How Volunteering Works

The BaseCamp Volunteer Abroad program is based on the foundation that in order to truly make a positive difference with a short term placement, we need make certain that work is done in advance to ensure the placement is a good fit for the volunteer, and that the volunteer is adequately prepared for their placement.

One of the first steps in accomplishing this is our placement assessment process. Prior to placing a volunteer with any placement, our staff visits with the organization to fully understand the work being done, and conduct a placement assessment. Basically we are looking at two critical factors when beginning a new organizational partnership:

  • Is the organization addressing a real need in the community?
  • Could the contributions of a volunteer help the organization achieve their short and long term goals?

Once it has been determined that an organization is providing for a genuine need in the community, and that volunteer labour could be of assistance, we begin the next phase of the placement assessment process, which is the needs assessment.

The needs assessment really starts with spending some time with the organization and getting a solid understanding of the work they are doing and the issues they are addressing. We look at their current projects and learn from them what needs they have that could be met with volunteer assistance. We gather information regarding any specific skills or experience that the organization would be looking for to assist them with any current or future projects they may have.

Once we have a good understanding of the organizational needs, and the roles to be filled by volunteers; and have made accommodation arrangements for this placement, we create a placement profile and enter it into our placement database. It now becomes an option made available to potential volunteers whose skills and experience match the needs of the organization and placement.

Volunteers have the option to review the placement options available to them and select their top three preferences. The final placement confirmation will come from your country coordinator, and ultimately your acceptance to a specific placement is approved by the placement organization in country.