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Global Volunteer Network - FAQTell me more about the Global Volunteer Network?How can I be sure that the Global Volunteer Network is a legitimate organization? Do I have to be from New Zealand? Which countries do most of your volunteers come from? May I volunteer with my spouse or partner? Do you provide any financial support? Are the fees and expenses tax deductible? Do you have any ideas for fundraising for my volunteer experience? Do I need travel insurance? Who organizes my flights? ------ Tell me more about the Global Volunteer Network? The Global Volunteer Network was set up by Colin Salisbury, its founder and director, after spending time volunteering in Ghana, West Africa. While he was there he saw the tremendous difference volunteers can make in helping local organizations achieve their goals. Upon returning to New Zealand he spent some time researching the different volunteer organizations around the world and was amazed at how expensive some programs were and how limiting many were in terms of volunteer options. The Global Volunteer Network was launched in December 2000 with the aim of providing quality placements for volunteers. We are currently offering volunteer placements through our partner organizations in China, Ecuador, Ghana, Liberia, Nepal, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Uganda. If you are interested in volunteering in other countries I suggest you subscribe to our monthly newsletter. How can I be sure that the Global Volunteer Network is a legitimate organization? We have been verified by Idealist, which is the largest volunteer portal on the internet. This verification means that Idealist have viewed and approved our certification as a tax-exempt organization in New Zealand. We are also a member of the Association for Volunteer Administration, an international professional association promoting professional excellence in the management of volunteer resources, while prestigious web sites such as World Bank and Lonely Planet have placed web links to us. When you apply, we can give you contact information for previous volunteers if you wish. Do I have to be from New Zealand? No, volunteers come from all over the world. Which countries do most of your volunteers come from? The majority of our volunteers come from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. We also have smaller numbers of people from Ireland, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, and many other countries from all over the world. May I volunteer with my spouse or partner? Couples are able to share a room in most countries, although in Ecuador and Thailand volunteers stay in group cabins. There is a special couples' application fee of US $400. Do you provide any financial support? No, unfortunately we are not in a position to offer any financial support. You may want to consider enrolling in a later program to allow enough time to save the funds required. Are the fees and expenses tax deductible? No, we are only registered as an organization in New Zealand. Do you have any ideas for fundraising for my volunteer experience? Yes; once you have paid your application fee, we will send you the link to our 20 page program guide which includes fundraising ideas. Do I need travel insurance? As with any overseas traveling, insurance is recommended. Talk to your travel agent about this or check out our 26 page program guide which includes links to some online insurance companies. Make sure you look into the details of the policy. You may like to make sure an emergency flight home is included for health reasons. Always include medical or health insurance as part of the deal. For the China program it is compulsary to have travel insurance which also includes medical or health insurance as part of the deal. Who organizes my flights? You do. Once you have paid your application fee, We will send you the link to our 20 page program guide which includes links to discount travel sites. ------ Question not covered here? Please check the specific FAQs for each country, and if your question is still unanswered, please submit your question here. (We aim to answer all email within 48 hours). |