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Comment by carlosjobim | Hacker News Reader

I think volunteering gets brushed off because in many places it is just a pure scam. The organizations collect money and then charge volunteers exorbitant sums for the privilege of working for free.

I looked at volunteering about 15 years ago and from what I saw then, I have never entertained the thought again.

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>In many places it is just a pure scam

Seems a pretty overly strong statement, no? Is there any research in to percentage of non profit efforts that are/aren't legitimate? Can you elaborate on "what I saw then" that made you think it was indicative of the entire idea of volunteer work?

I have had the opposite experience. All the best people in the world I've met have been volunteering for one thing or another. As a young tech guy I've provided general tech support to as many institutions around me as need it and I've never once felt anyone was anything but earnest. Feels unfair to write so much off. I hope you find an organization you would feel comfortable volunteering for again. It really does provide immense benefit to the mind/heart

> Can you elaborate on "what I saw then" that made you think it was indicative of the entire idea of volunteer work?

Yes, I was looking to do international volunteer work and used the internet to search for opportunities, since I knew nobody with experience. Fully willing to pay for my own travels of course. All I could find was programs where you had to pay thousands of dollars, your own food and your own board in order to volunteer. For a few weeks.

That is sadly as far as I got before dismissing the concept as a scam.

I decided to do another similar search right now, more than a decade later. Still seems like the same thing and this is what I get from opening all the search results from the first page:

"Volunteer Shark Conservation in Fiji for Teenagers Price: $4,470 USD for 2 weeks"

"Volunteer with Children in Fiji Price: $2,470 USD for 1 week"

"Volunteer Community Work in Fiji for Teenagers Price: $3,045 USD for 2 weeks"

"Childcare & Community Volunteer Work in Peru for Teenagers Price: $3,645 USD for 2 weeks"

"Affordable fees from $525 for 1 week"

"Volunteer in Africa with Agape completely affordable for our volunteers. Programmes from £675"

"Teach English abroad - Costa Rica USD 339 - That’s just USD 48 per day*..."

"Volunteer to assist in improving physical and mental health for women, girls and communities in Ghana, West Africa. Special offer! Get up to 25% off 1 week £ 1,645"

"Help children and families overcome severe poverty Inspire and guide youth to productive futures as a volunteer in Peru. 1 week $2956"

Honestly, I don't care for these grifters and scammers. Good luck to them.

There are probably hundreds of thousands of eager and able-bodied youths every year who would have loved to volunteer and help their fellow man (or animal), but could only find these scams and decided against doing such a thing. Better just get drunk in the hostel, at least that won't set them back thousands of dollars. Consider the loss.

I took a look at the United Nations. They offer two spots for youth volunteering: have to be 18-26 years old and with a bachelors degree and relevant experience. The volunteering spots are both in Mogadishu in Somalia. The description doesn't have any details about cost, so I guess these are actually free.

Perhaps you and the other posters are talking past each other. For me the word “volunteering” conjures thoughts of spending some weekends doing things for local charities within easy driving distance of my home, not paying to travel overseas. I suspect most Americans at least would see it my way, which is why the other posters are incredulous at your seeming dismissal of “most” volunteer organizations.

Yes, I think you're right, it certainly seems to be the case. However, I wrote "many", not "most".

Very interesting. Sorry you had such an unfortunate experience. I'm realizing now how lucky I was to have been introduced to all the groups I have been by real members of the local groups. With the type of opportunity you were looking for makes a lot of sense why you found what you did. I have not touched any large scale international groups (couple branches of larger orgs were just ok) really and maybe that's the difference. Either way, I'm sorry you weren't able to find volunteer work. It has helped me immensely and I hope one day you can benefit from it should circumstance allow.

>Seems a pretty overly strong statement, no?

No.

You're assuming every place and organization on the PLANET is like the one where you volunteer at. it's not.

>You're assuming every place and organization on the planet is like the one you volunteer at

Not really, but I did, perhaps naively, think at least a better percentage as earnest than the other commenter was giving credit for. You're right though, after reading his detailed response I do realize now I've been very lucky in how I came to do what I do with who I do it with.

^ This sometimes occurs with international volunteering programs ("voluntourism").

Lots of pitfalls and sad stories in that space. Most of the other comments here are discussing helping out with small local orgs which might not be what carlosjobim had in mind.

I got in with a new "startup" community bicycle hub. They were just getting off the ground so it was pretty chaotic at first. Now it's humming along and, from a selfish perspective, my mental health is much better spending a couple hours a week volunteering with them.

>The organizations collect money and then charge volunteers exorbitant sums for the privilege of working for free.

Huh, they charge volunteers to work for free? Why would anyone ever do that?

I work at a sports program that charges volunteers, but that’s because it’s set up as a coop. Everyone has to donate time and money to use the facilities. The fee is really small compared to what you get to, 1/5 of comparable facilities.

It’s an amazing program, too. No one involved would ever call it a scam IMO.

This is a bizarre account, and completely dissimilar to anything I've ever heard of or experienced. Any specific organizations you can recall that engaged in this practice?

Please see my reply to user mptest above (or below).

I'm sorry, but this is an absurd statement that might apply in some extremely narrow niche of "volunteering". But volunteering is a very broad activity that happens in all kinds of organisations, and even without any organisation at all.

It's sort of like you got food poisoning from eating Mexican food once, and from then on, decided to only ever eat burgers for the rest of your life.

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