Are there any programs like Peace Corps but with a shorter commitment?

Question

I really would love to volunteer, but the Peace Corps requires a two year commitment. I don't think I could commit 2 years. I would be willing to volunteer up to 1 year. I would prefer something in South America or Africa, but I'm willing to go wherever I am needed. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Answer 1

You talk about what you *want* to do, but for placements of more than six months, organizations are going to require that you have a lot of experience: a professional skill that would be of value in the developing world and wouldn't take a job away from a local person, the ability to work (read, write and speak) in a language other than English, skills and experience that can lead to local people generating income, better feeding their families, improving children's health, etc., or that can lead to the transformation of key institutions, such as government, universities/schools or NGOs, and so forth. T

Short-term placement agencies charge volunteers, or require these volunteers to pay their own way (flights, in-country transportation, health insurance, accommodation, food, security, translators, training, staff to supervise and support them in their service, liaisons with the police and local officials, etc.).

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, and how you can gain that experience locally. It also lists the various organizations that don't charge for volunteer placement (but require a great deal of experience -- the average age of a UN Volunteer is 38).
http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volunteer/international.html

There is a listing of the more-than-30 member organizations of the International Volunteers Program Association (IVPA) that is a good place to find reputable volunteer-for-a-fee programs -- programs where you don't need to have much experience in order to participate, and the placements are just for a few weeks or months:
http://www.volunteerinternational.org/

The cheapest overseas volunteer-sending organization in the USA that will send unskilled volunteers for short-term assignments (six months or less) that I've found is SCI - Service Civil International (http://www.sci-ivs.org/). I know *nothing* about them other than what's on their web site, so please don't consider the listing of this organization in my answer as an endorsement.

Answer 2

Programs Like Peace Corps

Answer 3

Programs Similar To Peace Corps

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Are there any programs like Peace Corps but with a shorter commitment?
I really would love to volunteer, but the Peace Corps requires a two year commitment. I don't think I could commit 2 years. I would be willing to volunteer up to 1 year. I would prefer something in South America or Africa, but I'm willing to go wherever I am needed. Any advice is...

Answer 5

AmeriCorps is a great program in the US (I'm an NCCC volunteer currently) but it's not the same as Peace Corps. Yes we do volunteer work, but it's shorter amounts of time dedicated to different projects. I'm based out of Sacramento and we have 4 phases, roughly 2 months in each location. Right now I'm in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi helping with housing at Lagniappe Presbyterian Church. It depends what type of volunteer work you're looking for, AmeriCorps offers a ton of different programs. If you're looking for more inner city youth development work, I'd go with City Year. If you want to be more on your own and choose your time committment & project, I'd go with AmeriCorps State/National. If you like team based projects and don't mind a few rules, NCCC has been treating me great. :)
Projects Abroad is a good way to get your foot in the door when it comes to volunteer work, but it costs money. I think they're very reasonably priced, but I also haven't experienced it. Projects Abroad is for a few months in the country of your choice, with the project of your choice.

Answer 6

You could also try AmeriCorps - it's the same thing as the Peace Corps but in America - the term of service varies but is usually 1 year I believe:
http://www.americorps.org/

Answer 7

There is a US government program called IFESH which sends English teachers to various developing countries including some countries in Africa and South America. You can find out more from their website www.ifesh.org. They take volunteers on a one year commitment, which is probably renewable if you decide you really like it.

Answer 8

Just to clarify IFESH is NOT a U.S. government program. It is an NGO (non-governmental organization) which is partially funded by grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The U.S. government, through various channels, funds many organizations and projects. The Peace Corps on the other hand is an official U.S. government organization that is directly funded by Congress and reports directly to the President of the United States.

Taken from IFESH web-site:
“The International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) was established as a 501(c)(3) nongovernmental, nonprofit, charitable organization under the vision and leadership of the late Reverend Leon H. Sullivan to reduce hunger and poverty, empower the local community by raising the standard of literacy, and to foster cultural, social, and economic relations between Americans and Africans, particularly those Americans who are of African descent.”

Saying you are willing to give one year but not two years to volunteer work is like telling yourself you are only willing to run a mile instead of two miles. Personally I’d rather run two miles… which I did… in central Africa… for two years… and it was awesome! Peace Corps.

Answer 9

really just do any kind of volunteering work, begin at your home city and then move up to like the county, state, country, start off small and change things on the small scale. it will be wondrous just to do any volunteer work regardless of where it is.