Don’t Pay to Volunteer!
Author Name: Susan Guggenheim, VCV Volunteer in 2024
Tags: Volunteering for Free vs Volunteering for a Service Fee, Benefits of VCV, Cultural Exchange
Free Volunteering vs Service Fee Volunteering
Why would anyone pay to volunteer? What are you paying for? Do you have to pay to find a good opportunity?
The costs per week to volunteer teaching English in Vietnam can vary significantly among different organizations due to varying program inclusions, accommodations, support services, and locations.
If you’re using a reputable volunteer experience broker, and we list 7 below, the fee you pay is split with the broker (who found you the experience) and the host (who gives you accommodation and food). The broker not only finds the experience for you but the brokers below offer 24/7 in-country or local support of you, and that means staff always on call.
On call, 24/7 in-country or local support is the big draw and the big expense. The peace of mind guarantee that you won’t be dropped off in the middle of nowhere without any way to leave. Parents and their volunteering children will find the fee paid volunteer options more safe and secure because they can contact the broker for any issue, and they have someone to complain to should something go wrong.
The broker’s split of the fee also covers office staff, supplies, marketing and rent and utils if they have a brick-and-mortar office location – all the things that a regular business requires to do business. The host gets money upfront for housing and feeding you. You’re building trust.
This is not bad or wrong. Lots of young people sign up for a fee paid service, and their parents feel confident they are getting value for money. You can find out more about volunteering for a fee below – we’ve put together a list of reputable ones.
However, problems may begin if you engage with a volunteer organization who is charging a fee and who is not a broker, in other words, they are an independent organization that charges volunteers a weekly service fee. These options you need to be cautious and wary about. There is a conflict of interest here – is the volunteering help you provide their goal or is it the fee you’re paying them, usually in advance?
If you do go the small or independent nonprofit route, always sign up for the minimum required time, usually 2 or 3 weeks. If you like it, you can renew. If you don’t, you can leave.
Below is our current comparison of the costs of Volunteering with VCV versus Volunteering with a Broker:
Check out our benefits, which we think are unbeatable:
Free Volunteering vs Service Fee Volunteering
Shown below are the cost estimates for reputable service fee volunteer programs, based on the most recent available data:
Volunteer Viet Nam
- Offers teaching English volunteer programs.
- Program fees might cover accommodation, meals, teaching materials, and in-country support.
- Two-week placement fee of $699, with each additional week costing $99
- Estimated average cost per week: $150 – $400 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
GoEco Viet Nam
- GoEco may have teaching English volunteer placements.
- Program fees usually include accommodation, meals, orientation, and local support.
- Estimated average cost per week: $150 – $500 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
ELI Abroad
- ELI Abroad provides teaching English volunteer placements in Vietnam.
- Program fees typically include accommodation, meals, orientation, and local support.
- Four weeks for $1,204, five weeks for $1,400, six weeks for $1,556, and seven weeks for $1,707
- Estimated average cost per week: $150 – $500 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
Projects Abroad Vietnam
- Offers teaching English volunteer opportunities.
- Program fees generally cover accommodation, meals, teaching resources, and in-country support.
- Two weeks of childcare volunteering in Hanoi for $500
- Estimated average cost per week: $200 – $600 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
Volunteering Solutions
- Provides teaching English volunteer programs in Vietnam.
- Program fees commonly cover accommodation, meals, teaching materials, and in-country support.
- Two weeks of childcare volunteering in Hanoi for $500
- Estimated average cost per week: $100 – $350 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
World Endeavors
- Offers teaching English volunteer placements in Vietnam.
- Program fees typically include accommodation, meals, orientation, and in-country support.
- Campus life teaching volunteering in Ho Chi Minh for $300 per extra week
- Estimated average cost per week: $200 – $700 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
IVHQ
- IVHQ facilitates teaching English volunteer programs in Vietnam.
- Program fees usually cover accommodation, meals, orientation, and local support.
- Fully hosted experience from $300, with projects that align with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Estimated average cost per week: $150 – $400 plus personal budget from $12-37 per day.
These figures are approximate and can fluctuate based on several factors, including program duration, specific inclusions (accommodation, meals, support, excursions), location within Vietnam, and the organization’s pricing policies. The suggested daily budget (on top of the weekly fee) for living as an international volunteer in Vietnam is between $12 and $37. This estimated range includes the average price of some services and things volunteers might want to buy.
At VCV Vietnam we offer you a free opportunity to volunteer from a reputable NGO in Hanoi with amazing benefits. Are you ready to connect with us? We hope so!