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Agency fees under fire

Placement agencies such as ours cannot ignore the fact that agency fees are controversial for many.  And with the range of fees in the industry, it is little wonder. And many ask, in a developing country, how much should it cost to live for a month?  A reasonable question.  While interest in worldwide volunteerism is on the rise. So is the debate about what it should or shouldn’t cost.  Here are 10 links to websites which explore this issue.  Excerpts from each respective article are shown below the chart.  These excerpts give a clue to the tone and content of the piece.

 
 
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-07/cheap-volunteering-experiences-how-to-find-volunteer-programs-that-suit-the-financially-challenged.html  (1)
 
http://tastythailand.com/2011/04/30/how-to-volunteer-to-teach-english-efl-in-thailand/  (2)
 
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/general-expat-discussions/37425-volunteering-overseas-please-explain-why-agencies-charge.html  (3)
 
http://travelforfreebook.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/volunteer-without-paying-expensive-agency-fees/  (4)
 
http://almostfearless.com/2010/11/17/should-you-pay-to-volunteer-abroad/  (5)
 
http://thehostellife.com/news/item/137-an-alternative-to-volunteer-agencies  (6)
 
 
http://www.wisebread.com/volunteer-to-travel-11-opportunities-for-free-or-very-cheap-travel  (7)
 
http://www.truetravellers.org/the-cost-of-volunteering-abroad/  (8)
 
http://blog.geovisions.org/geovisions-blog/?Tag=Why%20Do%20I%20Have%20To%20Pay%20To%20Volunteer  (9)
 

http://forums.plentyoffish.com/datingPosts4336382.aspx  (10)

 

 

(1) "…these voluntourism packages can be hideously expensive…"
 
(2)  "..that's not volunteering.  That's an organization making too much money…"
 
(3) "..please explain why volunteer agencies charge…"
 
(4) "not only the cost…the larger the agency, the less they seem to know about local projects…"
 
(5) "Should you pay to volunteer overseas?"
 
(6) "how much should it cost to live in a developing country for a month?.."
 
 
(7) 11 Opportunities for Free or Very Cheap Travel
 
(8) The cost of volunteering abroad
 
(9) there are some organizations out there charging many thousands of dollars for a volunteer abroad opportunity
 
(10)  "why do they (volunteer agencies) charge so much?   I can't find one I can afford…"

  

 Here are more links to top rated Google websites/blogs which focus on the issue of the high cost of volunteerism:

 The webmaster of the largest volunteer agency portal in South America says that any fee above $500 for two weeks is exorbitant in any Third ?World or developing country.  An account of two girls who paid a thousand British pounds each for a volunteer placement.  Advice to gap year students in the U. K. 






bulletWhere should you teach?
bulletDo you even need a placement agency?
bulletThe mystifying spread of agency fees
bulletAgency fees under fire
bulletWhat agencies should provide to volunteers
bulletHow well do Thai students speak English?
bulletWhat volunteers should teach
bulletWhat's expected of volunteer teachers?
bulletCulture and etiquette in Thailand
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