, you should look at their accomplishments and the services that they offer. Don’t concern yourself with the finances of the organization. If you are too preoccupied by the possibility that someone is getting a disproportionate share of an organizations funds, you’ll make yourself miserable. I've heard many complaints from volunteers about organizations that are doing great work. This usually happens when somehow they see the accounts and notice payroll inequalities or unusual "benefits." Or sometimes, it's just the fact that the director drives a car in a country where most people don't even have plumbing. Of course, if you can find a completely altruistic organization, go for it! But temper your expectations.

Another issue that comes up from time to time is pressure to donate money to a project. In Uganda, I was told by the director of an orphanage that all Americans have household workers, and that for us, $500 was nothing. Hmmm. Many countries have well-developed cultures of dependency. Years of foreign aid and donations from well-meaning visitors have led many organizations to expect all foreign volunteers and visitors to support them. It is difficult to deal with, and once the door is opened, it's very difficult to close. If you come bearing donations, instead of gratitude, you may find yourself overwhelmed by constant requests. If you wish to avoid this, it is far better to give donations as you leave, or after you have gone. If you find that you have become the target of constant requests, you'll just need to develop thick skin. Remember - you cannot possibly solve all the problems of the world, or even of a given village.

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An international internship or volunteer project is a great first step in developing an exciting career in any field. While an internship abroad may not automatically land you a job, it can make your resume stick out and get your foot in the door. Completing an internship in another country is a unique way of gaining experience related to your career goals. You will have the opportunity to work with professionals in your field, meet some incredible people while learning about another country and culture. By participating in an international internship, you are already setting yourself apart from the crowd of job applicants by demonstrating you are serious about about pursuing an international career and willing to make the time investment and commitment to gain experience working in another country. Use the international internship as a springboard to your international career by performing well within your internship placement, networking while outside work, and taking the opportunity to apply for permanent employment within the country you are working in.

An internship is a valuable opportunity to learn firsthand about the day to day work within a field and cultivate potentially valuable connections with people within the organization. Beginning the internship is just the first step of the process. While working with the organization, take on the responsibility and initiative to perform to the best of your abilities. Be careful and conscientious when completing tasks. Downtime does happen. Look at the downtime as an opportunity to ask for more responsibilities, keeping in mind that it may take a while for for the permanent staff to find a project they feel is appropriate for you. If you do not have an immediate task, take it upon yourself to learn as much background information on the organization as possible. Learn about local political and economic issues that have a direct effect on the organization. Keep up to date on the local news. Also, don't hesitate to fill any gaps you may see. Perhaps the secretary is running behind on the filing or maybe a mailing needs to be assembled and sent out. By taking initiative on small tasks, you prove that you will be able to handle larger responsibilities. Also, you will free up the permanent staff to work on projects more pressing to the organization. Finally, be realistic about what an organization will assign a temporary intern to do, especially within the first few weeks. Remember, as an intern, you are at the bottom of the ladder. Don't take it personally if you aren't invited to executive meetings or granted any sort of decision making power. Everyone has to start somewhere and pay their dues before earning a seat and a voice in the important meetings. An internship is a learning experience and a great way to start out. The rewards of creating good working relationships with the people around you will pay off both personally and professionally.

While abroad, take the opportunity to network. You may find opportunities that you would never have the slightest chance of finding from home, and you never know who you will run into while you are abroad. Before you leave for your placement, print business cards with your name and contact information, update your resume, and bring a small notebook to specifically devote to keeping track of the people you meet. Printing personal business cards simplifies trading contact information and will make you look very organized and prepared at the end of a conversation. It is much more graceful to hand someone your card than it is to fumble for a pen and paper napkin at the end of a conversation. In your notebook, keep a record of who you speak with, their position, and your conversation. This will be a useful reference later. Stay in contact with the people in your notebook and do not make empty promises. If you tell someone you will call them, make sure you follow through with the phone call.

In addition to networking, you may also run into the opportunity to apply and interview for jobs available in your host country. Keep your feelers out through people you work with at your internship, any new friends, and by checking local classified ads. Most major cities have English language publications targeting ex-pats. You have an advantage over other international applicants by being able to interview in person. Before you leave home, update your resume, so it is easy to customize and send out to local employers.