Check that volunteers are not taking away local jobs or creating dependency.
Some organizations take on foreign volunteers when a local person could be paid to do the same job.
If your specific skill is hard to come by locally, make sure that part of your role is to train local staff,
so they can take over when you leave.
Assess the impact of the organization you are like to volunteer with.
Ask them how they measure their success.
Providing books, for example, is not the same as teaching reading skills,
and will not necessarily improve literacy rates in the same way.
Do your research and don't be afraid to ask critical questions.
Make sure the goals of the organization are driven by local people.
Important decisions should be made by people familiar with the needs
and culture of the local community.
The goals of a project should be identified by working closely with the community an organization is aiming to help.
Think about the sustainability of what the organization does.
Are they offering short-term, quick-fix solutions,
or are they really addressing deep-rooted, underlying causes to problems?
Be wary of organizations that offer handouts or give things away
these can create dependencies.
A more sustainable project will focus on capacity building
to enable local people to make improvements in their own communities
Be wary of organizations that let un-vetted and unqualified volunteers work directly with children
Ask yourself will you be qualified in your own country to work as a teacher or care-giver?
If not, it is probably not a good idea to do it in a foreign either.
All vulnerable children need a safe and stable environment, regardless of where they live
Research the management and the transparency of the organization.
It may seem like they are doing good work,
but make sure they can also account for how their donor’s money is being used.
Transparent organizations should be willing to share their financial information.
Think about the social impact of a foreigner doing your role.
Were you offered a high position simply because you speak fluent English?
Allowing volunteers to take high-level roles
just because they are foreign can create tensions, undermine local staff, and set a bad example
Question organizations that allow volunteers to do anything they're not be qualified to do at home.
Would the organization employ someone with your skills to do that role?
If you are looking to learn, make sure you are assisting a project and not leading it.
Many volunteers see developing countries as a means of gaining work experience,
but this often is not in the best interests of the organization.
Question any organization spending extensive resources on catering for volunteers.
Does accommodating volunteers actually detract from the organization's mission
Make sure your needs of a volunteer do not take priority over the project.
What you bring to the organization should at least be as valuable as the resources you are taking.